Mental Health: When Difficult Times Cause Breaking With Reality
Difficult times are often particularly challenging for those among us who have a sensitive nature.
These days, it seems like there's always strife and conflict, geopolitical unrest, economic uncertainty, job insecurity, rising prices and much more.
If you are of an empathic nature, it can be a great challenge to navigate these points of turmoil and lately I have been seeing the psychological term ”empathy fatigue” show up more and more.
Now, it holds true for virtually all of us that we can keep enduring up to a certain point and then we break. Some break outward in displays of uncharacteristic rage, others withdraw inwards and remove themselves from the world; from their families.
Those of a sensitive and empathic nature often seek refuge in their inner worlds; in their imaginations.
While this can sometimes be a good coping mechanism, when you reach the breaking point we sometimes end up seeing some truly tragic breaks with reality.
Recently, I witnessed someone I know relatively well have a full psychotic break in public — all across their social media accounts.
While this person has definitely always been part of the woo woo crowd, they crossed over a line into a place where they started publicly condemning people who were "conspiring with aliens" to have her car followed with the intent of causing an accident, and allegedly her house was being staked out by "the evil cabal" intent on abducting her kids.
As a minister and counselor, I felt so much compassion for this person who had clearly run out of ways to cope with what life was sending her way.
Clearly, she had found her breaking point.
In this case, it was not one of my clients, so all I could really do was pray and hope that she had someone nearby who could be a friend when needed.
Part of the tragedy of life in 2025 is that we are often far removed from other people, in spite of having more ways to connect than ever. People hide behind their screens, and most people barely know their neighbors, any more. And that means we no longer have what once was a valuable "informal" mental health resource: A shoulder to cry on.
With the holidays coming up soon, I encourage everyone to "make the connection" with people close to their lives. Take the extra time to get to know your neighbors, in person. Call up friends and family members and talk to them.
We can all help each other be OK, and feel a little less isolated!
Thank you for coming to visit, and Bright Blessings to all!
You are not alone! (Graphic is our own)
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