If you’ve spent the past week checking your phone more than usual, felt your stomach drop at a notification, or found yourself anxious about friends and colleagues living in the UAE and elsewhere in the region, you are not alone. Or maybe you’ve been trying to explain something to your children that you don’t fully have words for yourself. For residents across the UAE, moving through life while watching the regional crisis unfold has not been easy. The UAE has done a great job of keeping its residents safe, and life is continuing, but uncertainty still takes a toll. Here, four health professionals share practical advice for getting through it.
Recognising stress
Stress during uncertain times often shows up physically before we recognise it for what it is.
Dr Ash Shishodia, psychologist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre, puts it in a way many people will recognise. “Hypervigilance can masquerade as competence,” he says. “For many of us, it may have started as protection. At some point, being alert kept us safe — emotionally, professionally and socially. We learned to anticipate shifts in tone, mood and risk. We became good at scanning for what could go wrong. The problem is that the body doesn’t know when the danger has passed.” His advice: “Managing anxiety isn’t about eliminating it. It’s about noticing when your mind is trying to protect you from something that isn’t actually happening. It’s about gently questioning the story: is this real, or is this old wiring?”
Dr Jane Halsall, chartered counselling psychologist at The Cornerstone Clinic, explains what that looks like in the body. “When people perceive threat or uncertainty, it can trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. As a result, many people experience hypervigilance, they might jump at the slightest noise, have disrupted sleep, irritability, or a strong urge to repeatedly check news updates. While these reactions are normal, they can become psychologically draining if sustained.”
So, how do you tackle this? Both recommend moving your body, regulating your breath, keeping a routine and setting limits on how much news you consume.
Asra Sarwar, clinical psychologist at Aster Clinic across Discovery Gardens, JLT and Bur Dubai, is straightforward. “During uncertain times, staying calm does not mean ignoring reality, it means responding thoughtfully rather than reacting emotionally. Decide in advance when you will check updates and avoid repeated scrolling, especially before bed. Creating news-free periods at home, such as during meals, helps protect emotional balance.”
The expat experience
Handling stress is hard for everyone right now. But when your family is far away and the news is close, it impacts you in a different way.
“For expats, uncertainty can feel particularly complex
Living abroad often means being physically distant from extended family, familiar institutions that would normally provide psychological grounding. During regional tension, this distance can trigger heightened concerns about safety, belonging and support networks,” says Dr Halsall. She also flags something worth remembering: “Remember, family members may project their own anxiety at these times, so be mindful of boundaries and regularly checking in to reassure them you are ok.”
Dr Ryan Copeland, regional medical director, Middle East at International SOS, keeps it practical. “Expatriates should focus on establishing a clear family readiness plan, keeping essential documents organised, maintaining lines of communication with relatives overseas, and ensuring awareness of employer support services. Community connection, whether through cultural groups, neighbours, or social networks, greatly reduces isolation, a major risk factor during periods of stress.”
Talking to your children
Most parents are wrestling with the same question: ‘What do I say, and how much?’ The consensus among the experts is the same: do not hide it, but do frame it.
“When speaking with children, start by asking what they have already heard. Offer simple, factual explanations appropriate to their age. Younger children need reassurance through routine and presence. Older children and teenagers benefit from open dialogue but should be guided away from excessive exposure to distressing content. Watch for ongoing sleep disruption, withdrawal, physical complaints, or significant behavioural changes,” says Sarwar.
“Children absorb far more than they can articulate,” Dr Copeland adds
“They notice behavioural shifts, tones of voice, and the emotional climate of the household. In times of regional tension, the goal is not to hide information but to frame it appropriately. Parents should also be mindful that children mirror adult coping mechanisms; calm, measured behaviour has a stabilising effect.”
Dr Halsall adds a dimension particularly relevant to parents of teenagers navigating social media. “Children and adolescents are highly sensitive to the emotional climate around them. Even if they do not fully understand the political situation, they often absorb the anxiety of adults and the tone of conversations they hear. Encourage children to share what they know and to express questions or worries openly — this allows parents to provide reassurance and prevent fears from escalating internally. Maintaining routine as much as you can within the context of home schooling is particularly important. Online school, family meals and bedtime rituals all signal stability to a child’s nervous system.”
When you are holding it together for everyone
Leaders and working parents are being asked to stay steady at work and at home at the same time. That is a lot to carry.
Dr Shishodia puts it plainly. “At work, you’re expected to provide clarity. Your team looks to you for confidence, especially when markets are unstable or strategy feels fluid. You are the tone-setter. At home, you are emotional infrastructure. Family members don’t necessarily need solutions, they need steadiness. Presence. Reassurance. Balance becomes a myth. Trade-offs become daily.”
On what actually helps, he is equally direct: “Leadership today isn’t about invulnerability. It’s about regulated presence. And sometimes, strength is simply continuing to show up, thoughtfully, consistently, even when you don’t have every answer.”
Leaders who communicate calmly, transparently and consistently help reduce anxiety within their teams, adds Dr Halsall. “At the same time, it is important that leaders acknowledge their own need for psychological boundaries. Taking time away from constant news updates, maintaining routines with family, and prioritising sleep and recovery are not signs of disengagement, they are essential for sustaining clear thinking and responsible leadership.”
Why routine matters
When everything around you feels uncertain, the small things you can control matter more than you might think. The experts come back to the same point: structure is not just a coping mechanism, it is also what keeps families steady.
“Families benefit greatly from structure. Keeping regular sleep schedules, shared meals, school hours, and daily responsibilities intact creates psychological stability. Predictability reassures the brain that life is still functioning. Building resilience involves shifting attention toward what is within our control. Practical preparedness, reviewing emergency contacts, discussing contingency plans calmly and clarifying family roles, increases confidence without creating panic. Once discussed, avoid repeatedly revisiting worst-case scenarios,” says Sarwar.
She also flags two groups that are easy to overlook
For elderly family members: “Elderly family members may require additional reassurance and reduced exposure to alarming headlines. Involving them in daily decisions and activities preserves a sense of agency.” And for working adults juggling long hours and news cycles: “Working adults should establish clear psychological boundaries, defined work hours, short restorative breaks, and a digital cut-off time in the evening to protect sleep,” she adds.
Ask for help if you need it
The UAE has handled this moment with steadiness and life here is continuing. But stability around you does not automatically mean calm inside you, and that is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Above all, shared connection strengthens resilience. Eating together, light physical activity, prayer, or even simple conversations foster steadiness and emotional security within the home,” says Sarwar.
You are allowed to be unsettled. You are allowed to not have the answers. And you are allowed to ask for help.
UAE resources: Where to find support
Professional support is more accessible than many people realise. Here are two free options:
Abu Dhabi: 800-SAKINA (800-725-462)
The Department of Health Abu Dhabi’s mental health helpline is available in Arabic and English for anyone dealing with stress, anxiety or panic. It’s free, 24/7 and confidential.
UAE-wide: myAster app
Aster DM Healthcare is offering free online mental wellbeing consultations with licensed psychologists, bookable from home through the myAster app during this period.
