Navigating the Fog: How to Cope with Uncertainty and Its Impact on Mental Health
What uncertainty does to your mind and the strategies that helped me cope: mindfulness, information gathering, preparation, and knowing when to ask for professional help.
"I can't function." I have passed through a lot of uncertain phases in my life: economic crises, layoffs, stock market crashes, major street insecurities, kids' futures, mid-life crises, and so on — and I would like to share with you my cockroaching strategies! :D
Each type of uncertainty comes with challenges and enormous power — it is nerve-wracking! In this one, I want to share with you a couple of things that I have learned the hard way and a couple of things I learned the easy way (searching and reading). I am not a psychiatrist, but I will share my findings and experience. I still recommend that you visit one when it is needed.
Uncertainty is an unavoidable aspect of life that can significantly impact our mental health: economic crises, layoffs, stock market crashes, major street insecurities, kids' futures, mid-life crises, COVID-19, and so on. Learning to manage this uncertainty can help us maintain mental well-being in the face of life's inevitable unpredictabilities. It will definitely make it easier for us to be productive in the hardest times.
The hardest one for me was going through layoff phases. That's why I think the strategies here were the best and the easiest on my mind.
Understanding the Impact of Uncertainty
For me, it was the fear of what's next. What are we supposed to do? What is expected? There are many "what" questions with no clear answer, and usually with no answer from anyone in my circle other than gossip and rumours. The impact is "I can't function": I am always thinking about the situation, thinking of possibilities — and with time, there are usually new parameters and new events that make all your previous thoughts invalid.
What Uncertainty Does to Us
Uncertainty can trigger a range of psychological responses, with anxiety and stress being the most common. When we face uncertain situations, our brain's "fear centres" (primarily the amygdala) activate, preparing the body for a perceived threat. This can result in heightened stress levels, which, if prolonged, can lead to serious mental health issues.
I was going to add a section about what it does to us, but I thought you can find a lot of resources about it online!
Building Resilience Against Uncertainty
Yes, I know it is bad and it will drive me crazy — now what!!? Now we need a strategy to handle it effectively so it doesn't destroy us every time. Yes, it happens a lot, but yes, we can be initially prepared.
Cognitive and Emotional Strategies
- Mindfulness and acceptance: practising mindfulness helps anchor thoughts in the present and reduces worries about the future. Easier said than done! :D
- Challenging negative thoughts: usually a good discussion with a partner not facing the same uncertainty is very helpful. Replace catastrophic predictions with more balanced and realistic thoughts.
- Emotional expression: that was my mum. She was always a good listener; even though she knew nothing about my work, she gave me the emotional support I needed. Sharing feelings with trusted individuals can provide relief and deepen interpersonal connections.
Practical Approaches
- Information gathering: well, personally, I believe this is the most important one. Collecting relevant information can reduce the unknowns and make situations less daunting.
- Preparation and flexibility: yes, it is going to happen; let's plan in case it happens. Preparing for various outcomes and remaining flexible can reduce the stress of unexpected changes.
- Professional advice: consulting with experts can provide clarity and actionable steps in managing uncertainty.
Knowing When to Ask for Help
Well, to be honest, I knew most of those strategies, but some events and situations really hit me hard and I wasn't able to recover. I started getting not-nice symptoms at all, and professional help was a needed raft to survive that hit.
Again, I am not going to add symptoms here — you can google that and find much better info online than copy-pasting it here.
Thanks for reading.
Where Taqdim fits
Job uncertainty is the kind this blog knows best — a search that drags on, a contract that might end. Taqdim helps you put your effort where a yes is believable, so the search itself is a little less foggy. Fit results are guidance, not a promise. Taqdim is in closed beta. Join the waitlist.
Originally published on Medium on 28 Apr 2024.