Ahead of Inauguration Day, Time Magazine published a mental health guide for liberals struggling to cope with the reality of President Donald Trump retaking the White House. A group cry session and "forest bathing" were among the recommended coping techniques.
The tutorial—titled "11 Things to Do on Inauguration Day That Are Great for Your Mental Health"—extensively lists ways sensitive snowflakes can manage their feelings of impending doom.
Here are healthy ways to spend Inauguration Day, if you happen to be dreading ithttps://t.co/xoZnuXQnTu
— TIME (@TIME) January 17, 2025
For those "dreading" four more years of Trump, Time Magazine consulted a handful of so-called mental health experts to advise libs on how to deal with their "distress."
Anindita Bhaumik, a therapist and certified trauma professional in Boston, offered "forest bathing" as a coping mechanism.
"On Inauguration Day, do your own forest bathing," she told Time readers. "Spend time in nature using your senses to connect with the environment." Being one with nature is "an important reminder that trying times will eventually pass," she added. "This mountain is going to be there forever and ever, and you're one human being standing here. Everything comes and goes, but nature is still there," Bhaumik said.
Emiliana Simon-Thomas, the science director at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, suggested simply crying, but not alone, though, preferably in a group setting.
"It might seem counterintuitive, but if you need to shed a few tears on Inauguration Day, it's healthy to let them out with one caveat: You shouldn't do it alone," she advised, according to Time.
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She cited research showing that crying around others often leads to comfort, emotional support, empathy, and stronger social bonds. "The grace and speed with which somebody recovers from grief if they have an opportunity to cry with the support of another person—someone who they trust and who they believe cares about them—is orders of magnitude improved," Simon-Thomas said.
Simon-Thomas also explained the exact thinking that leads the Left to truly believe that a second Trump presidency means Hitler reborn. "Oh my God, if everything is going to have to be that way, and follow that thread, then we're all going to die," she mimicked the catastrophizing mindset.
That's not "a helpful or productive way to pass Inauguration Day (and all the days that follow)," the Time piece cautioned. "I'm very far from the kind of excessively optimistic person who just tries to put their head in the clouds and pretend it's not happening," Simon-Thomas said. "But I do think it's worth remembering that this is one moment—this is one four-year term, and things change both quickly and very slowly. That kind of perspective can diminish that sense of hopelessness."
Here are some other "science-backed suggestions" Time's sources shared:
Make a vision board by brainstorming "how you envision a peaceful, improved democracy," Julia Barzizza, a visual artist and sociology researcher in San Francisco, proposed.
"For the queer community, it might be more queer representation; for BIPOC folks, it might be a different Inauguration,” she said. "Once that perspective feels really solid and concrete, you should absolutely share it either on social media, with friends, or maybe up in your office."
Creative pursuits—like singing, painting, ceramics, or cooking—are an excellent way to "get out of your head," Simon-Thomas said. "For those who have the impulse, 'This is going to be terrible. I'm so angry, I feel so violated,' or whatever unpleasant emotion, can you sit quietly and do something or marvel or wonder or be curious or just extend your mind into something aesthetic?" Focusing intensely on an activity will leave less space in the brain to devote to the day's events.
Moreover, libs could consider working out while Trump is sworn in. "Plus, it can help you wrest back a sense of power that you might feel is missing on Inauguration Day," Simon-Thomas added. "You might not be able to do anything about the new Administration's policies, but you know what you can do? Fifteen perfect-form jumping jacks."
The fact that Inauguration Day falls on MLK Day, a federal holiday granting many Americans time off work, presents a perfect opportunity to do volunteer work, which can provide people with a semblance of control over their lives. Volunteering has been shown to reduce stress and depression, boost happiness, and enhance one's motivation, the Time article notes.
"The cause of anxiety is often a desire to control the outcome," Bhaumik remarked. "We can't control the outcome all the time, but what we can do is control what we do."
Spend five minutes journaling, a brief "brain dump" in a diary, Nicolle Osequeda, a Chicago therapist at Lincoln Park Therapy Group, recommended. Putting feelings down on paper helps reduce mental clutter and "quiet spiraling thoughts," she said. Osequeda said such journaling sessions should end with a simple affirmation—whether "I can take breaks from the news" or "I choose to protect my peace."
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