It’s Not Just You: Normalizing the Weight of Political Anxiety
If you’re feeling uneasy or anxious about the current state of our country, you’re not alone.
As a psychotherapist who works with adults with anxiety, I want to name something clearly: what we are witnessing in the United States right now is not normal.
Political anxiety is real—and your reactions make sense.
Chronic chaos, threats to rights, constant outrage cycles, and a sense that basic rules no longer apply take a real psychological toll. When the nervous system is exposed to ongoing uncertainty and perceived danger, it responds the only way it knows how.
So if you’re feeling:
Numb or checked out
Anxious or on edge
Angry, reactive, or irritable
Deeply sad or grieving
Exhausted and overwhelmed
These are normal responses to abnormal conditions. They are not signs that you’re weak, broken, or “too sensitive.” They are signs that your body and mind are trying to protect you.
What do you do with these normal responses to political anxiety? Permit yourself to feel. Often, when we experience anxiety, we do not give ourselves the space to process our emotions, which adds to the already-existing weight we feel.
If you’ve been experiencing the weight of political anxiety, here are six things I want to remind you that it’s okay to do:
You are allowed to grieve what feels lost.
Grief is a natural part of life, but people often don’t feel free to grieve or mourn because of external demands or internal beliefs about the grieving process, such as “It’s not okay to be sad” or “This shouldn’t matter this much to me.” You are allowed to grieve what feels lost, and you don’t have to get permission from anyone else to grieve. Take some time to grieve what you miss right now.
You are allowed to feel afraid of what feels unstable.
Humans crave security, so it’s normal to be afraid of instability. Give yourself permission to process your fears about the uneasiness you feel. One healthy way to do this is to connect with your community of like-minded individuals, process what’s outside your control, and focus on what’s within your control.
You are allowed to set boundaries.
It’s okay to set communication boundaries around politics with friends and family. If those boundaries aren’t respected, it’s okay to end the conversation, even if that means ending the conversation without resolution.
You are allowed to feel angry when values and safety are threatened.
Anger can be a natural response to threats, especially when it means what you believe is threatened. You don’t have to pretend you’re okay with what’s happening; you can be angry with or without explaining “why” to those around you.
You are allowed to take breaks from the news without being “uninformed.”
Media management is a practice that often provides incredible benefits for mental health. Sometimes, managing your media intake means turning off the news, not because you want to be “uninformed” but because you need a break. You can still care about your country and the current political climate while also going 24 hours without a news cycle.
You are allowed to take action.
Making a plan and following through with it can help one feel empowered in a situation where not much feels in their control. Taking action can look different for everyone, and there is no “right way” to do it, but you can consider the following:
Write or call your politicians
Join a protest or rally
Volunteer in your community
Make a donation
Join a mutual aid organization
Connect with and support your neighbors directly
All of these actions are needed!
Mental health isn’t about forcing calm in the face of injustice or pretending everything is fine. It’s about helping your nervous system survive what it was never meant to carry alone. If political anxiety is affecting your sleep, mood, relationships, or sense of hope, you’re not failing. You’re human.
Seeking support is not an overreaction. It’s a reasonable response. If you’re ready for help to process your political anxiety, support is available. You can contact me here to learn more.
My blog posts are not a replacement for therapy, and the information provided does not constitute the formation of a therapist-patient relationship. The information in my blog posts is general information for educational purposes only and is not intended to be therapy or psychological advice. If you are a current or former client, please remember that your interactions with my blog may jeopardize your confidentiality. Please consult your physician or mental health provider regarding advice or support for your health and well-being.
If you are in crisis, please call your local 24-hour crisis hotline or 911. I am not able to respond to comments or answer questions about your specific situation online. If you are interested in working together, please inquire about appointment availability here.