How To Stay Positive Through Global Crises and External Trauma

Mar 14

So I haven’t shared about this much because I’m conscious not to spread misinformation about something no one actually knows much about.

But I want to say something because this constant alarm we’re exposed to is having a profound effect on everyone, even if we don’t realise it.

I’m going to provide some helpful strategies to alleviate the symptoms of chronic stress caused by ongoing external trauma.

Symptoms may include fear, anxiety, sadness, inertia, grief, helplessness, brain fog, low energy, feeling confused, up and down, emotional, lethargic or disconnected. And maybe like me, you just feel thoroughly fed up with it all.

These feelings may come and go, and the cause may not always be obvious. But I’m here to tell you, it’s normal, it’s not just you, and there are ways to look after your wellbeing during this turbulence.

This article will address the following:

✔ Acknowledge our shared human experience

✔ Discuss how fear and trauma affect our mental health

✔ Share about how I have felt in this, acknowledging the devastation of this situation and how it might be affecting you

✔ Share invaluable tips and exercises to stay healthy, positive and resilient

Shared Human Experience

It’s hard to know what to say or do when facing global crises. Because it seems so big, and so inaccessible. And I sit here trying to navigate a way through without losing hope, faith, love and a sense of self. It feels impossible to fathom that another war has been started when the entire populous wants peace and community.

The fear of the global pandemic showed us something.

It showed us that we all have a shared human experience.

It showed us that what hurts me also hurts my neighbour and the family in that distant country we’re fed lies about.

Although never exactly the same, our shared experiences bind us and I feel that the need for community and togetherness is stronger and more understood than ever.

I read a fact the other day and there’s so much research to back this up, that without social interaction, people are 29% more likely to have heart problems and 32% more likely to have a stroke. What’s more, loneliness and detachment from a community are associated with anxiety, depression and suicide.

We need community, we are social creatures and we not only want to love and care for each other, we need it for our physical and mental health. We don’t want to reject, kill and ostracise others. Well, unless we’re coming from a place of fear, threat and inner pain. Which is largely the rhetoric we receive from our political leaders and what dominates our media outlets.

I believe, that naturally, humans want to get along, and the millions of people that are utterly against war, discrimination and violence, prove I’m not alone.

How Fear and Trauma Effect Our Mental Health

It’s safe to say there’s been a lot of fear, panic and negativity from external sources in recent years. Fear provoking media is not new, but with the climate crisis, covid and now the Ukraine war, the last few years have been intense.

An article by Rosenberg explains the human response to fear in stages:

‘‘ 1. Alarm: The first reaction to stress recognizes there’s a danger and prepares to deal with the threat. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system are activated. Primary stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and nonadrenaline are released
2. Resistance: Homeostasis begins restoring balance and a period of recovery for repair and renewal takes place. Stress hormones may return to normal, but there may be reduced defenses and adaptive energy left.
3. Exhaustion: At this phase, the stress has continued for some time. The body’s ability to resist is lost because its adaption energy supply is gone. This is often referred to as overload, burnout, adrenal fatigue, maladaptation, or dysfunction.’’

Does this sound familiar? They go on to provide the effects this can have so check it out if this resonates.

A relevant study researched the risk of increased distress and posttraumatic psychopathy from traumatic media coverage of the war in Gaza. Those who tuned in were 1.6 times more likely to experience anxiety symptoms. They discuss the impact of these findings on public health.

Furthermore, this interesting article discusses how ongoing exposure to fear can cause both physical and mental illness, memory loss, and poor brain functioning.

So guys, it’s no picnic.

The Bigger Picture

There’s a build-up of continual shock, trauma, political dissonance and confusion that’s layered itself upon our spirits, bit by bit, month by month, year by year. This happens so gradually we don’t even realise it’s affecting us. In her impressive book about the impact of shock politics, Naomi Klein suggests that world disasters leave a population of exhausted and distracted people who lack the energy to act or protest.

It was only 2 years ago that we were fighting hard for the climate crisis, which brought with it a profound heaviness when met with leaders and oil tycoons who blocked their ears at every attempt at reason. Sadly, climate disasters are now being experienced by more populations than ever before but are masked by more immediate humanitarian crises.

For UK dwellers, Brexit came next as a wash of distraction from things that are actually helpful. This was a stressful and divisive move away from togetherness, uprooting thousands of immigrants and foreign workers and detaching from a community constructed over sentiments of post-war peace and unity. A positive move forward, followed 50 years later by (in my opinion) a regressive move back. The reason for creating the European Union?

‘’The EU was originally created with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours’’

Ah, it is so utterly bewildering the way humans can be so forgetful.

Then covid emerged and spread across the world bringing with it a complete change of normal routine, immediate fear of even going outside for many, restriction, and infringement of human rights as we jumped back and forth through different sized hoops laid out by insincere leaders.

With covid still very present in our lives and without a moments respite from one pain point to another, this vile war has been started putting millions of innocent people into immediate danger and the rest of us reeling at what this means, what will happen, how the fuck did we get to this, and what can we do to help.

All this without a second to come up for air and breathe.

And not forgetting the life problems that we deal with on a personal level. I know I haven’t been alone in also experiencing deep personal tragedies, family trauma and loss during this chaos.

So, understandably, we’re all pretty spent! Our energies are consumed by external stressors which have an impact on our mental and physical health.

But, there are things we can do to stay healthy and move forward in a way that is constructive and honours our values.

How I have been feeling

I’m going to explain a little about how I’ve been feeling in case it resonates, and to demonstrate that you’re not alone in your feelings. This also helps highlight our shared human experience. Then I’m going to give some valuable suggestions of how to navigate this terrain, keep your head above water and find your way through.

So here’s me:

I’m in despair for the people of Ukraine and for the ongoing trauma of war in general in a world that needs a new story. A world that needs to shake the stains of old that the leaders of the present can’t rub off their guilty skin.

I desperately want to move forward but constant strangulation of freedom and dominance through fear makes this feel impossible sometimes. It feels hard to move on when the world is experiencing deep psychological fear, change and uncertainty. The chronic instability of governments and our entire systemic structure creates an unseen wall of insidious blocks to progression and positive change.

I imagine no one feels this more right now than the people in countries plagued by war, specifically but not exclusive to those of Ukraine and the surrounding nations being directly affected by our most recent humanitarian fuck up.

And for what? Have we not learned that to attack when feeling threatened is old news! It only projects fear onto others in such catastrophic ways. It’s unhelpful, regressive and irresponsible.

Everything feels so out of control and confusing. There’s a natural desire to try to solve something, coupled with a feeling of helplessness. Sometimes I find myself totally frazzled, and not necessarily knowing why. I feel my nervous system in a state of fight or flight, I notice negative thoughts and beliefs begin to surface, I can't organise my thoughts and mostly, I am exhausted.

These are common symptoms of the modern experience no? And I’m here to tell you…it’s not you. It’s all too easy to over associate with the trauma and internalise this deep systemic dysfunction.

Bringing the light

I believe times are changing - a wave of light is hitting our solar system and will raise the vibrations and change the narrative. Although current affairs feel regressive, we are moving forward. It’s time to take loving responsibility for our triggers and heal, instead of projecting the pain out onto innocent lives.

This war is not what the world needs. This is not the way the story needs to go anymore. We’ve moved on. At least, a huge amount of loving, global hearts and minds have.

I was explaining this predicament to my partner the other day, and he offered me a timely reminder of Gandalf’s (yes big Tolkein fan here!) wise words: We can’t choose the time we live in, but we can choose what we do with it:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.’’

So, what can we do to maintain health, perspective, balance, sovereignty and not get overwhelmed by ongoing external crises?

These are some of the questions that have come up for me and you may be asking them too. If you have other questions then share them in the comments for others to learn from:

What can we do to help?

Sometimes taking action is healing. If you feel compelled to do something there are ways you can contribute. Here are some of them:

Donate money - there are multiple charities and NGO’s that will provide money directly to the people of Ukraine. The BEARR Trust is a great option, their Instagram handle is @thebearrtrust. The money they are raising is providing food, shelter, clothing, medicine & specialised transport for vulnerable people. They are also providing updates and photos of how the money is being distributed in Ukraine on their Instagram page.
Follow Ukraine local news and social media accounts that speak from real-time experiences to allow you to stay connected to what's going on. A helpful instagram account I’ve found is @Ukraine.ua. I want to add here, that while it’s helpful to stay connected, over association can be damaging as suggested in the study above. Take time away from traumatic news.
Write to your local mp and sign petitions opposing the war.
Attend protests and events near you
Volunteer, explore local initiatives, gather supplies and send them to charities, i.e. warm clothes etc….

How can we stay sane in a crazy world?

This is very important. And the answer? Self-care, self-understanding and mindfulness.

Self-care includes keeping yourself fit and healthy, eating well, sleeping well, drinking enough water. It also includes those special comforting things unique to you. That might mean snuggling up with a book, watching your favourite movie, cooking a delicious meal, getting outside for a walk and some fresh air, being in nature, journaling, your hobbies, pampering yourself, being extra compassionate and giving yourself some of that self-love. Because it starts with you.
Self-understanding allows you to recognise when you feel triggered, low, or uneasy and take compassionate action to help you heal and get back on your feet. Having trust in yourself and the innate knowledge that you can overcome much more than you ever thought possible is incredibly powerful.
Mindfulness. This is such a helpful tool for bringing you back to the present moment, away from fears and worries about the future or fixation on the past. Mindfulness is great for mental health and reminds you that right now, in this moment, you are safe. The more you access this state, the more you realise it is there for you in any situation. Practices like yoga and meditation are wonderful tools to learn to be more mindful in your day-to-day.

Self-compassion is the cornerstone of self-worth, it helps you deal gently with yourself, take action when needed, maintain a balanced perspective and keep your spirits high.

How can we keep living our values?

This is surprisingly important, having values and implementing them into your life allows you to maintain a strong sense of self. They give us direction and meaning. When there’s constant change and uncertainty, it’s common to let our values and the things that are important to us slip.

To maintain a strong sense of self and purpose through difficult times, take a moment to check in with yourself. What are your values? Have you put them at the bottom of the important pile? What actions can you take to ensure you’re staying true to yourself?

For example:

If your value surrounds having healthy friendships - notice if you’ve been making time for your friends - if not pick up that phone.

If your value is personal growth - mark out time in your week for self-study.
If your value is staying healthy, notice how much water you're drinking or whether your diet is balanced.

How can we focus on loving ourselves when there’s so much pain and suffering going on?

This is a tricky one, because, understandably, it might feel like it’s selfish or indulgent, especially when others are going through grief or pain.

But I ask you now:

Is it more helpful to have a person who is positive, confident and healthy?
Or a person who is uncared for, burnt out, unhealthy or exhausted?

Past sentiment has largely expected (especially women) to be the carers, but certainly not to put that love into themselves. However, this has negative connotations for mental health and self-worth.

You not investing energy into loving yourself just as you are, isn’t going to help someone else who is going through trauma. In fact, by loving yourself, you can be a leading example of how to look after yourself when times are hard.

How can we justify moving forward when constantly faced with crises?

Personally, I’ve felt a level of guilt for ‘carrying on with my life’ when there’s such trauma being experienced.

But as the saying goes, life goes on, and so it should. The more we allow these situations to dominate our lives, the more they will. Maintaining a sense of normalcy where possible is paramount.

Hold space for your feelings and those of others, allow the emotions to move through, pause when you need to, then refocus and carry on with your life as much as you can.

How can we look after our mental health?

Look away from the news now and again
Take periods of stillness and silence, this allows your brain to process the information it’s exposed to daily and helps to integrate healthily
Be compassionate with yourself - this is the first step to having compassion for others
Share your feelings, talk to someone
Develop a journal practice - get things out of your head and onto paper
Practice gratitude regularly
Hold each other up, celebrate others
Get clued up from legit source