During George W. Bush’s presidency, Brian Tierney — a conservative insider from Philadelphia who led Bush’s Catholic outreach in 2000 and previously published the Philadelphia Inquirer — offered advice to Americans feeling overwhelmed by post-9/11 politics: turn off the news. Today, anxiety over political events is even more intense than it was back then. According to Politico’s Catherine Kim, an increasing number of Americans are turning to therapists to cope with the stress of U.S. politics in the Trump era.
“American politics has been seen as broken for years,” Kim explains in Politico, “but something new is happening: More people are not only feeling depressed or anxious about the state of the world, but they are also seeking professional help. And therapists are ready to provide it. With anxiety over politics reaching new heights and crises constantly flashing across our screens, mental health professionals say they’re seeing a surge in patients distressed by the news coming out of Washington and beyond.”
This rise in politics-related anxiety, according to Kim, is not just significant — it’s dramatic. Veronica Calkins, clinical director for the California-based Pacific Mind Health, is witnessing a clear increase in Americans experiencing mental health issues due to politics.
Calkins told Politico, “This is the first time we’re really seeing people start therapy because of political anxiety.” New York City-based therapist Melissa Tihinen is also noticing a rise, telling Politico, “The vast majority of people are affected in some way by politics. And that’s more true today than ever before.”
According to a 2025 study by the American Psychological Association, 65 percent of Americans view politics as a major source of stress in their lives. “Therapists have often reported high levels of stress, but it’s a recent trend for such distress to actually drive clients into their offices — a shift fueled by both the destigmatization of mental health care and the sense that some people are reaching a breaking point,” Kim reports. “As a result, therapists are also adapting, and some have begun to specialize in this area. Within her own practice, Calkins has been tasked with seeing clients who come in for political anxiety, including focusing on how it affects other stressors in a person’s life.”
Kim adds, “Others in the field see political anxiety as such a widespread issue that they believe every therapist needs to learn how to address it in sessions. Tihinen says her practice has held staff meetings dedicated to discussing best practices for handling political anxiety.”
Kevin Smith, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and University of Toronto psychologist Brett Ford are even organizing workshops on politics-related anxiety. Ford told Politico, “One of the most common ways to manage anxiety is avoidance. When you pair anxiety with hopelessness and a feeling that there’s nothing you can do, that creates the perfect storm for widespread political disengagement.”
Key Trends in Political Anxiety
- Increased awareness: More people are recognizing the impact of politics on mental health.
- Specialized care: Therapists are adapting their practices to address political anxiety.
- Workshops and training: Professionals are developing strategies to support clients dealing with political stress.
- Public discourse: The conversation around mental health and politics is becoming more open and accepted.
Impact on Mental Health
- Stress and anxiety: Political events are causing heightened stress among the population.
- Depression: Many individuals report feeling depressed due to the state of current affairs.
- Disengagement: Some people are avoiding political news altogether to protect their mental well-being.
Strategies for Coping
- Mindfulness techniques: Practicing mindfulness can help reduce anxiety related to political events.
- Limiting news consumption: Turning off the news can be a practical step for managing stress.
- Seeking professional help: Therapy offers a safe space to process political anxiety.
- Building resilience: Focusing on personal strengths and community support can help individuals cope better.
Resources for Further Reading
- How to cope with politically-induced trauma
- A psychologist offers 10 tips to manage the uncertainty and stress of election aftermath
- ‘Not following news anymore’: The neuroscience of why Americans are tuning out politics
