(818) 245-5352The world has gone crazy. At least it feels that way sometimes. We never imagined all the stress that would heap upon us, from the Coronavirus pandemic to racial injustices in our own backyard and political crises spanning the whole globe. The question is how to deal with all the bad in the world, when you know that these events must not be taken for granted, especially if you’re a minority.
How to Deal With All the Bad News in the World
Watching how far-right extreme political movements take over may be something that causes you a deep sense of worry, fear, or anxiety. Terrible things are happening in the world today, while we are being bombarded with tons of negative information daily. Whether it’s on social media or on TV, the news is all around us, and unfortunately, most of it is bad.
We live in the information age, yet we have never been more uninformed, with the sensational news dominating our feeds for a couple of days, never to be seen again. Yet, their influence remains. We are constantly being pushed by social media companies to consume more and increasingly worse information, as their algorithms recognize that negative emotion leads to larger audiences. It’s hard not to feel anxious, depressed, and stressed out every day through no fault of your own other than maintaining a social media presence.
What makes things even worse is the fact that we see nothing changing for the better, with the idea that problems that are deeply rooted in our society and that some of them, such as racism, are even worse than decades ago. Just when we think we made a step forward, we take ten steps back. And even though we collectively carry responsibilities to make a difference, to build a better place for our children, this will be impossible if we don’t learn how to take care of our well-being, whether emotional or mental.
Limit Your News Exposure
The first self-care tip is to limit exposure to the news. That doesn’t mean you have to stop watching the news, browsing through Twitter, or becoming completely apolitical. It just means you have to learn to filter out the information you are receiving. For instance, read the news once a day.
The second step is a bit harder. Learn to create distance, calm yourself down, and go through the day. You can implement self-care ideas for women, but, if you are still overwhelmed with negative emotions you can not cope with, you can reach out to a counselor for emotional support.. Check this video for more tips on how to survive exposure to negative news:
How to Deal With Anxiety Caused by All the Wrong in the World
Anxiety is something each and every one of us experience from time to time. But dealing with anxiety is not easy, especially if it’s caused by things out of your reach or control. Well, for starters, you can try and focus on things you can control. For example, if some terrible event occurs in your community, reach out to the affected and see how you can contribute and help. You can not change what is happening in Afghanistan, but you can see if someone from your neighborhood has family there, talk to them, and try to give them support. If you help one person, you are saving the world. You will feel less hopeless once you connect with others who are going through similar things.
Try to Get Rid of All Negative Impacts in Your Life
Getting rid of negativity in life is hard, especially if you are a woman of color. Constant exposure to prejudice and discrimination can not be that easily avoided. From your workplace to ordering food at the restaurant, you are always in fear someone will say or do something that will make you feel worthless or worse. Overcoming traumatic experiences like these is hard, and the first step in overcoming them is acknowledging that the problem is not you but them. We all know that guilt and shame we experience in these situations, but keep repeating to yourself, “it is not my shame but theirs.”
But Still Fight for Your Rights
Also, try and think about good things happening in your life right now – think about your accomplishments and set new goals for yourself. Do not let these situations wear you down. Instead, if you are not in any danger, tell those persons that what they are doing is wrong. And if possible, sue them or report to the police. Fighting for your rights will not change the overall climate in the country, but you will change one person, and that might help you overcome these feelings. Post on social media and connect with other people in the same position, and you will get support.
How to Deal With All the Bad in the World – Prioritize Your Own Mental Health
Sometimes, sharing these feelings can be hard, even with your closest persons. That’s why you can reach out to someone who knows what you are going through and who can help you learn coping skills in self-care. Search through the Internet and find a therapist that is right for you. Speaking with women who have the same experience and struggles will help you to learn how to overcome these feelings.
Explore Your Options – From Tiny Support Groups to Great Movements
How to deal with all the bad things going on in the world? As we mentioned before, you can seek the help of a professional who has had a similar experience as you. But if you still have doubts if therapy works, or if you still don’t know if you should book a first therapy appointment, you can always make the first step and join a local support group.
Or if you don’t have any group, start your own. Gather all the women from your neighborhood and sit and chat about things currently happening in your life. Even this kind of talk can greatly benefit your emotional well-being. Either way, workshops will set free the feelings you buried deep inside and you never thought you would encounter again. Afterward, you will feel empowered and strong.
Why Look For Counseling for Women
There is nothing more powerful in the world than a room filled with women who just found new strength. But how to find inner strength when you are locked in your home, lost a job, and don’t know if there will be any food left in the market for you to buy. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown on our mental health are yet to be seen. One thing is clear now – corona had a huge impact on the quality of life for all women, especially women of color. For starters, many of them couldn’t work from home and had difficulties when online schooling began.
Last but Not Least – Don’t Try to Save the World Alone
If the 2020 and Black Lives Matters movement showed us something, it’s that if we are united and we fight for our rights, the whole world will stand united as well. But movements like this can’t happen all the time, so we as individuals must learn that saving the world is not only our job. It’s the task of all of us. To maintain your physical and mental health, we must learn when and what battles we will fight. How to deal with all the bad in the world and all the implications that it has on our mental health? Keep reading and learn how to cope with anxious feelings.
