How I Managed To Keep My Mental Health In Check In Times Like These

Summary

The author shares their personal journey of coping with mental health challenges during the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of communication, emotional intelligence, and support systems.

Abstract

The article details the author's struggle with mental health exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, particularly as colleagues are directly affected. Despite initial coping strategies, the author was deeply impacted by the conflict, leading to a period of inactivity and withdrawal. Through discussions with family and a break from the news, the author found relief and a new perspective on past failures. The experience underscored the significance of emotional intelligence and the power of sharing burdens with loved ones. The article concludes with the author's return to productivity and a message of solidarity with those affected by the war, alongside a call to action for readers to manage their own emotional well-being.

Opinions

The author believes in the therapeutic value of discussing mental health issues openly, as evidenced by their positive experience after talking with a colleague.
They express a deep concern for the safety of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine, especially for their Ukrainian colleagues and their families.
The author acknowledges the impact of global events on personal mental health and the necessity of managing one's exposure to distressing news.
They advocate for the development of emotional intelligence as a means to healthily process negative emotions like anxiety and stress.
The author emphasizes the importance of family support and the unexpected benefit of sharing personal struggles with parents.
They highlight the uplifting effect of social events, such as a friend's wedding, in improving mental well-being.
The author encourages readers to seek out resources for personal growth and emotional resilience, as suggested in linked articles.
They suggest that readers consider subscribing to services that provide enriching content to aid in learning and personal development.

I wish I could have done this earlier instead of suffering alone.

Almost a month ago, I wrote about mental health and how messed up I was due to the excessive emotional drain of the past few months. It definitely got better and I felt more relaxed and pleased with myself for having to talk with my colleague.

However, everything went haywire when Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24th. It’s been almost 15 days (as of this writing) and the news coming out of Ukraine has been very distressing.

I work in a multinational company where people from all over the world work. Some of my colleagues are from Ukraine, and they have been greatly affected by this.

Screenshot by the Author

Although my organisation has made sure that our Ukrainian colleagues don’t need to worry about work, we just couldn’t do enough for the safety of our fellow colleagues and their families.

At times like these, all I can think about is the people’s and their loved ones’ safety. I know of one family who went on a vacation to Europe. They were in Ukraine when the attack happened. Somehow, they managed to escape with other people. I just cannot imagine the situation of thousands of people there.

I had been religiously following the news, expecting everything to be over. I have also been reading the heroics of so many Ukrainians and even hundreds of Russians who bravely protested against the attack.

When I received the news of the death of one colleague working with my friend in a different organisation, I was devastated.

This took a toll on me.

For the next 10 days, I didn’t work, learn anything new, or write anything. My family noticed this and strongly advised me to not watch the news since it was affecting me.

I also shared with them things that have been bothering me for 3 years. Every failure that I had in the past 3 years, such as business failures, my breakup with my girlfriend, work stress, and almost everything else, were discussed at length. I also talked about the war with my dad, who used to be in the Navy.

I felt extremely relieved due to this. I never knew I could ever share things with my parents. They were extremely understanding.

I also attended the wedding of one of my best friends. Meeting with my friends after a long time simply felt magical, and I am not even exaggerating. This freed me from the shackles and, hence, I am writing this piece after almost 2 weeks.

I also believe that I need to work on my emotional intelligence in order to establish a healthier relationship with my emotions rather than run away from negative emotions such as anxiety and stress.

My thoughts are with the people who lost their lives due to this unnecessary war. I also hope you break free from the shackles of the problems that you are facing. After all, we are all fighting demons on the inside and on the outside.

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