How to cope with anxiety during a crisis

Collaboration, community, and a sense of exploration may be the essential elements for our endurance, even amidst these intensely polarized times.

This was the central theme of Athena Aktipis’s speech last week. The Arizona State University psychology educator provided her insights as part of a Harvard Science Book Talk discussion regarding her recently released book, “A Field Guide to the Apocalypse: A Mostly Serious Guide to Surviving Our Wild Times.”

We appear to be navigating an exceptionally turbulent period marked by worldwide outbreaks of lethal viruses, an increasingly warming planet, and impending economic and social upheaval from technologies like AI. However, Akiptis remarked, crises are not a novel phenomenon for humanity. In reality, we are perpetually managing risk. The challenge lies in the fact that the resolution is often not straightforward.

Akiptis illustrated the hypothetical scenario of the “goosile.” A dubious shape emerges on the radar of a mission control specialist evaluating attack dangers. It might be a missile, necessitating interception. Alternatively, it could be an innocuous goose (hence the hybrid term). What action would you take?

“The issue is that the world is rife with uncertainty,” clarified Aktipis. “You either accurately identify more missiles but face more goose false alarms, or you correctly dismiss more geese, but miss some missiles.”

In essence, there may not be a “correct” solution, resulting in heightened stress.

“The essential aspect of managing our anxiety in these apocalyptic times … is gathering information so you can discern what truly warrants your stress and what does not,” expressed Aktipis, co-director of the Human Generosity Project and the Cooperation Science Network.

Employing concepts from psychology and evolutionary biology, Aktipis has established an approachable and pragmatic framework. The initial step is to examine “a potential danger from various angles.” Next, “engage all of your senses while evaluating a threat.” Third, extend beyond yourself: “Seek as many dimensions of information as possible.” This leads to her subsequent recommended action: “Engage individuals who possess differing insights than you do.” Lastly, “Understand when to cease gathering information.” It may be necessary to transition — or take action. “Avoid getting trapped in a risk-assessment cycle,” she advised.

Instead, she emphasized the necessity of learning to coexist with risk.

“Thanks to the recent pandemic, many of us are now likely familiar with enduring discomfort for quite some time, even when we’re not confronted with the urgent threat of an active apocalypse,” noted Aktipis. “We tolerate a life that is frequently painful, monotonous, or a blend of both.”

Altering this mindset could indeed enhance our preparedness, enabling us to cultivate “apocalyptic sustenance.”

It may be beneficial to re-prioritize.

“I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t endeavor diligently, just that we should invest effort into pursuits that we consciously choose to engage in because they hold significance. Ideally, they should also be somewhat enjoyable,” she continued. “We ought to rekindle that childlike part of ourselves that is curious and appreciates fun, and then labor intensely on something that nourishes that inner child with something delightfully playful.”

“A Field Guide to the Apocalypse” features numerous outlines and recommendations for achieving this. One instance is CHESS, an acronym representing “Curiosity, Humor, Entertaining, Storytelling, and Socializing” incorporated into our existence.

Highlighting the final S, Aktipis remarked: “The relationships we’ve established through these social gatherings can serve as the foundation of mutual aid networks that may prove invaluable in actual disasters.”

Apocalypses manifest in various forms. Drawing from the original Greek interpretation, an apocalypse is the “revelation of the underlying risks present in the world and in our lives,” she asserted: “Rather than perceiving it as the end of the world, it presents an opportunity for us to learn and comprehend the true nature of the world, which can assist us in being better equipped and adaptable as circumstances evolve.”

Another crucial aspect is to avoid viewing survival or accomplishment as a zero-sum scenario. Such a mindset fosters the belief that “we must all contend for a portion of the pie.” Rather, she proposed, “We can collaborate to expand the pie and distribute it.”

Utilizing theories of games and cooperation, she delineated the endeavors of the transdisciplinary Human Generosity Project, starting with the Maasai community in Kenya, which employs a traditional system known as Osotua.

Translating literally to “invisible umbilical cord” (according to theOsotua Foundation), this social construct assumes that group members will provide assistance when requested, as long as they can help “without compromising their own needs,” and without any anticipation of reciprocity, Aktipis elaborated.

“The sole expectation is that they would receive similar assistance if they find themselves in need in the future.”

She stated that this approach resonates with many of our own friendships and family connections. Indeed, studies conducted in Fiji, Mongolia, and among ranchers in the Southwest have confirmed the universality of such “social insurance” relationships.

“In all these societies, individuals manage risk through their social interactions, often through these need-based exchanges.”

“There’s tremendous potential to transform the way we collectively approach risk,” asserted Aktipis.

To reinforce her points — and perhaps to foster a sense of community among the audience in Science Center A — she invited bluegrass guitarist Forest Thurman to join her as she produced her ukulele to lead the crowd in simple, melodic sing-alongs with lines such as “Life ain’t a prison/it’s a pie.”