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We don’t need a psychologist to tell us that Americans have become increasingly polarized. It’s clear from toxic political insults on social media, tense holiday gatherings, and family members who’ve stopped talking to each other.

When we disagree on presidential , too many of us perceive each other as threats. We react defensively, demonize the opposition, and see the other side as not only wrong but depraved and evil. The walls of that divide us are blocking our ability to work together, damaging our democracy, and undermining our national health.

One reason for this increasing political polarization is escalating stress in the United States. The American Psychological Association reports that most Americans are suffering from moderate to high stress and that 75 percent of us have experienced at least one stress symptom in the past month. Wrestling with chronic anxiety and worried about mass shootings, , jobs, finances, health care, and our political future, now more than ever, more of us are feeling insecure and defensive (APA 2011, 2017, 2019).

Political polarization has produced its own variety of stress. Recent research shows that millions of Americans feel that politics have negatively impacted not only their relationships but their mental, emotional, and physical health (Smith, Hibbing, & Hibbing, 2019). This escalating stress has a domino effect, increasing our overall stress levels.

As Seattle psychologist Meg Van Deusen points out in her new book, in the U.S., high levels of stress compromise our ability to relate to each other, undermining our relationships, which only makes us more stressed (Van Deusen, 2019a). How does this happen? Stress puts us into survival mode, focused on our own self-preservation. Our amygdala, the alarm system in the brain, alerts the limbic system, shuts down our higher cognitive abilities, and activates the hypothalamus which regulates the release of many . Adrenaline courses through the body, raising heart rate and blood pressure. Cortisol levels increase, shutting down the immune and digestive systems. We tense our muscles, breathe more rapidly, ready to fight or run for our lives. This stress reaction leaves us ill-equipped to listen, think clearly, and deal with complex issues. Instead, we lash out defensively at people we perceive as enemies. It’s no mystery why America has become so painfully polarized.

But there are remedies. We can begin by recognizing and labeling the stress we feel. Giving words to our emotions (“worry,” “ ,” “confused”) activates the parts of the brain that deal with language and meaning, making us less emotionally reactive (Vago & Silbersweig, 2012). Then, as Van Deusen points out, we can begin practicing , which “creates a sense of well-being, a sense of , increasing our awareness of what’s going on with ourselves emotionally, so we know how to respond more proactively instead of reactively to situations” (Van Deusen, 2019b). Van Deusen helps her clients deal with stress by cultivating their own mindfulness practice and has seen impressive results. She also encourages them to reduce stress by setting boundaries around technology, spending more time relating to others, and experiencing nature (Van Deusen, 2019).

Minneapolis psychologist William Doherty helps his clients reduce stress by showing them how to practice better self-care and set realistic boundaries around political news. Like Van Deusen, he begins by helping people become more mindfully in touch with their feelings, encouraging them to consult reputable news sources to become better informed and then work for positive change through volunteering or political action (Doherty, 2017).

As co-founder of the organization Better Angels, Doherty has adapted techniques from to help people with “red” and “blue” politics learn to listen to each other and develop mutual respect and understanding. Some of these techniques involve seeing the person beyond the stereotype, active listening, speaking from personal experience, respecting different points of view, and looking for common ground (Better Angels, 2020).

It’s clear that we must do something. From polarization in Congress to our families and communities, chronic stress has compromised the health of our bodies, our relationships, and our ability to work together as citizens to solve our country’s problems. Perhaps the first thing Americans can do during this election year is to practice greater mindfulness so we can think more clearly, listen to each other, develop greater compassion for ourselves and one another, and begin healing this beautiful country we call home.

This post is for informational purposes and should not substitute for with a qualified professional.