Peace-Love
War And Your Mental Health
By Solon
Apr 8, 2003, 5:40pm

Reuters Reports: Surgeon General Says War Threatens Mental Health ...Children aged 4 to 6 years are particularly vulnerable...(Experts are) telling patients to limit television or just switch it off.

This is not a big surprise, is it?
And obviously this is not just the people directly involved like the armed services and the people of Iraq. This is mostly about the people in the US who are watching the war on television and watch it we do. Try going to any store or mall or restaurant or bank and there it is, the images and sounds of shooting, killing, bombing and blood.
But this is real. This is not a made for TV movie where the only actors who get hurt might be stunt men and women.

And obviously the best idea is to turn off the TV and avoid all news like the plague.
But what else can you do?

Well, here are some suggestions:

Affirm life!
Plant a seed, as in the garden variety. Spring is in the air, so go with it. And this might be a good time to start getting flowers started or tomato plants or just something that gives you and others pleasure. Many areas are experiencing a drought, so consider this too in your endeavors.

Put in time with children, especially those under five years old but any age will do. And if you have kids this is quite a bit easier, but if not, still doable with nieces, nephews, grandchildren or friends. And this is meant to be "quality time" as in doing something uplifting like a walk in the park, looking at birds or teaching them to read or recognize colors. This is not taking them to a movie or shopping.

Fix something that needs fixing. Maybe the house needs a coat of paint or a leaky faucet fixed or the car needs a change of oil. But leave things better than you found it. And if you have kids then encourage them to help even if all they can do is to get tools. This means girls too. The world is changing!

Improve your health and the health of your family.
This is obviously a broad category. But let's start with the physical side. Plan and implement "extra" health meals for the month. Try to use mostly organic fruits, vegetables and meat.
Go over the house with a good disinfectant and include carpets and areas that get touched a lot like phones and door knobs. Also it's a good idea is to wash all bedding material in hot water to eliminate dust mites.
Perform a family health check. How has the health been for the last year? Record any illnesses and lack of them along with what has worked to prevent or cure. And be careful of traditional doctors since they tend to want to prescribe drugs for almost every little thing. Consider alternate medicine and alternative situations whenever possible.

And what about the spiritual/mental/psychological aspects of the family? Well, for openers the whole family could read a book together and discuss it. This would have to be something that all ages can relate to, like perhaps a Harry Potter book. Or maybe the whole family can plant a garden together?

Make a statement! Affirm what you believe in. It can be "Support The Troops" or "Against War" (and it can be both) but do something. Even wearing a simple pin with a "peace dove" or a bumper sticker that says "Peace is Patriotic" counts for something. And do it proudly! The freedom to express your opinion, even if un-popular is what this country is all about.
And it sets a good example!

On the other hand, here are some things to avoid:

War movies. And isn't it a little strange that the cable channels have been flooded with all the classic WWII movies like "12 O’clock High"? Face it bub, this isn't WWII, not even close.

Bars and social drinking situations. Alcohol really is a depressant and war is depressing enough without accelerating it.

Amusement parks. Disneyland is probably the kind of escapist reality that kids might like but for adults they are a real turn off and possibly dangerous. If you were a wacko looking to make a statement, this is the kind of place to make it.

Crowds in general. Most people are very twitchy right now and so it wouldn't take much to set them off and in a crowd the herd instinct AKA mass hysteria can quickly lead to chaos.

And so...
These suggestions can get you a little more separate from the crowd, a little more family oriented and focused on the small picture that you can do something about. When the world gets louder and louder, then it's time to turn down the volume and listen to the voice within.

And frankly, this situation isn't just as black and white as it would appear. This war will be over soon and then some of this pain will be lifted.
But realistically, the larger situation that created a war is not going to get better for some time. The best scenario is that these thugs will get voted out of power and good people will be elected who will come in and right the wrongs.

But whatever happens in the meanwhile, you can put energy into doing and being positive while at the same time, hope and pray for the best.

And, be prepared for a long haul!

Peace!

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