Ultimate survivor

Overwhelmed by what's going on in the world? From breaking things into chunks to sharing with a friend, psychologists offer helpful tips for navigating turbulent times.

- BY DIONNE CHRISTIAN

On a balmy January evening in 1991, my then boyfriend and I sat on the couch, elbows on knees and dread etched across youthful faces, watching a war on TV. The US military had started Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait from Iraq, and CNN had all the action live from Baghdad where the sky was lit up with missles that looked like fireworks, before the thud of explosions.

As privileged western kids not long out of our teens, we thought not of the innocent Iraqis who would pay in lives for Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait - nor of the Kuwaitis whose country had been invaded - but of our future hopes and dreams, which were surely about to be dashed.

That's when boyfriend's mother, a force of gregarious nature, appeared, all teased blonde hair, silver hoop earrings and little black dress. She lent against the lounge doorway to do up the strap on a high heel. “Where do you think you're going?” boyfriend asked.

“Look, you two can sit around here all glum but I’m off to an end of the world party.”

“Well,” said Mr 22, “it’s alright for you, you've had your life; we haven't.” She was 43.

Some 34 years later, I reflect on that night and what kept us on the couch wringing our hands and shaking our heads for the entire evening while she lived life as, well, normal. Why can some people maintain cool heads when many around them appear to be losing theirs? When you're facing challenges – both personal and global - and worry turns to anxiety or depression, how do you steady the course? For some answers, the Listener asked psychologists and counselors for some advice on how to keep calm and carry on.

OCEANS OF WOES