Anxiety and stress have become defining features of modern life, fueled by a constant stream of global crises and an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. From economic instability to climate threats and geopolitical tensions and wars, people around the world are increasingly burdened by a collective sense of dread. Scholars have referred to this era as a polycrisis, a condition where multiple, intensifying crises overlap and unfold at a relentless pace, turning instability into a near-permanent state.
Public Sentiment and Emerging Fears
Recent surveys reflect this widespread unease. 80% fear the outbreak of World War III, with concern spanning political lines. Globally, people report stress not only from war and pandemics but also from emerging threats like AI, technological collapse, and surveillance. In the U.S. and Germany, 18–26% express significant fear about AI alone.
The Rise of Ambiguous Risk
According to the Safety Perceptions Index 2023, there has also been a global rise in what’s known as “ambiguous risk”: the sensation of being under threat without knowing exactly from what or why. This form of anxiety is intensified by the compounding of global crises. Many no longer feel grounded in progress or shared societal goals; instead, there is a growing fear of decline, exclusion, and collapse.
Broadcasting Dread
A major driver behind this climate of fear is the media environment. Negative news attracts more attention, pushing outlets to focus on crisis and catastrophe. With 24/7 coverage and algorithm-driven feeds, alarming content dominates—because fear generates clicks, ad revenue, and engagement.
How Our Minds Keep the Cycle Going
Psychological biases also amplify fear. The “availability heuristic” makes dramatic events seem more likely just because of how easily examples come to mind, while “confirmation bias” leads people to seek out information that validates their anxieties, reinforcing engagement with fear-driven content.
Importantly, direct exposure to a crisis is no longer necessary to feel its effects. Even indirect exposure—via news coverage or online discussion—can heighten stress.
Beyond Events: A Shift in Perception
In this complex landscape, global fear isn’t just about specific events, it’s about how we perceive, process, and live through an age marked by uncertainty. Understanding these dynamics is key to navigating not only our emotional response, but the systems that shape it.
Under the Surface: How CPOs Manage Stress in a Stressed-Out World
Close Protection Officers (CPOs) experience the same global pressures as everyone else but carry the added weight of their own high-stakes roles. Personal and professional stress often overlap, especially in high-risk environments like war zones. CPOs must cope with global stressors, the pressures of their personal lives, the emotional toll of supporting panicked, stressed, and anxiety-ridden individuals on a daily basis, and the strain of operating in volatile environments.
In difficult settings or war zones, CPOs grapple with more than just physical threats. They may witness traumatic events or face ethical strain—especially when protecting VIPs in places where civilians suffer. These situations can create emotional dissonance, as officers navigate moral grey zones or feel disconnected from the people around them. It highlights a deep moral conflict: protecting high-profile individuals while others nearby remain unprotected, vulnerable, or dying.
What is the Solution?
The answer lies in taking action—and this applies to everyone, not just CPOs. Stress and fear grow when we feel helpless or stuck, but even small, intentional steps can break that cycle. Physical movement, problem-solving, or creative engagement can shift focus, restore a sense of control, and ease the grip of negative emotion.
At the heart of coping is resilience—not the absence of stress, but the ability to recover and adapt. It means developing internal resources to manage adversity, rather than trying to avoid it altogether.
CPOs must often embody this under pressure. Like the swimming duck, they’re expected to project calm on the surface while working intensely beneath it. Their role demands visible control and reassurance, even as they navigate high levels of stress and uncertainty.
Key Elements in Building Resilience
Physical: Routine and Training
Stress responses are more manageable when people rely on structured habits and preparedness. This is one of the quiet strengths CPOs depend on. In high-risk roles, routine, discipline, training, muscle memory, and procedural clarity serve as psychological anchors—providing mental stability and enabling officers to navigate chaos with practiced calm.
Mental: Self-Awareness and Emotional Regulation
Mental resilience begins with self-awareness—recognizing emotional triggers, internal stress signals, and the difference between reaction and response. It also depends on emotional regulation, optimism, supportive relationships, and a clear sense of purpose—and it must account for the moral and emotional weight of the job.
Before and after missions, CPOs should be debriefed—not only about logistics, but also the ethical context of their role. They should be supported in building internal narratives that ground their actions in service, duty, and humanity—not just hierarchy or profit. A person may be protecting a journalist or humanitarian leader whose work is part of a broader relief effort. Seeing the larger picture helps alleviate guilt and anchor moral purpose.
However, this is not always the case. That’s why your choice of principal—especially in these environments—can significantly affect your psychological resilience. Moral alignment with the principal’s values and vision becomes essential to sustaining a sense of purpose and emotional balance.
