Safeguarding Our Sanity Amid Daily Chaos

In a previous commentary written for CFP in April 2023 (Our Sanity At Risk), I mentioned a best-selling book by Alvin Toffler published in 1970. The main premise of the book is “that the human mind cannot adapt to such rapid and multiple social changes in a short period of time, and that continuing to experience rapid change would ultimately drive a human being insane.” In that same commentary, I also made the point that “our cultural traditions and religious beliefs are being attacked in ways we have never had to deal with before.”

Michael Savage: Liberalism is a Mental Disorder

It is now February 2026, and those of us who still have a mind capable of rationale thought are struggling to separate fact from fiction in the multiple lies we are being told daily by the mainstream media, the looney-toons in the U.S. Congress, and the newly come-out-of-the shadows Socialist Democrats like Zohran Mamdani. Adding to the already very misleading messaging from all the “Trump haters” is the dangerous rhetoric and violent behavior of the roving gangs of paid, trained, and organized agitators that the news media continues to refer to as “peaceful protesters.”

When San Francisco-based, talk show host Michael Savage wrote Liberalism is a Mental Disorder in 2005, he took a lot of criticism because he dared to address the dangers to the United States from radical Islamists, unchecked illegal immigration, and many other social issues we are still struggling with today. In retrospect, Dr. Savage was right about many of the things he was concerned about then that are still social and political issues for Americans today. He was apparently also correct in his assertion that “liberalism is a mental disorder,” even though I thought he was being a bit hyperbolic at the time.

In 2026, one doesn’t need to look very far to find astonishing examples of completely distorted and/or delusional thinking. The television show called “The View” provides plenty of examples as do most shows on CNN and MSNOW. The good news is that when a clear-thinking person sees displays of distorted or delusional thinking in the media, that person can still maintain “an emotional buffer” to protect their own sanity, if they choose to do so. However, that is not so easy to do if the person engaged in delusional thinking is your boss, your best friend, or a family member.

Make a commitment to engage in personal practices that strengthen your inner foundation and help you build clarity of thought and personal resilience

Delusions are false beliefs that a person holds on to very strongly, even when others don’t believe them or there’s credible evidence that a particular belief is not true. According to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), being delusional is a form of psychosis. A psychosis is characterized by a distorted view of reality. In other words, a delusional person has trouble telling the difference between what is real and what is not. This then leads to faulty decision making and taking actions that an otherwise mentally healthy individual would generally not choose to take.

So how does a person protect their sanity in a world that appears to have now lost touch not just with logic and reason, but also with the basic principles that created the United States of America and our present Judeo-Christian values and culture? As a retired mental health professional with 33 years’ experience in private practice, I have some thoughts to share on this topic.

It has been said that staying sane is a process, but that process requires some action on your part. For example, if you want to feel more in control of your life, one place to start is to be more intentional in how you spend your time. Stop mindlessly scrolling on your iPhone or surfing the internet and focus your attention on something very intentional and specific like taking the dog for a walk or reading a book. Also, become far more selective about what you watch or listen to online or on television.

Make a commitment to engage in personal practices that strengthen your inner foundation and help you build clarity of thought and personal resilience. Some activities that will help you do this are exercising, walking, journaling, meditating, praying, and reading. Read books and stories that empower you and build your emotional resilience and personal courage.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Take responsibility over what you do have control over such as what you eat, read, or say.

Be mindful of who you interact with and how much time you spend with those people. By choosing to spend quality time with friends over quantity, you then will have the time you need to take better care of yourself physically and emotionally.

Finally, make a conscious effort to learn a new skill or engage regularly in a hobby or activity you are passionate about. The possibilities are virtually endless these days, but you do need to pick something affordable that fully engages your interest so you will stick with it. Some examples might be learning to play a musical instrument, rock collecting, quilting, knitting, photography, golfing, fishing, or curling. The whole point is that you want to find something to do that is going to keep your mind engaged for long periods of time and that will bring you joy, rather than allow your mind to obsess or worry about what feels like a world unraveling before our eyes.

In the 1950’s, psychologist Albert Ellis developed an interesting theory called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Ellis postulated that it is not the event that causes humans stress or distress; it is our belief about the event that causes our emotion (whatever that emotion may be). This is why we are now witnessing so many individuals in all age groups and walks of life reacting badly to certain actions taken by the Trump administration (like the ICE deportations).

For the sake of preserving our mental health, I believe each of us needs to become more disciplined

It’s what they believe to be true about the event that drives their emotions, and then their emotions drive their actions. I mention this because it is important to pay attention to what you believe about any particular event. It is reasonable to feel annoyed, disappointed, or even saddened about a particular event that affects your life, but it is not rational to use those feelings as an excuse to be angry all the time, withdraw from life, or engage in violent actions.

In summary, not only can we humans be literally driven insane by too much change too rapidly, but we can lose our inner sense of peace and joy when long held beliefs, values, and traditions are trampled upon as they are now in the United States and Canada. For the sake of preserving our mental health, I believe each of us needs to become more disciplined, not less, not only about what we think, but about how we spend our time. 

Evidence abounds that the evil doers and anarchists of this world want to take away our personal sense of agency and any possibility for living a joyful, God-centered life. It’s time for those of us not yet too depressed to intentionally take better care of our physical, mental, and spiritual health so we can continue to remain clear thinking, vigilante citizens of our respective countries.

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