In this article I hope to offer a way to understand the anxiety that many people feel about Brexit. This is not a political article, but I will write about political events because MPs represent, psychologically, authority figures with the power to make decisions that impact everybody’s lives.
For better or worse, we are affected by authority and we can all relate to this in many ways. The first type of authority we encountered were our parental figures, but we do not need to dig much into the past. With the exception of a few people, we all have managers and/or bosses whose decisions have an impact on us.
Anxiety is one of the most common types of suffering of this historical time. We are connected 24/7 to information and to each other through social media, which means that we are exposed to the world like never before.
The two keys to anxiety
Anxiety is a complex state that triggers when these two key aspects are at play:
· We anticipate that something we care about will go wrong (this brings doubts, worries and fears)
· We also anticipate that we will not be able to cope with the bad outcome (hopelessness) or that there is nothing we can do about it (powerlessness)
Brexit, and the way in which politicians are handling it, is the perfect setting for these two key aspects to be present. For example
The anticipation of a No-Deal Brexit and the absence of a deal that politicians can agree on makes it very likely to anticipate that something go wrong
Whether people voted to leave or stay, nothing is being decided and, therefore, people are feeling powerless.
Depending on your circumstances, you might be at risk of losing something valuable and you might feel hopeless about it
It is important to identify all aspects that are contributing to your anxiety to make sure you are not overwhelmed by it and that you find the best form of support.
Uncertainly is fertile ground for doubts, fears and worries
We cannot cope with too much uncertainty. Think of when you need to make a decision and you are not sure what to do. Your vitality drops straightaway and you might freeze without being able to do anything for a while.
Brexit is like a piece of ground in which doubts, fears and worries find the perfect conditions to blossom and produce more anxiety as they grow.
It would be a mistake to think that all people react in the same way. Each of us will grow doubts, fears and worries that are specific to their circumstances and depending on past experiences.
For example, someone with past experience of discrimination and bullying, might see Brexit as another example of the same treatment they received in the past. Someone who is looking for financial investments, will be more concerned with the money aspect of Brexit, and not with issue around equality and disadvantage.
Identify what worries you the most
What follows is a short list of the main areas of worries that might affect you. I have come up with five main areas, but it is not exhaustive
1. Financial – due to uncertainty around the impact of Brexit on the economy
2. Loss of social status – the country voted to stop immigration from the EU, so people originally from the EU are seen as “less than” others
3. Loss of legal rights – uncertainty around protection of certain rights like access to social services, NHS, education and pension schemes
4. Personal – uncertainty around whether people will stay in the UK or move abroad for personal and/or professional reasons
5. Discrimination – uncertainty about the way people from the EU might be treated. For example, when being hired for a new job
Please take some time to identify which of the above, if any, is affecting you. You might want to add other aspects that are relevant to you and do not hesitate to leave a comment if you think something should be added.
Now please grade each of these aspects on a scale from 1 (not very anxiety provoking) to 5 (overwhelmingly anxiety provoking). This should give you an idea of what is contributing to your anxiety the most.
If you gave a 5 to one or more aspects, it is likely that the current situation is triggering some unresolved trauma from your past. If this is the case, or if you are in doubt, it is best to talk to a mental health professional for a more in-depth exploration of what is happening to you.
For those aspects that you scored 4 or less, see if you can do any of the following
Dealing with fears, doubts and worries
Clarify with yourself what is it that you are most worried about. Sometimes we have extreme thoughts about worst case scenarios, and we anticipate much more loss than it is actually reasonable.
Try to answer the following questions on a piece of paper or on your phone/tablet/computer
What am I scared would happen in the worst Brexit scenario?
What do I worry about the most about Brexit at the moment?
What is my biggest doubt about Brexit?
Now look at your answers and check if you can find any reason for your biggest fear, worry and doubt to be less strong than they currently are.
See if there is anybody you trust who you feel comfortable sharing your fears, doubts and worries with. You might meet with someone and answer these questions together. These are all human reactions that make perfect sense in face of the uncertainty around Brexit.
The only advice I give here is, if you speak to someone else, that you ask them to listen to you without giving advice or solving problems unless you specifically ask for it. What we want to achieve first is to bring some understanding and empathy to these emotions to make them less intense.
Deciding what support you need
If you are feeling particularly distressed about Brexit and the anxiety is having a strong impact on your life (for example you are not sleeping well or you are constantly busy looking for solutions to Brexit-related problems), it is best that you talk to a mental health specialist or to your GP.
Generally, it is good to share your anxieties and concerns with people who you trust and who can make you feel that you are not alone in this. There are many people affected by Brexit and being part of a community that shares your views can be extremely helpful.
