When the World Feels Unsafe: How Political Stress and School Safety Fears Impact a Mom’s Nervous System

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I don’t know about you but these past few weeks have felt so difficult. After the death of the children of Ascension Catholic School and then the death of the children in Colorado and Charlie Kirk (on the same day) I felt such a mixture of sadness, anger, and disbelief as I watched the internet break into all out madness. It feels like every time we turn on the news or scroll social media, there’s another heated political debate or heartbreaking story about school safety in particular. For many moms, this isn’t just “stressful”—it feels like carrying a weight in our chests. Asking the question of “Will my child be killed in school today?”  is a uniquely American experience that can send the nervous system into overdrive. I’ve seen friends and Clients experience the mind and body repercussions of this with poor sleep, headaches, chest pain, cold sores, changing appetite, irritability, and so many tears. This dysregulation that you are feeling isn’t normal and it’s also not fully within your control. Let’s talk about the micro and the macro.

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Why Moms Feel It So Deeply

On a micro level, Mothers are wired for protection. From the moment that we conceive, a part of our ancient brain turns on and says “keep the tiny human alive at all costs”. Part of our biology is to stay alert for potential threats to our children. But in today’s world—where political discourse is loud, polarizing, and school safety is a real concern—that protective instinct can easily tip into hypervigilance.

Your nervous system doesn’t always distinguish between real-time danger and constant exposure to fear-based stories. The result? Your body reacts as though the threat is happening right now.

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How the Nervous System Reacts

When we feel unsafe about our circumstances or our children's circumstances, the body automatically shifts into survival mode:

• Fight/Flight: This activation can feel like anger at political leaders, disgust with people who have opposite viewpoints, racing thoughts about worst-case scenarios, and panic during school drop-off.
• Freeze: This can look like numbing out, feeling disconnected from family friends and work, or avoiding conversations altogether.
• Fawn: Often overlooked, Mothers might engage in over-controlling schedules, over-pleasing others, or trying to manage everything to create a sense of safety. It can also look like not speaking up when you hear something that is patently wrong or disturbing for fear that you may end up putting yourself or your children in harms way.

Over time, being stuck in these states can leave moms feeling:

• On edge and irritable with family
• Drained and exhausted even after sleep
• Unable to fully enjoy time with their children

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The Ripple Effect on Families

Children are incredibly attuned to theircaregivers’ emotional states. When Moms are stuck in hypervigilance, kids can absorb that sense of unease too. This doesn’t mean you’re harming your child—it means your nervous system is doing its best with the information it’s receiving. But it’s also why finding regulation tools matters, not just for you, but for the whole family.

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Finding Calm in an Unsafe World

We can’t control politics or guarantee school safety, but we can learn ways to soothe our nervous systems so we’re not constantly living in survival mode.

Practical steps for moms:

• Limit input: Choose when and how you consume news, rather than staying plugged in all day. Some Moms will choose to consume just 15 minutes a day while others will designate a “worry hour”. Choosing when and how you consume your media can make a huge difference in how you feel.
• Ground in the present: Use deep breaths, touch something with texture, or name 5 things you see to remind your body it’s safe at this moment.
• Move your body: Walk, stretch, or dance—movement helps discharge pent-up stress energy.
• Find your people: Talking with other moms who “get it” helps you feel less alone.
• Therapy support: A safe space to process collective fears and build personalized regulation tools.
• Get involved: Politics has a way of making us feel isolated and trapped. But you have agency in how you respond. You can volunteer at a local non-profit or you can call your congress person to get involved with advocacy.
• Learning to surrender: For Mothers who choose to integrate religious or spiritual practices, learning to surrender your worries to a higher power can give you a stronger sense of being compassionately held in your worries.

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If you’ve felt your body buzzing with tension every time politics come up or school safety crosses your mind, know this: your nervous system is responding exactly as it was designed to. But you don’t have to stay stuck in that state. With support and practice, it’s possible to feel steadier—even in uncertaintimes.

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✨I help Moms inCalifornia and Florida regulate their nervous systems and find calm in themidst of collective stress. If this resonates with you, book a freeconsultation to begin your journey toward steadier ground.