Political events rarely stay confined to government buildings or campaign stages. They spill into group chats, family dinners, workplaces, and the quiet moments when you’re scrolling before bed. Political events can have a real and lasting psychological impact. Understanding how and why that happens is an important step toward protecting your mental health.

When you think of trauma, you might picture a catastrophic event. However, a deeply distressing or damaging experience within a close relationship, like repeated emotional abuse, betrayal, or neglect, can be just as traumatic.