Are you currently experiencing a plethora of emotions over current global events, especially what may be occurring in your own country? You’re not alone. In this unprecedented time in history, individuals who are usually on an even keel are struggling to keep their heads above water emotionally. Those who have Mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression may be struggling even more right now.
Experiencing and traveling through the stages of grief is a perfectly natural response to current global events and has been called sociopolitical grief. However, with the current turmoil in the U.S. and globally, we are, unfortunately, being bombarded with a new crisis in the news on virtually a daily basis. Thus, traveling the stages of grief over current events will likely not be a linear process, meaning that individuals may return to prior stages at various times and the five stages of grief are definitely not a hard-and-fast emotional process.
For some, the collective grief experienced due to sociopolitical events may be assisted by coming together digitally to express and process their feelings. While this may be helpful to a point, the challenge is getting stuck in the muck, such as by “doom-scrolling.”
In fact, daily reading about political events in the news may be causing people significant stress. One tip that may assist in emotional processing and protecting your Mental health is to turn off the news for a day or two or severely limit your news access, so that it’s not a focus of your day.
The Stages of Grief
According to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ model, the five stages of grief are the following: 1) denial, 2) anger, 3) bargaining, 4) depression, and 5) acceptance. The stages may need to be altered to fit what many people are experiencing presently due to current global events, including a return to various stages due to the extraordinary nature of current times.
- Denial—or rather, disbelief
Perhaps many people are currently in the stage of shock and disbelief due to what is happening in their country. There may be a certain amount of thinking, “This can’t be happening here.” This is the first stage of grief and may continue to pop up as events unfold.
For many people, attempting to wrap one’s head around what’s happening in their country may not even begin to address how deeply the events are affecting people.
- Anger
Other individuals have moved on to the second stage, anger. Many may be feeling powerlessness over current events which may fuel their anger further. One of the keys in this stage of grief, as in all stages, is to acknowledge the emotion, process it, and (if possible) attempt to channel it in healthy ways. For some, taking healthy positive actions that fit with their beliefs (such as protests) may help them to restore their sense of power and control.
- Bargaining
Applied to global events, bargaining may not be a clear stage. In grief over the loss of a loved one, bargaining often involves bargaining through prayer. However, grief over current affairs may be a bit different. The bargaining stage applied to recent events may take the form of, “I can accept ____, but not ___” (fill in the blanks for you).
- Depression
Depression in this situation may come in various forms. It may be a deep sadness, knowing one’s country will never be the same. Closely attached to the depression may be feelings of helplessness and loss of control. Feelings of loss of personal power and control may also trigger emotions from childhood, especially if the person grew up being strongly controlled and feeling powerless.
- Acknowledgment vs. Acceptance
In Kubler-Ross’ 5 Stages of Grief, the last stage would usually be acceptance. In certain situations, such as extreme political situations, acceptance may not always be the appropriate response. Perhaps one may strive not for acceptance but instead acknowledgment of what’s occurring rather than denial. The actions one decides to take at that point will be a very personal and individual choice. For instance, certain individuals may need to do a bit of soul-searching to decide if the situation in their current country will be tolerable (and safe) for themselves and their families. Others may decide to move abroad, leaving their current country. Still others may be in a “hold pattern” or wait-and-see situation and hope for the best.
The Stages of Grief May Not Be a Linear Process—Especially Regarding Current Events
It’s important to remember that the stages of grief are by no means linear, especially regarding current events. So, one day, you may find yourself angered by a particular event, and the next day, you may feel grief. This pattern may repeat, and that’s okay. It’s vital to allow yourself the space to feel what you need to feel about what’s happening around you. Some individuals may experience complicated grief (or a prolonged grief that you cannot pull out of). It is essential for someone experiencing prolonged grief to seek out a qualified psychotherapist to assist them in this process.
Along the path of traveling these stages is the process of actually grieving, which is particularly important. Cry it out as much as you need. Get support from trusted loved ones and a qualified therapist. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you need to take a Mental health day from work, do that! Take care of you and be there to support your loved ones in their emotional processing. Prioritize your well-being and your Mental health in these trying times.
To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
