Finding Calm Amid Polarization and Political Violence

By now, I am guessing all of you have heard about the tragic shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk this week. Regardless of what you think about his or anyone else’s politics, no one deserves to lose their life as the result of protected free speech. Sadly, we also know this isn’t the first example of political violence that has arisen in recent years.

Increased political division has led to increased tribalism, and with this rise we see each side hurling verbal assaults at the other. While the political violence we have seen in recent months and years is a complex confluence of many issues, the increasingly divisive rhetoric in the political theater no doubt plays a part. Over the last few days I’ve heard from many that feel renewed waves of fear. They are afraid of what is happening in our politics. They are afraid that too many people are being shot for sharing their political beliefs. They are afraid.

And with all this fear, and finger-pointing, and political fighting, how do we as individuals maintain our mental well-being?

It starts with managing your news and social media consumption. In the hours after Charlie Kirk was shot, numerous camera angles appeared on social media with graphic images of his final moment. That can be a lot for anyone to see. Even if you didn’t see the images, the social media world has been talking about this tragedy for the last two days straight. It seems the only way to avoid it is to turn off the source.

Next, you can reconnect with people you trust, people that you enjoy spending time with. Human connection can be such a powerful balm against the darkness of political division and violence. When doing so, don’t be afraid to set boundaries. If politics or recent events comes up, don’t be afraid to say you don’t want to talk about that right now and then change the subject.

Another thing you can do is work to identify misinformation. Both sides of the political spectrum are guilty of pushing misinformation. That reality has only increased in recent months. Too often when there is shocking news, opinions and personal beliefs get presented and retold as facts. Sometimes this misinformation is shared intentionally to fuel other agendas, other times it is simply the result of people passing along something they believe without verifying it themselves. All this misinformation can quickly fuel fear mongering, which often raises people’s anxiety across the board.

Regardless of what you believed about Charlie Kirk, it is tragic when one loses their life simply for sharing their ideas. When tragedies like this occur, it is natural for it to fuel countless emotions, including anxiety. Taking steps to manage how and when you consume news or social media content can push back against that anxiety. And if you still have trouble finding calm amid such political polarization and violence, know that there are trusted mental health sources you can reach out to for support.