Book Now!

Political Anxiety and Mental Health

Life’s challenges can be overwhelming; everyone deserves a space to feel heard and supported. At Roamers Therapy, we provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and evidence-based environments to help you heal, grow, and navigate your mental well-being journey. As your psychotherapist, we are here to guide you every step of the way.

Find a Specialist!

Political stress refers to different stressors and tensions we may experience due to our political climate.  This can include worrying about the future of our country, worrying about our safety or the safety of others, and experiencing conflicts within our relationships due to differing political views. Political stress affects people in many ways, and research shows that it can harm mental health and overall well-being. It can cause anxiety, sadness, and sleep problems. Some people feel hopeless or lose trust in others; others may feel angry or frustrated. Political stress does not only affect individuals; it can also change relationships and communities. It can create divisions between people and make them feel lonely. Understanding political stress is important because it helps people find ways to manage it and protect their mental health. In this mini sketch, we will explore political stress and how that affects our mental health and well-being. 

Politics and it is Relation to Mental Health

Politics is an important part of daily life. It affects laws, policies, and thus society we live in. It is common for every member of society to follow political news, discuss issues, and vote in elections. However, politics can also cause stress and anxiety. Many people worry about the future of their country or feel frustrated when they see unfair decisions. The internet and social media make political discussions more intense and sometimes more negative. Studies show that political stress can affect mental health. The studies show the impacts of politics on our mental health as follows:

  • In a recent study that aimed to search the impact of politics on our mental health, researchers found that Political stress can cause anxiety, fatigue, and even depression. Many people report losing sleep and feeling mentally drained due to politics (Yousafzai, 2022).
  • In another study, researchers found that political disagreements, especially online, can increase stress. People who are active in political discussions on social media often experience higher levels of stress (Hisam et al., 2017).
  • Political polarization makes stress worse. Another study made in 2022 revealed that when people see politics as a battle between opposing sides, it can make them feel frustrated and helpless (Smith, 2022).
  • Stress from politics can even affect physical health. Some studies found that people who are emotionally involved in political debates show higher stress hormone levels  (Yousafzai, 2022).

Politics has a strong impact on our mental health. Let’s look closer at political stress anxiety more closely.

Political Stress & Anxiety

According to data from the APA’s 2024 Stress In America survey, 77% of American adults said the future of their country was a source of anxiety for them. Additionally, 52% of respondents stated that the 2016 election caused significant stress in their lives. This increased to 69% during the 2024 election, which indicates that politics not only have a significant negative effect on our mental health, but that effect is also worsening.

Political Anxiety

Political anxiety refers to the intense and overwhelming feelings of dread, uncertainty, fear, and worry we experience about the state of our political climate. This occurs when we are constantly exposed to high levels of political stress. While some people argue that political anxiety is just a symptom of generalized anxiety, research suggests that the two are different. In fact, one study found that many people who experience political anxiety do not experience generalized anxiety. Further, another study found that 1 in 20 American adults reported that political anxiety caused suicidal thoughts.

Marginalized Communities and Political Stress

The current sociopolitical climate has led to much stress, uncertainty, fear, hopelessness, anger, grief, and depression in many people across the country (and throughout the world). With each day, there is new information that can threaten our sense of safety and well-being. And, research suggests that communities who are marginalized might be most affected.

Managing Political Anxiety: Boundaries

If you are experiencing political anxiety, setting boundaries can be a helpful buffer against the effects of political anxiety.

  • Setting Boundaries with Yourself: One of the most effective ways to manage political stress and anxiety is to set limits on your media consumption and to avoid “doom scrolling.”
  • Setting Boundaries with Others: Disengaging from triggering conversations and avoiding venting sessions can be very helpful. Even the most well-intended venting sessions can be triggering or overwhelming.

Connecting with your community or creating a community of people you feel safe with can also buffer the effects of politics of mental health:

  • Spend Intentional Time with Loved Ones: This can be anything from a casual hang out, a joint hobby, or even something lower stakes like a short phone or video call. Spending time with the people you care about can be both a distraction and a burst of optimism.
  • Get Involved: For some people getting involved in activism helps with political anxiety because they can connect with like-minded individuals, and they can feel hopeful and empowered to make change.

Managing Political Anxiety: Boundaries

In addition to connecting with others and setting boundaries, reshaping the way we think about politics can be another way that we can manage our mental health when dealing with politics:

  • Identify what you cannot control and focus on what you can control.
  • Challenge unhelpful beliefs or thoughts such as hopelessness.
  • Identify triggering or “hot buzzer” topics.
  • Practice gratitude.
  • Manage urges to do unhelpful coping skills, such as doom scrolling.
  • Practice mindfulness to manage spikes in anxiety

References:

  • Yousafzai, A. (2022). Political polarization and its impact on mental health. KHYBER MEDICAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
  • Hisam, A., Safoor, I., Khurshid, N., Aslam, A., Zaid, F., & Muzaffar, A. (2017). Is political activism on social media an initiator of psychological stress? Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 33(6), 1463-1467. 
  • Smith, K. B. (2022). Politics is making us sick: The negative impact of political engagement on public health during the Trump administration. PLoS ONE, 17.
  • Abrams, Z. (2024). The impact of election stress: Is political anxiety harming your health? https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/10/managing-political-stress
  • Flaskerud JH, Lesser J. The Current Socio-Political Climate and Psychological Distress Among Transgender People. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2018 Jan;39(1):93-96. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2017.1368751. Epub 2017 Oct 13. PMID: 29028362.
  • Hope, E. C., Velez, G., Offidani-Bertrand, C., Keels, M., & Durkee, M. I. (2017). Political activism and mental health among Black and Latinx college students. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 24(1), 26–39. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000144
  • Weinschenk A, Smith K. Is political anxiety different than general anxiety? Politics and the Life Sciences. 2024;43(2):226-234. doi:10.1017/pls.2024.6
  • Smith, K. B. (2022). Politics is making us sick: The negative impact of political engagement on public health during the Trump administration. PLoS ONE, 17(1), e0262022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262022
  • Stress in America 2024. (2024). In https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-america/2024

While our physical offices are located in South Loop and Lakeview neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois for in-person sessions, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more.  

Book Now!

At Roamers Therapy, our psychotherapists are here to support you through anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues, race-ethnicity issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, ADHD, Autism, or any challenges you encounter. Our psychotherapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance, and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gottman Therapy. 

Whether you’re seeking guidance on a specific issue or need help navigating difficult emotions, we’re ready to assist you every step of the way.

Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule a session with our mental health professionals to begin your healing journey. To get started with therapy, visit our booking page.

First, decide if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket or using insurance. If you’re a self-pay client, you can book directly through the “Book Now” page or fill out the “Self-Pay/Out-of-network Inquiry Form.” If you’re using insurance, fill out the “Insurance Verification Form” to receive details about your costs and availability. Please let us know your preferred therapist. If your preferred therapist isn’t available, you can join the waitlist by emailing us. Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive intake documents to complete before your first session.

This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.

While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.