Dealing with stress caused by the Israel -Hamas War

As an Israeli living in the US, the recent days have evoked intense emotions, leaving me stunned and overwhelmed by the tragic terror events. I'm still in the process of unfolding tragedy and the unbearable magnitude of it all.

I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of helplessness, shock, grief, and sadness.

Amidst these turbulent times, it's crucial to practice self-compassion. Acknowledge that it's alright not to feel okay, that it's natural to need time to process and recover. Recognize that even during these challenging moments, it's valid to grant yourself the space to heal.

Understanding the shared sentiments among my fellow Jewish and Israeli community members, I've put together a set of coping strategies, which I am sharing here:

Limit the Overload in Social Media and News: Excessive updates on social networks and news give us a false sense of control - an illusion of being in charge. As if staying constantly updated signifies meaningful action. In reality, it not only fails to help anyone but does the opposite. We drain ourselves, leaving no energy for ourselves or our loved ones who need us now. The right approach is moderate updating, maybe two or three times a day. Additionally, if we aren't connected to the news 24/7, we might feel guilty. Similar to "survivor guilt" of those who lost their loved ones/deal with trauma, and we, the "privileged," express support by staying connected to the news. Yet, in reality, we only weaken ourselves.

Protect Your Soul: The videos and testimonies we are exposed to right now exceed what our souls can handle our mind is tired from what we called “the compassion fatigue”. It's crucial to remember our souls are precious, and it's essential to preserve them. Reframe our minds to treat our souls as "external entities" that we must protect and nurture. Just like we avoid extreme junk food for our bodies, this is the junk food for the soul. Be mindful of what we feed it and in what quantity.

Create Routine Amidst Chaos: Try establishing a routine within this chaos. Set small daily tasks for ourselves. Avoid getting angry with ourselves for not functioning optimally at the moment.

Take Distraction Breaks: Take breaks and engage in activities that divert our minds. Play, listen to music, do any form of physical activity, watch a movie that brings you joy. Essentially, rejuvenate the soul.

Connect with others: Be with others. Be and talk with people who bring us goodness. Talk to your relatives and friends about what you are feeling and what thoughts come to your mind. We can have multiple thoughts and feelings at the same time. “Venting” is a good tool to help deal with challenges.Let it out.

Find Ways to Help: Think about how you can help, even in the smallest way. What can I give to others? The feeling of having assisted someone is profoundly important and helpful. There are many charities you can donate to like Magen David Adom, IDF, and other Jewish agencies that support Israel etc.

Avoiding Trauma Triggers (specially before bedtime): Preventing the consumption of trauma posts - even exposure to heavy content like videos or images can lead to trauma. It's critical to talk about it. Sharing repeatedly about what we saw and experienced helps process it. Avoid consuming this content before bedtime.

Name your emotions: We might express different kind of emotions from guilt, anger, to grief, shock and sadness. By listening to ourselves and naming our emotions we create space and opportunity to process them.Just listen: Remember, all people need is someone to be with them and listen, no need to look for solutions and say “it will be ok”.

Take a daily mindful minute - mindful minute or micro recovery has scientifically proven to help increase compassion, repair heart cells and reduces stress and cortisol levels. Step 1: Breathe in, counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.

Believe in self-efficacy: Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task based on past experience. When someone believes in their past successes, it can enhance their self-efficacy, making them more resilient in facing future challenges. We prevailed in the past and we will in the future.