Finding Solace in Turbulent Times
Life has always been hard. The world has experienced horrendous times in so many different ways. Between wars, famine, disease, racism, poverty, and societal divide, humans know what it’s like to struggle. It’s no secret that we’re currently in some pretty turbulent times and it’s having an impact on people.
The impact of the past few years is showing up in many different ways. When Covid hit in 2020, the world was already going through a shift. We saw a response to the pandemic, unlike anything we’ve ever experienced which continued to grow during that time. The societal divide brought us to a place I never thought I’d see. As a mental health advocate, I can’t even find the words to describe it. Yet it continues. Let’s not kid ourselves, we haven’t been this divided in decades. And to make matters worse, we are living in this hyper-tech society. We are faced with a society addicted to dopamine and the attention that the internet brings. It’s a recipe for a disaster. It’s a societal problem, a global problem really. The reality is it’s going to be really hard to try and improve. Quite honestly I don’t think we’ll ever return the how it once was. However, here are some simple steps we can take to improve living through this for ourselves.
Unplug: Back when the radio first came out, it was a big deal to huddle the family around and hear what the president was talking about. When TV became available to people, you had more access to what was going on in the world but you still had to wait to be in front one. But now we have devices with 24/7 news constantly entering our minds. It can be extremely easy to let this consume us. We are also faced with a lot of misinformation which just exacerbates the stress. Sometimes it’s good just to unplug and take a break from it all. Spend some time in nature or revisit an old hobby to take a break from the constant fear.
Find your Tribe: Finding the right people is extremely important in times like this. I’m very thankful that I have a positive group of people I can trust. To be clear, we come from various backgrounds and have different views, but it doesn’t matter. I firmly believe no relationship is worth losing over disagreeing on subjects like politics, yet I see it happening over and over again. During times like this it’s more important than ever to connect with meaningful people. Have fun, hang out, see a show, grab some dinner, and make good memories. And as difficult as it is(it’s tough for me too) try not to be on the phone too much! Get a group together and be the positive change.
I hope this gave some insight into how to maintain mental health during some scary times. Keep in mind, we’ve been experiencing tragedies and hardships for centuries but this is different. I don’t care what anyone says, no one’s ever lived through a time like this before and we’re seeing some new human behaviors. People will go to extreme lengths to show how much they disagree. We are rapdily becoimg desensitized to what’s going on. Do what works best for you and your family to navigate through these crazy times!
