I Don’t Feel Safe in My Home Country Anymore: How Politics Can Affect Your Health

Lately, I’ve heard more and more clients telling me, “I don’t feel safe in my home country anymore.” And if you’ve felt that too, trust me, you’re not alone.

No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, the truth is that our nervous systems are carrying the weight of what’s happening in the world. Every time we scroll through the news or see another graphic image on our feed, our bodies register it.

What's important to understand is that it's not registered as just a thought. These images can become a lived experience that lives in your muscles, your hormones, your relationships, and even your symptoms.

When you feel fear, anger, or helplessness, your nervous system reacts with many changes in your body. And the more you keep engaging with the same cycle by doing things like refreshing news, scrolling social media, or rehashing arguments in your head, the more your body stays stuck in stress.

As a mother, I feel this deeply. I don’t want my kids exposed to images that make them feel unsafe in their own schools and neighborhoods. But even more than that, children notice how we feel. If I’m scrolling and I’m angry, afraid, or tense, they sense it immediately. Their survival instincts kick in. Sometimes they even think it’s their fault. And when I’m dysregulated, I’m more likely to snap, to miss their needs, or to reach for comfort in unhealthy ways like mindless eating or endless scrolling.

I'm realizing how unsafe and disconnected it can make me feel, which gets passed on to my kids when I respond in an emotion that isn't meant for them. This is why tending to our nervous system isn’t just for us; it’s for everyone around us, too.

How Politics Shows Up in the Body

When the state of the world feels overwhelming, our bodies respond in predictable ways:

• Fight: feeling angry, ready to argue, quick to engage in conflict.

• Flight: feeling afraid, wanting to hide, avoiding social situations.

• Freeze or Shutdown: feeling exhausted, disconnected, unable to care.

None of these responses are “bad.” They’re protective instincts. They’re the body’s way of saying, “This feels unsafe.”But if we don’t recognize them, we can get stuck in patterns that hurt us: living in tension, headaches, digestive issues, back pain, brain fog, fatigue, irritability, and strained relationships.

This is why noticing matters. Awareness is the first step to regulation.

Why Your Brain Keeps Replaying the News

If your mind keeps bringing up the images, headlines, or fears you’ve seen, it isn’t because something is wrong with you. It’s your brain trying to process helplessness. It wants to make sense of the fear. But when you keep exposing yourself to the same material over and over, you’re not giving your nervous system the chance to come down from the stress wave.

Instead of completing the cycle, you’re recycling it with mental loops that keep the nervous system on high alert.

Tools to Regulate When the World Feels Unsafe

Here are some gentle practices I want to invite you into this week. None of them “fix” what’s happening outside, but they help bring your nervous system back into safety inside your own body:

1. Notice Your Body First. Put down the phone. Close your eyes. Where do you feel tension. In your chest, stomach, back, jaw? Name it without judgment. “I feel a knot in my stomach.” This simple awareness interrupts the stress loop.

2. Complete the Stress Cycle. Movement is one of the most powerful ways to release stuck survival energy. Go for a walk, dance in your kitchen, shake out your arms, or stretch. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just let your body move until you don't feel the buzz of it.

3. Create a Wave, Then Let It Come Down. Instead of constantly checking the news, give yourself a window to read, process, and then step away. Allow the stress wave to crest and come back down. When you are constantly checking, you're telling your brain to keep the stress cycle active. I often tell my clients to choose one time of the day to check the news, and keep it off the rest of the time.

4. Find Beauty. Nature, music, art, your kids’ laughter, buy yourself flowers. Trust me, these aren’t frivolous. They’re essential. They remind your nervous system that safety and joy exist alongside fear.

5. Practice Co-Regulation. If your kids, partner, or friends are feeling afraid, notice your own state first. Take a breath before responding. Step away for a few minutes when you need to. When you regulate yourself first, you offer them safety too.

Compassion Over Reactivity

When you see others reacting, whether they're fighting, shutting down, or lashing out, remember that it all comes from the same root: fear and overwhelm. Instead of being pulled into their dysregulation, ask: Can I meet them with compassion? Can I see their fear without adding to it?

We may not be able to control politics or global events. But we can notice. We can create micro-moments of safety. We can choose presence over panic. And in doing so, we protect not just ourselves, but our precious health and the people we love most.

So if you’re feeling like, “I don’t feel safe in my home country anymore,” know this: you’re not broken. Your body is responding exactly as it should to uncertainty. And with small daily practices, you can find steadiness again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does politics make me feel unsafe?

When you see conflict, injustice, or violence in the news, your nervous system interprets it as a potential threat, even if it isn’t happening right in front of you. This is part of your survival wiring. Your body reacts with fight, flight, or freeze, creating symptoms like muscle tension, irritability, or digestive upset.

What are the physical symptoms of political stress?

Political stress doesn’t just live in your mind. It can show up as:

• Headaches or migraines

• Tightness in the chest or stomach

• Muscle tension or pain in the neck, back, or shoulders

• Brain fog and fatigue

• Digestive issues

• Sleep disturbances

• Anxiety or depression
• Click here for the full list of mind-body syndromes

How can I calm my nervous system when I don’t feel safe in my home country anymore?

• Limit exposure: Choose set times to check the news instead of scrolling endlessly.

• Ground in the body: Try breathwork, somatic tracking, or mindful movement.

• Get outside: Nature helps reset the nervous system and reduce inflammation.

• Connect with others: Safe, supportive relationships regulate your nervous system.

• Create daily rituals of peace: Small things such as gentle walks, tea, journaling, and stretching help signal safety to your body.

Can emotional stress really affect my health?

Yes. Chronic stress raises inflammation, disrupts hormones, impacts digestion, and increases pain sensitivity. Over time, it can contribute to weight changes, fatigue, and even chronic illness. Supporting your nervous system is one of the most powerful ways to support your overall health.