Over the weekend, conflict escalated in the Middle East, with the United States among the global powers involved. While geographically distant, events like these rarely feel entirely far away.

Small-island communities are closely connected to the wider world. Bermuda relies on the US as a gateway for travel, higher education, specialist medical care and supply chains.

When global tensions rise, we often feel the effects quickly.

In recent months, many people have described a steady sense of unease.

Alongside global instability, renewed disclosures related to the Epstein files have returned to public conversation. Transparency and accountability are important. But repeated exposure to stories of abuse and institutional failure can challenge something fundamental: our sense that systems are stable and trustworthy.

When that sense of safety is shaken, our anxiety increases.

The World Health Organisation estimates that in conflict-affected populations, one in five people will experience depression, anxiety, PTSD or another mental health condition. During the pandemic, global rates of anxiety and depression rose about 25 per cent in a single year.

But people do not need to live in a conflict zone to feel psychological effects. Research also shows that repeated exposure to distressing news — especially through constant alerts and social media — can disrupt sleep, increase worry and heighten emotional reactions.

Our brains are not built for non-stop crisis updates — and that is when the global becomes local.

The Bermuda context

In recent days at Solstice, we have observed a rise in anticipatory anxiety. On an island, uncertainty travels quickly, often faster than confirmed information.

Questions surface quickly:

• Could travel routes be disrupted?

• What about our students studying in the US and other countries?

• Will access to specialist medical care change?

• Could global instability affect pensions, cost of living or supply chains?

Even when worst-case scenarios do not occur, this anticipation alone can trigger a stress response. Continuing uncertainty can feel more unsettling than clearly defined challenges.

When uncertainty lingers, we often see:

• Difficulty sleeping

• Irritability within families

• Spiralling “what if” thinking

• Increased use of alcohol or other coping strategies

• Worsening of existing anxiety conditions

In close-knit communities such as ours, worry spreads easily. When concerns are repeated often enough, they begin to feel inevitable. The impact is no longer global — it is personal and psychological.

Stories of systemic abuse and institutional failure are especially destabilising because they weaken trust. For survivors of trauma, renewed coverage can retraumatise. For others, it deepens the belief that large systems are fragile.

Bermuda has always been globally connected. That connection brings opportunity, but it also means we feel shifts in the wider world. We have weathered global wars, financial crises and a pandemic. Our resilience has come from responding calmly and practically. Preparedness helps, panic does not.

How we stay steady

Across our adult mental health services and child and adolescent care, one principle remains clear: early action prevents escalation.

Evidence-based protective steps include:

Regulate media exposure: choose set times to check reputable sources. Avoid constant scrolling, especially before bed.

Protect routine: sleep, balanced meals, exercise and daily structure stabilise the nervous system.

Focus on what you can control: review travel plans. Confirm insurance coverage. Check in with family members abroad. Practical steps reduce helplessness.

Model calm for children: children absorb emotional tone more than detailed explanations.

Seek support early: if worry begins affecting sleep, work or relationships, support can make a meaningful difference.

Bermuda is fortunate to have experienced mental health professionals across both public and private sectors. Reaching out sooner rather than later can prevent worry from taking deeper root.

Living with uncertainty

Resilience does not mean ignoring reality. It means responding proportionately. The world may feel unsettled, yet life here continues — children attend school, businesses open, neighbours check in.

Global events may create waves. We cannot control them. But what steadies us is how we respond — in our homes, in our workplaces and in our community. That steadiness begins with caring for our mental health and for one another.

At Solstice, we work daily with individuals, couples, families and young people navigating anxiety, trauma, uncertainty and change. We have seen first-hand that early support prevents deeper distress. Whether the trigger is global conflict, institutional revelations, financial concern or something more personal, support is available.

History reminds us that uncertainty is cyclical. What endures is human adaptability, community cohesion and the capacity for hope.

Small islands do not survive by avoiding storms.

We survive by steadying ourselves through them. And we will.

• Kelly Madeiros is the managing director and cofounder of Solstice, a Bermuda-based mental health and wellness centre providing adult, child and adolescent services, psychiatric rehabilitation and performance psychology