The past couple of weeks have hit me pretty hard, and I imagine that I’m not alone.
We live in a world that seems to be more and more dangerous each day. You cannot listen to the news, read the newspaper, or view social media channels without seeing various reports of global warfare, public bombings, random shootings, and other forms of senseless violence against innocent people.
When such events occur, we tend to experience a wide range on the emotional spectrum which seems to take total control over us. We feel things like anger, frustration, fear, grief, sympathy, and much more. And with every tragic event that we encounter, these emotions just keep cutting deeper and deeper.
So what can we do? Here are five ways to help us emotionally survive in tragic times.
- Don’t deny your feelings. With any tragic event, we may experience a wide range of emotions, often at the same time. Sometimes, we may not feel anything at all because we are simply stunned at what occurred. Rest assured – this is normal. Let your feelings run free. Cry if you need to, pray, journal, crank some tunes, draw, paint – do whatever you need to do to get your emotions out in some creative, non-threatening way. Bottling these up is not a healthy way to live.
- Minimize your exposure to the media. I have a friend who has close ties to people in Ukraine. She told me when the attacks starting happening, she couldn’t step away from watching what unfolded on TV. She discovered that it was consuming every fiber of her being. She realized that she needed to limit her viewing for her own sanity. It is certainly important to stay informed of what is going on, but constant exposure only adds to our emotional distress. Give yourself a break and step away.
- Focus on what you can control. Whether it’s the stories we hear or the images we see, these tend to increase our anxiety and stress and ultimately make us feel helpless and overwhelmed. When this happens, we need to focus on what we can control, such as learning how to respond if danger comes our way. Also, realizing that good does exist in our world and acts of kindness can be found everywhere. It also helps to respond in service to others by volunteering or even making a donation to a worthy cause. It will renew your spirit when you open your heart to others.
- Get support from others. When tragic events consume our thoughts, it’s extremely important that we have someone to share our emotions. Not only does it provide a sounding board for ourselves, but it also invites different perspectives and voices into the conversation. When we talk things out, it often helps us to experience comfort and peace.
- Pray. Repeat. Breathing is something we do without even thinking, but it is also an overlooked technique for calming ourselves down. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves to stop what we are doing, clear our thoughts, and just breathe. When we have calmed ourselves, we must bring our feelings, stresses, and emotions to Jesus in prayer. And once we place our prayers before the Lord, we then must listen for what God has to say to us. This can be done through silent prayer or meditation. If we allow ourselves to be still, we may receive new insight on what is taking place around us and how we are to respond to it. Repeat as necessary.
Just remember, there is no set timeline for dealing with our emotions after tragic events – so be patient with yourself. Everyone copes in different ways. And if you feel like you need help, don’t ever be afraid to ask.
I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go. ~Joshua 1:9
Learn additional strategies for how to cope in a crisis by reading this post.
