With the recent events that have taken place in this country it is hard to imagine how and when these acts of violence will cease. It can be difficult to feel safe and calm when the world is painting a different picture. National events like those in Baton Rouge and Dallas can cause anxiety for both children and adults. Are we safe? When will the violence stop? When will the next tragedy happen? Where will it happen? These are all questions many of us have asked ourselves over the past couple of weeks. If your thoughts are racing with questions like these, know that you are not alone. In times of stress in our country it is important to take a step back and remind ourselves that we are all responsible for our own actions and choices, and we must remain calm and steadfast when external situations make us feel out of control.

So, what can you do? Don’t worry, if you are concerned about the state of the world, or struggling with anxiety in general, there are steps you can take to overcome it. First things first, you are safe. You are likely reading this blog from your home, office, or on your smart phone while running errands. One of the best things you can do to create stability in your life is to maintain your routine. Maintaining your everyday routine will allow you to feel a sense of control in an ever changing world. Along the same lines, it is also important to separate out the things you can control from those you cannot. If you can focus on the specific difficulties in your life that you can control, you usually end up feeling much better about everything else. The interesting thing about anxiety is that once you let go of wanting to control everything and just focus on living, your anxiety will decrease. If your anxiety about the state of our country still feels intense—take action! Write a letter to your local congressman or state senator, engage in a random act of kindness the next time you are at Starbucks, or take some baked goods to your local police station or firefighters. Once you do something productive and proactive you will notice that you will begin to feel better. Your act of kindness will also help others to feel better. And last but not least, spend some time with your family and loved ones. They will remind you of not only what is important in your life, but also that people do love each other.

Dr. Rosie