World Pain
How can one bear the suffering of the world?
© pitipat / Adobe Stock
Am I just sad? Am I overwhelmed? Am I grieving? Am I depressed? Or maybe you just feel world-weary. You can read what that means here.
There’s a lot of terrible things going on in the world right now. We have a Mental health crisis fueled by social media, particularly among young people. We are feeling climate change that seems unstoppable and is causing all kinds of environmental disasters. In addition, a pandemic is behind us. At the same time, wars are raging and people are persecuted and mistreated. Anyone who doesn’t care about what’s going on in the world probably has to hide under a rock somewhere and be completely oblivious to it all.
With everything going on around us, there is one word that seems to fit it: World Pain.
How does world pain feel?
World pain describes one Feeling tired, sad or melancholy in the face of evil and danger in the world. It is often experienced as apathy or sentimental sadness and arises from comparing the actual state of the world with an idealized longing that things should be different. The German term World Pain is a Germanism, meaning it is used in many languages, including English, Danish, Italian and French.
Why do I have world pain?
That there are many reasons for this World Pain We have already made it clear at the beginning of the article. But why does this all hit us so hard? Are we too sensitive, spoiled or oversensitive? Do we have the right to feel this sense of powerlessness? There are certainly many tips that we can use Pain in the world not let it get to us so much, but the fact that we feel so affected by suffering has its right to exist.
In the past we had the opportunity to remain ignorant about many things in world affairs. If we didn’t want to be emotionally burdened with the bad things going on in the world, all we had to do was ignore the newspaper or turn off the evening news. However, today it is almost impossible to remain unaffected by the news. The images we see on our mobile devices and social media and the people we surround ourselves with inundate us with harsh realities. In addition, we often have the feeling that we are powerless in the face of what is happening.
Is this still world pain or is it already depression?
Studies have shown that the overwhelming type of destruction that young people see on a daily basis has a negative impact on their mental health and causes them to have a bleak and pessimistic vision of the future. But How do you differentiate between world pain and depression? from each other and when should serious consequences be drawn? The best thing to do is to ask yourself whether sadness calls you to take action and do something about this feeling or whether it overwhelms you and you can no longer see anything positive in your life. If you lose yourself in resignation, a carousel of thoughts or endless ruminations for several weeks and this inner emptiness occurs unaffected by external circumstances, then it is advisable to talk to people close to you or seek professional support. You can find more information and help here: Depression.
What can you do about world pain?
If you move away from your Liberate world pain If you want to and have the drive to do so, you can try to overcome your feeling of powerlessness with the following tips.
- Set boundaries
Staying away from the news and social media doesn’t mean you don’t care about what’s going on in the world. It is a protection for your own mental health. Here you will find helpful tips for a successful digital detox. - Don’t expect perfection…
… neither from the world nor from others and certainly not from yourself. Because they don’t exist. Life will always fall short of our needs, wants and desires. While having core values, moral beliefs, and certain standards is a good thing, having values that everyone is expected to live up to leads to unnecessary anger, bitterness, and disappointment. Focus on a warm attitude towards life that strives for the best, with the healthy certainty that not everything is attainable. - The “both-and” standard
The “both-and” standard recognizes that there is both good and bad in people and in life. Set your bar as high as you want it to be and then go down a bit and work from there. - Connect with others
We often need to join forces with others to achieve our goals for a better world. Together we are strong. And collectively, we can also deal with defeat better and motivate each other. In addition, technology now enables us more than ever to network through various channels. Connecting with like-minded people can keep your feelings of powerlessness at bay. It is encouraging to realize that you are not alone in your world-weariness and that there are others who care about the world just as much as you do. - Go into nature
Sounds banal, but it brings so much! Whether you go into the forest and listen to leaves, stand by a lake and watch the sunset or climb a mountain. Breathe in the fresh air, notice the scent of nature and how it changes between the seasons. These are all subtle reminders that the world is a beautiful place, even if we, or the people around us, sometimes behave like idiots.
Would you like more tips? Here you can find books against world pain.
Sources used:
“Young People’s Voices on Climate Anxiety, Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon,” papers.ssrn.com2021
“When It Comes to Painful Emotions, Don’t Think — Just Feel,” elemental.medium.comlast accessed: November 2023
“Remain optimistic despite world sorrow,” deutschlandfunknova.delast accessed: November 2023