I’m a psychiatrist. My office doesn’t have campaign signs or bumper stickers. My patients come from all walks of life: Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, liberals, independents and folks who don’t pay much attention to politics at all. But lately, one topic keeps coming up in sessions: money. Or more accurately, how much less of it people feel they have.

Some trace their worries to the headlines about tariffs. Others don’t use the word “tariff” at all; they just know that groceries cost more, that their small business supply bills have jumped, or that their retirement accounts aren’t growing like they used to. Whether they blame President Trump or not, they’re feeling the pressure.

Tariffs, simply put, are taxes on goods we import from other countries. The idea is to protect American businesses by making foreign products more expensive, which, in theory, encourages people to buy American. It sounds good. Strong. Patriotic. But in practice, especially when they’re sudden or broad, tariffs can set off a chain reaction that hurts people far from the negotiating table.

One of my patients runs a family furniture store. For years, she’s sourced parts from overseas — things like screws, bolts and some upholstery. Her prices are up 15% since the new round of tariffs kicked in. She tried to eat the cost at first, but couldn’t. Now she’s raising prices and watching loyal customers hesitate. “I’m not mad,” she told me, “just scared.”

Another patient, a retired accountant, watches his IRA more closely than the evening news. “My balance dropped again,” he said, pulling out a printed statement. “I’m not sure why. They say it’s the tariffs, or interest rates, or politics, or all of it.” He worries that if markets stay rocky, she’ll have to cut back. No more winter trips to Florida. Less money for the grandkids’ birthdays. He voted for Trump, but he knows plenty who didn’t, “They’re just as worried as I am,” he said.

And then there’s the contractor who leans right, proudly. He tells me he supported Trump because he liked the straight talk and business mindset. “I still do,” he said recently, “but I can’t pretend it’s all working out. The cost of materials is killing me.” Lumber. Concrete. Appliances. Everything costs more now, he said, “and I’m losing bids because my prices are too high.”

These aren’t partisan complaints. They’re personal ones. They come from Democrats and Republicans, veterans and vegetarians, and many, many I’ve seen these past weeks in my clinical practice. What unites them isn’t politics but it’s anxiety. And that’s where I come in.

People are stressed. Some have stopped checking their investment accounts, myself included, altogether. Others feel guilty about cutting back, like they’re failing their kids. Couples argue more. Parents tell me they’re saying “no” more often — to soccer leagues, to new shoes, to small things that used to feel easy.

Even our precious tourism in Maine is taking a hit. I recently spoke with a hotel owner near Bar Harbor who said bookings from Canadians are down sharply. “They’re telling us they can’t justify the cost anymore,” he said, “and that’s a big hit for us because we count on those guests every summer.”

Underneath it all is confusion. Some patients try to explain what they’ve heard on the news. Others admit they don’t understand it at all, just that their money doesn’t stretch like it used to.

I don’t take sides in my office. I listen. I reflect back what I hear. And what I hear, again and again, is frustration that political decisions made far away are hitting close to home. Many folks feel powerless. They’ve played by the rules, they’ve worked, saved, paid their taxes. But they’re not sure where this all leads.

That’s the real cost of economic uncertainty. Not just the dollars and cents, but the sense that you’re not in control. That no matter how careful you are, you could still end up behind.

So what’s the answer? That’s for economists and policymakers to hash out. I do know this: People need honesty. They need clarity. And they need leaders who recognize that every economic decision touches real lives, not just spreadsheets.

Whether you support tariff policy or not, it’s worth asking: Are these measures helping American families, or hurting them? Are they building stronger industries, or breaking budgets? And can we have that conversation without yelling? I hope so. Because in my office, where the only agenda is health and healing, people aren’t looking for someone to blame. They’re just looking for answers — and maybe a little relief.