Mental Health Strategies Amid Global Trauma and Upheaval
When the world feels like it’s unraveling—from natural disasters and wars to political unrest and acts of genocide—many people experience deep emotional distress, even if they are not directly impacted. Psychologists call this vicarious trauma or collective trauma, and it can affect mental health in profound ways. Staying informed and engaged while protecting your own nervous system is not a contradiction—it’s a necessity.
Here are evidence-based ways to cope, care, and continue when everything feels too heavy:
1. Acknowledge the Impact of Global Events on Your Nervous System
Just because something isn’t happening to you directly doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect you. The brain’s mirror neurons make us wired for empathy. This can lead to symptoms like emotional numbness, fatigue, guilt, hopelessness, or chronic anxiety when exposed to ongoing global trauma.
"We can experience a sense of danger simply by witnessing others’ trauma through media, even from a distance."
— Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score (2014)
What to do:
Name what you're feeling: anger, grief, helplessness.
Validate your response. You’re not “too sensitive”—your system is reacting appropriately to overwhelming input.
2. Limit and Intentionally Structure Media Consumption
Constant exposure to graphic news and social media can dysregulate your nervous system, especially if it becomes compulsive.
Research shows that doomscrolling leads to heightened stress, poor sleep, and increased anxiety.
— Gerson, M.J., et al., “Doomscrolling and Mental Health,” Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science (2021)
What to do:
Schedule news check-ins (e.g., 30 minutes in the morning and afternoon).
Follow journalists and organizations who provide informed, trauma-sensitive updates.
Take screen breaks and avoid news at bedtime.
3. Practice Nervous System Regulation Daily
You don’t need to be in a crisis yourself to benefit from somatic regulation—activities that help your body discharge stress and restore balance.
What to do:
Grounding: Place both feet on the floor, name five things you can see.
Breathwork: Try box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4).
Movement: Shake, stretch, walk—get out of your head and into your body.
Co-regulation: Spend time with a safe friend, pet, or therapist. Nervous systems regulate better in connection.
“Safety is not just the absence of threat. It’s the presence of connection.”
— Stephen Porges, developer of Polyvagal Theory
4. Take Action (Without Burning Out)
Helplessness is fuel for despair. Taking even small, tangible action can restore a sense of agency and hope.
Ways to take action:
Donate to trustworthy grassroots organizations.
Write to elected officials or attend peaceful demonstrations.
Support or amplify the voices of those most affected.
Volunteer locally if you’re able—helping others activates protective emotional circuits.
“Action is the antidote to despair.”
— Joan Baez
Remember: You are not obligated to do everything. Choose what is sustainable.
5. Create and Tend to Safe, Sacred Spaces
When the outside world is full of trauma, creating moments of beauty, quiet, and connection inside your personal life is radical.
What to do:
Establish daily rituals (tea, journaling, spiritual practice, movement).
Surround yourself with comforting objects or art.
Let joy exist, even when it feels inappropriate. As writer Ross Gay says: “Joy is not a luxury—it’s a form of resistance.”
6. Seek Community and Mental Health Support
Talking to a therapist or counselor trained in trauma can make a huge difference. Support groups—virtual or in person—can also be healing. You’re not alone, even if it feels like it.
“Healing happens in relationships.”
— Dr. Judith Herman, Trauma and Recovery (1992)
7. Hold the Both/And: Grief and Hope Can Coexist
It is possible to care deeply and still enjoy life. It’s possible to hold rage at injustice and still practice gentleness. This is not denial—it’s integration. Emotional resilience is about widening your capacity, not minimizing your experience.
Resources
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk (2014)
Collective Trauma and the Path of Healing by Thomas Hübl (2020)
Psychology Today’s Directory for Trauma Therapists: https://www.psychologytoday.com
Final Thought
You don’t need to go numb to survive these times. You also don’t need to suffer endlessly to prove you care. Your wellbeing matters—not as a means to escape the world’s suffering, but as a foundation to stay in the fight for a better one.
