Rest, Recharge, Repeat: Protecting Your Peace in Uncertain Times
- Rory Wilson
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 16
Navigating your mental health during high polarization
Identifying triggers while maintaining healthy boundaries
Building community & finding happiness when times are tough
Photo credit: Simi Iluyomade via Unsplash.
Navigating your mental health during high polarization
Lately, many folks have shared a feeling that the world is moving faster than we can process. Every time we scroll through social media or turn on the news, we’re met with a flood of opinions, debates, and conflicts that can feel overwhelming. It’s exhausting to stay informed while also trying to protect our mental well-being. And in an era of high polarization, even everyday conversations can feel like walking a tightrope.
So how do we take care of ourselves when everything feels so heavy? How do we navigate difficult conversations without losing our peace? And, most importantly, how do we build a sense of happiness and community when division seems to be everywhere?
The key isn’t shutting everything out—it’s learning how to manage our emotional responses, set boundaries and stick with them, and create spaces that uplift rather than drain us.
Identifying triggers while maintaining healthy boundaries
If you feel overwhelmed by the current political climate, you’re not alone. Research shows that political stress has been increasing for years—in people of all ages—and it has been significantly affecting our mental well-being.
According to the American Psychological Association, 52% of adults reported that the 2016 Presidential Election caused significant stress, and that number increased to 69% in 2024 (APA, 2024). Another national survey performed during the 2018 midterms and 2020’s Presidential Election found that approximately 40% of U.S. adults reported politics as being a prominent source of stress, and roughly a fifth of respondents reported losing sleep, feeling fatigued, or experiencing depression because of politics (Smith et al., 2019). Lastly, at the beginning of 2024, the Harvard Youth Poll—a national survey of 18-29 year-old voters examining trends—revealed that nearly half of respondents experienced feelings of sadness, depression, or hopelessness, while 56% reported feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge multiple times a week (Harvard Youth Poll, 2024).
Experiencing a wide range of feelings, such as anger, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, fear, hopelessness, irritation, and more, is shared among many people across the U.S. and the rest of the world today. But knowing how to recognize your triggers, managing your feelings and responses, and, ultimately, being aware of your limits in order to protect your mental health is critical.
Many individuals feel the need to stay informed on new events and hot topics happening in the world, from devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to last year’s election cycle and the consequences of ongoing policy issues. But the rise in political stress is taking a serious toll on mental health. Even the lingering fear that something may happen to further impact well-being creates constant stress, influencing overall health, behavior, and quality of life.
Beyond these ongoing stressors, intense conversations with loved ones, colleagues, and other community members about polarizing topics can pose a significant amount of pressure on individuals. Signs and symptoms of political- and election-related stress span from increased substance use, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, decreased emotions, and more (Newport Institute, 2024).
Recognizing your triggers and setting boundaries can help reduce the strain politics takes on your mental health. Don’t know where to start? Try some of these tips for recognizing your triggers and setting boundaries:
Limiting News & Social Media Consumption
Trigger: Violent, graphic, or overly biased news or social media content fueling polarized topics.
Use the “Screen Time” or “App Timers” to minimize your time spent on certain apps, like Instagram or X.
Unfollow or mute accounts that cause unnecessary frustration or stress.
Try using tools, such as Ground News or News Literacy Project, that help to navigate news without consuming misinformation or doom-scrolling while still offering different political perspectives on the same story.
Choose When & How to Engage in Discussions
Trigger: Pay attention to when political discussions leave you with feelings of anger, anxiety, or hopelessness.
Give yourself permission to step away from polarizing debates, especially with loved ones.
Instead of saying something that shuts down the other person’s perspective, try using phrases like “I’d rather not discuss this right now” or “I respect your perspective, but let’s change the topic.”
When you choose to engage in discussions, consider setting a time limit or keeping a journal to track what specific topics or interactions trigger negative emotions.
Establish Safe Spaces for Yourself
Trigger: Be conscious of your own self-talk and what you say around others.
Create “politics-free” zones in your home, social settings, or online spaces.
Spend time with people who boost your energy rather than drain it.
Consider asking yourself, “Is this thought helping or harming me/them?” and try to reframe your thoughts from “Everything is doomed” into “There are challenges, but change is possible.”
For some more tips, check out our blog post, “Tips to Try: Recognizing & Relieving Your Anxiety.”
Building community & finding happiness when times are tough
One of the hardest things to navigate is allowing yourself to experience happiness when the world around you feels like it’s falling apart. It’s important to shift your perspective from thoughts like “Do I deserve to be happy when others are suffering?” to “How can I find moments of joy while staying informed and engaged?” or “To support others, I need to take care of myself first.”
Finding your community, creating safe spaces, and allowing yourself to experience joy, love, and connection are essential—especially in polarized times.—Whether your support system is a whole town or a small circle of close friends, colleagues, or family, having people to lean on, share your feelings with, and simply enjoy the present moment with is fundamental to your mental health and well-being.
Give yourself permission to rest and recharge, both individually and with your community. While there will always be challenges and global issues demanding attention, you can stay informed, navigate difficult times, and still embrace happiness in your own life.
Sources & further reading
American Psychological Association. (2024). Stress in America 2024. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-america/2024.
Harvard Youth Poll. (2024). The Spring 2024 Harvard Youth Poll. https://iop.harvard.edu/youth-poll/47th-edition-spring-2024.
Newport Institute. (2024). The mental health impact of politics: 8 ways to cope. https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/mental-health/mental-health-impact-of-politics/.
Smith, K.B., Hibbing, M.V., & Hibbing, J.R. (2019). Friends, relatives, sanity, and health: The cost of politics. PLOS ONE, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221870.
Young Minds Initiative. (2024). Tips to try: Recognizing & relieving your anxiety. https://ymiarizona.wixsite.com/youngmindsinitiative/post/tips-to-try-recognizing-relieving-your-anxiety.
Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a mental health professional or other qualified provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. If you think you may be experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.
Comments