Creekside Blog
Creekside Collaborative Therapy, PLLC is a trauma-informed group private practice with an office in Greenwood Village, Colorado (telehealth services are also available). We are a multidisciplinary practice of therapists, prescribers (PMHNP’s), and interns who provide high quality mental health services to clients in the Denver metro area and beyond.
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Creekside Collaborative Therapy
6000 Greenwood Village Blvd #105,
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Coping with Political Stress and Social Media Overload - Kiana Portillo - September 24 2025
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In our current culture of high political conflict and polarization, social media has, for many,
become more of a source of stress than a distraction or escape from reality. Whether it is a
news outlet reporting another act of violence in the world or taking an arduous scroll through a
Facebook comment section, getting online can mean an immediate activation of the body’s fight
or flight response. Yet with the ever increasing technological nature of our world, staying
completely off of social media can be a challenge. Here are some quick and easy tips to
manage political stress in the age of the internet:
1.) Limit your social media exposure:
There are many ways to place limits on intake of
negative influences of social media. One simple way is to set a schedule for a
predetermined amount of time to scroll before putting the phone down. This can help to
prevent doomscrolling. Another option is to limit the content you are consuming by
curating your social media feeds to include more positive to neutral content. Some
examples of social media curation include: following positive accounts, unfollowing or
muting accounts that cause stress, placing filters for key words on your account, and/or
limiting news intake to a few, trusted and reliable sources.
2.) Prioritize self-care:
Taking a moment to engage in other activities that are calming and grounding can make a big impact when experiencing political stress and social media overload. Practicing mindfulness with breathing exercises, mediation, or journaling can
help to decrease anxiety and racing thoughts. Alternatively, engaging in offline hobbies
such as reading, crafts, music, or games can be a great way to ground yourself. Hobbies
that are physically active such as walking, playing sports, yoga, or going to the gym can
provide additional stress relief benefits in addition to grounding.
3.) Giving attention to things that you can control:
The feeling of being out of control or hopeless is an experience shared by many people when experiencing high political
stress or unrest. And rightfully so, as the state of our government has been
unpredictable and labile in recent years. However, there are still some factors in which
we do have control, and increasing our awareness can be a helpful tool for balancing out
feelings of panic. One powerful way to do so is to identify your own values and find ways
to connect with them. Whether that be taking control of the ways you navigate political
conversations, finding a community with shared beliefs, or volunteering for a cause you
care about, engagement can help to increase a sense of control in uncertainty. Things
that we can control include our own actions, our immediate environment/surroundings,
and, to a certain extent, our local community. Finding organizations, people, protests,
volunteer opportunities, etc. that align with your personal values can present multiple
great opportunities to stand up for your beliefs, make an impact, and increase focus on
your own circle of influence and control.
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