As someone born and raised in the Midwest who attended a powerhouse sports university (Go Blue!), I have always known that March is a time when you just can’t rely on anything to make sense. The tornadic wins, devastating losses, and jaw-dropping finishes of the NCAA Basketball Tournament have me pulling my hair and throwing my bracket out the window every year. I mean, the tournament is named March Madness for a reason, after all.
But as a licensed clinical psychologist, I’m looking at this particular March and all of its happenings as madness for totally different reasons.
As I type, it seems that every news outlet or social media platform is drowning in a similar storm of wins, losses, and face-screwing outcomes. Whether it’s the court reversals of policy on tariffs and DEI in schools, the federal administration’s overnight declaration of war on Iran, government dysfunction turned into a partial shutdown, or play-in-our-face depictions of outright racism through online videos, it really is enough to make you, well, mad.
It’s also enough to ask: when the storms of life swirl around us, what is it that we can do to stay sane in insane times?
In this new series, “Therapy IRL,” we’ll take a look at some of the events happening within our community and country and talk through support for our mental health, ways to improve our well-being, and how to seek joy in the midst of it all.
Top of mind this month is the war that started in Iran but is rapidly spreading across the Middle East. Over the past few weeks, the United States and Israel have launched airstrikes against Iran, killing over 10,000 people in the region. In turn, Iran has returned fire on bases and sites within the Middle East. Consequences now abound, and these actions have resulted in the loss of life, fluctuations in gas prices and other goods, and uncertainty around a draft, the latter of which disproportionately affects Black and low-income families within the United States.
With this much instability, how can we remain on solid ground?
These three tips can help:
Be mindful of resources. It may be the case that international conflict changes what we can put in our tank, have in our bank accounts, or buy, even with tax refunds around the corner. Having a saving mindset in this season can help if our access to things we rely on every day becomes too expensive or unavailable. It may also be a good time to consider how carpooling and public transportation offer options that also allow us to get closer to those on our route and in our neighborhoods. Communal strategies in times of need are how Black people have always thrived, and our mental health reflects that.
Reduce time spent viewing conflict. Turning away from violence on our screen is actually much harder to do than we might think. Especially for children, but also important for us as adults, it’s necessary to limit the amount of time we see bombs dropping or the remnants of an attack. This can normalize what is simply not normal: loss of life, property destruction, and displacement of families. Instead, give yourself a “diet” of media. Maybe one article or five minutes on the topic, and then move on. Your brain and body will thank you.
Engage in hyper-local community efforts. If you’re like me, you may feel a bit helpless with everything that is going on so far away. But if there are opportunities to support your block or neighborhood, why not start there? Local efforts make a difference around you and can have ripple effects for those across the world. So maybe start by volunteering at a food bank down the street, then consider how you can send resources to families in need around the globe. Seeing changes from our efforts can boost our self-esteem, morale for our community, and our sense of agency in making change at a larger scale.
I know it may feel as if the world is swirling around you a bit too rapidly these days. For some, the speed and weight of the government’s decisions may feel too burdensome to bear. It’s important to remember, however, that our ancestors have given us a spirit of resistance and resilience to withstand these challenges, especially when we come together collectively.
So, for this month’s insanity, I encourage you to do a bit of saving, make a difference in your community, and turn the channel away from the madness in front of you. Unless, of course, we’re talking basketball. Then it’s game on.
Dr. Riana Elyse Anderson is a licensed clinical and community psychologist, associate professor at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, and affiliate with Harvard’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research and FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. She is a Public Voices Fellow of The OpEd Project in Partnership with National Black Child Development Institute.