- Mental wellness and keeping calm in times of trouble
To say that Sri Lanka is currently grappling with its worst economic crisis is fast becoming, nay, has become superfluous. It is impacting practically every aspect of our lives. The fuel shortage means we can’t go anywhere. The price hikes mean we can’t afford to go anywhere. Making ends meet is becoming more and more difficult, and at the moment, especially faced with the possibility that we might not realistically receive fuel until the end of the month, most people are having difficulty seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
The doom and gloom are pervasive. Watching the news, or even staying nominally up-to-date with happenings via SMS alerts gives you heartbreaking stories of people dying in queues, parents throwing themselves and their children off bridges, yet another peaceful protest being met with tear gas, water cannons, and, increasingly, with brutality from the Police and the armed forces. Then, of course, are the updates from politicians and announcements of yet another shortage or price hike interspersed with parliamentary shenanigans.
Good news and good humour is becoming increasingly hard to come by and the famous Sri Lankan resilience is taking a beating like no other in living memory. The 2020s might have been a bad decade for the world, but Sri Lanka, after a decade of relative stability, entered the 2020s under the cloud of chaos that was the Easter attacks. That swiftly led into the pandemic (which has by no means left us, if reports of the new variant [BA.2.75] in India are to be taken into account) which takes us smack into the middle of our current obstacle – the economic crisis.
The economic crisis isn’t a war that needs to be fought (though it has been likened to one by the powers-that-be several times); it isn’t a natural disaster or a calculated malicious attack to rise from; neither is it a global pandemic that sees the whole world dealing with the same issues. The economic crisis, as nuanced as the causes behind it are, effectively boils down to incompetence and corruption, on all sides of the political pond. And as is always the case, it is the common people who suffer the most. The poor have become destitute and the middle-class is struggling inordinately to make ends meet. The movement of the struggle, or the Aragalaya, has been born of the desperation and dissatisfaction of all members of society who are each struggling in their own ways to survive this economic collapse.
The roots of the current economic crisis stem from years of inefficient and corrupt governance as well as the toll of decades worth of systemic racism, blatant corruption, nepotism and staggering mismanagement of resources. In any case, the milk has been spilled, and now we must soldier on.
But how? How do we force ourselves to keep going, to stay productive despite our daily lives being immeasurably impacted, with power cuts, limited mobility, and food costing twice what it used to (or more)?
Clinical Psychologist and Child, Adolescent and Family Services (CAFS) Director Dr. Suhaila Shafeek-Irshard shared her views with Brunch, noting that she had seen most people responding emotionally to the national crisis. “When I speak to people, there is a lot of frustration, anger and hopelessness, and it’s really hard for people to see the light at the end of the tunnel, especially for the working middle-class.”
Diving a little deeper into the psyche of the working middle-class, especially the young people, Dr. Shafeek-Irshard explained: “Young people have worked really hard in their careers, they’ve studied really hard, they’ve invested in their futures, and they should now be reaping the benefits of that work. But they can’t, and this is through no fault of theirs which is very frustrating for a lot of people.”
The impact of the crisis on all levels also compounds these feelings of frustration and helplessness, because the crisis at this point is all-consuming: “It’s not just the fuel crisis, it’s the price hikes too – your earnings being enough versus it now not being enough to make ends meet almost overnight, while medication and healthcare are at a standstill. Whatever you considered basic has now become a luxury and everything together is really difficult for people to handle,” Dr. Shafeek-Irshard said.
Our recent lack of mobility due to lack of fuel has been likened by many to a lockdown or the travel restrictions that were put in place to fight the spread of Covid-19. Similarities have also been drawn to the economic challenges that the pandemic and its resulting lockdowns brought with it, but somehow, public reaction to the restrictions of the economic crisis has been one of greater frustration. This can be attributed to the crisis not being the result of an unforeseen disaster or the result of global diseases with which everyone was dealing, but more the direct result of failed governance and leadership.
Dr. Shafeek-Irshard also provided her input on people’s reactions and feelings from the pandemic to the economic crisis. “The most common reaction or feeling to the crisis is frustration. Especially for parents, there is a lot of fear and hopelessness when it comes to their children. A lot of parents say, ‘our poor kids, their future is being impacted’. There is a lot of sadness. The economic challenges of the pandemic, while indeed challenging, were not as huge as they are now. We were all in a place where we could help each other out, whereas now, even our capacity to help one another has been impacted. We are now forced to think twice before putting together a box of dry rations or essentials. Even those who were previously able to help others, are unable to do so now and are struggling to do as much as they used to.”
From a mental wellness perspective, the crisis is more challenging than those that have come before, and with almost everyone being overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness and frustration, it is now more important than ever to ground ourselves and find ways to keep ourselves, our loved ones and those around us physically and emotionally healthy.
One key strategy to maintain mental balance in these turbulent times is looking at what you can control, or what Dr. Shafeek-Irshard describes as your circle of control. “There are so many things beyond our control and worrying about these things will not take us anywhere and will only serve to increase our frustration,” she said, adding: “It’s very important to look at what is within our circle of control and be specific about how we devote our emotional energy.”
As an example, Dr. Shafeek-Irshard addressed mobility and the fuel shortage. If your job or lifestyle requires you to go out, then paying special emotional energy to the fuel shortage and how you can secure and maintain enough fuel to move around is something that is necessary. If, however, your job or lifestyle doesn’t require you to move around and is something you can do from home with minimal disruption, then it is important not to devote emotional energy to the fuel shortage beyond making sure you have enough fuel in an emergency.
“You have to look at things outside your circle of control as things that are not your problem because you have enough things within your circle of control, and worrying about everything that can be a problem is quite daunting at this moment. It’s important to focus on the problem that you can fix, on things that impact you that are within your circle of control, what you can do about those things, and then taking care of yourself and those around you,” Dr. Shafeek-Irshard said.
However, she stressed that it was equally important not to downplay feelings and emotions. Our mental health is more fragile than ever, and it is okay not to be okay. “You are important, and while you can’t compare your problems with another person’s problems, you can’t belittle your problems either,” she said. “If you’re struggling, it’s okay to speak about your problem and to get the help you need and talk to somebody.”
Info box
Your emotional health impacts your physical health and the well-being of those around you. If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, please seek support.
Some free mental wellness and counselling resources include:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 24/7: 1926
Sumithrayo: 0112682570, 0112674436
Courage Compassion Commitment (CCC) Foundation: 1333
Other support resources are
Shanthi Maargam: 0717639898
Chid, Adolescent and Family Services (CAFS): 0764067004