Much ado has been made about how we are a ‘divided’ country, and how people all over the nation are polarized about politics. You may find yourself anxious or worrying about these issues, but find there seems to be no way to deal with it in a healthy manner. I will try to offer some pointers on how to cope with the stress in this space.

People are Feeling Stressed Because of the Political Divide More Than Ever Before

This point may be debatable, but that may serve to prove it. You may feel yourself caught in the middle of a family or friendship struggle because of the political divide. This is a common theme in our relationships these days, perhaps now more than ever before. In a time where people report increasing amounts of stress because of social and political strife, there is much blame to be levied on corporate media, social media, politicians, and those who fund them then perhaps at any time in our past. It also doesn’t help that our political figures can tend to sow discord with the opposing faction, which makes it appear that we have to choose sides. Add the fact that we have two main political parties, and few or no other options to support for any given election, and you have the mix for a very volatile social situation.

The Political Divide Does Not Apply to Our Values

Whichever side of the political divide you fall on, there are some common values and priorities that people all over the nation and world can agree on. For example, most people want to live in safe communities, to have access to decent food, water, and shelter. These values are not owned by one political party or another, but they are inherent to our common experience. People also tend to fall into political affiliation because of family or friends, or the place where they live that tends to be predominantly ‘blue’ or ‘red.’ The challenge is being able to talk about the values instead of the dualistic nature of our political discourse. Many problems are not black-and-white, but the media and our political figures will try to paint them as such in order to get ratings or curry favor with voters.

My Five Coping Tips for Dealing with the Political Divide

1.  There isn’t as much division as we tend to think there is. Especially if you look at the common values that most people share, and the fact that this tends to be the majority of the people in our country and our world.

2. Understand that each person has a story that has contributed to their political views, and that and getting to know people as individuals you can often find out why they have developed a political views that they do.

3. Limiting intake of news and information can help to limit the stress media tends to play on political fears and hyperbole. This also applies to use of social media, as many people get their news from social media as well.

4. It can be a very helpful practice to be willing to make small talk with strangers, as this helps us focus on being able to interact with others, as well as simply realizing they’re just people too. Often this is a way to also help to decrease people's tendency to give into social anxiety and not engage with others.

5. It could be helpful to find ways to encourage others to vote, as well as to advocate with your elected representatives for things that you want to see happen on a local state or a national level as far as government is concerned. Taking action to contact your local representatives as a way to empower yourself to actually do something to hopefully influence things for the better. Of course, engaging in peaceful action is the desirable mode of civic expression, as opposed to violent or aggressive actions.

Other Considerations with the Political Divide

Self-care is an absolute priority with each of us, so any coping tools you use to help to keep yourself from becoming overly anxious or discouraged are always good. Simple coping skills, like deep breathing, meditation, and spending time with supportive friends and family are always to be encouraged. Spending time connecting and communing with nature is also a great way to shift your focus from the political divide, and back to some thing that we all share in common.

What If You Continue to be Bothered by the Political Divide

I’ve been helping people to recover from the effects of divided families, divided social groups, and the results of the political divide for my entire social work career. If you think that some of what you suffer from owes to the effects of political strife in our nation, and you live in Maryland or Texas, please feel free to call me at the number above, or fill out the inquiry form below. I’d be happy to offer a 20 minute phone consult to give you a better idea about whether I can help you with your own particular problems. In any case, don’t settle for continual anxiety or stress because of ongoing political strife. Get help for you, and for those you care about, and for those who don’t know that they need help.

Click here to learn more about how Scott can help you cope with anxiety caused by the political divide.

About the author:  Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland.  He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin, Texas.  He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.