The Weight of an Uncertain World: How Politics Fuels Anxiety in Young Adults
The Weight of an Uncertain World: How Politics Fuels Anxiety in Young Adults
In an age of political and economic instability, many young adults find themselves navigating life with a heightened sense of anxiety. Those between 18 and 30—a period of crucial self-development—are facing challenges that feel overwhelming as they step into adulthood, build careers and form relationships. The current political climate, both in the UK and globally, has intensified feelings of insecurity, powerlessness and distrust, affecting how young people see themselves and relate to the world around them.
As an attachment-based therapist, I often see how our earliest relationships shape the way we respond to uncertainty. Our first experiences with caregivers establish a blueprint for how we perceive safety, trust and control in our lives. If those early attachments were inconsistent, neglectful, or even hostile, it’s likely that navigating today’s turbulent world feels even more destabilising.
This article will explore how the current political situation may be heightening anxiety among young adults, particularly through the lens of attachment theory. We’ll consider how childhood experiences shape reactions to global instability, how different attachment styles might manifest in response to today’s challenges and how young people can work towards feeling more grounded in an unpredictable world.
A Generation Raised in Uncertainty
To understand the depth of anxiety young adults are experiencing today, it’s important to recognise that many of them grew up in a world marked by uncertainty. Those in the 18-30 age bracket were children or teenagers during the 2008 financial crisis, witnessing financial insecurity within their families and communities. Many of them saw parents lose jobs, struggle with debt, or experience housing instability—early experiences that reinforced the idea that the world is unpredictable and unstable.
Then, just as they were beginning to establish independence, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education, career plans and social development. Isolation and uncertainty became defining features of early adulthood for many in this group, reinforcing patterns of hyper-vigilance and fear. The repeated exposure to instability has left many young people feeling as though no matter how hard they try to build a secure future, external forces can always pull the rug from under them.
Now, they are entering adulthood in a world filled with political crises: economic downturns, housing shortages, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, rising authoritarianism and the climate crisis. The UK itself is facing increasing divisions, economic struggles and political distrust, with the cost-of-living crisis making it even harder for young people to see a stable future.
For those with a secure attachment style—who grew up with reliable caregivers who responded consistently to their needs—these challenges may feel distressing but not overwhelming. They may feel anxious about the future but still trust in their own ability to navigate it. However, for those with insecure attachments—who experienced emotional neglect, unpredictability, or even outright harm in childhood—the current situation may be profoundly triggering, amplifying feelings of helplessness and despair.
Attachment Styles and Responses to Political Anxiety
Attachment theory suggests that the way we relate to the world is deeply influenced by our earliest relationships. In times of crisis, these patterns become even more visible.
Anxious Attachment: Overwhelmed and Powerless
Those with an anxious attachment style often crave security and reassurance but struggle to trust that it will last. This can make today’s political landscape particularly distressing. The unpredictability of global events may feel like a constant emotional rollercoaster, triggering a sense of panic and hyper-vigilance.
For these individuals, the cost-of-living crisis, job market instability and geopolitical tensions may evoke deep fears of abandonment. If their childhood experiences involved inconsistent caregiving—times when love and support were present but could be withdrawn at any moment—then the current uncertainty may reinforce the belief that security is fleeting. The fear of never being able to own a home, build a stable career or find lasting relationships may feel like proof that the world is fundamentally unreliable.
This often leads to doomscrolling—obsessively consuming news to try to feel more in control, yet ultimately feeling even more powerless. Anxious attachers may also turn to social media for validation, seeking constant reassurance from peers that they are not alone in their fears. Yet, this can quickly become overwhelming, as negative news spreads rapidly online, reinforcing their anxiety.
Avoidant Attachment: Numbing and Detachment
Those with an avoidant attachment style tend to respond to uncertainty by shutting down emotionally. Growing up with caregivers who dismissed their emotional needs may have taught them that expressing fear or vulnerability is a weakness. In response to today’s political climate, they may try to detach, convincing themselves that none of it affects them.
While this coping strategy might provide short-term relief, it often leads to isolation. Many avoidantly attached individuals may disengage from political discussions, refuse to engage with the news, or dismiss concerns about the future as overreactions. However, beneath this emotional distance, there is often a deep-seated fear of being let down. If the world is chaotic and untrustworthy, it may feel safer not to care at all than to risk feeling out of control.
Avoidant individuals may struggle with relationships during politically tense times. When friends or partners express concerns about the world, they may downplay or dismiss these worries, leading to disconnection. They might also struggle to ask for help if financial or career difficulties arise, preferring to appear self-sufficient even when struggling internally.
Disorganised Attachment: Fear and Hopelessness
For those with disorganised attachment—often shaped by traumatic or deeply inconsistent caregiving—the current political landscape can feel overwhelming and paralysing. These individuals may cycle between extreme anxiety and emotional shutdown, feeling utterly powerless in the face of global instability.
Because their childhood experiences often involved both craving connection and fearing it, they may struggle to trust that any system—whether governmental, economic, or social—will provide support. This can lead to profound hopelessness, where engaging with the world feels pointless. Some may become consumed by activism, desperately trying to create change but burning out in the process. Others may withdraw entirely, believing that nothing they do will make a difference.
For those with disorganised attachment, today’s political and economic crises may mirror childhood environments where safety and danger coexisted. The unpredictability of government decisions, rapid changes in economic security and ongoing conflicts can feel reminiscent of a chaotic upbringing, reinforcing deep-seated fears that nothing is ever truly stable.
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