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When Everything Feels Overwhelming: Building Resilience

How to Cope in an Emergency
Bela Ben-Gershon, Emergency Preparedness, Resilience, and Mental Health Coordinator, Mental Health Division, Department of Health;  Nofar Keen, Deputy Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Mental Trauma, Mental Health Division, Ministry of Health;  Dr. Nira Kaplinski, Development and Innovation Executive, “Mashabim” Center
28 May 2026

The last two years have not been easy for anyone, and certainly not for you – teenagers. Between sirens, tension, and stress, between anxiety, worry and persistent fatigue – it is perfectly normal to feel that everything is a bit mixed up, overwhelming and confused. You are not alone in this.

Data shows that most of you feel it: 83% of teenagers in Israel have reported emotional distress since October 7. This means that if you have a bad day, if you have difficulty concentrating, or if you suddenly feel sad, stressed or heavy for no apparent reason – it is completely normal.

What is this resilience everyone is talking about?

Mental resilience is not about pretending that everything is fine or suppressing your feelings. It is the way to deal with difficult times and even learn something from them. Like a muscle that gets stronger with exercise – your mental resilience can also get stronger.

This means that the next time something difficult happens to you, you will have more confidence to deal with it. For example, if once when you argued with your parents you just cried and slammed doors, resilience is knowing next time how to breathe and explain what really upsets you. Or, if in the past when something didn't work out for you it ruined your whole day, when you build resilience you can learn to accept and contain the difficulty.

This way, from time to time, you can manage to deal with conflicts and crises in a better way, one that allows relief, breathing space and a sense of competence and ability to function.

You don’t have to go through this alone

In times of distress, it is not always easy to know what may help or who to turn to. Simple calming and self-help tools may help, as well as support from someone close to you. When needed, professional treatment and support are also available.

Asking for help is part of coping. Some tools can help ease distress in the moment, and support services are available when it is hard to cope alone.

More information and mental health first aid tools:

Our recipe for resilience

Six ingredients that can help you get stronger:

The first thing you should do is take three deep breaths. This may sound like advice that everyone gives you, but it works. You should try to exhale as slowly as possible – and then your brain will get the message that everything is fine.

Take a small action that can restore a sense of control. Talk to a friend, do some sports, go dancing, listen to a playlist you like, play a quick game on your phone, or just go outside for a bit to get some air. Anything that gives you a sense of doing.

Sometimes we see things as blacker than they really are. It's worth trying to look at the situation anew and ask yourself, "Is there another way to think about it?" or "Maybe there's another perspective that can calm or encourage?"

It's always worth trying to remember the things you've managed to overcome in the past. Everyone has them—you too. It really helps to say to yourself phrases like "I can do it," "I'm getting through this," and "I'm so proud of myself for dealing with this."

Helping others also helps you feel better. It can be helping a friend, volunteering somewhere, doing something for a cause that is important to you, or being part of a group that wants to change something that is also important to you.

Hard and unpleasant emotions are natural and logical and it is perfectly okay to feel them. Crying, anxiety, anger, confusion – all of this is completely natural in our reality. It is normal to experience these feelings, especially when the situation around is not normal.

Mental Health Hotlines of the HMOs

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