Hi @AcidMonster55
Like @LilacLeopard14, I can also relate to the feelings of guilt and shame when seeing these tragedies unfold before us in real-time. Social media has made us extremely aware of what’s happening around the world, which also means that we’re more exposed and vulnerable to these events more than ever. While it is a good thing to be aware, it can really be overwhelming and it’s understandable wanting to do everything you can to help but also being exhausted and wanting to just ignore everything. Having the latter thoughts co-exist with the other doesn’t make you a bad person. Sometimes, being empathetic can also take a lot from us.
There was a time when guilt was really eating me up. I double majored in psychology and sociology at university. Psychology emphasised the importance of mental health and taking care of yourself, whilst my sociology classes showed me the injustices that have been happening around the world. At that time, I was very overwhelmed with everything I see on social media and I found myself wanting to detach myself from it. But some people in my sociology classes were saying that the fatigue you’re feeling is nothing compared to what people affected by the war are experiencing. And I agree. We are privileged enough not to experience what they’re going through and that thought really stuck to me. But later on, I became more and more guilty that I just didn’t do anything. I avoided everything. I feel like the more you invalidate your feelings, the more that you’ll get exhausted and may end up just avoiding everything. So, it’s okay to take care of yourself too. As @LilacLeopard14 said, self-care is important to be able to better take care of others.
The fact that you’ve acknowledged your privileges and are actively wanting to make a difference says a lot about how you care about the world. You’re doing your best to help, which shows that you are not blind to people’s suffering.
I wish you all the best and sending you lots of love and hugs 💙
