The world becoming more stressed and depressed. And, overall, our mental health is worsening.

Certainly, research suggests that feelings of isolation, anger, and depression have increased for many people in recent years, likely due to a combination of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, social media use, and economic uncertainty. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 322 million people suffer from depression worldwide, 18% more than a decade ago.

Our opinions about politics are more polarised. Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to have relationships with people who don’t share political opinions. 

However, amidst these challenges, there’s a beacon of hope in the form of online therapy. By leveraging technology, individuals can access counseling services from the comfort of their own homes, breaking down barriers such as geographical distance or scheduling constraints. Platforms offering online therapy, like the Leone Centre, provide a lifeline for those in need, offering professional guidance and support tailored to individual circumstances.

As the need for mental health support grows amidst the challenges of modern life, individuals are seeking holistic approaches to well-being that address the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. In response, a holistic health website offers online courses that empower individuals to proactively manage their mental and emotional wellness. These courses, curated by experts in psychology, nutrition, mindfulness, and other disciplines, provide comprehensive strategies for fostering resilience and self-care. By integrating evidence-based practices with holistic principles, such platforms equip participants with the tools to navigate life’s complexities with greater ease and balance.

And we are more polarised, not only about politics, but also around other racial issues, gender issues, sexual issues, health issues, etc. We have loads of issues. 

Amidst the growing challenges to global mental health and the escalating polarization in political landscapes, individuals are actively seeking alternative avenues for relief and connection. As societal stressors continue to mount, some are turning to holistic approaches to address their mental well-being. One emerging trend involves the exploration of natural remedies, such as Organic CBD Nugs, which are gaining popularity for their potential therapeutic benefits. These organic products derived from hemp are being considered by many as a complementary solution to alleviate stress and anxiety, providing a holistic approach to mental health support.

In the quest for holistic mental health support, another avenue gaining traction is the use of CBD vape products. These vaporized forms of CBD offer a discreet and convenient method for individuals to manage the chronic stress and anxiety plaguing modern life. By inhaling CBD-infused vapor, users can potentially experience rapid relief from symptoms, allowing for a moment of respite amidst the chaos of daily challenges. As more individuals seek alternatives to traditional pharmaceutical interventions, CBD vape emerges as a promising option, providing a natural approach to addressing the persistent mental burdens faced in today’s world.

In the face of heightened political tensions and strained relationships, the quest for common ground has become increasingly elusive. However, there is a shared recognition of the need for mental and emotional well-being. Organic CBD Nugs, with their potential calming properties, are becoming part of the conversation around fostering resilience and promoting a sense of balance. As individuals strive to navigate the complexities of modern life, the exploration of natural alternatives like Organic CBD Nugs reflects a broader societal shift towards prioritizing mental health and seeking harmony in an increasingly discordant world.

I’ve certainly noticed more anger. I live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which is usually quite a laid back and happy place. But I have noticed westerners becoming more and more angry. Particularly the recent arrivals. 

• People will get angry with you if you wear a mask. People will get angry with you if you don’t wear a mask. 
• People will get angry with you if you talk about climate change. People will get angry with you if you don’t seem to care about climate change and you have a car. 
• People will get angry with you if you’re rich. People will get angry with you for being poor. 
• People will get angry with you if you support the Russians in Ukraine. People will get angry with you if you support Ukraine. 
• People will get angry with you if you eat too much. People will get angry with you if you’re too thin. 
• People will get angry with you for being happy and smiling. People will get angry with you if you’re miserable. 
• People will get angry with you if you’re angry. People will get angry with you if you’re indifferent, if you’re neutral. 

Have I made my point? 

Everybody is angry except me. I have been struck by this recently. I have known a lot of westerners personally who’ve fallen out with other westerners because of political arguments. 

What is the best way to protect yourself going forward? 

Let me introduce you to the wonders of neutrality. It’s my superpower. 

My superpower is an ability to understand people who are different to me. At school, I was always a loner. I never understood the most normal school children. As a result, I sought out the other weirdos in the school. It wasn’t easy. Weirdos are weird. But after you meet loads of them you begin to realise we’re all weirdos, we just seem to be more or less weird depending on the context. 

I realised this superpower, that has laid pretty dormant for the last few decades, is increasingly useful to me. I’m exercising my powers of understanding. I’m ignoring the instinct to label opinions as ‘wrong’ or ‘right’; or ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Instead, I’m trying to understand opinions. 

I’m asking myself, honestly, why does a person, who seems perfectly intelligent and good, hold a different opinion to me. And it’s NOT that difficult. 

Neutrality in politics

Let’s go back to the original cause of friendship breakups. Politics. In the US that’s basically a left/right or progressive/conservative split. The progressives favour more government intervention, whereas conservatives would favour less government intervention and put more emphasis on individual freedoms. 

Notice I’m not describing the extreme positions of both factions. Governments, opinions and people are becoming more extreme, it’s true. But, according to opinion polls, most people aren’t extreme. The extreme left advocates total state control and the extremists on the right advocate end of all state regulation. Whereas, most people would find themselves in the middle of such extremes and therefore would only disagree on the extent of state control over the individual. 

Well, this is just a matter of opinion, is it not? 

So, isn’t it crazy that many individuals are now unable to communicate with certain friends and family members based on a disagreement over the size of the public sector? 

But, I don’t mean to demonize those people who are suffering with these arguments. When two friends fall out with each other, both will suffer. Both of these ex-friends now have one less friend in a sometimes unfriendly world. 

These people aren’t crazy to hold on to political opinions and then become offended with others. Our society has been becoming increasingly polarised. People are affected by the society that they inhabit. Always have been. Always will.  

If stress and polarisation is on the increase, we’re not helping anyone by getting more stressed out and polarised about this. 

I would say that I’ve soothed my own stress and gotten less argumentative by practicing neutrality. You should try it. 

Instead of picking sides try to understand differing opinions. This shouldn’t be too difficult. One of the most important intellectual exercises is to create a “steel man” argument for a position you don’t hold yourself. Go into the sensible arguments of “the other side”. There will be many logical reasons that individuals hold opposite opinions from you. Remember, these people have the same brain as you, some of them could be more intelligent, some could be less intelligent, and, more importantly, they have different life experiences from you. Our opinions are shaped by our experiences and all of our experiences are different. There has to be a reason they are holding on to a viewpoint because there are reasons you are holding on to your viewpoint. 

Making judgments about other people makes you unhappy

What’s the alternative to trying to understanding people? The alternative is for you to judge them as “bad” or “wrong”. And making judgments about other people makes you unhappy.

Well, OK, it’ll make you happy for a minute:

• “He’s disagreeing with me because he’s stupid!”
• “Ah, that idiot believes everything she reads in the mainstream media. She can’t see through their lies like I can!”
• “That person holds that opinion because they’re racist!”
• “Typical of a white western millennial, they only hold that opinion because they’re too blinkered and have been cosseted by their parents!”

And on and on and on. I’ve made judgments like those in the past. They’re all judgments based on my biasses and they serve only one purpose: to make me feel superior. For one second. And then they make me sad.

The media

People these days seem to be up-in-arms about the bias of the ‘mainstream media’. The mainstream media has always been biased. All information is bias. There is no such thing as objective reality. There are only subjective opinions. 

I worked in newspapers and magazines in the UK in the early 90s. I wasn’t surprised at all to see that these companies recruited from a certain highly educated sector of British society. And, a certain individual from a certain background is going to bring the biases and prejudices from their background to their opinions. Sure, maybe they know their prejudices and try to counter their biases, but they’ll never be 100% successful at that. No one can completely claim to be 100% unbiased. As I say, there is no such thing as objective reality. There are only subjective opinions. 

Now, as I have already discussed, there is more friction in the world. Therefore the media bias is more obvious. But, that is all that is happening. Journalists aren’t suddenly doing a bad job whereas before they were doing a good job. Journalists reflect the society they come from. The situation in the world has changed. Many economic indicators are as bad as they have been in living memory. 

However, the media will make you more stressed and depressed. The media present problems in a simplistic way that inclines you to take sides. Taking sides is a mistake. The media presents a version of events and we either believe it or we don’t. The problem is we are either agreeing or disagreeing with a simplistic opinion. And by taking sides we unfortunately equate an opinion with reality. But the news is not real. It’s a mistake to confuse the map with the terrain, the news isn’t really whats happening with your world.

So, wtf, chill out!

OK, a somewhat simplistic subheading there! But, there’s a lot to be said for not taking yourself too seriously and, more importantly, not taking the world too seriously.

So what if there’s a war in Europe that could escalate into a larger, nuclear conflict? OK, we have economic inequality that’s the worse it’s been for nearly a century. Yes, there’s a man-made climate crisis. OK, we have the most instability with big power politics since the end of the Second World War. And, on top of all that, we’re recovering from a deeply unsettling pandemic which had huge economic and social implications…

But what can you do about all this shit? It’s not your fault the human race extracted hydrocarbons from the earth and burnt them increasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Inequality, big power instability, and the pandemic are things that have come and gone before. Not in our living memory but you only have to open history books to see that civil wars, plagues, and competing empires are the rule rather than the exception.

This has all happened before and will happen again and there’s nothing you can do about it. Why try to put the world to rights? The problems aren’t your fault. A few angry words will do NOTHING to solve these complex issues. A few angry words are just your ego talking.

Your energies will be far better directed towards understanding and helping other people rather than taking sides against them.

Conclusion

But, what do you think? Am I being hopelessly simplistic and weak to not take sides? Am I just swapping one judgment for another?