Ghosts and goblins are not the only thing scary these days. With the Israel-Gaza war, the barbarity of the Hamas attacks on innocent Israeli citizens just going about their daily lives on October 7th, and the rise in reported hate crimes in the U.S. – especially against people who are Jewish, Muslim, Black, Asian or non-heterosexual – even on college campuses which are supposed to be a safe place to debate difficult topics, it’s normal to feel unsafe even before anyone shows up at your door in a scary costume for trick or treating tonight.
Add to this that women increasingly feel threatened by the loss of the right to control their own healthcare since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the rising threats of political violence and threats to democracy, even from U.S. lawmakers and candidates, as well as overseas including in Ukraine, and it’s understandable that you’ll feel kind of unmoored these days. Then there’s the rise in gun violence in the U.S. with 584 reported mass shootings (4 or more people killed) so far in 2023 alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
How can you take care of yourself amidst the onslaught of tough news?
If you feel unsafe where you are, please seek help from the police (call 911, or the “emergency” option on your cellphone) or the National Suicide Hotline (at 988), or call someone who cares about you and ask for help. Now.
If you are in a safe space, but feeling scared with all the intensely negative news, here are a few tips for taking care of your mental health in this moment:
· Turn off the news: If news of the catastrophes in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and other places is stressing you out, then turn it off. Listen to some music, read a book, or watch a funny movie or comedy show.
· Laughter and music are great tonics: Even the esteemed Mayo Clinic endorses laughter for managing stress and depression. Music and art therapies are well-known as well. So, turn on some good tunes and dance in your living room or walking down the street.
· Get off social media: We have all heard about the dangers of being on social media too much, especially during emotionally vulnerable times, so close it. Especially today when there is so much misinformation and disinformation, it’s important to limit what you see.
· Keep perspective: Remember that you are safe (assuming you are in a safe space, as most Americans in the U.S. today are). Remember that people love and care for you. Remember that you have resources available (including for free) to get help.
· Practice gratitude: “(G)ratitude raises our level of energy and there are things to be grateful for even when everything’s falling apart around us…(and) when you focus on helping others too, it kind of gets your mind off of yourself…and better ideas come to you.” Emily Harman, 38-year Navy veteran and host of the podcast “Onward” about moving on from adversity explained on Electric Ladies Podcast.
· Take a walk, get some fresh air: Moving your body will shift your thinking and mood too, and the fresh air will help clear your head.
· Help others: As Harman said, helping others takes your mind off your own issues. This can be formally – by going to a hospital to cheer up sick kids, or to an animal shelter to take care of lost pets, for example – or informally by helping a neighbor. You can help others by donating money or gently used clothing or books, or volunteering your time to tutor kids, too.
· Work can be a welcome distraction: You may find that getting on your work laptop, or tackling a home project can be helpful too. It’s getting your mind off the stressor and putting that energy into something productive. Even cleaning your house or decluttering a closet can help.
· Ask for support: Call a good friend or trusted family member, your doctor, or a coach or therapist, or a mental health hotline for support. There are tons of resources today – online and in real life – for anyone who needs a shoulder or a therapist. There are telemedicine mental health services, apps to talk to a therapist online, including from BetterHelp, TalkSpace, HeadSpace, and VeryWellMind, which rated many of them.
While Halloween costumes, games and movies are often meant to be playfully scary, you don’t need to go through your days feeling under constant threat and in flight or fight mode, even in the face of so many real threats in the world.
You can control what you’re thinking about, and how you think about the world around you. You have options for dealing with this crazy world in a positive way.
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