We are living through a time of profound global suffering. It comes at us in waves. Each news cycle bringing fresh anguish; environmental collapse, war, famine, displacement, political violence. For many, the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people is a heartbreak too vast to bear, made worse by the silence or complicity of governments and institutions we once hoped might stand for justice.
These aren’t isolated events. We’re living in what scholars call a polycrisis—a convergence of interlocking emergencies that compound each other, leaving people around the world reeling. We are not only watching crises unfold… we are living them. And for those who are sensitive, empathic, justice-oriented, and awake, it can feel as though the weight of the world has fallen on our shoulders.
As a psychologist, I often hear some version of the same question ‘…What can I do with all of this pain?’. The helplessness, grief, rage, and fear can be so overwhelming that it feels like it might paralyse us. Or trying to do it all drives us to burnout. We can’t look away, but we can’t take it all in, either.
Here is what I want you to know. You are not broken for feeling overwhelmed. You are human.
The human species was never designed to metabolise daily (and sometimes hourly) exposure to global suffering on this scale for this long. And yet, because of our digital proximity to pain; videos of bombings, photos of starving children, recordings of grieving parents, we are witnessing an unrelenting stream of trauma that can erode our sense of safety and our belief in humanity.
This stress response is real. Even if you are not directly impacted, witnessing violence, and especially repeatedly can create a vicarious trauma response. This is even more of a risk for people who have a personal history of being a refugee, or fleeing occupation or war. It can manifest as fatigue, anxiety, dissociation, numbness, insomnia, anger, guilt, or a sense of futility. If you’re feeling any of these, pause, breathe, and offer yourself compassion. These responses are not signs of weakness. They are signs that you care and that you feel an injustice is occurring.
But caring must be sustainable. If our compassion burns too hot and too fast, it can consume us. So how do we stay tender without becoming undone?
Here are some recommendations I offer to those trying to survive and show up in a world that seems like it is constantly on fire:
Connect to community
One of the most powerful antidotes to despair is connection. When we gather with others, whether to grieve, to act, or to simply be, we remind ourselves that we are not alone. Community is medicine. Find or create spaces where you can talk honestly about your feelings. Attend vigils. Join local mutual aid groups. Make meals for neighbours. Collective care is an act of resistance.
Give back where you can
Hopelessness often comes from feeling powerless. Taking action, even in small ways, can help restore your sense of agency. Can you donate to grassroots efforts in Gaza or other conflict zones? Can you organise a fundraiser or an educational event? Can you write letters to political leaders or media outlets demanding change? You may not be able to stop the violence, but your voice, your care, your labour all matter.
Practice mutual aid
Unlike charity, mutual aid is grounded in solidarity, not hierarchy. It’s about communities helping each other meet needs; sharing food, resources, transportation, housing. In times of systemic failure, these networks not only meet material needs; they reaffirm our interdependence. Reach out. Offer what you can. Receive what you need.
Contact your local and state representatives
Change starts at every level of governance. If your government is complicit in oppression, let them know that you see it and that you object. Call, write, show up. Let your representatives feel your pressure. One letter may not change a policy, but a thousand voices can shape the direction of public will. And more importantly, it asserts a moral stance ‘… I will not be silent in the face of injustice.’
Express yourself
Pain needs somewhere to go. Create. Paint your grief. Dance your rage. Sing your longing. Grow something in the dirt and watch it live. Expression doesn’t solve the crisis, but it helps your body and spirit move through it. Art allows us to process the unspeakable. It connects us to beauty, to resistance, and to life.
Honour rest and joy
In a world that is burning, it can feel wrong to laugh, to rest, to celebrate. But joy is not a betrayal. It is a birthright. Our ancestors survived by cultivating joy even in the darkest of times. It reminded them they were still alive, still worthy, still human. Let yourself rest. Let yourself feel pleasure. It doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you are building the strength to keep going.
Limit exposure when needed
There is no virtue in being retraumatised by every post and headline. You are allowed to turn off the news. You are allowed to log off. You are not abandoning the world by protecting your mental health appropriately. Set boundaries around media. Choose trusted sources. Check in with your body. Pace yourself.
The truth is that we cannot carry the pain of the world alone. Nor are we meant to. What we can do is show up to our communities, to our values, to the parts of ourselves that still believe in justice and beauty and care.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. But don’t let that feeling turn you to stone. Let it move you. Let it connect you. Let it deepen your humanity.
Because if there is any hope left, it lies not in the institutions or empires, but in us. In the way we hold each other. In the way we refuse to look away. In the way we keep choosing life.
If you require immediate assistance, please call the Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 or the following crisis support services:
Lifeline Crisis Support – 13 11 14. Online crisis chat – www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/Online-Services/crisis-chat (Online crisis chat: 7pm-12am/7 days AEST)
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 wwwsuicidecallbackservice.org.au (Phone and online: 24 hours). Phone and online counselling for people at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide. Registration required for online counselling.
Beyond Blue Support Service – 1300 224 636 (24 hrs), https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support (Online counselling: 3pm-12am/7 days AEST). Telephone, online and email counselling for people going through a tough time.
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800 (24hrs). www.kidshelp.com.au/ (Online crisis support: 7pm-12am/7 days AEST)
Mensline Australia – 1300 789 978, www.mensline.org.au (Phone and online: 24hrs). Advice, therapy and support for men with family and relationship concerns. Telephone with call back, online and video counselling. Registration required for online counselling.
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732, www.1800respect.org.au/ (Phone and online: 24 hours). Telephone and online counselling service to assist people experiencing sexual, domestic and family violence.