Feeling frustrated and helpless in the face of the chaos surrounding tariffs and politics in general these days? Well, there’s a valid reason for that, and you’re not alone.
Between Canada’s current political situation and U.S. President Donald Trump boasting about his “swift and unrelenting action” since taking office, his on-again-off-again tariff war targeting Canada and his threats to make this country the “51st state,” it’s enough to make anyone feel like they’ve aged a decade in the last few months.
CBC News has heard from plenty of people sharing the anxiety, dread and fears they feel about the tariff war, Trump’s policies and what seems like an unending onslaught of bad news.
“I get completely obsessed with the news and my anxiety goes through the roof,” said Saskatoon resident Tracey Collins, 58.
Collins says she wants to stay informed, but finds the news so upsetting that she has to be careful not to become consumed by it. Lately, given the amount of change and uncertainty, Collins says she’s needed extra medication for anxiety.
“My biggest fear is we are heading toward a dictatorship if Trump remains in power,” she said.
In Fort Erie, Ont., directly across the border from Buffalo, N.Y., dual citizen Maria Lirio said she feels torn ‘between the two countries that I love,’ as Canada and the U.S. are embroiled in a trade war.
In Fort Erie, Ont., directly across the border from Buffalo, N.Y., dual citizen Maria Lirio said she feels torn. When she shops in New York, for instance, she says Americans who notice her Canadian licence plates apologize to her on behalf of the country. And in Canada, she says, everyone is just angry.
“I’m torn between the two countries that I love,” Lirio told CBC News Network.
“I belong here and I belong there. Please, Mr. Prime Minister and Mr. President, work it out. We’re neighbours. We love each other.”
Politics and chronic stress
Recent studies have found that exposure to political stress is linked with poorer physical and emotional health, and that most therapists report that their patients discuss politics in their sessions. Other studies have found that, after the 2020 presidential election, people reported election-related post-traumatic stress.
Just last fall, the American Psychological Association (APA) warned that election stress can harm your health. In the U.S., 77 per cent of adults in the APA’s Stress in America report cited the future of their nation as a significant source of stress.
“In general, we know that chronic stress harms psychological well-being and physical well-being. It takes a toll on our bodies,” Brett Ford, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who studies the link between emotions and political engagement, said in the APA’s news release.
“There’s a strong case to be made that for many people, politics is a form of chronic stress.”
Another study of U.S. psychotherapists conducted during Trump’s first presidency found that they reported their patients who weren’t Trump supporters experienced decreases in positive emotions after the 2016 election. The opposite phenomenon was found for patients who did support Trump.
‘Constant threat’ can cause people to tune out
So, while political anxiety isn’t new, it’s arguably been more intense lately given Trump’s “shock and awe” strategy since taking office. As analysts have noted, Trump hit the ground running in January to impose his contentious agenda. A recent story by U.S. news firm Axios notes that this strategy of “drama and unpredictability” is testing people’s response to chaos.
“Our cognitive and emotional systems are not prepared for the constant inflow of information, which means at any given moment we can know every terrible and complex thing happening in the world,” explained Amanda Friesen, an associate professor of political science at Western University, in a recent Q&A on the university’s website.
“We are not prepared to encounter constant threat. The more people tune into these possible threats the more their mental and emotional health can deteriorate.”
Annette Buchholz, who lives in Vulcan, Alta., says she worries every day about the state of affairs in Canada and abroad “because of Trump and his brutal decisions.”
His treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and freezing support for Ukraine, for instance, was “an embarrassment and deplorable,” said Buchholz, 76.
“My parents went through the same with a tyrant named Hitler. I see the past repeating itself and feel helpless to stop it,” she said. “Additionally, we as Canadians have not just these tariffs to concern ourselves with, but also the possibility of becoming part of the U.S., a nightmare in itself.”
Jan Miles, 61, of Stratford, Ont., has suffered from treatment-resistant anxiety and depression for decades and says watching the day-to-day tariff fight has made things worse, but she finds it difficult to turn away.
“Unfortunately, it’s as if a train wreck is happening right before my eyes,” she said. “As much as I am appalled, I can’t stop watching, despite the gore.”
The news is coming at us hard and fast these days. But is all this information helping us stay informed—or is it just overwhelming? Amanda Friesen, the Canada Research Chair in Political Psychology and an associate professor at Western University joined London Morning host Andrew Brown to discuss how to manage our information consumption.
Balancing staying informed and information overload
Western University’s Friesen, who is also the Canada Research Chair in Political Psychology, recently told CBC’s London Morning that it’s understandable that people would feel so much anxiety these days. She admits that she’s “pretty stressed, too,” even though she’s a political scientist who studies political psychology and the tools and strategies to manage political stress.
People who feel overwhelmed can try to limit their exposure to the 24/7 news cycle, Friesen said. For instance, she suggests subscribing to a few once-daily newsletters from trusted news sources, as opposed to constantly consuming news.
She knows it can be difficult to balance staying informed with avoiding information overload — and as a political scientist, she wants people to pay attention — but she says that doesn’t mean we have to monitor the news constantly.
“Maybe it’s interesting to you, but then you need to separate that. ‘Am I interested in this, or is this just going to further stress me out?’ “
Janet James, 67, of Elie, Man., says she’s nervous and edgy, and often feels like she’s experiencing the end of the world. And limiting her exposure to the news hasn’t exactly helped.
“In a word, my mental health is shattered. I’m worried all the time. I’m scared and depressed,” James said.
“I have limited my looking at the news to twice a day. Once in the morning — to spoil my day — and once at night, so that I can’t sleep.”
