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Showing posts from October, 2023

The Heaviness You Are Feeling Is Grief

The heaviness you are feeling is grief. Collective grief can often be difficult to deal with. It is both a shared and a unique experience. It can feel overwhelming and trigger our past traumas and losses, and exacerbate any pre-existing psychological distress. It can also open our eyes to the dark side of humanity, and shatter our assumptions of what we thought was a ‘Just and Fair world’. Grief consumes our entire body. Just like trauma, it provokes our ‘fight and flight’ response. We might feel more tired than usual, lose our appetite or have trouble sleeping. There is no unique or right way to grieve. People could feel emotionally overwhelmed, which is similar to a soda bottle that's been vigorously shaken. It's filled with a lot of pressure, and the best way to handle it is by carefully opening and closing the cap slowly and gently to prevent it from bursting.  This also applies to our emotions. After experiencing or witnessing trauma, individuals often lose their sense of...

What to Do on Bad Days?

We all have bad days. It is not realistic to always be happy. What really matters is how we choose our behaviors and responses during these challenging times. 🌟I personally do the below, and they really help (supported by psychological science): 1. Engage in your passion project.   Pursue something you love, even if it's not your everyday work. Scientifically, engaging in activities that bring you joy can boost your mood and overall well-being. I personally enjoy reading articles and creating content such as writing this blog. 🤍 2. Spend time in nature.   Take a walk, especially during the day. Exposure to nature has been linked to reduced symptoms of depression and increased feelings of well-being. (PS: research shows that exercise in nature improves self-esteem too!).🌱 3. Talk about it.   Express your thoughts and feelings to someone who understands. Social support and sharing your emotions can have a positive impact on mood and emotional regulation. 👨‍👧‍👧 Remembe...

We Are Not Okay: Navigating Ways to Cope with Vicarious Trauma

Navigating the distress of traumatic events can feel like an endless storm. Social media exposure to the distressing news around the world can be overwhelming. We go through our daily routines, like making our coffee, working, and checking our phones in between. But our minds are scattered, and everything feels shaky. We are not okay. We try to avoid the news and spend less time on social media, hoping it will help. But we can't stop worrying and wondering about all the ‘what ifs’. Everything feels temporary and fragile. At night, those troubling news and stories show up in our dreams, turning them into scary nightmares. Nightmares of losing our beloved ones, of not being there, of the reality we live and escape from. The guilt of having a ‘normal’ life, of planning our day, having lunch and going to work. According to Psychological Science, fear, anxiety, and the lasting impact of traumatic stress can significantly affect one's overall health and well-being. Witnessing, hearin...

Survivors’ Guilt

Do you feel guilt for not directly going through the pain of traumatic events that others are facing? Survivors guilt is a common emotional experience that develops in people who have survived a traumatic incident. Some survivors feel guilty that they survived when others died. It is when someone thinks that ‘other people dying instead of me means that I have done something wrong’, ‘ or that I do not deserve to be alive and not struggling while others are’ Guilt after trauma is common and it does not necessarily mean that the person has PTSD. Previous negative self-schemas could contribute to the feelings of survivors’ guilt. Like someone who thinks that ‘I am not worthy’, might see that their survival is unfair and others deserve to to live more than them which can trigger feelings of guilt and shame. They may even think that others will think the same (‘they wish the other person had survived instead of me’). If you're struggling with guilt for surviving a traumatic experience th...

Psychological Insights on Collective Trauma

We have talked before about trauma. But have you heard of Collective Trauma? Collective trauma is different than personal traumas, as it impacts a large group of people across generations. Examples include wars, natural disasters, and pandemics. How is that different than individual trauma? Besides the emotional and psychological impact of such events on individuals, collective traumas often fundamentally alter the way that people relate to one another. Communities may have to adapt to a new way of life and, at times, establish a new social identity. Just as trauma at the individual level shatters assumptive worldviews about oneself and one’s position in the world, collective trauma can disrupt people’s global sense of meaning by exposing them to the darker sides of human nature. Thus, violence and suffering may become deeply embedded in communities. The tragedy represented in the collective memory of the group, like all forms of memory, comprises a reproduction of the events, and an o...

World Mental Health Day

Today is World Mental Health Day!  As a psychologist, I am dedicating this blog to share some simple yet effective tips and strategies to help improve your mental health.  1. Practice Self-Compassion: - Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you offer to others. What positive affirmations can you incorporate into your daily routine? 🤍 (Hint: I am capable, and I trust in my ability to overcome challenges). 2. Prioritize Mindfulness: - Focus on your breath, senses, or surroundings to calm your mind and stay in the present moment. What's one thing you can do today to bring more mindfulness into your life? 🧘‍♀️ (Hint: check Hashim Hashim ’s new MBSR course to learn more about mindfulness skills in times of stress). 3. Stay Active: - Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Even a short walk can boost your mood. What is one simple physical activity that you can do today to make you feel good? 🏃 (Hint: take the stairs tod...

Breaking the Silence: Suicide and Mental Health

We have all heard the word 'suicide,' and sadly, many of us may also know individuals who have either lost their lives to suicide or have faced difficult and distressing thoughts of suicide, even acting on them. Suicide is a broad term, as it implies different aspects related to ending one's life, including thoughts, actions, and the outcome. As a psychologist, I'm writing this blog to raise awareness on suicide and starting with a crucial point: Instead of saying 'committed suicide,' say 'died by suicide.' This change in wording is important because it highlights that suicide is not a crime, as the term 'committed' may suggest. This is essential because the words we use affect the way we think and how we see the world around us. Moreover, many people might attribute suicide to attention seeking or weakness in one’s personality or ways of thinking- this is definitely inaccurate. So, what is suicide? Suicide is a multifaceted health event influenc...