Are the Rainy Days Not Going Away? The Emotional Overwhelm of a Generation

As is my usual daily routine, I wake up to read before anything else for the day. Its usually an hour. it comes second only after prayers...about 20 minutes into it, I receive a call, from a guy living in Nairobi,30 yrs old and was once my college mate, about 6yrs ago during an undergraduate program...He sounds low-spirited and after knowing him, I ask how I can be of assistance and the following is what he says next.........

I am feeling so far away...away from the realities, from the people of the world...even my family members. you know, things were a little better before, I could walk around and there would be random greetings. Sometimes from people i knew and other times from strangers...It felt good. it felt safe all around. and everyone seemed to like everyone else.

Then when I left my small town for the city, it was a world's part experience. Of course, life appeared more fast-paced then. people were busy, no one could spare a minute. the random greetings and smiles were rare but at least they were there from immediate neighbors. I got used to the fast paced life it seems. At least I no longer find it overwhelming. Or I do. Am not sure...

BUT of late, its been more. I have been feeling much alone. let me say lonely because there are people all over but I don't feel connected, not even to my family members. I have been feeling so alienated and vulnerable. and everyone around me seem to be feeling the same! What is going on? of greater concern however is that I have been feeling more alienated even from the things I used to enjoy doing? I am losing touch with the sense of who I am? Please, help me,,,,,

Having listened so attentively to my friend, certain things were becoming clear to me. The things I had met severally in counseling clinics with clients. some of these are;

1). Alienation: Its innate in human to desire the warmth of communion of others. its mentally destabilizing to feel all alone and the current nature of social organizing, the urbanization, the valuing of career above relationships, the individualism are all to blame.

2).Identity crisis and alienation from self is another key thing that makes life overwhelming. because human are social, they remain susceptible to the influence of others. However, the current day influence is that of showoff, of short-cut to everything and of wanting to be like everyone else. the socialites and their supposed extravagant lifestyles, fakeness of personal identity and inability to delay gratification as depicted everywhere as great ideals to aspire to and these are among key reasons for mental distress

3). Technology and passivity. everything looks easy in the modern technological error and being able to interact with everyone across the globe gives an illusion of connectedness but in reality it limits the development of relational skills for real friendships. People now lack communication skills for real interpersonal relationships, social intelligence and ability to receive and give authentic love...

People's inability to respond to the realities of relationships such as disappointments, rejection and disapproval is all over and has led to devastating happenings such as increasing killings(suicide and homicides)

There are many reasons to the experiences my friend described. Which one are you familiar with and what can be done to help?

Note: Shared with the consent of the person for helping purposes..