I spend an unbelievable amount of time and energy these days arguing with my mother, father, and occasionally my little sister about politics. Not a polite exchange of differing viewpoints, these discussions are confrontational, and yelling is often involved. I say insightful yet cutting things, and they reply that I’m overreacting to whatever atrocity I perceive to be happening at the moment.
These ideological knock-down-drag-outs don’t take place IRL, of course. They happen in my fevered brain. When I’m feeling angry about what I perceive as the latest inhumanity to hit one of my screens, I blame my mom for things she’s had nothing more to do with than landing them in my fatigued psyche with her vote. And when I’m doing my best to be rational, I see my dad as well-intentioned but politically misguided.
In reality, I’m blaming my family for the anxiety I feel about politics—not because I actually think they’re the ones responsible for such things as pulling innocent brown-skinned people from their vehicles and putting them in detention facilities, but because they’re the people I know who have political views that are the opposite of mine.
When I told my therapist that I thought I might be going a little crazy, she looked at me sympathetically and suggested that all these spirited discussions I was having with a sister, father, and mother who weren’t in the room might be my way of trying to process what’s going on around me politically—a concept that made perfect sense to me. Then she said that what I was probably experiencing was Political Stress Syndrome.
In this blog, you’ll learn what political stress syndrome is, how we react to it, ways to deal with the exhaustion that comes along with PSS, as well as strategies to combat the feelings of helplessness it can bring.
What Is Political Stress Syndrome?
Sometimes described as political anxiety or election stress, depending on where it falls in the political cycle, Political Stress Syndrome (PSS) refers to the constant tension and anxiety we feel in response to whiplash policy changes and the chaos-fueled roller-coaster ride that is the current political landscape. While a person can’t be formally diagnosed with PSS, the pressure it produces is real and can interfere with our ability to function.
Born of media saturation, political anxiety stems from the beliefs that separate us and the helplessness we feel due to our perceived inability to make a difference in either the political landscape or the injustice we see right before our eyes.
Whether we lean left or right, 75% of us admit feeling emotional strain when it comes to politics. This strain can leave us sleepless, angry, prone to fighting with our significant other, or, as in my case, plagued by politically intrusive thoughts we can’t get out of our heads.
Anxiety over politics can affect our bodies as well, resulting in a variety of physical complaints such as hypertension and gastrointestinal issues. Political stress can also leave us feeling irritable, depressed, and even suicidal.
Reacting to Political Stress Syndrome
There’s no escaping politics if we live in the world today. Grabbing a moment of streaming or viewing respite is nearly impossible because of the twenty-four-hour news cycle that now rules the airwaves. Our computers are populated by the latest news stories from the moment we log on, and the smartphone glued to our palm hands us the latest headlines whether we want them or not. Alternately afraid of and drawn to what we’ll discover, we check and recheck our devices in the hope of relieving the pressure. With all this political anxiety in our lives, it’s no wonder that we find a variety of ways to cope:
Withdraw: One way we handle political stress is to throw up our hands, bury our heads in our emotional security blanket, and step away from the fray, thereby handing over our political power.
Become Inured: When we see something disturbing happen repeatedly, we get used to it over time. Our initial shock and rage are dulled by repetition, and the emotions we initially experienced are tamped down, allowing us to accept what was once unacceptable.
Get Angry: Born out of our reaction to chaos and extreme change, anger spurs us to action, leading us to protest and oppose the injustices we see.
Take Sides: This reaction stems from the idea that others’ opinions and beliefs are either good or bad—a response that leads to further stress and polarization, leaving no middle ground on which to rebuild trust or find a solution.
How Do I Deal with the Mental Exhaustion and Stress of Political Anxiety?
Considering the civic bombardment we face every day, it’s no wonder that we’re feeling overwhelmed and helpless when it comes to politics. Fortunately, there are strategies we can use to manage political stress, care for ourselves, make a difference, and preserve our sanity in the process.
Re-examine who you are: When you’re feeling stressed about politics, take a moment to consider the things you’re good at and what you value. For example, if kindness, empathy, and acceptance are part of your nature, think about how you can use these attributes to nurture yourself and others—especially those you disagree with.
Take care of yourself: Figure out ways to replenish yourself for the onslaught that comes with each new day. Turn your phone off before you go to bed so you won’t be tempted to scroll the latest headlines. Get in a few steps to help clear your head and organize your thoughts. Take in a movie with a friend, join a book club, or start that ceramics class you’ve been thinking about taking. Indulging in activities that renew your mind and body will help you combat the exhaustion political anxiety can bring in its wake.
Imbibe media wisely: We’ve all heard this one before, but it’s still important to curate our media consumption. If we constantly doomscroll for the latest political information, we’ll get depressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted by what we see. Put a time limit on your media intake or pick a favorite news outlet and check it once a day to control the 24/7 flow.
Do something good: Nothing helps us feel better about ourselves than making someone else’s life better. If you’re feeling like nothing you do matters, do something that you know is going to matter to someone else. Think of it as your small way of changing the world.
Find your bubble: Seek out those who support you. Let them know how you feel about what’s happening in the world, and then return the favor.
Give back: Think about your talents and skills and then figure out how to use them to make a difference. If organization is your strong suit, volunteer at your local political party headquarters. If you’re a wordsmith, write a political op-ed for your local paper.
Turning Powerlessness on Its Head When It Comes to Political Stress Syndrome
We often feel helpless in the face of political upheaval. Overwhelmed by wrongs we long to right, we simmer and stew in a psychic bath of frustration and anger, feeling powerless to do anything about the injustices we see. Thankfully, there are ways we can make a difference in the political landscape without getting lost in the weeds of big change.
Start small: Instead of tackling the way our immigration system works, find out if there’s something you can do to improve the lives of immigrants who live in your community. This can be as simple as volunteering for a local food bank that delivers to families afraid to leave their homes.
Refuse to second-guess the power of what you do: Don’t fall into the “nothing I can do is going to make a real difference, so why should I try?” trap. The truth is none of us has any idea what the ripple effect of our actions will be. Remember, doing nothing because we’re feeling helpless and overwhelmed has consequences too.
Act: Move past those feelings of fear and inadequacy and take the first step. Find out what other people are doing to tackle an issue that’s important to you, and then make a list of follow-up goals you can review when you’re ready to take the next step.
Nurture: Making a difference takes an emotional toll, so recharge your batteries when you need to. Remember, you are doing important work. Respect yourself and your efforts by doing what nurtures you. Hang out with friends. Eat a delicious meal or re-read your favorite book. Rather than stopping you in your tracks, indulging in activities like these will energize you for the work ahead.
Conclusion
Considering the constant barrage of political news we’re subject to these days, it’s a safe bet that political stress and anxiety will be a part of our lives for the foreseeable future. But as with most things we have no control over, the key to coping with Political Stress Syndrome lies in how we react to it. If we start by remembering who we are and, instead of burying our heads in the sand, support each other, we can focus on our strengths and then use those strengths to do something (big or small) about the injustices we see. Chances are we’ll feel less stressed and more confident when we’re hit by the next wave of political change because we’ve learned to put chaos in its place by having done something about it.
References
Kauppi, Martha. LMFT., (2025, March 25). Finding a Path When Things Feel Out of Control. Psychologytoday.com. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/relational-intimacy/202503/finding-a-path-when-things-feel-out-of-control
Plante, Thomas. Ph.D., (2017, June 5). 5 Ways to Cope Better with Political Stress. Psychologytoday.com. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/do-the-right-thing/201706/5-ways-cope-better-political-stress-now
Charles Davis is an essayist who has written for several academic publications, The Gay & Lesbian Review and The Christian Science Monitor. Mr. Davis also writes a blog on navigating loss and building a new life at: https://gayandgrieving.blog. He was a semifinalist for the 2023 Mason Jar Press 1729 Book Prize in Prose.