On a daily basis I hear overwhelming anxiety about all the calamities facing our communities, nation, and world. I’m sure these are all too familiar: global warming and the recent UN report, spiking COVID cases, an overwhelmed/depleted medical system, and Afghanistan, to name a few. It is understandable to want to wrap our heads around these situations and find out all we can. However, information gathering has an emotional, psychological, moral, and physical toll. Vicarious trauma, the detrimental impacts of witnessing/listening to the traumas of others, is real. It is imperative to be careful to what we expose ourselves to.
Start by treating your overall health like a bank account. When you laugh with a friend, cuddle with an animal, take a walk somewhere beautiful, etc., you make a deposit. Other experiences have a cost. When you watch a pundit spew angry rhetoric, take on too many causes to fight for, or spend time with someone who wants to constantly debate, these deplete your resources. Identify your “bills” as those unavoidable withdrawals, such as determining how to keep your kids safe as they go back to school during a pandemic. Be aware of the cost a given activity demands. Is it worth it? Do you have enough in the bank to cover the cost? Going into debt for a short period can be weathered, but the more you overspend, the sooner your resiliency is depleted. You are then left with a whole lot of hard realities and minimal savings to deal with it.
One client was watching the news constantly, afraid to miss something or be out of the loop. It’s possible to stay informed while still limiting the impact. Stick only to the headlines or only review the highlights. Avoid pictures/videos and personal stories. This is not an effort to be apathetic or ignorant; it is a strategy when there is just too much to bear. The price tag could be so costly that it causes anxiety, dread, nightmares, perseveration, hopelessness, or compassion fatigue. Also, make sure this information comes from reputable sources that focus on facts such as NPR, PBS, or the BBC, rather than opinions. Although no news source is ever completely neutral, these organizations are known to minimize dramatization, have accountability to accuracy, value ethical reporting, and retain professionalism.
Right now, it is hard. We are in a perfect storm of trauma, chaos, and fear. Let’s do all we can to actively protect our health, our kindness, our sanity, and most importantly, our hope.