The State of the World is Freaking Me Out! What do I do?
We’re living in a time that feels overwhelming. There’s violence on multiple fronts both global and local. There is still a global pandemic despite waning public interest. Social justice issues are rightfully getting the attention that they have desperately needed for generations and highlighting serious issues underlying our society. Infrastructure seems to be crumbling. All of this can be very challenging for a given person to take in all at once. So what do we do when the state of the world is freaking us out?
Let’s start with the neuroscience of this brand of overwhelm. We now live in a very interconnected, global, society. In many ways this is really cool! We get to engage in levels of cultural exchange never before able to be obtained. This is also totally counter to how our brains were designed. Our brains were designed to take in the information of an individual village level community and happenings therein. When we try to take in all of the happenings, positive and negative, of an interconnected, global, community, we literally don’t have the brain space to engage meaningfully in all aspects of that. So, while we’re not necessarily living in a more violent or more uncertain time in comparison with previous generations, with the rise of the internet and the 24 hour news cycle, we do have more access. An individual person can now take in global uncertainties where generations previously may have only had access to uncertainties in one country, one state, one town, or one family.
Given that neither the internet nor the 24 hour news cycle are going anywhere. What can we do about the level of overwhelm being experienced? First, work to be intentional about the media you’re taking in. In conversation with others, it’s not uncommon to talk about the corners of the internet the algorithm has seen fit to place you in. Pay attention to how you feel in those spaces. Are you feeling more anxious? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you calmed? Are you numb? Are you scared? Are you happy? If it’s trending negatively, reteach the algorithm. You do not have to stay in the corners it’s relegated to you. Follow more of what brings you actual joy, peace, or reassurance. Give yourself the opportunity to opt in to things that make you feel more concerned, scared, or anxious in a way that fits your needs rather than being bombarded by that information in a way that you’re unprepared. (I want to be clear here, I’m not suggesting that you become uninformed, I am suggesting that you become informed in a way that supports your mental health).
One way that you can be intentional about your media is by time boxing. When you’re engaging with something nerve wracking- like the news- give that specific space. Maybe you choose to read one to two outlets rundowns twice a day (there are many platforms that offer these, NYT The Morning, Skimm, the donut are all options) and choose to not get push notifications or otherwise follow news outlets. Maybe you enjoy watching the news, you could time box by choosing to watch one broadcast at a time of day that makes sense for you. Giving yourself limitations of how you’re engaging with this information keeps your from being bombarded with repeated “BREAKING NEWS” that isn’t really breaking but is designed to keep your cortisol high or from doom-scrolling.
Seek out social supports. Sometimes you need to get out of the global and get connected with the local. This can take numerous forms. Two that stand out are connecting with friends to do something that is just for fun and gets you out of thinking about the state of the world. Even in the challenging times, accessing joy for joy’s sake is important. The other that stands out is getting involved in a cause for your local community. The overwhelm of the world can make many of us feel useless. Like we can’t make a difference. Getting involved in your local community in something that is important to you is a way to feel like you have the ability to enact change.
If the state of the world is freaking you out, you’re not alone. When you’re feeling the overwhelm, remind yourself that the systems are doing what they are designed to do and you have a choice with how you engage and participate with them. Because there is information available at all times does not mean that you need to take the information in at all times. You are allowed to opt in and out as fits your wellbeing. If you’re struggling with processing the state of the world and find that it’s impacting your mental health, click the button below and let’s have a conversation.