By Jahan Zeb
It seems members in this forum are going through or witnessing heated arguments and unhealthy conflicts time and agin.It takes a toll on members’ mental health as few of them have mentioned here. Whether it’s a disagreement within the present or former BODs, or tension between or among or with other groups, the stress and uncertainty of the unending arguments or winning or losing arguments can lead to a range of mental health issues for the members.
One of the most common mental health challenges that arise during times of such conflicts is anxiety. Members may worry about the outcome of the conflict, their personal, or emotional safety, or the safety of their families that can be dragged into the conflict. Members may experience physical symptoms such as anger, racing heart, sweating, or shaking which was evident during the Eid Celebration on April 29 in Kitchener . If left unaddressed, such anxiety can become devastating and interfere with people’s ability to function in their daily life.
Another common issue is depression. Conflict can cause feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, social withdrawal or disrupting friendship. People may feel like there’s no way out of the situation, or that their efforts to resolve it are fruitless. Depression can affect a person’s mood, energy level, and motivation, making it difficult to engage in activities they once enjoyed with each other such as getting together in a community BBQ or attending a music event.
In addition to anxiety and depression, conflict can also worsen existing mental health conditions that some people or their family members might have. For example, people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which prevails extensively among Pashtuns community backhome or witnessing violent conflicts or wars back home or witnessing via social media, may experience flashbacks, nightmares, lack of trust in others,or other symptoms related to past traumatic experiences.
It’s important for people going through or witnessing conflicts to prioritize their Mental Health and seek support in such conflicted situations that unfolded several times on this forum. This may involve talking to a psychotherapist or counselor, engaging in self-care activities such as praying, exercise or mindfulness, or finding support from friends and family members. By taking steps to manage their mental health and well-being, people can then better be able to navigate the challenges of interpersonal and group conflicts and work towards conflict transformation and healing. Members may wish to voluntarily withdraw from the groups that are negatively impacting their health and well-being or not witnessing heated arguments and unhealthy conflicts at the minimum.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect Wesal TV’s editorial policy.
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