It seems that every day the news is filled with more negativity and terrifying events. Mass shootings, natural disasters, political issues, war, threats of nuclear war. Before social media, CNN, The Weather channel, and Fox News these events were not brought right into our living room 24 hours a day. Having the availability of on demand news and the Internet gives us the sense that there is danger as close to home as our living room and sometimes there may be. We begin to wonder where we can feel safe. Our brains absorb all the negative and tragic events happening all over the world. This creates a sense of anxiety which lingers over us and can emit negativity from us to those around us.
These are stressful times for all of us. We are all feeling the impact from what is happening in the world today. The negative events we are hearing about in the daily news are affecting all of us. For people who already have a high stress load or are already having difficulty coping with other stress the world events can cause more serious mental health issues. Those already suffering with depression, anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health diagnoses may feel an escalation of their symptoms.
What can you do when danger and negativity seem to be looming over your head?
Think about what you have control over and put your energy into that.
Ask yourself what you have control over. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do about all the stress in the world. Possibly, help close to home if helping in the larger world is not an option for you.
Find a local cause and join in to help. Find someone close to home who you can provide some support to.
When your brain goes down that rabbit hole of negativity and fear tell yourself to STOP. Wear a rubber band around your wrist and snap it to tell your brain to STOP. Or visualize a STOP sign as a signal to the brain to STOP the negative thinking and get you out of that sinking rabbit hole.
When it feels too overwhelming what can you do?
Reach out and talk about it. Talk to those around you. Talk to those you love. No matter what your values are or when it seems there are others with no values, embrace yours, whatever they are. We are all humans, no matter what our values, political beliefs, race, culture, religion, age, or sexual orientation. Try to understand this and believe this.
Be sure to manage your stress and feelings of helplessness. Remember to use healthy coping skills and self-care on a daily basis. Breathe deeply. Practice patience and kindness to yourself and those around you. Be sure you are getting the appropriate amount of sleep. Do not over use alcohol or other substances as self-medication. Be sure to eat three healthy meals a day. Avoid processed and fast foods. Eating healthy contributes to a healthy mind.
Spend time with loved ones near and far. Perhaps join a local support group or an activity group. Meet and connect with new people. Find a new hobby and meet people with similar interests.
Try to limit the news to once a day.
When my husband and I felt overwhelmed and helpless to do anything about the world problems we became foster parents. Our idea was that we could make a difference one child at a time. Giving children close to home a chance at a some opportunities in our home.
Watching the news over and over contributes to our stress level. The stories on CNN or Fox news are repeated all day long. Allow yourself to watch or read the news only once a day. Restrict your Internet and social media usage to once or less a day to allow you to focus on being positive and productive. Do not use screens at least an hour before bed.
If you find you are so overwhelmed and need to talk to a professional please reach out to me or to someone else. I’d be happy to meet with you in person, through messaging therapy or video session.
We are all in this together!