In today’s nonstop news cycle, constant notifications, and increasingly polarized political climate, many people across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida are experiencing a persistent sense of fear, tension, and emotional overload. For some, this stress has developed into what clinicians often describe as political anxiety. While political anxiety is not a formal diagnosis, the emotional and physiological responses people experience are real and valid. If political stress is affecting your sleep, focus, relationships, or sense of safety, you deserve support.

If you’ve ever left a family dinner feeling shaky, furious, or emotionally hungover after “just one comment” about politics, you’re not imagining it. Political conversations can activate our nervous systems in a way that feels intensely personal, especially when the people across the table are our parents.

Many women today are carrying a deep emotional heaviness that feels hard to name. It shows up as tension in your chest, worry that lingers even when the day is quiet, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and a sense of being mentally on edge. You feel overwhelmed by the news, exhausted from constant crises, and unsure how to stay grounded while the world feels unpredictable.

If you are a high-achieving woman, you know how to perform. You know how to show up with a polished exterior, even on days when your inner world feels chaotic. You know how to meet deadlines, exceed expectations, support everyone around you, and still push yourself to do more.

If you have noticed that your anxiety spikes every time you check the news, you are not alone. Many high-achieving women describe a unique kind of tension that rises in their chest when they see the latest headline. Even when you try to limit your screen time or tell yourself not to look, something pulls you back in. You feel unsettled, overwhelmed, and unable to stop thinking about what is happening in the world.

There is a particular kind of overwhelm that many high-achieving women experience. It is not the standard stress that comes from a busy season or a long week. It is a full body, full mind intensity that makes even small tasks feel unbearable. Lights feel too bright. Noise feels too loud. Conversations feel draining. Your mind feels scattered and overloaded. You feel irritated or anxious for reasons you cannot articulate.

If you are a high-achieving woman, you probably know this feeling well. You finally sit down to rest at the end of the day, but instead of relaxing, your mind starts racing. There is a mental checklist. A tightening in your chest. A sense that you should be doing something more productive. Rest begins to feel uncomfortable, almost like you are doing something wrong.

Many women today describe a familiar kind of exhaustion. It is not the exhaustion that comes from a busy week or a demanding schedule. It is deeper, heavier, and harder to name. It is the exhaustion that builds when your nervous system has been running on high alert for too long because of the constant stream of political unrest, global crises, and overwhelming headlines.