Beat uncertainty, anxiety by being mindful

Therapy sessions are filled with narratives of uncertainty, anger, and anxiety due to global events. Tips on managing emotions and staying centered are provided.

In the last month, therapy sessions have been filled with client narratives around uncertainty, anger and instances of how it’s hard to keep oneself centered. The events happening globally and locally, volatility in the job market has added to people’s sense of well-being and exacerbated anxieties. At a macro level, people are dealing with bigger questions about the state of the world. Clients tell me how conversation in their friends, family and work groups have become polarised. This not only impacts a sense of personal wellbeing, but also collective wellbeing because very often the emotions we experience in one group or conversation spill over into our other circles.

Beat uncertainty, anxiety by being mindful

As we begin to recognize these new emotions we also need to learn to manage them. Many people report how they start doom-scrolling in bed, which in turns leaves them highly agitated and delays the onset of sleep. And, when they do sleep, they often have bad dreams or they wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. I tell my clients who report this problem that disengaging from the phone an hour or two before they sleep is crucial. I also ask them to keep a note of how much time they spend consuming news either on television or social media. After doing such an exercise one of my clients reported that over the last month he realised he was spending upwards of 10 hours every day consuming news in some form or the other. No wonder he was constantly wired, tired and hypervigilant. Becoming mindful of how much time we spend can go a long way in how centered we feel. So, a good idea is to consume news in small doses with gaps in between.

It is okay to mute groups if you feel that they are filled with disinformation and leave you overwhelmed. A client mentioned how she left her family group as she was so close to rage texting and getting into an argument with one of her uncles spreading misinformation.

Human beings like to be in control, and in moments when we have limited information, we may fall into the trap of overthinking, often coming up with worst case scenarios. This is why it is so crucial to focus on the present. When we find ourselves surrounded by chaos, it is that much more important to catch ourselves and not fall for catastrophizing. When we begin to do that we are no longer centered and can behave in a manner that can be impulsive and reckless. In these moments it’s important to pay attention to how our body feels and mindfully work towards slowing our breathing, relaxing the body, paying attention to our surroundings or stepping out for a walk, or a run so that we don’t get stuck in a loop of unhelpful thoughts and imaginary scenarios.

I also encourage clients to start making a list of micro acts they can engage in, and which can be used to anchor themselves. The acts could range from volunteering at the neighborhood children’s library, choosing to become mindful about one’s own consumption patterns, donating and supporting a cause, talking to little children about values such as compassion, generosity or even a simple act of planting a tree. On days when you feel you can’t do anything at all, just slow down your breathing or get up and make a cup a tea for yourself. At times, when a lot feels beyond control: I consciously find comfort in books and movies that provide a soothing balm. I have a list of them saved which I access when I need narratives of hope, resilience and belief in humanity. We need to surround ourselves with others who can listen to us, hold space for our anxieties and soothe us.

To learn to embrace ambiguity and to choose to be mindful is what something we owe ourselves as we navigate this difficult and uncertain times.