Navigating our Mental Health through the Volatile Political Climate

Navigating our Mental Health through the Volatile Political Climate
As many of us are waking up today and checking the news, whether it be on your
streaming service, social media, or mainstream media, we are probably reacting
strongly to whatever it is that we are hearing or reading. There seems to be chaos
building in all sorts of different directions. How do we navigate it all without impacting
our mental health, especially since we do not know what to take seriously and what is
being exaggerated?

No matter which way you support, there is going to be a reaction. I am probably
like many of you in that I prefer a lot of what is being discussed to be behind closed
doors and not where I can be influenced or have a reaction. Maybe, you can relate to
this, but it seems that no matter which way I turn, something is going to be presented
that I may take issue with. How can we avoid reacting so strongly?

Consider the Participants

The first place to go is to consider the participants. First of all, the politicians. They have
every reason to stay in mainstream media and make comments that get them airtime.
Please know that this is the type of thing they have to do in order to stay elected. Some
are doing this because they care about the country, but mostly, they want to keep their
jobs and they do this by getting in front of a camera.

However, the second place is far more influential. This being all of the media. Please
remember that sensationalism means ratings to them. So, they all have an incentive to
get you feeling angry or scared because that means ratings, which means advertisers,
which means increased dollars. Unfortunately, the media has a stronghold on what the
country thinks.

Push the Pause Button

We do not have to react to or believe everything that is reported. We can simply look at
what is reported and wait. Patience can be one of our best friends here. If we think
about it, many times when something is reported, one week later it is completely
different.

One of the reasons we react so strongly is that we react too quickly. The example of the
fight between the US and Ukraine’s leaders is a good one. Many thought that World
War III was going to ensue only to find that they have set another meeting to negotiate
more (this is at the time of this article).

Be Patient

We all want to believe that things are going to be OK. My unasked-for suggestion is to
assume that it will be OK until it is not (again, at the time of this article) and simply wait it
out.

Keep an Open Mind

Please know that this does not imply that you are closed-minded. But, I have to admit
that half of the country disagrees with me. It is worth exploring why and not just
following what my feeds are telling me. I encourage you to do the same.
The quick reaction can lead to an increase in anxiety and anger. As we take a step
back, these are probably emotions we prefer to control better than we have been.
Patience is very helpful here. Furthermore, I would like you to give yourself permission
to either avoid the media or take a step back and avoid reacting too quickly to see how
the different areas play out.  Your stress level will thank you for it. Mine has.

If you need additional help and support navigating this stressful time, please feel free to
reach out to the Behavioral Wellness Group.

Michael J Pollak, PCC-S, LICDC
Director, Dual Diagnosis Program
Co-Founder, The Behavioral Wellness Group
8224 Mentor Ave #208 Mentor OH  44060
P:  440 392 2222 #301 F:  440 565 2349
mpollak@behavioralwellnessgroup.com
www.behavioralwellnessgroup.com