Anxiety? Powerlessness? Ethical Distress? Use It.
Distress and anxiety seem to be everywhere around us today, and who would really feel surprised by this? Political power struggles and unrest, wars fought on multiple continents, economic uncertainty, marginalized groups facing laws that threaten their safety, social programs facing shutdown… the list could go on. If you’re paying attention to the news, I probably don’t need to tell you any more about the reasons why many people feel anxious and helpless these days.
Moral Distress and Collective Grief
I have written before about different framings for the anxiety that comes with societal uncertainty and unrest.
Moral distress (also known as moral injury) results from the internal conflict that occurs when we know the ethically appropriate action to take in a situation but are unable to act on it. Failure to act might be because we feel afraid to speak up or because we are told by an authority figure not to act. First studied in the healthcare world, moral distress differs from typical emotional pain in that it’s rooted in an unresolved ethical dilemma.
Collective grief is a term used to describe the reaction of a group of people who undergo a significant loss or extreme change together. This can include experiencing any tragedy that affects a community or nation. We can feel this type of grief following a natural disaster, an act of mass violence, a hate crime, a pandemic, an act of war, or any event that threatens the safety and stability of our community.
If you recognize your experience in either of these, I invite you to visit the in-depth articles about each of them for a better understanding of how to assess and cope.
The Role of Powerlessness
Feelings of powerlessness or helplessness are a well-documented root cause of both moral distress and anxiety. Moral distress is worsened when a person has resolved an ethical dilemma to their satisfaction but is then unable to take the action they believe is most in line with their ethical values. For instance, if it is in line with my ethical values to believe that trans kids should have the right to gender-affirming care and am aware of laws being passed against the provision of this care, I likely feel that my ethical principles have been violated. And perhaps I also feel powerless to stop laws like this from passing.
Helplessness heightens stress and anxiety because these emotions are generated when we anticipate impending danger or misfortune and doubt our own ability to cope with what lies ahead. Uncertainty can also intensify anxiety as the inability to anticipate what is coming next hinders our ability to plan and decide how we want to confront a potentially dangerous situation.
Photo credit: p.m. graham
Our nervous systems provide us with the tools to confront immediate dangers like running from bears that are chasing us: adrenaline flows, hearts race, muscles tense, breathing becomes more rapid. If we are in immediate danger, all of these physiological responses are protective and helpful.
These days, many of us do not experience the need to run from bears on a regular basis. When we are stressed by circumstances like viewing news reports about acts of war or mass deportations, we likely cannot physically fight or run away (as much as we might like to). And when we are left with these physical sensations we can’t release, we likely feel anxious or powerless.
Using Anxiety and Distress to Combat Powerlessness
Many of us experience stress and anxiety as uncomfortable because of the body’s physiological responses that can’t always be discharged immediately. (For more about this topic, see my previous article about coping with chronic stress and anxiety.) However, the reactions provided through the nervous system can also help energize us to meet deadlines, to compete in sporting events, or to give us the extra push we need to complete difficult tasks.
It’s understandable that we could look at the world around us and feel anxiety, grief, and moral distress. We can recognize these emotions and give ourselves the space to acknowledge and process them. Moreover, we can recognize the need to combat our sense of powerlessness before it generates despair and paralyzes us into inaction. We can use our ethical compass and the physiological responses generated by anxiety and use these responses to our advantage. We can leverage these responses into action.
How to Leverage Anxiety and Distress into Action
We will not eliminate the discomfort of moral distress and anxiety from our lives. There will always be situations that generate these emotions, and they are there to tell us that something is not right. When we’re aware of these emotions, we can use them to energize ourselves into action.
Photo credit: p.m. graham
Take time to consider and resolve ethical dilemmas
When you feel distressed, ask yourself if you have felt morally or ethically uncomfortable recently. Is there a particular incident you just can’t get out of your head? There are several common principles for resolving ethical dilemmas. The principle you choose to use might depend on the situation and also on your beliefs about what ethical principle is most essential. (See this previous post for detailed frameworks for resolving an ethical dilemma.) Understanding distress that is based in an ethical dilemma is essential for deciding how to move forward and combating powerlessness.
Engage creatively
“The opposite of war isn’t peace, it’s creation.”
Creativity is known to reduce stress and anxiety by activating the parts of your brain that process emotions. Moreover, it can increase positive emotions as you engage in activities you enjoy. If you can create in a group, such as joining a music group, dance class, art club, or any other similar activity, this can boost mood even more than creating alone. And creativity is not just to serve your own mood boosting: creation is an act of defiance in a world that seeks to tear others down more than to build them up.
Photo credit: p.m. graham
Use social (and other) media constructively
If you’re off of social media and that works for you - great. You know yourself well enough to know if getting off socials entirely works best for you. There are plenty of other ways to connect with social actions that speak to you. If you’re still consuming social media, you already know to beware of scrolling. This is a numbing activity, and while okay in small doses, in large amounts it can hinder emotional processing and lead into helplessness and inaction.
Instead, you can use social media to connect with community action that is in line with your values. Follow organizations you believe in and join their actions when you are able. Amplify voices speaking for justice (especially marginalized voices) and promote social action that supports the changes you want to see in the world.
Connect with social action that is in line with your values
There are two vital components here: community and action. Isolation and inaction easily lead to hopelessness and anxiety. Find the people working on an issue you believe in and with values that are in line with yours, and join them. This might be to protest, write letters, make phone calls, engage in community service, take part in any creative endeavor, or any other action.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Find your people
Connect with trusted community. Full stop. None of us can manage this time alone. Whoever and wherever your community is - virtual or in-person, faith community or social action organization, food pantry or protest, choir, art class, gym, neighborhood garden, bowling league, meet-up group. Find your people and connect with them.
Remember those who have come before
We have so many activist ancestors - those who have lived through times of war, abuse, terror, and injustice and somehow kept resisting. Through acts of protest and defiance large and small, those who walked before us have shown us the way. We stand on those shoulders and grapple with the acts of courage and sacrifice we might now be called to make. Some of those ancestors did not live to see the fruits of their labors, and yet we believe that their labors were not in vain. We honor their sacrifices by remembering and continuing their acts of protest and advocacy.
Photo credit: p.m. graham
“Microdose hope” (~ Brené Brown)
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
I said it before, and I’ll say it again: it is freaking hard to have hope right now, and yet it is essential to empowerment. As you feel able, do even small things to care for others. As you regain energy, participate in even small acts of community service and activism. Action is a powerful antidote for feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness, and anxiety. When you feel tempted to shut down and disengage, please take care of yourself, and also remember to reach out. Ask for support from your community and then support others in turn.
What Now?
Let’s acknowledge - we are living in difficult and draining times. The hits seem to keep coming, and it’s not easy to keep getting up. It’s always okay (and needed!) to care for yourself and to recognize that it’s not possible to change the world alone. Hold that thought together with the knowledge that it is possible to make changes together, and even slow, small change is important. Engage in and with your community, and care for the people around you. Recognize moral distress and anxiety and find support for yourself and others when you feel the pull towards powerlessness.
Also see these posts for more information about coping with grief, managing stress, and anchoring yourself when you feel unmoored. If you’re feeling stuck or are worried you might be dealing with a deeper mental health issue, please reach out to a trusted friend, family member, therapist, or healthcare professional. You don’t have to do this alone.
