Coping with Current Events

Since the beginning of time, our world and its societies have been faced with tremendous challenges and life-altering events. Through conflicts, natural disasters, and other unforeseen obstacles, humanity has stumbled forward to bring us to the current moment in time. Despite our magnificent strides forward as a human collective, there is no denying that we still face an enormous amount of issues that cause great concern. At times, it may feel incredibly overwhelming and even hopeless. However, it’s important to know that you’re not alone and this generation is not the first to feel this way. Although we cannot fix the entire world, there are ways to cope with current world events, live our lives to their fullest capacity, and perhaps even thrive through chaos. Keep reading for five coping skills and ways to stay grounded and move forward even when the world feels heavy.

Care for yourself

When awful things are happening in the world around us, and we must cope with those world events, it’s common to grapple with a certain level of guilt. We tend to have an increased awareness of the privileges and advantages that we might have while others are going without. Sometimes, our heavy emotions make it difficult to “go through the motions” of our everyday lives knowing that there is great disruption going on in the lives of others elsewhere. When we feel like this it’s important to remember that neglecting ourselves or denying ourselves the ability to live fully is usually not the answer to ending a difficulty elsewhere in the world. Basics like drinking water, prioritizing sleep, and nourishing your body with meals that will fuel you are things that you deserve to give yourself to keep going in your own daily life. Caring for yourself also means that when the opportunity to contribute positively to your community and the world arises, you’ll be better equipped to serve those around you.

Seek community

It can be incredibly difficult to witness lives and families being torn apart whether by war, major weather events, or big accidents from failing critical infrastructure. Although it does not remedy those losses, seeking connection in your own community can provide comfort and act as an anchor through the waves of emotion that we experience when the world experiences a big loss or upset. Connection with others is a powerful method for managing anxiety and remaining grounded during times of stress and unrest.

Do what you can

For those of us who are incredibly action and solution-oriented, it can feel excruciating to witness difficult events and feel helpless or useless. Being willing to organize is a beautiful characteristic that can be used in a number of ways even when you aren’t particularly close to an issue or situation. When you can’t be hands-on consider how you might help by amplifying the voices of those sharing information. Ask yourself the following questions: Can you organize the collection and delivery of resources? Can you have difficult conversations with those in your circle who do not understand the dynamics of a situation? Can you donate your time and talent? Can you pray or meditate? These questions are not exhaustive as every situation is different, but they are a good place to start when it comes to understanding what roles you can play in improving the world around you. It’s also important to remember that you don’t need the catalyst of a tragic event to get involved in your local community. Doing work preemptively to strengthen the society you live in can set a solid foundation on which your community may be able to rest and rebuild should they ever need to.

Set media boundaries

Although our world has navigated difficulties many a time before, one thing is indisputable. We have access to more information at one time than any other living population before us. No matter what social platform, news channel, or other source of media you may use, it’s impossible to avoid a barrage of emotionally charged (and usually biased) media that can consume our minds and make it feel like nothing else good exists in the world. While it is incredibly important to stay informed, fight injustice, and engage in productive discourse, no one can thrive without limits to the constant noise of our news cycle. If you’re finding yourself glued to a screen and overwhelmed by what you’re consuming, setting some boundaries about media consumption may be the right step for you. Ask yourself if anxiety from the news is affecting your sleep. If so, maybe cut off your exposure by mid-afternoon. You get to decide what works for you. Our recent blog on Social Media and Relationships gives great insight into the pros and cons of social media exposure.

Get professional support

Finally, if you notice that world events are causing bouts of depression, anxiety, or other behaviors that you’re struggling to manage on your own, professional support is a wonderful option when you’re looking for new solutions that you may not have considered on your own. Having help from a therapist is a great way to ensure you’re taking healthy steps to move forward in your life even when the world events around you feel like a bit too much to cope with.

If you’re looking for support, please feel free to contact us at Genesis Counseling of South Tampa.