How does suppressed anger in political crises transform into anxiety?

In situations where political violence, repression, and killing occur, anger is one of the psyche's most natural reactions. Anger, at its core, is the body's defensive energy; a response to injustice, threat, and powerlessness. But when there is no possibility to express this anger—not in the streets, not in words, not in effective action—this energy finds no outlet. And anger without an outlet remains in the body.

The human psyche cannot remain a carrier of active anger for long. When anger is suppressed or swallowed, the nervous system gradually redirects its path. The energy that was meant to go out turns inward. The result of this redirection is often anxiety.

Anxiety here is not just "mental worry"; it is a biological state. The body remains on high alert, but without a clear purpose. Heart rate stays elevated, muscles are tense, sleep is disturbed, and the mind constantly generates threatening scenarios. An individual might say: "I don't know why I'm so anxious, but I can't calm down." While the root of this anxiety is unexpressed anger that had nowhere to go.

In political crises, this situation is very common. People know what has made them angry, but they cannot express that anger without paying a heavy price. So anger turns into silence. Silence into tension. And tension, into chronic anxiety.

One characteristic of anxiety stemming from suppressed anger is that it is often accompanied by a feeling of powerlessness. The individual is not only angry but also feels they have no control. This combination—anger + powerlessness—is one of the strongest triggers for anxiety.

The important point is that anxiety in these circumstances is not a "sign of psychological weakness." It is a sign that the body is still trying to survive. The nervous system says: "The danger is not over yet," even if the individual is physically safe.

If this cycle continues for a long time, anxiety can take various forms:
Constant restlessness, irritability, physical pains without medical cause, panic attacks, or profound fatigue. In some cases, the individual no longer even remembers the anger; only the anxiety remains.

The way out of this situation is not "anger management" or "positive thinking." What helps is acknowledging anger. Anger needs to be seen, not judged. When anger is expressed in a safe space—in words, writing, body movement, or therapy—the nervous system gets a chance to exit its state of alert.

Treatment at this point does not try to eliminate anger or portray it as dangerous. The goal is to help the body understand that anger has been seen, heard, and no longer has to transform itself into anxiety to survive.

In political crises, widespread anxiety is not just fear; it is often silent anger. And until this anger has an outlet, the body will scream it out in other ways.