By: Doa Jamal, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader

Global events can deeply affect our emotions, leading to feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, sadness, and anger, especially in times of uncertainty, such as wars, pandemics, and political instability. Looking at the news may make us want to curl up in a ball and cry. It may cause us to want to give up hope that there will be change. It may make us think the world is a horrible, horrible place. 

While staying informed is important, it’s crucial to manage your relationship with the news and current events to protect your well-being.

Here are some strategies to help you maintain your mental health and emotional balance while staying informed:

1. Accept Your Emotions and Care for Yourself: Understand that feeling strong emotions in response to news is natural. Allow yourself to process and grieve when necessary. Take care of your physical well-being through healthy eating, regular exercise, fresh air, sunlight, and sufficient sleep.

2. Manage Your Relationship with the News: Constant exposure to news and social media can be detrimental. Limit the time you spend engaging with news and social media, possibly checking it once a day or twice a day. Try NOT to fall victim to doom scrolling.

3. Contribute What and When You Can: Feeling powerless in the face of global events can be distressing. Take action within your capacity, even small contributions can make a difference. Even something as small as making a donation or signing a petition can make you feel better.

4. Beware of Your Imagination: Avoid negative thought cycles by focusing on what is known today and what you can do now instead of imagining the worst possible scenarios.

5. Find the Good: Counterbalance negative news with positive stories, even though they might not make headlines. Recognize the kindness and goodness of people around you, the beauty of nature, and the support of friends and family.

6. Reach Out: Talk to someone about your thoughts, feelings and concerns. Just talking about it really helps to relieve some of that tension and stress. Talk to a loved one, a friend, a colleague, or a peer. You can talk in-private with a Well-Being Leader (we are here for you!) and if you’re looking for full confidentiality, you can speak with a professional therapist (UML Counseling Services).

By implementing these approaches, you can better navigate the emotional toll of global events without losing touch with what’s happening in the world.

Resources:

UML Counseling Services: https://www.uml.edu/student-services/counseling/ 

Well-Being Leaders:https://www.uml.edu/wellbeing/well-being-leaders.aspx 

Reference: https://studentspace.org.uk/wellbeing/managing-the-impact-of-global-events