Understanding and Coping with Political Anxiety
In today’s world, it is hard to scroll through the news or open social media without feeling your chest tighten or your stomach drop. Between ongoing wars, threats to democratic institutions, polarization, climate collapse, and fears about upcoming elections, it is no wonder that many people are experiencing what we call political anxiety.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, scared, hopeless, or even stuck in cycles of doomscrolling or apathy, you are not alone. You are not overreacting. These are real concerns in a world that often feels like it is teetering on the edge.
What Is Political Anxiety?
Political anxiety is an emotional and physiological response to current political events, social unrest, or systemic threats. It can arise from watching the news, engaging in conversations about politics, experiencing legislation that threatens your rights or the rights of others, or even anticipating election outcomes.
While anxiety is a natural response to threat, political anxiety often stems from chronic uncertainty, helplessness, and injustice. It impacts not just how we think, but how we live, connect, and function.
Why So Many Are Feeling It Right Now
Election tensions in the U.S. are sky-high, with concerns over voter suppression, disinformation, and political violence.
Persistent political tension, from local to national levels, driven by partisan battles over policy, court nominations, and legislative gridlock.
Global conflicts and fears of war, including the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Ukraine, and rising fears about a war with Iran, create helplessness and dread about what the future may hold.
Climate inaction feels increasingly alarming, especially as extreme weather events accelerate.
Systemic oppression continues to harm marginalized communities, from trans rights rollbacks to book bans to reproductive restrictions.
Many people, especially those with trauma histories, are re-experiencing emotional and physiological distress as political environments mirror past harm. If any of these resonate, you are not alone, and you are not broken for feeling affected by it all.
Common Symptoms of Political Anxiety
You might be experiencing political anxiety if you notice:
Trouble sleeping or frequent nightmares about current events
Panic, irritability, or hypervigilance after reading the news
Obsessive checking of updates, doomscrolling, or inability to disconnect
A sense of powerlessness, dread, or existential fear about the future
Cynicism, emotional numbness, or apathy
Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach issues, fatigue, or muscle tension
Relationship strain from political differences or avoidance of discussion
Grief or despair tied to systemic injustice, war, or loss of rights
This not an exhaustive list, but if you have felt emotionally flooded or shut down recently, political anxiety may be part of the picture.
What To Do When You Are Surrounded by Misinformation
One of the hardest parts of navigating political anxiety today is sorting through the endless flood of information, and misinformation. It is everywhere: in headlines, on social media, in family group chats, and even from people in positions of power. Misinformation can be deeply destabilizing, especially when it undermines truth, erodes trust in institutions, or spreads fear-based narratives designed to keep people reactive and confused.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with news content, here are some things that can help:
1. Slow Down Before Reacting
Pause before sharing or reacting to emotionally charged headlines or posts. Misinformation thrives on urgency and outrage. Give yourself a moment to breathe, regulate, and engage with curiosity rather than panic.
2. Check the Source
Ask yourself:
Is this from a reputable or biased outlet?
Is it confirmed by multiple sources?
Does the language feel inflammatory or manipulative?
Use reputable toolsets to fact check and verify what you are reading.
3. Limit Exposure to Algorithm-Driven Feeds
Social media platforms often amplify emotionally reactive content because it generates clicks. Try checking a few trusted news sources directly rather than scrolling endlessly through your feed.
4. Have Compassionate Boundaries
You may encounter friends or family members sharing harmful misinformation. It’s okay to disengage, correct gently, or set limits—especially if the content is triggering or rooted in disinformation campaigns.
5. Protect Your Mental Health
You do not have to stay fully plugged in to be informed. Being a responsible citizen doesn’t mean absorbing everything, all the time. You can care deeply and take breaks.
6. Find Anchoring Voices
Seek out thoughtful, balanced perspectives that prioritize truth and nuance over fear and division. Listening to experts, journalists, and educators you trust can be calming and clarifying.
Is Political Anxiety "Normal"?
Yes. In many cases, this is a reasonable response to unreasonable events. Political anxiety does not mean you are weak or overreacting. Rather, it often means you care deeply, value justice, and are trying to make sense of a world that feels unsafe or unfair.
That said, chronic anxiety can take a toll on your body, mind, and relationships. When it interferes with your daily functioning or leaves you feeling stuck, it may be time to seek support.
What Can Help?
1. Set Healthy Boundaries with Media
Staying informed is important, but so is protecting your nervous system. Choose specific times to check the news, unfollow accounts that provoke panic, and give yourself permission to disconnect without disengaging.
2. Name What You are Feeling
Often, political anxiety is layered: grief, fear, anger, and powerlessness may all be present. Naming those feelings (and their roots) can reduce shame and help you process them with more self-compassion.
3. Take Action Where You Can
Even small acts of resistance, including writing to a representative, donating, volunteering, voting, engaging in local mutual aid networks, or setting boundaries with someone spewing disinformation, can help you feel less helpless and more empowered.
4. Connect With Others
Anxiety thrives in isolation. Seek out safe, values-aligned spaces, whether in your community, faith spaces, or online, where you can share, grieve, and organize.
5. Practice Nervous System Regulation
Intentional breathing, stretching, movement, and time in nature can all help signal to your body that you're safe, even when the world feels unsafe.
6. Go to Therapy
If political anxiety is affecting your functioning or relationships, working with a therapist, especially one who understands the intersection of trauma, identity, and systemic harm can be incredibly grounding.
Therapy for Political Anxiety
Political anxiety is not just about fear of elections or outrage over the news. For many, it is about loss of safety, of rights, of certainty, and of a future we once believed in. It is also about the emotional weight of being human in a time of upheaval.
If you are feeling anxious about the world we are living in, you are not alone, and there are ways to care for yourself while staying engaged. You deserve support that sees the full picture.
In my practice, I support clients experiencing political stress, existential anxiety, and trauma related to systems of oppression. I work from a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive lens honoring your lived experiences, values, and emotional needs.
Let’s work together to create a space where you can process, heal, and reconnect to your sense of agency and hope.
📍Available for California, Utah, and Maryland residents. Telehealth only.
