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Stay Prepared

it is normal to feel like this. here is some perspective, and some help.

This page is for the moment when the headlines have got to you and the rest of the site feels like too much. Nothing here is a substitute for a doctor or a counsellor. It is what they, and people who have lived through worse, tend to say.

If it is more than worry: call Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258, free, any time. More places to turn

first, this is not weakness

  • nearly3 in 4

    adults said they felt overwhelmed by the number of crises facing the world.

    American Psychological Association, 2022

  • about1 in 6

    adults in one study followed the news so closely it harmed them. Nearly three quarters of those reported poor mental health.

    McLaughlin, Gotlieb and Mills, 2022

If you feel frightened, you are in the majority, and the majority are not unwell. They are paying attention in a way human beings were never built for. Sweden’s civil defence agency opens its national booklet with one line: “Many people may feel a sense of anxiety when faced with an uncertain world.”

why it feels worse than it is

The news did not make the world more dangerous. It made it feel that way, all day. None of this means the risks are imaginary. It means the feeling and the risk have come apart, and it is the feeling that is making you miserable.

how the news does this

A hundred years ago you would not have known about a flood in New Zealand, a shooting in another country, or, most days, a fire in the next town. Your sense of how dangerous the world was came from your street.

Now the worst thing that happens to any of eight billion people, anywhere, arrives in your hand within minutes, and then again from another angle, and then with the comments. Your brain has no way to file that as far away. It responds as if the danger were nearby, because for all of human history it was.

the safest time there has ever been

This is the part that is hard to feel and easy to check. By almost every measure of whether a person lives, and for how long, the world is safer now than ever before.

The figures come from the UN, the World Bank, WHO and UNICEF, the disaster database EM-DAT and the conflict researchers at Uppsala and Oslo, mostly gathered by Our World in Data. Choose a country if a world average feels too far away.

children dying before 5
health

43 in 100in 1800, now3.7 in 100

1800 to 2024, the world

50 in 100Touch or point at the chart to read a year

Show the figures for children dying before 5
Yearchildren dying before 5
180043 in 100
180543 in 100
181043 in 100
181542 in 100
182042 in 100
182542 in 100
183042 in 100
183542 in 100
184042 in 100
184542 in 100
185042 in 100
185544 in 100
186043 in 100
186542 in 100
187042 in 100
187542 in 100
188042 in 100
188541 in 100
189042 in 100
189541 in 100
190041 in 100
190539 in 100
191036 in 100
191535 in 100
192034 in 100
192532 in 100
193032 in 100
193530 in 100
194028 in 100
194527 in 100
195025 in 100
195522 in 100
196020 in 100
196515 in 100
197014 in 100
197513 in 100
198012 in 100
198511 in 100
19909.4 in 100
19958.7 in 100
20007.7 in 100
20056.2 in 100
20105.1 in 100
20154.3 in 100
20203.9 in 100
20243.7 in 100
life expectancy at birth
health

29 yearsin 1770, now73 years

1770 to 2023, the world

75 yearsTouch or point at the chart to read a year

Show the figures for life expectancy at birth
Yearlife expectancy at birth
177029 years
180029 years
182029 years
185029 years
187030 years
190032 years
191334 years
195046 years
195550 years
196048 years
196554 years
197056 years
197558 years
198061 years
198562 years
199064 years
199565 years
200066 years
200568 years
201070 years
201572 years
202072 years
202373 years
people in extreme poverty

89 in 100in 1820, now10 in 100

1820 to 2026, the world

100 in 100Touch or point at the chart to read a year

Extreme poverty means living on less than $3 a day, at 2021 prices.

1820 to 1980 are historical estimates; 1990 on are World Bank figures. 2025 and 2026 are World Bank projections.

Show the figures for people in extreme poverty
Yearpeople in extreme poverty
182089 in 100
185087 in 100
187083 in 100
189079 in 100
191074 in 100
195063 in 100
196054 in 100
197048 in 100
198043 in 100
199043 in 100
199539 in 100
200036 in 100
200528 in 100
201021 in 100
201513 in 100
202011 in 100
202510 in 100
202610 in 100
people with clean drinking water
water

81 in 100in 2000, now91 in 100

2000 to 2024, the world

100 in 100Touch or point at the chart to read a year

The dotted line marks years with no record; there is none for the world before 2000.

At least a basic supply: a safe source no more than a 30-minute round trip away. WHO and UNICEF figures.

Show the figures for people with clean drinking water
Yearpeople with clean drinking water
200081 in 100
200181 in 100
200282 in 100
200382 in 100
200483 in 100
200584 in 100
200684 in 100
200785 in 100
200885 in 100
200986 in 100
201086 in 100
201187 in 100
201287 in 100
201387 in 100
201488 in 100
201588 in 100
201689 in 100
201789 in 100
201889 in 100
201990 in 100
202090 in 100
202190 in 100
202291 in 100
202391 in 100
202491 in 100
people with electricity at home
power

73 in 100in 1998, now92 in 100

1998 to 2023, the world

100 in 100Touch or point at the chart to read a year

The dotted line marks years with no record; there is none for the world before 1998.

World Bank figures, from household surveys.

Show the figures for people with electricity at home
Yearpeople with electricity at home
199873 in 100
199975 in 100
200078 in 100
200179 in 100
200279 in 100
200380 in 100
200480 in 100
200581 in 100
200681 in 100
200782 in 100
200883 in 100
200983 in 100
201083 in 100
201185 in 100
201285 in 100
201386 in 100
201486 in 100
201587 in 100
201688 in 100
201789 in 100
201890 in 100
201990 in 100
202090 in 100
202191 in 100
202291 in 100
202392 in 100
deaths from disasters, per 100,000 people

9 a yearin 1900s, now0.6 a year

1900s to 2020s, the world

50 a yearTouch or point at the chart to read a year

Average per year in each decade, divided by the world's population then, so the rise from 2 billion people to 8 billion is taken into account.

Show the figures for deaths from disasters, per 100,000 people
Decadedeaths from disasters, per 100,000 people
1900s9 a year
1910s2 a year
1920s26 a year
1930s21 a year
1940s16 a year
1950s2 a year
1960s10 a year
1970s2 a year
1980s2 a year
1990s0.8 a year
2000s1 a year
2010s0.6 a year
2020s0.6 a year
deaths in wars and conflicts, per 100,000 people

16 a yearin 1920, now2 a year

1920 to 2023, the world

500 a yearTouch or point at the chart to read a year

Soldiers and civilians killed in fighting where at least one side is a government. Deaths from hunger and disease caused by war are not counted.

1920 to 1945 from the Conflict Catalogue; 1946 to 2020 from PRIO and UCDP; 2022 and 2023 from UCDP. There is no comparable figure for 2021, so the line joins 2020 to 2022.

Show the figures for deaths in wars and conflicts, per 100,000 people
Yeardeaths in wars and conflicts, per 100,000 people
192016 a year
192110 a year
19223 a year
19231 a year
19240.6 a year
19250.7 a year
19262 a year
19278 a year
192818 a year
19299 a year
193010 a year
193110 a year
193213 a year
193311 a year
193410 a year
193514 a year
193632 a year
1937236 a year
1938230 a year
1939234 a year
1940210 a year
1941333 a year
1942332 a year
1943209 a year
1944208 a year
1945233 a year
194612 a year
194717 a year
194820 a year
194919 a year
195024 a year
195116 a year
19526 a year
19534 a year
19543 a year
19551 a year
19562 a year
19571 a year
19582 a year
19592 a year
19605 a year
19616 a year
19623 a year
19633 a year
19643 a year
19654 a year
19664 a year
19674 a year
19688 a year
19696 a year
19707 a year
197110 a year
19728 a year
19736 a year
19747 a year
19754 a year
19763 a year
19771 a year
19783 a year
19794 a year
19803 a year
19815 a year
19826 a year
19835 a year
19846 a year
19855 a year
19865 a year
19874 a year
19885 a year
19891 a year
19902 a year
19911 a year
19920.9 a year
19930.7 a year
19940.6 a year
19950.5 a year
19960.5 a year
19970.7 a year
19980.7 a year
19991 a year
20001 a year
20010.4 a year
20020.3 a year
20030.3 a year
20040.3 a year
20050.2 a year
20060.3 a year
20070.3 a year
20080.4 a year
20090.5 a year
20100.3 a year
20110.4 a year
20121 a year
20131 a year
20142 a year
20151 a year
20161 a year
20170.9 a year
20180.7 a year
20190.7 a year
20200.6 a year
20223 a year
20232 a year

Two honest caveats. Deaths from disasters and famine fell because of warnings, engineering, medicine and aid. The hazards did not go away, and some are growing again with the climate. War deaths have also risen in the last few years, for the first time in decades.

Neither changes the shape of these charts. The danger is real. It is smaller than it has ever been.

what counsellors and psychologists suggest

Collected from NHS, Mental Health Foundation and clinical advice written for times of national crisis. You do not need to do all of them. Start with one or two that suit you.

news

How much of it you take in, and from where.

  • Check the news at set times, not all the time

    Twice a day is enough to know anything that matters.

    why this helps

    Not first thing in the morning and not in bed. The alerts can go off. Nothing you need to act on tonight will arrive by push notification, and if it ever did, an Emergency Alert would reach your phone anyway.

  • Choose two sources and stop there

    One national broadcaster and one local source.

    why this helps

    Social feeds show you the most alarming version of every event, from everywhere, on a loop. That is their business model, not a picture of the world.

  • Tell the difference between being informed and being on watch

    Informed is knowing a storm is forecast on Thursday. On watch is refreshing the page every ten minutes to see whether it has started.

    why this helps

    The first is useful. The second is your body preparing for a threat that is not in the room.

  • Pause before you share

    A story that makes you angry or afraid is worth a second look before you pass it on.

    why this helps

    False and misleading stories are designed to provoke a quick reaction. Check: Is there a named source? Does a national news outlet report the same thing? When did it happen (today, or five years ago)? Are the people quoted real (search their name). If you cannot verify it in thirty seconds, it is probably not urgent.

health

Your mind, and the body it lives in.

  • Put the worry somewhere

    Counsellors often suggest a worry window: fifteen minutes, same time each day, to write down what you are afraid of and what, if anything, you can do about it.

    why this helps

    Outside that window, when the thought comes, you note it and say: later. It sounds too simple. It works for a lot of people.

  • Come back into the room

    When fear spikes, name five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, one you can taste.

    why this helps

    It is a standard grounding exercise, and it works because fear lives in the imagined future and your senses only work in the present.

  • Look after the body that is doing the worrying

    Sleep, a walk, food at normal times, less caffeine and alcohol than you reach for when stressed.

    why this helps

    None of it is glamorous. All of it changes how frightening the same headline feels the next morning.

  • Pause before you share

    A story that makes you angry or afraid is worth a second look before you pass it on.

    why this helps

    False and misleading stories are designed to provoke a quick reaction. Check: Is there a named source? Does a national news outlet report the same thing? When did it happen (today, or five years ago)? Are the people quoted real (search their name). If you cannot verify it in thirty seconds, it is probably not urgent.

people

Who you can say it to.

  • Say it out loud to someone

    A worry shared with a friend, a partner or a neighbour usually shrinks.

    why this helps

    A worry kept to yourself and fed with headlines usually grows. If you have no one to say it to, Samaritans and Shout are free, any time.

  • Pause before you share

    A story that makes you angry or afraid is worth a second look before you pass it on.

    why this helps

    False and misleading stories are designed to provoke a quick reaction. Check: Is there a named source? Does a national news outlet report the same thing? When did it happen (today, or five years ago)? Are the people quoted real (search their name). If you cannot verify it in thirty seconds, it is probably not urgent.

if you have children who are frightened

  • Ask what they have heard before you explain anything. Children often know less, or something different, from what you assume.
  • Answer honestly and simply, and do not volunteer more than they asked. It is fine to say you do not know.
  • Tell them plainly that you will look after them and that this is your job, not theirs.
  • Say that the news shows the worst things from everywhere, and that ordinary good days do not get reported.
  • Keep routines. Bedtime, meals and school at the usual times tell a child more than words do.
  • Let them help with something real: choosing the tins, checking the torch, writing the contacts card. Children feel what adults feel: doing something beats watching.
  • Childline is free for them to call on 0800 1111 if they would rather talk to someone who is not you.

if it is more than worry

If the fear is stopping you sleeping, working or leaving the house, or has lasted more than a couple of weeks, that is worth talking to someone about. None of these will think you are being silly.

  • Samaritans

    Call 116 123, free, any time, about anything.

  • Shout

    Text SHOUT to 85258 for a free, confidential text conversation.

  • NHS 111

    Option 2 for urgent mental health help, or your GP for anything that has lasted more than a couple of weeks.

  • NHS Every Mind Matters

    Free, practical self-help for anxiety and sleep.

  • Mind

    Information, local services and an infoline on 0300 123 3393.

  • Anxiety UK

    Helpline on 03444 775 774 and low-cost therapy.

  • Childline

    For under-19s, 0800 1111, free and confidential.

sources

12 studies and guides

then, when you are ready

Not today, necessarily. But the calmest thing you can do about a frightening world is to sort out the small part of it that is yours. A short list, over a few weeks, from the shop you already use.

what to get first what might stop, and for how long