We are dealing with uncertain times with health, work, finances and family life feeling like they are precarious or under pressure. The world we once knew has moved from the familiar to a constantly changeable state. This shift from relative certainty to constant uncertainty can lead us to feeling of anxiety and an on-going struggle to adapt and respond to the changes while trying to make meaning of this new world we live in.
We need to make meaning of things
Humans are inherently meaning seeking creatures. We need to make meaning and sense of our environment. In fact, our nervous system works in such a way that the brain automatically clusters incoming stimuli into configurations and seeks to order random, unpatterned events. This enables us to gain some sense of control over them and, in turn, helps us to make meaning of them (Yalom, 2014).
Without attaching meaning to events we feel out of control, senseless and aimless. This can lead to us feeling very disconnected and unsure of our place in world. Many of us are faced with these unsettling feelings at the moment and while we may take some comfort knowing that we are not alone, we may also project our own anxieties onto others, such as getting angry with those who do not respond to the changing world in the way we would expect or like them to.
The importance of choosing our attitude
Being able to make meaning of the events going on around us enables us to attach values and a code of behaviours as to how we wish to respond to those events. Viktor Frankl, who survived the concentration camps of Germany during World War 2 said that, “everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way”.
Even though it might feel like we do not have much of a choice as to what is happening to us, we do have a choice as to the attitude that we wish to take when we are faced with challenging and uncertain events. Choosing our own way might be difficult and unpractised for some, especially those who tend to experience more anxiety, but can help us feel more in control and provide some certainty in our lives, even when it feels like the universe can offer neither.
How can psychotherapy help?
Counselling and psychotherapy can support you in dealing with events, issues or challenges that you face by helping to make meaning of them, as well as working towards healthier attitudes and responses that are less fear or anxiety driven.
Clare Walker, Counsellor and Psychotherapist at Therapy Room
References and further reading:
Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Yalom, D. I. (2014). Love’s Executioner. Harper Collins.