Dear College of Education Community,
Just when we thought we has seen the worst crises in years with the waves of the pandemic, and anti-Black racism, we are witnessing yet another crisis, the Russian attack on Ukraine. It is very understandable that this situation can cause anxiety and trauma. So how can we draw on our knowledge about self-care to help cope with this new very serious crises in our world? “Ditch the Label,” a youth charity and resource center in England, has identified 5 ways to help with mental health during this scary time of war. Here are their suggestions below:
LIMIT TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEWS SITES. Whether it’s new updates of the situation, videos of the war or lists of places you can donate to help – it can feel so overwhelming to constantly be reading about the War between Russia and the Ukraine. Whilst it’s good to keep up to date with what is going on in the world, too much information can make us feel hopeless and that we will never get out of this situation. So limiting your social media use is a great way to be aware of what is going on, but not overwhelming you with the constant posts flying around. Limit yourself to read only 1-2 articles a day about the conflict, or watch only 1 short video about it. If you find yourself starting to get anxious or panic, stop reading, take a few breaths and put your phone away. It’s been said that starting your day by reading something negative can trigger your stress response which sets you up for a horrible day.
REMEMBER TO PRACTICE SELF CARE. It can be easy to think that you don’t deserve to focus on you, when there are families fleeing the Ukraine, and people are enlisting to fight. But you can focus on you and care about what is happening, and guess what? It’s not selfish to take time for yourself – you can practice self-care and worry about the world. Read our article here on ways to relax and chill out. You don’t have to take much time out of your day to make your mood improve. Self care looks different for everyone. Identify what works for you, and do it.
FIND POSITIVES IN THE EVERYDAY. Our brains love to focus on the negatives in life. We’ve all been there – you get lots of nice comments and messages, but that one negative one sticks in your head the most. If you feel like your anxiety is spiking, look for the positives around you. Although there is turmoil and it can feel scary – write a list of people you care about and what you love most about them. Looking back at that list, you’ll be so surprised as to how amazing your friends and family are. And for another positive in your life, donate aid to organizations who help the people who need your support the most during this crisis.
TALK TO A LOVED ONE. With anxiety and negative thoughts you can sometimes feel really isolated and that you are the only person thinking about the war. Trust us, you’re not alone! Find someone who you feel comfortable being vulnerable with, and share how you are feeling.
CHECK YOUR SOURCES. With constant information flooding our timelines …it’s always handy to take a step back and (if you can) try to take away your emotional response and look for solid and verified facts. With our constant connectivity it’s easy to become consumed by constantly checking live updates – but this is fueling your anxiety and validating those internal worries, especially when not all news is verified.
To read more please go to https://www.ditchthelabel.org/5-ways-to-deal-with-war-anxiety/
And for resources on how to talk with children about war, please go to:
For a list of many self-care options, please see our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at: https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care
Take care of yourselves during this stressful time in the world, and hope for peace.
Warmly,
Shari