The weight of the world is upon us all
We are living through a ‘polycrisis’ in which a whole host of macro- and microstressors leave us feeling anxious, depressed and drained
● “Is this life? I am married, and we have kids, a roof over our heads, and food on the table. We pay the bills and battle a bit for the rest of the month, and it’s OK. But I hate waking up ... I feel like I am pretending to be happy all the time. It’s exhausting, yet I show up every day. I am present, but just there. I am not asking for help or advice. I just want to know if other people feel desperately unhappy?”
This anonymous post on a small suburban Facebook group attracted a flood of responses — some with suggestions and advice, but mostly heartfelt expressions of agreement as scores of readers related deeply to the desperate woman’s sentiments.
“It’s something we are seeing all the time. South Africa is experiencing a polycrisis,” said specialist psychiatrist Dr Alisha Porter, speaking on behalf of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag). “We have seen a significant increase in mental health issues since Covid, and it has not normalised since then.”
“Polycrisis” is a new term coined by academics to describe the result of many crises feeding into each other and worsening the problem. South Africa is experiencing the intersection of load-shedding and water outages, climate change, political uncertainty, and a costof-living crisis. This is topped by escalating crime, global wars, a flood of immigration and emigration, as well as huge unemployment.
“We have seen a considerable increase in mental health con- cerns in both adults and teenagers. In fact, in the 15-24 age group suicide is now the second most common cause of death after car accidents,” Porter told the Sunday Times.
She said Sadag receives between 2,500 and 3,000 calls for help every day, excluding SMSes, WhatsApps and requests on other platforms.
“A polycrisis requires us to adaptively navigate and build our capacity to stay present, centred and grounded in fluid conditions,” Porter said.
One of the pronounced effects is the paralysis in decision-making a polycrisis induces, as all manner of pressing issues vie for attention. Confronted by the many choices around balancing the costs of food, power and water, each fraught with its own set of risks and consequences, the sheer complexity can be overwhelming and lead to indecision and procrastination.
While some can adapt and maintain their balance, others like Anonymous reach out in desperation.
“When you look at people in traffic, everyone seems pretty miserable. Even my therapist says everyone she sees comes in with a general feeling of defeat. So you are definitely not alone. Sending you love,” said Leigh Novis, 27, of Gallo Manor in Johannesburg in her response to Anonymous.
Novis, who describes herself as “not usually a mushy kind of person”, told the Sunday Times she had responded to the post “because I just get it we’re all there”.
Novis owns Gift Boss, a corporate gifting business and has been engaged for a month. Along with her partner, she has been working on ways to not become overwhelmed. After missing deadlines and losing deals because of load-shedding, they have organised solar power for their business.
“But at home we rent and don’t have solar or backup water. I feel defeated. What do you do? Where do you turn? I think everyone’s feeling this way. You see it in the way people treat each other on the roads and at the shops,” Novis said.
“My fiancé has this thing about not being able to get into bed unless he has taken a shower. During water outages, he sleeps on the couch. We laughed about it the other day when we realised he has slept on the couch more times during our one-month engagement than in the eight years we have been together,” Novis said.
One of the strategies Novis has taken up is downloading the “1 Second Everyday” app, which requires her to record a positive second of her day that is then edited into a short film at the end of the year.
“I make an effort to record something positive — walking the dog or a moment at the office. I was scrolling through it the other day and it’s a really happy little movie,” she said, adding that she and her fiancé also wrote gratitude messages every Sunday that they kept in a jar for future reading.
Another strategy was offered by Miranda Koketso, who said: “How Anonymous feels resonates so much with me. Not so long ago, I decided to visit a nearby river to pray. I’ve never felt so alive. It’s like I’ve been watching a movie in black and white that suddenly turned to colour.”
Her words were echoed by Ritisha Maharaj, who said: “My anxiety is all over the place because I don’t know what’s waiting for me the next day. I have a gratitude journal on my bedside table because gratitude is literally what I am surviving on now. My therapist says she hasn’t been this busy in years.”
Judy Klipin, a certified master life coach who practises in Johannesburg, said: “I think people are incredibly stressed on many levels: financial, emotional, relational, and mental. People’s relationships are taking strain, and there is an ever-increasing incidence of burnout and mental health problems.”
This, she said, made it difficult for people to do anything that could have a real impact, as the issues and challenges they faced were so large.
“I think for everyone — not just children and adolescents — we need to focus on the things that we can manage and control, and do whatever we can to instil a sense of predictability and control in our own microenvironment. Eat regular meals, drink enough water, get enough sleep, and spend time doing what you love with people you love. Build helpful relationships and do things that make life feel meaningful,” she said.
Porter said people should admit to the difficulties of the polycrisis rather than denying them and pretending everything is business as usual.
“[Water and electricity] disruptions will interfere with deadlines and output. People need to show self-compassion and maintain social connections. Parents should acknowledge the stresses, worries and upsets of their children while understanding that this ‘new normal’ is not normal,” Porter said.
“Communicate optimism and support while asking for help to ease panic and distress. Encourage children to express their feelings, and let them help out so they feel they can make a difference,” Porter said, warning that feelings of depression and suicidal ideation should be taken seriously.
“Get in touch with Sadag or contact a professional if you are worried about this,” she said.