A Stress Kit for Brexit

by Jo Morgan



Whether you support leave or remain, it’s difficult to ignore the growing body of evidence that Brexit is stressing us out. In the month following the referendum, prescriptions for anti-depressants increased by 13%. With a third of us believing that Brexit stress is damaging our mental health and 1 in 10 of us losing sleep over the issue, it is hardly surprising that therapists are increasingly treating people for Brexit induced anxiety. Many of you will be deeply troubled by the 50% increase in hate crimes since the referendum. Some of you will have witnessed racism, homophobia and xenophobia creeping into the language of your friends and family. You yourself may have witnessed evidence of the 121% increase in hate crimes in schools and colleges in the last three years.

Some of you will be in the 20% of Brits experiencing family conflict over this issue. Others of you may be anxious about the rise of the far right, underfunding of the NHS, potential food and medicine shortages, the security of your parents’ jobs and your future ability to live and work abroad.
Many of you will have agreed with Professor Brian Hughes when he described the trauma resulting from Brexit uncertainty as on the scale of a major world war or natural disaster.



So, where does this leave us?

Well, today is an opportunity for all of us to find some solace in each other. We won’t sort out Brexit. We won’t have all the answers. But we will give you the opportunity to explore your thoughts, vent your frustrations and together find a way to move forward.

In our 'Brexit Stresskit' panel and audience discussion on Friday, we discussed many of the following questions raised by our audience: 




·       What effect will Brexit have on businesses that have suppliers in Europe but manufacture in the UK? (essentially how will it effect the importation of goods)
·       What impact will Brexit have on the Economy?
·       (From the year 13 IB cohort) What effect will Brexit have on our IB Holiday, in terms of money, customs/passport control, etc?
·       Would you recommend that, in future, all pupils register to vote as soon as they are old enough, so that mad, old people don’t always get their way?
·       Would a second referendum really solve anything?
·       What are your greatest concerts around the current Brexit uncertainty?
·       The Lib Dems have said that they will revoke Article 50 without another referendum. Is this a good solution or will it create further problems and unrest?
·       What will happen to the pound, is everything going to become really expensive?
·      Do we actually need to start stockpiling food and all things foreign?
·      Do we actually know what's happening after brexit or is it all speculation?
·      Is it undemocratic to have a second referendum?
·      What does 'no deal' actually mean?



 Our panel and audience explored a whole range of issues, but some top tips coming out of our 'Brexit Stresskit' include: 

1.    BE INFORMED BUT DON’T OVER OBSESS. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER BUT IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING. TAKE BREAKS FROM THE NEWS/ SOCIAL MEDIA AND AVOID LOOKING AS SOON AS YOU WAKE/ DIRECTLY BEFORE SLEEP.

2.    USE YOUR VOICE! ARTICULATING HOW YOU FEEL IN A CALM AND REASONED WAY CAN REALLY HELP. WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR PORTSMOUTH POINT/ PUT ON OR ATTEND A TALK/ CREATE A VLOG OR PIECE OF ART. FIND SOME WAY TO PRODUCTIVELY VENT YOUR FRUSTRATION.

3.    IF YOU’RE FEELING STRESSED FIND A DISTRACTION. RUN/ SEE FRIENDS/ READ/ WATCH A MOVIE OR STROKE A PET. THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN BREXIT!

4.    BE A FORCE FOR GOOD. STUDIES CONFIRM THAT KINDNESS MAKES US HAPPIER. FROM SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS TO AVTIVELY HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY, ALTUISM MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. BE THERE FOR STRESSED FRIENDS AND FAMILY. IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT SOCIAL DIVISION THEN BE A SOURCE OF UNITY BY SHOWING HOW MUCH YOU CARE.




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