Written by Shireen Ali, Clinical Psychology Registrar
The current geopolitical climate has increased our exposure to ongoing global conflict. Over the past few years, people have been consistently confronted with images of war, political instability, genocide, pandemics and humanitarian crises. As a result, there is an increasing perception that the world is unpredictable and, at times, unsafe.
While those who have been directly affected by these events are exposed to immediate and sometimes life-threatening danger, people who are physically and geographically removed from this unrest are not immune. The world is currently experiencing a “globalised trauma” where instability is having an undeniable impact on society as a whole.
While some individuals may be shrugging and accepting they can’t personally change matters and solve the world’s global issues, others seem to be repeatedly checking their phones for the latest headlines to stay informed and prepared. People are describing an impending sense of doom.
Lately, lots of people are coming into the clinic with a specific fear which feels harder to pin down, more difficult to soothe, and feels overwhelming. It’s not just anxiety about work, relationships, health. It’s broader, deeper and feels more unsettling. This existential anxiety is the discomfort that arises when we confront the fundamental uncertainties that exist within life, particularly, change, unpredictability and lack of control.
The existential anxiety that we are experiencing at the moment is probably best described as a form of global stress which has activated the collapse of our beliefs that the world is a predictable, safe place and the future is within our control. While this is not a clinical anxiety disorder present in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the International Classification of Diseases, it may be the best way to describe what a lot of people are experiencing.
Existential anxiety is a transdiagnostic construct increasingly recognized for its role in the development of depression and anxiety. It appears to be a philosophical or psychological state wherein a person is preoccupied with automatic thoughts like “What if nowhere is truly safe?”, “what if everything can change overnight?”, “Should I even plan for the future?”. Unlike more concrete worries like “what if they don’t like me?” These big existential questions don’t seem to have clear answers, the more we try to resolve them, the more entangled we become.
Why does it feel so intense right now?
We are living in a time where the flow of information is constant. Exposure to distressing global events is no longer occasional, it’s continuous. In this context, our assumptions about the world are being challenged, constant exposure to headlines and commentary create a foreboding sense of ‘danger is everywhere,’ even when it may not be immediate.
A lot of the current anxiety that people are experiencing stems from a heightened sense of threat. This appears to be compounded by understandable worries about the global environment. We are seeing real world consequences to global events such as rising fuel costs, interest rates and even food insecurity. Those who already feel anxious, are more likely to see these changes as threats to our existence as a species and respond with worry.
It’s not easy to try and manage this worry. The typical cognitive and somatic strategies might not be enough to help us feel better.
What doesn’t help?
Endless information seeking: It’s natural to want information about traumatic events, but exposure to constant graphic imagery can cause a significant stress response. Trying to “stay informed” can become a way of trying to gain certainty, but often, the information learned actually increases the distress.
Excessive reassurance seeking: Discussing current events with loved ones and asking others, “do you think we’ll be okay?” may provide momentary relief for some. But it doesn’t resolve the underlying uncertainty maintaining the anxiety.
Mental checking: Running through scenarios in your head, trying to predict outcomes, or trying to “figure it all out” tends to deepen the anxiety rather than alleviate it.
While these strategies may make sense to individuals, they can actually keep you entangled in the problem.
So, what does help?
Shifting your perspective from solving to allowing: Existential anxiety is not something we can think our way out of. Instead of trying to eliminate the uncertainty, we can try to make space for it. Rather than trying to solve the world’s problems, we can reframe things in a way that allows us to move from control to acceptance. “I don’t need to solve this question right now to live my life.”
Come back to the present: Existential anxiety pulls you into imagined futures. Grounding brings you back to what is happening in the present moment for you. Some simple practices include bringing your attention to your breath or body, noticing 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Anchoring yourself in your reality can help you take a step back from the imagined distressing future.
Limit unhelpful exposures: Staying informed is reasonable and responsible. Constant exposure to distressing content, is not. Try and consider setting specific times to check the news, avoid doom scrolling before bed, curate and be specific about what sources you engage with. Ask yourself, “is this helping me act effectively, in service of my values and goals, or is this just making me feel worse?”
Reconnect with your values: When the world feels uncertain, people often put life on hold. Life’s meaning doesn’t come from certainty, it comes from engaging in actions that align with our values. Asking yourself and reflecting on “what matters to me right now?,” “what kind of person do I want to be, even in an uncertain world?” Then ask yourself, what small steps can I take to get there?
Expand your tolerance for uncertainty: Rather than trying to eliminate fear, the goal is to build your capacity to hold it. That also means accepting our place in the world as well as specific eventualities such as our mortality. This seems incredibly difficult and scary. You might say to yourself, “I can feel anxious about the state of the world and still go to work, connect with people and live my life.” This is psychological flexibility, the core component of resilience.
Validate without dismissing reality: It’s important to not invalidate genuine suffering and fear that is present within the world. It’s equally important to recognise that you can care without being consumed, you can be informed without being overwhelmed, and you can live meaningfully even in an uncertain world.
A Final Thought
At its core, existential anxiety seems to be driven by a significant intolerance for uncertainty along with an overactive threat system. In the current climate, a certain level of existential anxiety shows a sense of awareness, thoughtfulness, and responsiveness to the present global situation. The problem is when we stop engaging in our own lives because of these worries. With the right treatment options, you can change your relationship with these thoughts, so they no longer dictate how you live. The goal is not to eliminate fear entirely, it’s to keep moving forward within the uncertainty.
References:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/existential-anxiety
