Suffering from 'collective grief'? Health experts tell you how to cope

Abhilasha Daga didnrsquot expect the news of the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London crashing to affect her as deeply as it did ldquoI was gutted I love travelling and would almost always fly or at least insist on Air India The loss felt deeply personal even though I didnrsquot actually know anyone on the flightrdquo the 36yearold communications professional sharesAs videos imagery and other updates about the fateful flight and its occupants began to overwhelm social media Dagarsquos grief transformed into anxiety and a nameless fear of the unknown ldquoI kept telling myself how can this even happen What went wrong What about the families of those who perished So many lives and so many dreams were wiped awayrdquo she says But Daga isnrsquot alone in internalising the lossOn a personal noteldquoMany people are experiencing a collective sense of grief because such events resonate deeply with our shared humanity As personal stories and pictures of victims are being widely shared on social media platforms people connect and relate to the pain of those affected As these narratives circulate they amplify the collective grief as people feel a shared sense of loss and compassion for the lives impacted by the tragedyrdquo explains clinical psychologist Janhvi Dargalkar She adds that national calamities trigger feelings of vulnerability and empathy even among those who are not directly affectedAllow yourself and others to express emotions Acknowledging your feelings is the first step to healing them Representation picsIstockPsychologist Arti Shroff further elaborates ldquoFor many news about such tragedies is relayed in the form of social media updates which have been focusing extensively on the victims and their stories From a viewerrsquos perspective they can find resonance with some of the victims or those they have left behind Cultural religious or even humane factors wire us to empathise with victims of a tragedy and this sense of distress is further amplified by social media that causes hyper vigilance and keeps us constantly engaged and triggered Our nervous system is on high alert and we feel heightened amounts of stress For some it could even serve as a reminder of unprocessed grief that they may have gone throughrdquoShe notes that those whose global assumptions mdash which are fundamental often unconscious beliefs about the world and onersquos place in it mdash are challenged by such events will find it much harder to come to terms with such news ldquoFor instance if you have a fundamental belief or positive bias about being exempt from tragedies such as war terminal illnesses or even freak accidents such events can challenge the very world and life you take for granted in a disconcerting mannerrdquo she saysPractise selfcare through activities such as spending time in natureThe recent incident will be harder to accept for individuals who suffer from aerophobia or a fear of flying says Dr Nahid Dave a psychiatrist at Thought Matters ldquoI think wersquore going to see a lot of panic attacks at the airport or probably avoidance of taking the flights For people who suffer from such phobias their worst fears have come true And it can cause them to catastrophise their own experiencesrdquo Coming to termsAlthough withdrawal is a common response in those affected who may perceive it as a way to protect their emotional space Shroff cautions against long periods of reclusiveness ldquoAs human beings we are wired to be social We must make a conscious effort to reach out and connect with others and talk about what wersquore going throughrdquo she says She also advises that once the shock has passed negative events such as these can fuel our desire to look inwards and reprioritise our own lives ldquoSuch realisations could prompt us to recalibrate our own world views and take stock of what really matters to usrdquo she saysAbhilasha Daga Dr Nahid Dave Arti Shroff and Janhvi Dargalkar clinical psychologistShe and the other experts share tips to cope1 Acknowledge your feelings ldquoAllow yourself and others to express emotions without judgment Grief can manifest in various ways mdash sadness anger confusion mdash acknowledging these feelings is the first step toward healingrdquo says Dargalkar2 Stay connected Dargalkar recommends reaching out to friends and family members to foster a supportive environment where you can freely share your thoughts and feelings ldquoRegular checkins even a simple message can make a significant differencerdquo she says3 Practise selfcare Engage in activities that promote wellbeing such as exercise mindfulness spending time in nature or creative hobbies suggest Shroff and Dargalkar Prioritising sleep nutrition and relaxation techniques can help manage stress and emotional turmoil4 Limit media exposure While staying informed is important excessive exposure to distressing news can exacerbate anxiety Set boundaries around media consumption to protect your mental space cautions Dargalkar Shroff suggests sticking to credible sources of news so that you donrsquot fall prey to rumours that are designed to trigger a heightened emotional response while Dr Dave recommends sticking to news sources that present updates in a noninflammatory mannerldquoReading an update versus watching a news video can produce different responses in your brain While reading an update engages your visual centre videos stimulate your auditory centre emotional centre amygdala and limbic system Each time you come across a distressing update your body experiences a surge of cortisol or the stress hormone Cortisol disrupts your ability to feel happiness or hope It can result in sugar cravings or binge eating episodesrdquo Shroff concludes