What Have We Become? Mental Health & the State of the World
- Tess Howells
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
How have we arrived at a place in our history when many leaders of western world governments and industry engage in misogyny, racism, corruption and deceit;
when the actions of powerful and wealthy men have damaged, and in some cases taken, the lives of countless young women;
when violence is sanctioned by the government against its own citizens;
when so many are homeless in increasingly hostile weather conditions?
When one woman is killed every five days by someone she once loved – and countless others are living in constant fear of emotional or physical violence within their own homes;
when child sexual abuse occurs routinely in the places that should be safe havens – their homes, churches, childcare facilities;
when dedicated caregivers of the elderly, the disabled and the mentally ill can no longer carry the burden of undervalued and unsupported caregiving?
When suicide rates and rates of mental illness continue to sky-rocket;
when the rates of preventable chronic illness and disease shorten or take the lives of so many;
when there are increasing numbers of billionaires with their well-publicised excesses whilst others are unable to feed themselves or their children;
when violence through war is justified to protect economic interests – and there is no-one to protect us because those we would hope would keep us safe are the very same people perpetrating these abominable abuses against us?
This world has become a hostile and unsafe place for so many of us, and it is reflected in the escalating rates of stress, depression and anxiety – including amongst our children.
As a psychologist, as a woman, as a mother and grandmother, I’ve had enough of trying to patch up my own flagging mental health in this toxic environment – an environment that disproportionately impacts the lives of women, the carers and nurturers of our world.
I am exhausted by trying to keep myself, my family and loved ones, my colleagues, my clients and community members connected to some sense of hope for a better world for our children and grandchildren – when things seem to just keep getting worse.
Enough is enough.
“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” – and I can no longer keep silent. I know so many of you are feeling the same way.
I don’t know what the answer is yet.
But I have seen the power of a group of Buddhist monks Walking for Peace, and of courageous victims of sexual trafficking speaking out.
So let’s find ways to recover unity and inclusion rather than division, compassion rather than indifference.