Culture
I’m A Psychologist: This Is Why Cutting Off Your Family Over Politics Won't Make You Happier
What if cutting off a family member over politics isn’t empowering, but isolating? While social media says “protect your peace,” mental health research offers a different picture. Here’s what I see in my private practice.
By Dr. Chloe Carmichael4 min read
In recent years, a new kind of patient has been showing up in my office: otherwise emotionally healthy, high-functioning adults grieving the loss of once-close family relationships. The cause? Political differences. Often, these patients aren’t the ones doing the cutting off. They’re the ones left behind—parents suddenly “uninvited” to weddings, siblings who won’t return texts, adult children who send carefully worded letters that end with phrases like, “I’m protecting my peace.”