Managing Anxiety During Periods of Political and Economic Uncertainty

As Canadians approach the upcoming federal election and continue to grapple with socio-economic uncertainty – including growing concern over inflation, cost of living, and speculation around a potential recession – many individuals are experiencing elevated anxiety. 

Research consistently shows that instability in the political or economic landscape is associated with increased emotional distress, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) across different populations [1, 2, 3]. 

Within the workplace, this kind of stress can fuel polarization, reduce team cohesion, and impair overall functioning. Political anxiety, regardless of one’s stance, has been associated with decreased focus, productivity, and resilience, along with higher rates of burnout, absenteeism, and interpersonal conflict [3, 4].

If you are experiencing any of these emotions or behaviours, just know that they are entirely normal and valid. It’s important to remember that feeling anxious during uncertain times is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of being human! However, there are effective, evidence-based strategies that can help you manage this anxiety and maintain a sense of stability and control.

Understanding Why Uncertainty Feels So Difficult

Humans are wired to seek predictability and control. When the future feels ambiguous – whether due to politics, finances, or global events – it can feel like the ground beneath us is shifting.

When humans experience heightened levels of uncertainty it can create anxiety - this is usually due to difficulties tolerating uncertainty, which can result in a sense of powerlessness, the belief that unexpected events are likely to be negative, and that an unpredictable future is inherently unfair. This in turn can further amplify anxiety, heighten emotional distress and burnout, decrease leadership and engagement at work, and more [5,6].

So, how can we begin to regain a sense of calm, clarity, and control during these turbulent times? Below are several strategies grounded in clinical psychology to help navigate anxiety during uncertain political and economic periods.

Strategies to Navigate Uncertainty and Manage Anxiety

1. Build Uncertainty Tolerance

Some individuals are more sensitive to uncertainty than others [1], but the good news is that tolerance of uncertainty is a skill, not a fixed trait, that can be practiced and strengthened overtime. 

• Reality-check your assumptions: Ask yourself, “What do I know for sure right now?” and “Am I reacting to facts or to assumptions?” This can help ground your thoughts in reality rather than spirals of uncertainty [7].

• Accept discomfort: Rather than rushing to eliminate the discomfort of not knowing, practice sitting with it. Emotional discomfort is a natural response to change and not a signal that something is wrong or that you're failing to cope. In fact, research suggests that deliberately eliciting uncertainty during therapeutic exposure (especially in cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT) may help individuals learn that uncertainty does not always predict negative outcomes [8]. This process helps reframe uncertainty as tolerable, rather than dangerous, and can contribute to more adaptive responses to anxiety [9,10].
  

2. Reframe Your Thinking

When we feel anxious or overwhelmed, our thoughts can become biased, unproductive, and/or inaccurate. We may mistake worry for problem-solving or become caught in mental loops or assumptions that amplify distress. 

• Separate problem-solving from worrying:  Worry is a chain of negative, emotionally charged thoughts that feel hard to control. It often starts as an attempt to problem-solve but instead of leading to action, it tends to spiral into repetitive thinking about uncertain or feared outcomes [11]. True problem-solving is focused, practical, and aimed at finding solutions — it has an ‘end-point’. Worrying, on the other hand, usually does not have an end-point or solution, and is usually a loop.

• Identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts: Not all thoughts are facts! When a difficult thought arises, pause and ask yourself, “Is this thought helpful or accurate based on the evidence I have?” or “Is there a more balanced way to interpret this situation?” Reframing distorted, biased, or extreme thoughts can reduce anxiety and increase psychological flexibility [7].

• Shift your internal narrative: Our internal dialogue matters. Instead of thinking, “I can’t handle this uncertainty,” try, “This is hard, but I’ve gotten through hard things before.” 
  

3. Stay Informed… But Set Limits

Being informed is important, especially during election cycles. But overexposure to news (especially negative headlines or social media commentary) can heighten anxiety, uncertainty, and powerlessness [1, 2]. 

• Limit media consumption: Limiting media exposure and setting consumption windows (e.g.,  30 minutes in the morning, none before bed) during times of crises is associated with reduced stress and improved emotional well-being [12, 13].

• Use trustworthy sources: Avoid clickbait and emotionally charged platforms.

• Steer clear of doom-scrolling: Choose intentional, value-driven content, and be aware that doom-scrolling can heighten depression as well as PTSD [14].
  

4. Find Ways to Regain a Sense of Control

Instead of focusing on what you can not control, redirect your attention toward the items or actions that are within your power. 

• Name what’s controllable: Make a list of things you can influence today — your schedule, screen time, when you exercise, who you connect with, etc.

• Take committed action: Small, values-driven actions, such as volunteering or voting, can restore a sense of purpose and agency, even in turbulent times [3].

• Use structured routines: Establishing small, consistent habits, such as regular meals, movement, or sleep patterns, can create predictability and a sense of personal control in an environment that feels unpredictable.
  
  

If your anxiety becomes overwhelming or interferes with your functioning, it’s important to reach out. Support from a therapist, counselor, or physician can make a meaningful difference. 

At WellIntel, we are committed to delivering expert-led wellness education and assessments that empower individuals and organizations to thrive – including during times of change. For tools on managing workplace wellness, explore our range of services and educational talk packages. Or, get in touch to explore how our science-backed wellness solutions can support your team’s mental health and resilience.

Written by:
The WellIntel Executive Team

References:

[1] El Khoury-Malhame, M., Bou Malhab, S., Chaaya, R., Sfeir, M., & El Khoury, S. (2024). Coping during socio-political uncertainty. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1267603. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1267603

[2] Lau, J. T. F., Kim, Y., Wu, A. M. S., Wang, Z., Huang, B., & Mo, P. K. H. (2017). The Occupy Central (Umbrella) movement and mental health distress in the Hong Kong general public: political movements and concerns as potential structural risk factors of population mental health. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 52(5), 525–536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-017-1340-x

[3] Mojica, M. G., Sjoberg-Varney, T. L., Rodriguez-Fernandez, R., Renshaw, A., Ebringer, A., & Kalia, N. (2024). It Is Time for Employers to Recognize and Address Political Anxiety in the Workplace. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 66(8), e379–e381. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000003156

[4] American Psychological Association. Political talk plagues workers months after U.S. election. 2017. Available at: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2027/05/political-talk. Accessed April 14, 2025.

[5] Bakioğlu, F., Korkmaz, O., & Ercan, H. (2021). Fear of COVID-19 and Positivity: Mediating Role of Intolerance of Uncertainty, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. International journal of mental health and addiction, 19(6), 2369–2382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00331-y

[6] Satici, B., Saricali, M., Satici, S. A., & Griffiths, M. D. (2022). Intolerance of Uncertainty and Mental Wellbeing: Serial Mediation by Rumination and Fear of COVID-19. International journal of mental health and addiction, 20(5), 2731–2742. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00305-0

[7] Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

[8] Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014). Maximizing exposure therapy: An inhibitory learning approach. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 58, 10–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.04.006

[9] Carleton, R. N. (2016). Fear of the unknown: One fear to rule them all? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 41, 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.03.011

[10] Shihata, S., McEvoy, P. M., Mullan, B. A., & Carleton, R. N. (2016). Intolerance of uncertainty in emotional disorders: What uncertainties remain? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 41, 115–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.05.001.

[11] Borkovec, T. D., Robinson, E., Pruzinsky, T., & DePree, J. A. (1983). Preliminary exploration of worry: Some characteristics and processes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 21(1), 9–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(83)90121-3

[12] Garfin, D. R., Silver, R. C., & Holman, E. A. (2020). The novel coronavirus (COVID-2019) outbreak: Amplification of public health consequences by media exposure. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 39(5), 355–357. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000875

[13] Holman, E. A., Garfin, D. R., & Silver, R. C. (2014). Media's role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316265110 

[14] Price, M., Legrand, A. C., Brier, Z. M. F., van Stolk-Cooke, K., Peck, K., Dodds, P. S., Danforth, C. M., & Adams, Z. W. (2022). Doomscrolling during COVID-19: The negative association between daily social and traditional media consumption and mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy, 14(8), 1338–1346. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001202