Bright blue sky with Canadian and U.S. flags waving in the wind—a reflection of the deep cross-border ties and growing unease among Canadians.

You lie in bed, scrolling through headlines: war, political unrest, tariffs, snap elections, climate disasters, another crisis, another breaking news alert. You tell yourself you’ll stop after this article—then maybe after that video—but you don’t. Your chest is tight. Your thoughts are racing.

You feel like you should stay informed. You believe it’s important to know what’s going on in the world.

But part of you is also just... afraid to look.

And for Canadians, that fear feels heavier than ever.

The mood across the country has shifted. On Google, searches for “World War 3” are surging. People are talking about the idea of the U.S. annexing Canada as the 51st state—and it’s terrifying. We don’t want to be Americans.

Smiling Canadian man posing in front of the Toronto skyline with CN Tower in background—reminding us that moments of peace are still possible, even in uncertain times.

We’ve been watching the USA spiral politically and socially for several years—like a train wreck in slow motion. But now, it doesn’t feel distant anymore. Now it feels like that runaway train is barreling toward us. And we don’t know what’s going to happen next.

And it’s not just global tension causing the anxiety. For those of us in Ontario, we’ve just had a snap provincial election. Now we’re facing a snap federal election, and suddenly we have a new Prime Minister we’re expected to trust in a time of global chaos.

The world already feels like it’s falling apart—and now, at home, everything feels uncertain too. It’s a lot of change, all at once. And it’s scary.

Maybe you’re not sleeping. Maybe you feel tense all the time or find yourself zoning out mid-conversation. Maybe you’re obsessively checking the news, snapping at your partner, or lying awake at night replaying the day’s headlines, worrying about what will happen next.

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not broken—and you’re not alone. Something real is happening here.

Father and son holding a sign that says “Make America Think Again” in the middle of a city street—capturing concern for Canada's future and a desire for meaningful change.

What Canadians Are Feeling Right Now

It’s not just you. Across the country, people are carrying a deep, growing unease.

The fear so many are experiencing isn’t just about what’s happening in the U.S., or what’s happening overseas. It’s about what it could mean for us—right here in Canada. For our safety, our identity, our future.

People are asking real, gut-level questions: Will Canada be safe? Will we be dragged into conflicts we don’t support? Will our country still feel like home? Will our values be protected? And what kind of world are we leaving for our kids?

Even when we know that media can fuel panic, that social media can blow things out of proportion, it doesn’t stop our nervous systems from reacting.

When your body senses a threat—whether it’s clear or vague, real or imagined—it reacts. That’s biology. And when that stress builds day after day, it becomes more than just worry. IT BECOMES A STATE OF SURVIVAL.

This isn’t about being reactionary or paranoid.

It’s about being human in a moment that feels unsteady, uncertain, and constantly on edge.

It’s about trying to stay informed without losing your grip on your own peace of mind.

View from Windsor of the Ambassador Bridge sign, set against a moody, cloud-filled sky—capturing the tension and uncertainty many Canadians are feeling right now.

Why Border Communities Like Windsor, Sarnia & Niagara Are Feeling It the Hardest

To our friends living along the border—we see you.

For people in border communities like Windsor, Sarnia, and the Niagara Region, this moment feels especially personal. These are places where crossing the border hasn’t been a big deal—it’s been part of everyday life. A quick trip for groceries, gas, dinner, or a shopping trip with friends.

That’s why this moment is hitting so hard. Because when the world feels shaky, and the places we’ve always trusted start to feel uncertain, it’s not just stressful—it’s disorienting.

For decades, people in these border communities have crossed into the U.S. to go shopping, attend concerts, grab dinner, visit family, or commute to work. Some met their life partners across the river. Some have jobs on one side of the border and a home on the other. Many have lived their whole lives viewing Americans not just as people in a neighbouring country—but as their friends, family, and colleagues.

But now? With talk of World War 3, threats of Canada becoming the 51st state, and rising political instability, the fear is hitting closer to home. These communities are feeling it the hardest.

There’s a sense of grief, betrayal, and disorientation. People are wondering:

Are we still safe living this close to the border?
Will we still be able to cross the border if things escalate?
What will happen with cross-border families and commuters?
Do Americans still see us as neighbours and friends—or something else now?

This fear is personal. It’s not just about politics—it’s about belonging, identity, and safety.

And for those who have spent a lifetime living in harmony with the other side of the river, it cuts deep.

It Isn’t Just You—This Unsafe Feeling Has a Name

Wherever you live in Canada, chances are you’re feeling it.

Whether you’ve been glued to the news or trying to block it all out, that low hum of dread still finds its way in. The irritability. The sense that your brain can’t rest. The way you cringe at one more notification, one more headline, one more “what now?”

Maybe you’ve been blaming yourself for being too sensitive. Or maybe you’ve brushed it off as stress and tried to keep going like nothing’s wrong. But there’s a reason it all feels heavier than usual.

There’s actually a name for what you’re feeling. And once you understand it, you’ll see that it makes a lot more sense than you think.

An anxious-looking woman sits on the ground with her knees pulled to her chest—capturing the emotional weight many Canadians are carrying in uncertain times.

What Is Geopolitical Anxiety?

Geopolitical anxiety is the emotional and psychological stress we experience in response to global instability—things like war, political division, climate change, economic uncertainty, humanitarian crises, and more.

It can feel like a low-grade hum of dread, always in the background, or a full-blown sense of panic about the state of the world.

Either way, it's exhausting.

And it's not just "in your head."

This kind of stress can activate your nervous system in ways similar to experiencing trauma. Even if you’re not personally in harm’s way, your brain doesn’t always know the difference between witnessing a threat and experiencing one—especially when the exposure is chronic, like it is for most of us who are plugged into social media and 24-hour news cycles.

Common Signs of Geopolitical Anxiety

If you’ve been experiencing geopolitical anxiety, here are some common signs you might notice:

Trouble sleeping or relaxing
Feeling constantly on edge or hyperaware
Difficulty focusing or feeling present
Doomscrolling (compulsively checking the news even though it makes you feel worse)
Guilt or shame for not doing more
Emotional numbness or burnout
A sense of hopelessness or helplessness

Take a moment to check in with yourself: How many of these signs have you experienced over the last few months? And how about over the last week?

It’s important to get a sense of whether your experience of geopolitical anxiety has stayed the same, gotten better—or been slowly getting worse.

Are the sleepless nights happening more often?
Are you checking the news more compulsively than you used to?
Are the moments of calm fewer and farther between?

It’s completely normal to feel shaken by what’s happening in the world. But when that anxiety becomes part of your daily life, it can quietly erode your sense of safety, hope, and well-being.

A man wearing a “Love Your Neighbour” baseball cap looks down thoughtfully, with a border bridge blurred in the background—reflecting the sadness and uncertainty many Canadians feel about cross-border tensions.

When the Weight of the World Becomes Too Much

Geopolitical anxiety doesn’t just live in your mind—it settles into your body, your mood, your routines, your relationships.

You might find yourself more irritable with your partner, zoning out at work, or doomscrolling late into the night even though it only makes you feel worse.

You believe it’s important—and responsible—to stay informed. You want to care, to be aware, to not look away. But instead of feeling empowered, you just feel... exhausted.

It’s a strange and painful experience: feeling overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, and yet also feeling guilty for struggling—especially when others might have it worse.

But that doesn’t make your pain any less real—or any less worthy of care.

Here’s the truth: You can care deeply about the world and care for yourself at the same time. In fact, you have to. Because when your nervous system is in survival mode 24/7, you lose access to the very parts of you that help you respond with clarity, purpose, and compassion.

The good news? There are ways to shift out of that survival state—without disconnecting completely or pretending everything is fine.

So Where Do You Start?

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But there are small, intentional changes you can make to feel more grounded in uncertain times. These aren’t about fixing the world overnight—they’re about reconnecting with yourself and finding calm in the midst of it all.

How to Cope with Geopolitical Anxiety (Without Tuning Out Completely)

When the world feels overwhelming, it’s easy to shut down—or to stay so plugged in that you lose your sense of stability. But between those extremes, there’s another path: one where you stay present and engaged, without being consumed.

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to start feeling better. Sometimes, the smallest shifts can have the biggest impact—especially when they’re rooted in positive intention, self-compassion, and care for your nervous system.

Here are a few small but meaningful practices you can begin exploring to feel more grounded, resilient, and connected to yourself:

1. Set News Boundaries

It’s okay to stay informed—but choose how and when. Set a time limit (e.g. 15 minutes in the morning) and avoid checking the news right before bed. Turn off push notifications. Curate your social feeds so they reflect your values and don’t overload your nervous system. Follow people that inspire hope, resilience, or meaningful action—not just fear and outrage. And give yourself permission to not know everything in real time. Your nervous system isn’t meant to hold the entire world at once.

A person reaches for their phone beside a laptop—capturing the daily struggle of staying informed without becoming overwhelmed.

If you're not sure where to start, try asking yourself:

• How do I feel after I check the news? Clearer or more anxious? Informed or overwhelmed?
• When during the day do I tend to spiral into doomscrolling—and what would help me pause or reset?
• What kind of content actually supports my well-being or values—and what just spikes my stress?
• What boundaries would feel kind and protective for me right now?

These questions can help you notice your habits and create more intentional rhythms around media. Staying informed doesn’t have to mean staying flooded.

2. Focus on What’s in Your Control

The news often highlights everything that’s broken, urgent, and out of your hands. And when your attention stays there, it’s easy to feel helpless. But shifting your focus to what is within your control can be incredibly grounding—and empowering.

One of the most helpful things you can do is take a small action that reflects who you are and what matters to you. That might mean donating to a cause you care about, reaching out to a friend, creating something meaningful, or simply being kind to yourself. These are what we call values-aligned actions—choices that reflect your core beliefs, priorities, and the kind of person you want to be, even when the world feels chaotic.

To guide your focus, try asking:

What actually matters to me right now? What do I want to stand for—even in uncertain times?
What’s one thing I can influence today, no matter how small
Where is my energy going—and is it aligned with what I care about?
What would it look like to respond to the world with intention instead of reactivity?

You can’t fix everything. But you can move through the world in a way that feels meaningful, grounded, and true to who you are.

3. Tend to Your Nervous System

Your body holds on to the stress your mind consumes.

When you're constantly taking in distressing news, polarizing headlines, or worst-case-scenario predictions, your nervous system can start to react as if you're in danger—even if you're just sitting at home scrolling.

That’s because your nervous system is wired to protect you. When it senses a threat—real or imagined—it activates your stress response. You’ve probably heard of this as fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown.

Fight might look like irritability or a short fuse.
Flight can feel like restlessness or the urge to escape.
Freeze shows up as feeling stuck or unable to act.
Shutdown might feel like numbness, exhaustion, or disconnection.

Even when you’re telling yourself to stay calm, your body might still be stuck in one of these states. And that’s not a failure—it’s your nervous system trying to protect you.

The problem is, when the stress is constant, your body doesn’t get the message that it’s safe to relax again.

That’s where nervous system regulation comes in. These strategies gently signal to your body that the threat has passed, helping you shift back into a calmer, more connected state.

Woman practicing yoga in a seated stretch—symbolizing calm, nervous system regulation, and returning to peace during stressful times.

You might try:

Slow, intentional box breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4)
Grounding with the 5-4-3-2-1 technique (name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste)
Soothing touch (placing a hand on your heart or wrapping your arms around yourself like a hug)
Movement (a short walk, dancing, shaking out your limbs)
Restorative rituals (making tea, lighting a candle, journaling)

If you're not sure where to begin, ask yourself:

How does my body feel right now? Tense? Numb? On edge? Heavy?
When was the last time I felt physically safe or settled—and what helped me get there?
What helps me feel more like me when everything feels overwhelming?
What’s one small thing I can do to support my body today?

These aren’t indulgences. They’re essential maintenance for your nervous system—little rituals of care that can help you stay grounded when the world feels anything but.

4. Connect with Others

Geopolitical anxiety thrives in isolation. When you’re stuck in your own head, it’s easy for fear and uncertainty to take over. Without an outlet, even small worries can start to feel enormous—and the longer you sit with them alone, the heavier they get.

A diverse group of friends walking and laughing downtown—capturing the power of connection and community in uncertain times.

Human beings are wired for connection. Talking to someone who gets it—whether that’s a close friend, a family member, a support group, community you trust, or a therapist—can help you feel less alone and more grounded.

And it’s not about finding someone to fix things. It’s about finding someone who can hold space for what you’re feeling without trying to minimize or solve it.

You don’t need advice, debate, or forced positivity. Sometimes the most healing thing is to be able to say, “This is hard,” and hear, “Yeah. It really is.”

Try asking yourself:

Who in my life feels safe to talk to—someone who really listens without jumping in to fix?
When I’ve opened up in the past, what kind of connection or response has actually helped me feel better?
Is there a space—online or in-person—where people are talking openly about how this moment is affecting them?
What helps me feel less alone when the world feels heavy?

Even just reaching out to say, “Hey, are you feeling this too?” can open the door to a meaningful conversation.

You don’t have to have the perfect words. You just have to reach out.

5. Reconnect to What Brings You Peace

In a world that constantly demands your attention, your outrage, your productivity—it can feel almost rebellious to choose rest, beauty, or joy. But those things aren’t selfish. They aren’t distractions from the work of being human. They are part of the work.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world, it’s easy to forget that it’s still okay to feel delight, to soften, to rest. In fact, those are often the things that make it possible to keep showing up. Reconnecting to what brings you peace doesn’t mean you’re ignoring what’s happening—it means you’re nurturing the part of you that needs to survive it.

Make space for what nourishes you. That could be:

Books that make you feel happy, hopeful, or inspired
Music that lifts your mood or gets your body moving
Time in nature, even just a few quiet minutes outside
Creative expression—writing, painting, making something with your hands
Play, laughter, and moments of lightness
Spiritual practices or rituals that remind you of something deeper
Stillness, silence, or simply doing nothing for a while

A South Asian woman reads quietly, looking peaceful and content—symbolizing the grounding power of rest and reconnection during anxious times.

If you’re not sure where to start, try asking yourself:

When was the last time I felt truly peaceful—even just for a moment? What helped me feel that way?
What activities or spaces make me feel like myself again?
What did I used to love that I’ve drifted away from? Is there a gentle way to return to it?
What brings me comfort that has nothing to do with fixing or achieving anything?
What kind of peace am I craving right now—quiet, connection, creativity, rest?

You don’t need to earn rest by fixing the world first. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO FEEL JOY, EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE HARD. Especially when things are hard.

You Don’t Have to Face This Alone

We’ve shared some helpful tools you can start using right away—strategies to calm your nervous system, set boundaries, and reconnect with your sense of control. And we truly hope they help.

But the truth is, for many people, practicing tools on their own won’t be enough. And that’s okay—because you don’t have to do this alone.

Wooden hand sculpture supporting a leaning tree—symbolizing how therapy and connection can help hold us up when the weight of the world feels too heavy.

Sometimes what you really need is a safe place to talk about what you’re feeling—to name the fear, unpack the uncertainty, and feel like someone truly gets what you’re going through.

That’s where therapy comes in. A therapist won’t just offer coping strategies—they’ll walk alongside you as you process the overwhelm, reconnect with your values, and start to feel more steady again.

You don’t have to disconnect from the world to take care of your mental health. You just need tools, boundaries, and support that help you stay connected to yourself while engaging with the world in a more sustainable way.

If geopolitical anxiety has been wearing you down, know this: what you’re feeling makes sense. And you don’t have to face it alone.

At Fresh Solutions Therapy, we offer online therapy for adults across Ontario. Our approach blends compassion, creativity, and real tools to help you feel more calm and grounded and restore your hope—no matter what’s going on in the world around you.

Three hopeful signs—“Don’t Give Up,” “You Are Not Alone,” and “You Matter”—attached to a fence, symbolizing support and compassion for those struggling with geopolitical anxiety and uncertainty.

Ready to Talk?

You can’t control the world—but you can change how you move through it.

We’re currently accepting new clients and would love to support you.

Don’t put off feeling better—reach out today to book a free 15-minute consultation.