Trapped in a Sea of Uncertainty: How to Break Free from Polycrisis Anxiety
The world is facing an unprecedented crisis, one that has left many feeling paralyzed and unable to envision a better future. The sense of being "trapped" in the present tense, with the road ahead shrouded in uncertainty, is paralyzing for millions.
According to Dr. Steve Himmelstein, a clinical psychologist, this feeling is not unique. In fact, he says that most of his clients have lost sight of their vision for the future. "Clients are less optimistic now and they don't talk about the future that much," Himmelstein reports back from conversations with his peers.
The root cause of this phenomenon lies in the complex web of crises facing us today. From global economic instability to rising costs of living, job insecurity, severe weather events, and environmental insecurity, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. The constant bombardment of bad news has heightened anxiety, making it difficult to keep going.
But there is hope. By shifting our focus from the uncertainty of the future to our ability to cope with it, we can begin to break free from polycrisis anxiety.
"We're not designed to think about a very distant future," notes Dr. Hal Hershfield, a psychologist and professor at UCLA. Our brains are wired for episodic future thinking, which involves creating memories of past events that inform our decisions in the present. However, during times of crisis, this process is disrupted by radical uncertainty.
To combat this, experts recommend taking a step back from the idea of a distant, stable future and focusing on shorter-term goals. By refocusing on immediate needs and desires, we can begin to rebuild a sense of purpose and direction.
In recent studies, participants who were reminded that the future was uncertain produced fewer possible events and took longer to complete tasks. This suggests that uncertainty is not only difficult to navigate but also hinders our ability to imagine a positive future.
So, how did other cultures cope with uncertainty during times of crisis? Anthropologist Dr. Daniel Knight observed that in Greece during the 2008-2010 debt crisis, people turned to history for familiar scenarios and outcomes. By comparing their current situation to past hardships, Greeks were able to find comfort and hope in a brighter future.
Similarly, in Europe from 1644 to 1660, which was marked by numerous crises, including the Great Plague, economic instability, and wars, Europeans learned to listen to experts and funnel resources into new universities. This led to significant advancements in science and the humanities, ultimately giving birth to the Enlightenment.
As we navigate our own polycrisis, it's essential to recognize that we're not alone and that there is hope for a better future. By reframing our focus from uncertainty to resilience and flexibility, we can begin to build a new vision for ourselves and our communities.
"We are not the fragile flowers that a century of psychologists have made us out to be," notes Dr. Daniel Gilbert. "People who suffer real tragedy and trauma typically recover more quickly than they expect to and often return to their original level of happiness, or something close to it."
As we embark on this new year, let us remember that we are resilient, hardy species capable of navigating uncertainty. By embracing our ability to cope with crisis and focusing on the present moment, we can begin to break free from polycrisis anxiety and forge a brighter future for ourselves and those around us.
The world is facing an unprecedented crisis, one that has left many feeling paralyzed and unable to envision a better future. The sense of being "trapped" in the present tense, with the road ahead shrouded in uncertainty, is paralyzing for millions.
According to Dr. Steve Himmelstein, a clinical psychologist, this feeling is not unique. In fact, he says that most of his clients have lost sight of their vision for the future. "Clients are less optimistic now and they don't talk about the future that much," Himmelstein reports back from conversations with his peers.
The root cause of this phenomenon lies in the complex web of crises facing us today. From global economic instability to rising costs of living, job insecurity, severe weather events, and environmental insecurity, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. The constant bombardment of bad news has heightened anxiety, making it difficult to keep going.
But there is hope. By shifting our focus from the uncertainty of the future to our ability to cope with it, we can begin to break free from polycrisis anxiety.
"We're not designed to think about a very distant future," notes Dr. Hal Hershfield, a psychologist and professor at UCLA. Our brains are wired for episodic future thinking, which involves creating memories of past events that inform our decisions in the present. However, during times of crisis, this process is disrupted by radical uncertainty.
To combat this, experts recommend taking a step back from the idea of a distant, stable future and focusing on shorter-term goals. By refocusing on immediate needs and desires, we can begin to rebuild a sense of purpose and direction.
In recent studies, participants who were reminded that the future was uncertain produced fewer possible events and took longer to complete tasks. This suggests that uncertainty is not only difficult to navigate but also hinders our ability to imagine a positive future.
So, how did other cultures cope with uncertainty during times of crisis? Anthropologist Dr. Daniel Knight observed that in Greece during the 2008-2010 debt crisis, people turned to history for familiar scenarios and outcomes. By comparing their current situation to past hardships, Greeks were able to find comfort and hope in a brighter future.
Similarly, in Europe from 1644 to 1660, which was marked by numerous crises, including the Great Plague, economic instability, and wars, Europeans learned to listen to experts and funnel resources into new universities. This led to significant advancements in science and the humanities, ultimately giving birth to the Enlightenment.
As we navigate our own polycrisis, it's essential to recognize that we're not alone and that there is hope for a better future. By reframing our focus from uncertainty to resilience and flexibility, we can begin to build a new vision for ourselves and our communities.
"We are not the fragile flowers that a century of psychologists have made us out to be," notes Dr. Daniel Gilbert. "People who suffer real tragedy and trauma typically recover more quickly than they expect to and often return to their original level of happiness, or something close to it."
As we embark on this new year, let us remember that we are resilient, hardy species capable of navigating uncertainty. By embracing our ability to cope with crisis and focusing on the present moment, we can begin to break free from polycrisis anxiety and forge a brighter future for ourselves and those around us.
gotta say, feeling super stuck right now 
, like everything is just too much to handle. been watching all these experts talk about how our brains are wired for short-term thinking, but what's the point of even trying to plan for the future when we don't know what's gonna happen next? 
gotta take a deep breath and try to focus on the present moment, you know? maybe we can learn from those Greeks who looked to history for comfort during hard times 
. or like, remember how Europeans were all about learning and growth during the Enlightenment era 
. anyway, it's good to hear that we're not as fragile as people make us out to be 
, we just need to trust ourselves a bit more.
. And who knows, maybe our brains are just wired to think about short-term stuff because that's all we really need to survive, right? I mean, if I'm gonna be stuck in a traffic jam, I don't wanna be thinking 'bout the apocalypse, fam 
. Anyway, sounds like embracing uncertainty and finding comfort in familiar things can help, so let's just chill out and focus on our own little puzzle pieces, okay? 
but honestly, i think our brains are wired for short-term thinking, not long-term planning. we need to start focusing on what we can control right now, rather than worrying about some imaginary future 
and btw, have you ever heard of the concept of "flow"? it's this amazing mental state where you're completely absorbed in the present moment, doing something you love, and totally unaware of time passing... sounds like a dream come true to me 
I mean, I get it, the world is in a tough spot right now, but sometimes I feel like everyone's just losing themselves in all this uncertainty... We're always being told to focus on the present and take things one step at a time, but isn't that just putting off the problem? 
.
️, a walk in nature 
, or a funny meme to brighten up my day 
.
.
. It's hard to keep going when everything seems so uncertain 
. And you know what? It's actually working for me 
. I wish people could remember that we're not alone in this, and that there is hope for a better future 
.
. The constant stream of bad news is overwhelming, making it hard to keep up with everything that's going on. It's like we're stuck in a never-ending loop of uncertainty 
.
. In Greece during a financial crisis, people turned to history for comfort 
.
. By doing so, we might be able to break free from the anxiety and uncertainty that's holding us back 
. and let's be real, we're not as fragile as everyone makes us out to be 
. so lets focus on coping with uncertainty instead of getting stuck in it 
WE SHOULD ALL BE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF GETTING STRESSED OUT OVER WHAT COULD GO WRONG. 
. We're in this together, right? 
. They took action, they educated themselves, and they worked towards creating a better future 
. Maybe it's time for me to start focusing on my own resilience and finding ways to cope with uncertainty 
. Thanks for chatting with me about this, guys! 
News fatigue is a real thing, folks! Can't we just take a break from social media for a little while and focus on what's actually important? 
newsflash: bad things happen, but we adapt & move on 
its not that hard to take a step back & focus on whats real right now instead of stressing out about what might happen 5 yrs from now 
. Let's focus on the present and work together to build a brighter future for everyone! 
.
. There's multiple layers of crisis just waiting to pop out and mess with your head. First, we got economic instability, then the cost of living goes up... it's like they're trying to make us feel like our entire world is falling apart. And don't even get me started on the weather - severe events are like, what's next?