When the World Feels Too Loud: Social Media & Global Tension are Fueling Anxiety and OCD
If you’ve found yourself feeling more anxious lately, constantly checking your phone, or getting stuck in endless “what if” spirals, you’re not alone. We’re living in a time when our brains are being asked to process more information, more quickly, and with more emotional weight than they were ever designed for. Between social media feeds, breaking news alerts, and global political tension, it’s no wonder anxiety and OCD symptoms are flaring up for so many people.
Let’s talk about why this happens and what you can do about it.
Why Social Media Feeds Anxiety and OCD
Social media platforms are built to keep us engaged. They use algorithms that show us emotionally charged content, often favoring outrage, fear, or sensational headlines.
For someone with anxiety or OCD, this can create a perfect storm:
Information Overload: Your brain is wired to scan for danger. Scrolling through post after post of stressful content keeps your nervous system on high alert.
Compulsion Triggers: Constant exposure to uncertainty or fear can trigger intrusive thoughts and then compulsions like reassurance seeking, endless researching, or compulsive posting to “feel safer.”
Comparison Cycles: Even outside of world events, comparing your life to someone else’s carefully curated highlight reel can deepen feelings of inadequacy or hyper-responsibility.
And here’s the kicker: the more you check, the more your brain learns, “checking = safety,” even though it actually increases your anxiety over time.
The Weight of Global & Political Tension
Even if you’re not directly involved in political issues or global conflicts, being constantly aware of them can take a serious toll. For people with anxiety and OCD, this often shows up as:
Moral or ethical obsessions: “Am I doing enough?” “Am I a bad person for not doing enough?”
Contamination or harm fears: Heightened by public health concerns, war, or disaster coverage.
Responsibility compulsions: Feeling an inflated sense of personal responsibility to fix or solve things that are far beyond your control.
This emotional weight can quickly become chronic stress which is like lighter fluid for anxiety disorders.
Why Your Brain Feels Hijacked
Our nervous systems weren’t built for 24/7 exposure to global crises. A generation ago, you might have watched the news once a day. Now, it lives in your pocket vibrating, pinging, and pushing your stress response into overdrive.
For OCD in particular, uncertainty is often the enemy. Global and political tension thrives on uncertainty. This leads to:
More intrusive thoughts
More “what if” spirals
More compulsive checking or reassurance seeking
More burnout
The world isn’t just loud, it’s relentless.
Breaking the Cycle: Practical Strategies
Here’s the good news: you can reclaim your mental space. Here are a few strategies that work:
1. Set Clear Boundaries with Media
Choose specific times of day to check the news.
Turn off push notifications.
Follow one or two trusted sources instead of doomscrolling endless feeds.
2. Name What’s Yours and What’s Not
Ask yourself: “Is this something I can control or just something I’m witnessing?”
Responsibility inflation is common in OCD. Gently reminding yourself what’s truly yours to act on can bring your nervous system back down.
3. Notice Compulsions Masquerading as “Staying Informed”
Information seeking can feel rational, but if you’re checking 15 times a day, it’s a compulsion. ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) helps break this loop by tolerating uncertainty without checking.
4. Ground in the Present
The world may be loud, but your body lives in the here and now. Using grounding skills like deep breathing, sensory awareness, or mindful movement can anchor you back to what’s real and immediate.
5. Seek Support That’s Actually Helpful
Not all support is equal. Sometimes friends may unintentionally feed reassurance loops. A therapist trained in OCD and anxiety treatment can help you identify and reduce these patterns so they don’t run your life.
Final Thoughts
You can’t control global crises. You can’t make the internet less noisy. But you can reclaim your brain’s bandwidth.
When we learn to tolerate uncertainty and reduce compulsions around social media and global stressors, anxiety loses its megaphone. ERP, Unified Protocol, and related therapies can help you build resilience even in an unpredictable world.
At The OCD Relief Clinic, we help clients learn to navigate uncertainty, manage anxiety, and build a life that isn’t dictated by fear. If your anxiety or OCD has felt louder lately, we’d love to support you.
Reach out today to schedule your intake appointment.