Is this the first time since World War 2 that the west has faced so many mental health challenges?
Post war we have grown up in a relatively prosperous society, but sadly the western world has overlooked the maintenance of the planet, and ignored the poverty and struggles which have been happening in other parts of the globe. If it doesn`t affect us.... we tend to look the other way.
We have become a materialistic society which collects "things".
"Things" such as a houses, cars, holidays, clothes, furnishings, and entertainment. Overall they are termed necessities, but are also purchased to show our affluence and promote happiness.
In order to afford these "things", we work hard.
Increasingly we do less physical work, so much employment is now brain led.
Technology has revolutionized our lives, often replacing human input.
As this way of life has evolved, a health issue has grown alongside it. It is known as "stress".
The definition of "stress" is given as "pressure or tension exerted on a material object",or in a health context, " a state of emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances".
As our affluence and reliance on technology has increased, we seem to have created alongside the good life, a never ending merry-go-round of anxiety.
Are we good enough? Are we projecting the right image? Are we achieving enough? Are we showing the world we are keeping up with everyone else?
Many of our children are also over indulged with "things" and are growing up with a sense of entitlement which sometimes make them unable to cope with the variables of life, which then manifest as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Everything we do is at a frenetic pace.
There are few gaps in the day or week. Every minute seems to be taken up with work, acquiring "things" or social activity.
Our brains have found it difficult to cope with this onslaught of stimulation and have reacted in the form of stress.
In contrast to this, there is a diminishing generation, who were actively involved in the world war or conflicts elsewhere.
Thousands of ordinary men and women were caught up in the ghastliness of war only too willing to do their bit for Monarch and country.
Whether they were men or boys fighting at the front line, or women and wives at home keeping the country and families fed and safe, it must have had an enormous effect on mental health.
Virtually no communication with loved ones, finances stretched and anxiety levels high, what a struggle it must have been, but we hear very little about it.
Men returned from war and often remained silent about the horrors and conditions that they had faced.
The few that admitted to having been affected were pitied as if they were suffering from a weakness. Their treatment was limited and they were often put into institutions where instead of being rehabilitated, they just lived the horrors over and over again.
Women who had been used to looking after the home had become part of the Land Army and been catapulted into a world of machines, factories, agriculture and what had been male dominated work, and didn`t they rise magnificently to the occasion?
How did everyone cope? Many families had lost a loved one, often the bread winner. This brought not only emotional heartache, but a financial one too.
However, when the chips were down, and things couldn`t get much worse, the populations found the strength and drive to build a new world, which was the basis of the one we have today.
Looking at Ukraine, the same grit and stoicism is so evident in the people.
Despite their country being flattened all around them, and families being destroyed in front of them, they show huge resilience and a will to rebuild their country of which they are so proud.
It will be interesting to see in mental health studies, how the effects of such trauma has affected them.
Meanwhile in the west we have had four wake up calls to disrupt our fairly ordered existence.
1} The Pandemic, which caused huge amounts of anxiety, depression, and loss of loved ones in often heartbreaking circumstances.
2) Partly as a result of the Pandemic, the war in Ukraine and political changes, the west is experiencing some very tight restrictions on the finances of daily living.
Costs of food, utilities, fuel etc continue to spiral upwards, but not matched by wages.
3) The war in Ukraine has also heightened tensions not only in Europe and the west, but world wide.
It has made the world seem less safe, and is having a knock on effect in all sorts of unsettling ways.
4) The planet as we know it is under threat. The human species has rail roaded over the natural world and in it`s pursuit of progress has ignored the warning signs.
It is now a crisis which we ignore at our peril.
Growing up and expecting a healthy safe happy life is what we aspire to achieve. Anything coming along to threaten that aspiration brings a feeling of anxiety and fear for the future.
Looking at the issues that face us, it is no wonder that anxiety and fear can embed itself in the human psyche.
What are the answers?
Ultimately, we must dig deep and come up with solutions ourselves.
Professional help is available, but judging by the increase in the number of people, especially young people, requiring mental health support, the number of professionals available is woefully inadequate.
Perhaps in days gone by religion played a more significant role, with people in time of trouble often turning to the church for answers and support. With the decline of many faiths, this gap has not been filled. The support on offer may also have been quite variable, as much was geared to the teachings of the particular church.
What sort of things can we do to break this cycle and cope with possible threats to our livelihoods?
We can start by calming down and dealing with what is facing us. Remember , flight or fight? Either run away from the threat or face it.
We are all individuals who have the capability of controlling our own lives.
It may seem to have become a bit lost, but it is there nevertheless.
If we think about it, the things that are causing us fear and anxiety may well not be actually happening, but we allow our minds to start thinking the worst, so it is important to separate the things that are real, from those that are not.
Our minds are the means by which thoughts are created and dissipated. They are fleeting images and judgements which dominate the way we deal with the world.
Controlling and influencing thoughts are key to improving mental health.
There are many simple ways to start calming our minds and guide our thoughts to a less stressful place.
Mindfulness, yoga, dancing, singing, walking, running, art, music, animals and nature are a few ways to divert away from stress and allow thoughts to be less anxious and calmer.
More passive ways might be cooking, baking, designing or decorating. The idea is to blank out the present and shift the mind set to a more relaxed happier place, even if it is for a short time.
I found it difficult in the beginning to "switch off" when I was feeling anxious, but now I have perfected taking a few minutes to let my mind go blank and then go to a relaxing "place". I have a favourite picture which I visualize. Within minutes I feel calm and happy. Deep breathing helps as well.
I can do this anywhere, and no one knows but me!
An added bonus is that most of these suggestions are either free or have very little cost involved.
Social media although providing fantastic communication platforms, also has a downside. It can have a very negative effect on young people in particular as comments and expected norms can be filtered through,often anonymously, creating feelings of inadequacy and poor self esteem if not matching up.
It stands to reason that time spent on social media should ideally be rationed, but as it seems to be a world wide pastime for all ages, that is quite a challenge in itself .
I mentioned at the beginning of this piece that many young people were over indulged and find it hard to cope with life.
There are also a great many young people who are having to battle with many disadvantages and social problems in order to live their lives.
Like the war veterans and those in Ukraine and other countries affected by political catastrophes, these young people often find themselves with very few choices and very negative influences.
But they do make choices. Not always the right ones, but often inspirational ones.
It may be by overcoming difficulties at home and working hard at school to achieve good grades, or taking practical steps to overcome a health issue, or helping others with specific problems.
It seems therefore, that those who are faced with adversity and have to dig deep may be the ones who are best equipped to turn a bad situation into a better one?
Is this the first time since World War 2 that the west has suffered serious mental health issues? In a word "yes".
We have had no real threats or interruptions for most of our lifetimes, so therefore as western civilizations we have been able in the main to pursue peaceful and prosperous lives.
However, we have created a new phenomenon which is a victim of it`s own success and that is stress and the many mental heath issues which are associated with it. We are completely unprepared for it.
Unlike the war veterans who set themselves the challenge of rebuilding their countries, we don`t seem to have a plan.
Like a pack of cards which has collapsed, we need to rebuild, but with something a bit more substantial.
If we are only interested in acquiring things and short term gain, whilst ignoring the world around us, we will continue to be anxious and fearful.
It is time to look around and appreciate and show gratitude for what surrounds us,
We need to work with problems that actually face us, and also take steps to prevent or minimize potential problems of the future.
We need to slow down, help others, and most importantly, we must keep in touch and respect the natural world and encourage our thoughts to be happy ones.
