People across America are feeling the financial pinch. The cost of food, gas, and health care are skyrocketing and there are less and less service providers available to meet the needs of the masses. I believe it's going to get much worse before it gets better. I remember only 1 year ago gas prices were nearly 1/2 what they are today. People are warning that if you want to buy Christmas gifts for your children, get them now because the supply-chain is broken. People are hoarding food and water and dare I say, toilet paper, again. The world's Economic Outlook report published by IMF, "warns that there is a pressing need to act to avoid a legacy of vulnerabilities while avoiding a broad tightening of financial conditions." https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/GFSR
So, what can individuals and families do when the income doesn't go up but the expenses do? They cut back. They cut back on dining out, going to the movies, and traveling to friends and family members homes who live beyond their city boarders. They isolate, get depressed, and feel discouraged. Everywhere we look there is a shrinking ability to return to what was normal pre-Covid. Families and friends are angry at all the changes, and their anger is causing mental health concerns.
It's normal when you can't control your life in one area to transfer the anger and resentments to another area of your life. Union workers are picketing and going on strike, even threatening to take jobs to Mexico. Parents are fighting for their children at school board meetings and their displeasure is expressed. Law Enforcement, Firefighters, and medical staff are being forced off their jobs and this further harms families and society suffers their loss. The average response time for 9-1-1 calls in Seattle, Washing is 60 minutes.
As a mental health provider, I warn people that their uncontrolled anger can be turned inward as depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, or it can be turned outward as angry outbursts, criticism, and abuse (physical, emotional). Much of their anger is the fact that they are feeling a loss of optimism for their future, but also they are waking up to situations they were ignorant of and this makes them angry at themselves. The remedy to uncontrolled anger is purposeful focus. When you have a plan and know what you want to accomplish, anger can be transferred to passion, internal motivation, and it creates the catalyst for change. There is a grass-roots movement to gather all the people who have lost their high-paying jobs, who have gone to college and obtained degrees, who have specialties and trades that communities need, and they are starting their own businesses, schools, and co-ops.
When you know where you want to go, when you know what the problems are that are impacting you and your family, and you develop a plan to make changes, it's amazing how much you can accomplish.
When you change, everything will change.