World got you crazy? Workshop could help

Sponsored by the diocesan Consultation Center in Albany, which provides counseling services and programs, the workshop was sparked by the aftermath of Sept. 11, according to Rev. Anthony Chiaramonte, who will moderate the workshop.

Father Chiaramonte, director of the Consultation Center, said that the workshop will ask why people "act so crazily toward one another." He believes that greed, power, self-centeredness, self-righteousness and fear all played a role in the terrorist attacks on the U.S.

Mad, mad world

People who feel the world has gone mad aren't far off the mark, he believes: "There's a lot of craziness in the world. It seems to have escalated to the point where we now blow people apart if they don't comply with the will of the other [party]."

Millions of Americans struggle with anxiety and depression, he said, often brought on by such events. He cited a post-Sept. 11 poll by the Pew Research Center that found more than half of American adults have felt helplessness, anxiety, anger, suspicion of others, numbness and other symptoms since the terrorist attacks.

"Anxiety affects 26 million adults," he noted. In addition, he said, 9.5 percent of adults will suffer from some form of depression this year.

After-shocks

The counselor decided to hold the workshop to help struggling people find wellness in these difficult times. He listed a few ideas:

1. the key three ingredients of appropriate exercise, nutrition and sleep;

2. prayer, meditation and communal liturgical celebration;

3. not letting the past drag you down or being afraid of the future;

4. being "a doer, not a worrier;"

5. being as cheerful as possible in all circumstances, avoiding self-pity;

6. expressing your emotions to someone you trust; and

7. staying connected to family, friends and God.

Even keel

"There's a tendency, because those [negative] things have happened, to focus always on the bad and lose sight of all the beauty and creativity and wonder and awe that's all around us," he noted.

The workshop, he said, "is targeting anyone who is feeling disconnected, disjointed, alienated, alone or depressed, so hopefully together we can empower and support one another."

Listen to this

"We can listen to one another, remind each other of the beauty and respect of life, and how we can spend each day doing affirming things," he stated.

("Keeping Yourself Well When the World Has Gone Crazy" will be held Feb. 27, 7-9 p.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Albany. The cost is $10, or $12 after Feb. 20. To register, call 489-4431.)

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