Anxiety has levels. There’s the “oh man I’m nervous about this test tomorrow” anxiety. There’s the “we need to talk” text from a partner. There’s “what if I get fired from my job?” And then there’s the feeling of watching global issues and systems cause harm that you feel you can’t do anything about.
If you’re stuck in a doom spiral about the state of the world, WellPower can help.
Concrete Versus Abstract: Get to Know Your Anxiety
Daniela Barrio, LSW, MHS and Jim Schnebly, M.A., mental health therapists with WellPower’s Emerson St. for Teens & Young Adults program, run a clinical therapy group called “Riled Up to Fired Up” that helps young people ages 15 to 26 learn how to handle their anxiety about global and systemic issues.
“A big part of why our group is so impactful is that we acknowledge how anxiety about systemic issues can feel too abstract to wrap your brain around,” said Barrio. “Things like climate change, legislative policy, healthcare and global politics are so large and overwhelming in their complexity, that it can feel impossible to navigate how to cope with anxiety around them.”
“When you feel anxious about something within your control, you have the tools to be equipped to handle it. With systemic issues, we often find ourselves not even knowing where to start. It can feel like a big, dark cloud hanging over our heads that never goes away.”
“I absolutely agree, and I want to add that we are all subject to these systems, no matter where you live,” added Schnebly. “The behavioral health care ecosystem in the United States is especially difficult to navigate, and for a lot of the people we serve, there are obstacles that pop up seemingly out of nowhere that seriously impact their lives. People are caught blindsided, and the spiral of anxiety persists about the very system that should be helping them.”
When we’re faced with structures that we had no hand in creating and don’t know how to navigate, it’s natural to feel anxious. It can also be difficult to know when and how you can call out systemic injustices on a local, state-wide, national or global scale – when everyone is involved, everyone has an opinion.
Community Matters More Than You Realize
If you’ve ever felt isolated in a negative feeling, talking to someone who’s gone through the same or a similar experience can be incredibly validating. Knowing you’re not alone can mitigate the weight of those emotions, even if it doesn’t take them away.
“We can’t ‘therapy’ our way out of systemic anxiety – the problems are too big for any one individual to tackle on their own,” said Barrio. “But, we can create community and conversation about these feelings and find others who are going through it with us. When we put our shared strengths to good use, we can also impact change little by little.”
Barrio and Schnebly use the Social Ecological Model (SEM) to break down the different levels of systems we interact with and how we can influence change. By showing the young people in their group how they can create points of light and hope in that big, dark cloud, participants begin to feel a sense of power and purpose that eases some of the anxiety.
“The beauty of our group is that people find connection and community, so they begin to feel like they’re no longer alone,” said Schnebly. “By validating feelings and opening space for discussion and vulnerability, participants in our group find ways to bolster one another up.”
I’m not part of the group, but I still feel systemic anxiety. What can I do?
Schnebly and Barrio recommend a few methods to address feelings about global and systemic anxiety:
- Recognize that what you’re feeling may be Systems Grief. The idea of Systems Grief is that the systems we interact with can evoke the same feelings of grief as things like loss, heartbreak, pain, etc. The manifestations of those feelings can be emotional, physical, spiritual and more. When we acknowledge our feelings, we’re one step closer to healing.
- Find and talk to people who feel similarly. Discussion boards online, in-person groups, meetups and social media groups are great ways to discover other people who share your feelings and are also trying to do something about the issues at hand. Having purpose and power to turn your anxiety into action can help.
- Talk to a mental health professional. Accessing services at organizations like WellPower can help you gather the tools and strategies to handle feelings of anxiety about global issues. Clinical groups like the one run by Barrio and Schnebly provide a place for individuals to form community through shared experiences.
If you’re considering accessing services, we encourage you to reach out to our Access Center by calling (303) 504-7900. Between the ages of 15 and 26? Ask about Emerson St. for Teens & Young Adults or visit the program webpage at wellpower.org/emerson.