A practical guide to understanding and protecting your wellbeing during difficult times
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or exhausted by the news lately, you’re not alone. When we see anti-trans laws passing, DEI programs being eliminated, ICE raids happening in our communities, or “religious freedom” bills being used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people, these events hit differently for those of us in marginalized communities. They’re not just political news—they feel personal because they are personal.
This guide will help you understand why current events affect your mental health so deeply and give you practical tools to take care of yourself while staying engaged with the world around you.
Why Current Events Feel So Personal
It’s Not Just “Politics”—It’s Your Life
When you see headlines about laws that could affect your rights, your safety, or your ability to get basic services, your brain treats this as a real threat. That’s because it is. Your nervous system doesn’t distinguish between a physical danger and a social or political one—it just knows something that matters to you is under attack.
Your Family’s History Matters
If your family or community has faced discrimination before, current events can bring up those old wounds. This isn’t being “too sensitive”—it’s your mind and body remembering that threats to your community have been real in the past.
The Stress Builds Up
Living with the constant possibility of discrimination or having your rights taken away creates ongoing stress. Even when nothing bad is actively happening to you personally, the threat of it can wear you down over time.
How Your Body and Mind Respond
Understanding these reactions can help you be gentler with yourself:
Your Body’s Alarm System
When you see threatening news, your body might:
- Have trouble sleeping or sleep too much
- Feel your heart racing or have headaches
- Feel sick to your stomach or lose your appetite
- Feel tense or shaky
- Want to drink or use substances more than usual
Your Emotions
You might experience:
- Anxiety: Worrying about what might happen next
- Anger: Feeling furious about injustice
- Sadness: Grieving losses or potential losses
- Numbness: Feeling disconnected or like you can’t feel anything
- Fear: Worrying about your safety or your loved ones’ safety
Your Thoughts
Your mind might:
- Race with worst-case scenarios
- Have trouble concentrating on work or school
- Feel like nothing you do matters
- Keep going over the same worries
- Have trouble remembering that good things still exist
All of these responses are normal. They show that you care about yourself and your community.
Practical Ways to Take Care of Yourself
Manage Your News Diet
You don’t have to stay informed 24/7 to be a good person or advocate:
- Set specific times for checking news (maybe 20 minutes in the morning)
- Choose one or two reliable sources instead of scrolling through everything
- Take news breaks on weekends or when you’re feeling overwhelmed
- Unfollow accounts that make you feel worse without helping you understand what’s happening
Focus on What You Can Control
Make two lists:
Things I can control:
- How I treat people in my daily life
- Voting and encouraging others to vote
- Supporting businesses owned by people in my community
- Taking care of my mental health
- Learning skills that help me and my community
- Having conversations with people who might listen
- Voicing my concerns to my political representatives
Things I can’t control:
- What politicians say or do
- How fast change happens
- Other people’s opinions
- The news cycle
Put your energy into the first list.
Take Care of Your Body
When your mind is overwhelmed, helping your body can provide relief:
Simple breathing: Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, breathe out for 4. Repeat until you feel calmer.
Move your body: Even 5 minutes of walking, stretching, or dancing can help release stress.
Ground yourself: Notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Repeat as many times as you need to feel more grounded; it takes time to slow your nervous system.
Rest when you can: Stress is exhausting. It’s okay to rest.
Connect with Your People
Isolation makes everything harder. Reach out to people who:
- Understand what you’re going through
- Can offer practical help if you need it
- Remind you of your strength
- Make you feel less alone
- Can connect you with resources
This might mean calling a friend, joining a support group, or connecting with local organizations.
Take Action That Feels Good
Feeling helpless makes anxiety worse. Taking action—even small actions—can help you feel more in control:
- Volunteer with organizations you care about
- Attend community meetings or events
- Support local businesses owned by people in your community
- Share helpful information with friends
- Help neighbors or community members
- Learn new skills that could help your community
Make Space for Joy
This isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about remembering that your life has value beyond just surviving crisis:
- Spend time with people who make you laugh
- Do activities that bring you pleasure
- Celebrate your culture and community
- Mark important moments in your life
- Create art, music, or other forms of expression
When to Get Professional Help
Consider reaching out to a therapist or counselor if:
- You can’t sleep or eat normally for more than two weeks
- You’re having trouble doing your job, schoolwork, or taking care of daily tasks
- You’re using alcohol or drugs more than usual to cope
- You’re having thoughts of hurting yourself
- You feel disconnected from everything and everyone
- You’re having panic attacks or feel like you can’t breathe
- You’re avoiding necessary services because you’re afraid of discrimination
A good therapist who understands oppression and discrimination can help you develop personalized ways to cope and work through difficult feelings.
Building Community Strength
Your individual wellbeing is connected to your community’s wellbeing. When you take care of yourself, you’re better able to show up for others. When you show up for others, you help create the kind of community that supports everyone’s mental health.
Ways Communities Stay Strong:
- Sharing resources: Helping each other with food, housing, rides, childcare
- Sharing information: Keeping each other informed about important news and resources
- Creating safe spaces: Places where people can be themselves without fear
- Celebrating together: Marking achievements, holidays, and important moments
- Learning together: Sharing skills and knowledge
- Taking action together: Working for change as a group rather than alone
Remember: You’re Not Alone
The news can make it feel like the whole world is against you, but that’s not the complete picture. In every community, people are:
- Organizing for justice
- Creating safe spaces for marginalized people
- Providing services and support
- Standing up against discrimination
- Building the kind of world where everyone can thrive
You’re part of that story too. Your presence, your care for others, and your commitment to your own wellbeing all contribute to positive change.
Your Mental Health Matters Because:
- You deserve to feel safe and supported
- Your community needs you to be as healthy and strong as possible
- Taking care of yourself is an act of resistance against systems that want to harm you
- Your well-being contributes to everyone’s well-being
What You Can Do Right Now
If you’re feeling overwhelmed after reading the news:
- Take three deep breaths
- Notice where you are and that you’re safe in this moment
- Think of one person who cares about you
- Do one small thing that feels good (drink water, pet an animal, listen to a song you like)
- Remember that your feelings are valid and you don’t have to fix everything today