When the news is heavy, it settles in the body.
Even when we’re not directly impacted by war, the ripple effects of conflict find their way into our lives through screens, conversations, silences, and the quiet unease that lingers long after we’ve put our phones down. As a mental health organisation, we believe it’s important to talk about this with not in a way that adds to the noise, but in a way that helps us name what we’re feeling, so we can make sense of it and care for ourselves more intentionally, with mindfulness and emotional maturity.
Because war doesn’t only devastate nations. It drains minds. It disturbs collective nervous systems. And right now, many of us are holding more than we realise, affecting our emotional safety and collective sense of well-being.
1. The Toll of Doom scrolling
You refresh. You scroll. You read one more thread. And before you know it, you’ve spent two hours locked into the world’s pain. It’s called doomscrolling, and while it may seem like we’re just staying informed, what we’re often doing is spiraling. In our attempt to not look away, we end up carrying emotional burdens that overwhelm and paralyse.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know. But there’s also nothing wrong with pausing. We weren’t built to consume global grief in real-time, every minute of every day. Practicing self-awareness during these moments allows us to recognise when we need to step back, prioritising our emotional safety over constant exposure.
2. Performative Empathy and Guilt
In a hyper-connected world, silence can feel like complicity. But speaking up without full understanding can feel performative. And somewhere in between, we carry the guilt of not doing enough. Of not knowing what to say. Of being safe while others are suffering.
Let’s name that too: it’s not apathy, it’s emotional confusion. And it’s valid. Practicing mindfulness here helps us differentiate between genuine empathy and performative gestures, aligning our actions with integrity.
You’re allowed to feel shaken without feeling ashamed. You’re allowed to be heartbroken and uncertain about how to show up. Holding space for pain doesn’t always require a post. Sometimes, it requires presence with yourself, with your community, and with your nervous system.
3. Living with Constant Unease
Even if you’re not in the middle of a conflict zone, war talk changes how you feel in your body. You may notice:
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- Trouble sleeping
- A constant sense of restlessness
- Irritability or helplessness
- Difficulty focusing
- A heavy, sinking feeling in your chest or gut
These are not symptoms of overreaction. They’re signs of being human. Of absorbing pain from the world around you. You don’t need to “justify” why you’re feeling off. The mind doesn’t always wait for permission to feel overwhelmed. Practicing self-awareness and prioritising emotional safety can help you navigate this emotional landscape.
4. So What Can You Do?
Here are a few grounded, gentle strategies that may help:
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- Designate News Windows: Set fixed times during the day to check updates. Avoid exposure right before bed.
- Follow Grounded Sources: Stay informed without spiraling. Seek out news platforms that inform, not sensationalise.
- Move Your Body: Shake out the tension. Walk. Stretch. Breathe. Trauma often gets stuck in stillness.
- Anchor in the Present: Try grounding practices such as cold water, 5-4-3-2-1 sensory check-ins, or simply noticing your breath. This mindfulness can reconnect you to the present moment.
- Create Safe Conversations: Speak to people who help you process without judgment or moral panic. This is where relationship counseling and emotional maturity come into play.
- Offer, Don’t Perform: Help where you can, By donate, amplify, support, but only when it comes from care, not compulsion. Practice integrity in your actions.
At OutAloud, we believe mental health isn’t separate from world events. It is deeply intertwined.
Our collective exhaustion, our frayed attention spans, our emotional confusion, these are not isolated personal problems. They are part of the cost of living in a world where pain is constant and connection is overwhelming.
Take care of your mind like you would in a time of crisis, because in many ways, that’s exactly where we are.
If you’re feeling unsteady, you’re not alone. And if you’re feeling too much, that doesn’t make you too sensitive. It just means you care. And maybe, right now, caring for yourself is the bravest thing you can do.