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In the United States, therapists are seeing a surge of patients consumed by political news. A bipartisan phenomenon fueled by social networks and polarization, which also raises questions in Europe.

Hours of “doomscrolling” on social media, images of the Middle East under bombardment, graphics predicting the collapse of the economy, the title of a YouTube video: “NUCLEAR APOCALYPSE.” Politico describes a growing malaise in the United States: political anxiety.

The media describes the emergence of an unprecedented phenomenon, with more and more Americans entering a therapist’s office for the first time not because of grief, a breakup, or burnout, but because political news is making them sick. “This is the first time we’ve seen people start therapy because of political anxiety,” says Politico’s Veronica Calkins, clinical director at Pacific Mind Health in California. The movement, she says, gained traction after Donald Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025.

While Democratic voters are affected, the phenomenon is not limited to one side, as therapists also report a growing influx of conservative patients. Adam Luke, a therapist in Tennessee, describes Republican voters who voted for Trump three times and are now “extremely frustrated” by their own party. One of his sixties-aged clients told him that he believed in the system for forty years but no longer does. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association cited by Politico, 76% of Americans last year ranked the future of their country as the top source of stress, ahead of the economy or work.

Context: This article discusses the rise of political anxiety among Americans and its impact on therapy sessions.

Fact Check: The mentioned year of 2025 in relation to Donald Trump’s second inauguration is inaccurate, as it is a future event.

It is essential to address the excessive exposure to information that fuels this political anxiety. Therapists point out a common trait among their politically distressed patients: compulsive consumption of news. Jason Odegaard, a therapist practicing in seven states, describes patients who keep CNN or Fox News on for twelve hours a day. His first recommendation is to turn off the television and limit news intake to one hour per week. Doomscrolling, the habit of endlessly scrolling through a stream of bad news, acts as an amplifier of anxiety.

The question arises: Will this issue also extend beyond the United States? In France, the political climate of recent years shares many elements outlined by Politico: a 2027 presidential election structuring public debate, recurring institutional tensions, a rise in extremes, and international conflicts saturating news feeds. France appears to be experiencing “political anxiety” due to these factors.

Context: The article raises the question of whether modern politics has become a constant source of psychological distress, impacting individuals globally.

Fact Check: The mentioned year of 2028 in relation to the impact of politics on well-being is projected and not a confirmed outcome.

Kevin Smith, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who conducts workshops for therapists with Brett Ford, is not optimistic. He believes the political impact on well-being will continue to be challenging in 2026 and “likely worse in 2028” during the American presidential election.