Is Modern Politics Affecting Our Mental Health?

When Politics Hurts: The Mental Health Cost of Polarisation

In both the UK and US, politics has become more polarised than ever—more “us vs. them”, less nuance, less space for understanding.

But beyond the noise of headlines, hashtags, and online arguments, this division is having a very real and very personal impact especially on the mental health of young to middle-aged adults.

📉 Chronic stress. Anxiety. Disillusionment.
The relentless stream of political conflict, crisis, and injustice activates the nervous system. For many, it creates a sense of threat, powerlessness, or numbness that becomes hard to shake. Doomscrolling becomes a habit. Hope feels naïve.

👥 Social strain. Identity conflict.
Politics is no longer just about policies, it’s personal. When political beliefs become entwined with identity, conversations with friends, family, or colleagues can become emotionally loaded, even dangerous. People feel isolated or silenced in the very spaces where they once felt safe.

🌀 Civic burnout. Emotional shutdown.
When institutions feel broken or when progress seems impossible, many withdraw into distraction, despair, or complete disengagement. Cynicism replaces optimism. Apathy feels like self-protection.

At Change Grow Thrive, we believe mental and social health are deeply interconnected. People thrive when they feel seen, heard, and empowered—not when they are stuck in cycles of fear, reactivity, or division.

Hyper-polarised politics isn’t just unhealthy for democracy, it’s unhealthy for the individual. It erodes trust, increases anxiety, weakens community bonds, and damages the hope young people need to invest in a better future.

📣 It's okay to step back from the noise.
🧭 It's okay to take time to find your own voice.
🤝 And it’s always okay to reach out for support.

Visit our Contact page, help is here when you're ready.