Why Do I Feel So Angry About Politics All the Time? LGBTQ Therapy NYC: Managing Rage, Anxiety, and Activist Burnout

Introduction: When the World Feels Like Too Much

When all you want to scream is “ENOUGH!” Right?

Many of us in the LGBTQ community are feeling deep anger right now. LGBTQ Therapy in NYC can help.

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo; Uploaded from Unsplash on 2/18/2025

I know this feeling intimately—the kind of political rage that sits heavy in your belly, makes your face flush, and clenches your fists before you even realize it. I’ve had some very colorful imaginary conversations in my head with people I know voted for Trump. And when the internal debate finally dies down? It’s never really over—just round one. Because beneath the rage, I feel heartbreak. I love the world. I love humanity. And I know that people are being harmed. That knowledge pisses me off all over again.

If you’re reading this, maybe you’ve been there too. Maybe it’s happening right now. The latest attack on trans rights, another attempt to erase LGBTQ+ identities from public life, the sheer cruelty and disregard for our safety—it’s relentless. And if you’re feeling consumed by it, exhausted by it, maybe even like you’re losing your ability to function because of it, you’re not alone.

The truth is, political anger isn’t just about politics. It’s about fear. It’s about trauma. And it’s about the very real need to protect ourselves and our communities from harm.

But what happens when that rage becomes overwhelming? When it starts interfering with your sleep, your relationships, your ability to be present in your own life? What happens when anger turns into activist burnout, leaving you drained and detached?

That’s what we’re here to talk about—and how LGBTQ Therapy in NYC can provide support in managing and processing this emotional burden.

Why Am I So Angry? The Neuroscience of Political Rage

Anger is a fight response. It’s your body perceiving a threat and gearing up to defend against it. This is why:

• Your amygdala (the part of your brain responsible for detecting danger) goes into overdrive.

• Your nervous system floods your body with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

• Your heart races, your muscles tense, your fists clench.

When we experience ongoing political threats—especially those that affect our fundamental rights and safety—our bodies register them as personal threats. Because they are.

For LGBTQ+ individuals, these threats often echo past trauma. Maybe you grew up in a family or religious community that rejected you. Maybe you’ve been bullied, harassed, or told your existence is wrong. When today’s news mirrors those past experiences, it can feel just as urgent and dangerous as when you were living through them firsthand.

And that’s exhausting.

When Anger Turns Into Activist Burnout

Political anger is valid. It’s protective. It fuels movements. But it can also consume you if you’re not careful.

For years, I’ve worked with trauma survivors. And in learning about trauma, I’ve also learned about vicarious trauma—when therapists absorb the pain of their clients and start experiencing symptoms of trauma themselves. One sign of vicarious trauma? Feeling like you have to do everything and that it’s never enough.

That’s a warning sign of burnout.

Activism is no different. If you’re constantly in fight mode—scrolling the news, engaging in arguments, feeling like you can’t step away because the moment you do, everything will fall apart—you’re running on empty. And when that happens, you can’t access the things that make activism sustainable: your passion and your compassion.

Sustainable activism means knowing when to fight and when to rest. It means recognizing that stepping back isn’t giving up—it’s making sure you have the energy to step back in when it counts.

How to Manage Political Rage Without Burning Out

1. Recognize the Underlying Hurt
If I could go back, I’d tell myself: Your rage is beautiful. It’s meaningful. And it points to a hurt that deserves to be acknowledged and held.

Too often, we don’t let ourselves sit with the why beneath the anger. What’s really there? Grief? Fear? Helplessness? When you name those feelings, you start to reclaim power over them.

2. Bring Mindfulness to Your Anger
I wasn’t raised to be mindful of my emotions—I was taught to push them down or let them explode. But mindfulness has changed how I experience anger.

Mindfulness doesn’t mean getting rid of anger. It means allowing it without fusing with it. It’s noticing, Wow, I am furious right now, and being able to sit with that sensation rather than being controlled by it. It’s a practice. I still put my foot in my mouth plenty—but it’s a practice that allows me to stay engaged without being consumed.

3. Set Boundaries Around Political Engagement

• Limit doomscrolling. The goal isn’t disengagement—it’s intentional engagement. Choose when and how you consume news.

• Curate your sources. If certain accounts leave you feeling panicked, unfollow them.

• Ask yourself: Am I consuming or contributing? If all you’re doing is reading and reacting, redirect that energy into action—write, donate, organize.

Move toward Intentional, and even Strategic Action, following your Passions fueled by your Fierce Compassion.

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR; Uploaded from Unsplash on 2/18/2025

4. Move from Reaction to Intentional Action
Your anger wants to be used for something. Channel it:

• Write to your representatives.

• Support grassroots organizations.

• Build community.

• Volunteer in a way that fuels you rather than drains you.

It doesn’t have to be all-consuming activism—small, meaningful actions add up.

How LGBTQ Therapy in NYC With Me Can Help

I want to be clear: Your anger isn’t the problem.

The problem is that we live in a world that makes you feel unsafe, unseen, and constantly on edge. The problem is that these systems want to wear you down. Therapy isn’t about numbing your anger—it’s about helping you channel it in ways that are sustainable and won’t break you.

How Therapy and Potentially Using EMDR for Trauma Can Help:

If trauma is present, it’s likely amplifying the current stress and contributing to your overall distress. These past wounds can make the present feel even heavier, layering old pain onto new challenges. Through therapy, we can work together to process these experiences, helping you find relief, clarity, deeper self-understanding, and ultimately, the freedom to engage with the world in a way that feels sustainable and empowering.

EMDR, in particular, helps process the “stuck points” in our minds, allowing us to move forward with more clarity and integration.

Final Thoughts: Your Anger is Sacred—But So is Your Rest

We are in a moment of real fear, real grief, and real uncertainty. But you don’t have to carry it all alone.

Your anger is sacred. So is your need for rest. So is your right to joy.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or stuck in cycles of political rage that are draining your ability to function, therapy can help. Not to take your anger away—but to help you hold it in a way that serves you rather than depletes you.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to help. Click here or use the button below to set up a free 15-minute consultation and see how LGBTQ Therapy in NYC can support you in this moment.