Anxiety, the Epstein Files, and the Weight of Living in a World That Feels Unjust

I didn’t expect it to affect me like this.

I live in Colorado. Most days are grounded. I drive with the mountains in the distance. I sit with clients and talk about marriage, trauma, anxiety, hope. Life feels local. Tangible.

And then I open my phone.

Another headline about the Epstein files.
Another document release.
Another round of speculation.
Another reminder that powerful people can exploit, conceal, and possibly evade consequences.

And I can feel it in my body.

Not panic exactly.
Not hopelessness.

But pressure.

A tightness in my chest.
A subtle heart racing at night.
An edge in my tone that wasn’t there earlier.
A frustration that lingers longer than it should.

If you’ve felt something similar, you’re not irrational.

You’re human.

Why News Like This Triggers Anxiety

Stories connected to the Epstein files carry themes that hit deep:

• Abuse of power

• Exploitation

• Secrecy

• Institutional failure

• Injustice without clear resolution

Even if you weren’t personally involved, your nervous system reacts to those themes.

The brain doesn’t just process information intellectually. It processes it physiologically. When we repeatedly consume stories about corruption and harm, the body registers:

“The world is unsafe.”

And it prepares accordingly.

Preparation looks like:

• Increased heart rate

• Muscle tension

• Trouble sleeping

• Irritability

• Scanning for more information

• A sense of bracing

You may tell yourself you’re “just staying informed.” But your nervous system does not differentiate between informed exposure and immediate threat. It simply reacts.

The Heart Racing at Night

One of the clearest signs for me has been nighttime.

During the day, I can compartmentalize. I can move between tasks. But when the house is quiet and there’s no distraction, I notice it:

My heart feels more active than the moment requires.
My thoughts replay headlines.
My mind searches for answers that don’t exist yet.

This isn’t dramatic. It’s biological.

Threat-based information increases cortisol and adrenaline. If you consume it in the evening, your body prepares for action. Even though you’re physically safe in your home in Colorado, your nervous system is operating as if something urgent is happening.

And in a way, it is.

Morally urgent.
Emotionally charged.

But not physically immediate.

Your body doesn’t always know the difference.

Why It Feels Personal

For some people, this hits even deeper.

If you have a history of:

• Sexual trauma

• Betrayal by authority figures

• Being silenced or dismissed

• Institutional harm

Then stories like this don’t just feel upsetting. They feel activating.

Trauma is not stored only as memory. It is stored as sensation.

When headlines reinforce that powerful individuals can harm others and hide it, your body may remember what powerlessness felt like. That memory doesn’t always show up as a clear thought. It shows up as:

• Tightness

• Anger

• Hypervigilance

• Emotional flooding

That doesn’t mean you’re overreacting.

It means your nervous system has history.

Injustice Fatigue

What I’ve noticed in myself is not hopelessness.

It’s something slightly different.

It’s injustice fatigue.

Hopelessness says, “Nothing matters.”

Injustice fatigue says, “This matters too much.”

There’s a moral weight to stories like the Epstein files. They confront us with the reality that systems can fail vulnerable people. That truth deserves attention. But sustained exposure without resolution is exhausting.

We were not designed to carry global injustice daily without relief.

Historically, humans were responsible for the wellbeing of a village. Now we are exposed to the failures of institutions across the world in real time.

That is a heavy psychological load.

The Endless Cycle of Information

Another piece of this anxiety comes from the structure of modern media.

We live inside:

• Continuous updates

• Partial information releases

• Commentary layered on commentary

• Speculation cycles

There is rarely closure.

Instead, there is continuation.

The nervous system craves resolution. It wants a clear ending. But cases like this unfold slowly, publicly, and often ambiguously.

So the body remains braced.

And when the body remains braced long enough, anxiety becomes the baseline.

Is It Wrong to Care?

No.

Caring about injustice is healthy.
Anger at exploitation is appropriate.
Desiring accountability is moral.

The goal is not apathy.

The goal is regulated engagement.

You can care deeply about truth and still protect your nervous system. Those are not opposites. They are signs of maturity.

If your engagement with the news is costing you sleep, peace, or relational presence, it’s worth recalibrating.

A Simple Reset That Helps

One practice I’ve had to implement is information boundaries.

Not avoidance. Not denial. Boundaries.

• Choose one reliable source.

• Check once per day.

• Set a time limit (10–15 minutes).

• Avoid consuming heavy news before bed.

When we read disturbing updates late at night, the body prepares for confrontation. But there is no confrontation to have.

Boundaries tell your nervous system, “I am not in immediate danger.”

That small signal matters.

When Anxiety Becomes More Than News

Ask yourself:

• Is my heart racing frequently?

• Am I struggling to fall or stay asleep?

• Am I more irritable with people I love?

• Do I feel stuck in anger or rumination?

• Are past wounds feeling more active?

If the answer is yes, this may not just be frustration. It may be anxiety compounded by trauma activation.

And that deserves care.

Do I Need Counseling?

You don’t need counseling because you care about injustice.

But counseling can help if:

• Your nervous system feels constantly on edge.

• News exposure triggers physical symptoms.

• You can’t “turn it off.”

• Old trauma feels reawakened.

• The weight of the world feels too heavy to carry alone.

Therapy does not remove corruption from society.

It strengthens your internal stability so the instability outside does not overwhelm you.

There is strength in that.

Living in Colorado, Remembering Perspective

One thing I’ve been practicing is stepping outside.

Looking at the mountains.

Feeling the scale of something older and steadier than today’s headlines.

The world has always contained both corruption and courage. Both injustice and resilience. Both darkness and goodness.

We are not the first generation to feel the tension between them.

But we are the first to receive updates about it every minute.

It’s okay to care deeply.

It’s also okay to log off.

You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

If anxiety around world events, including the Epstein files, is affecting your sleep, your relationships, or your sense of stability, it may be time to talk with someone.

You deserve support that strengthens your nervous system and helps you stay grounded in a world that often feels overwhelming.

If you’re in Colorado and looking for counseling, you can schedule confidential support here:

👉 https://known.clientsecure.me/

You don’t have to stop caring about justice.

But you also don’t have to sacrifice your peace to stay informed.

Support is available.