Are Elections Giving You Anxiety? Read This.

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On a recent morning at nine o’clock in the morning, my phone rang with a new group chat message: “Guys I’m so worried about the election, I’m not feeling well.” “It’s the same lol,” I replied. One person wrote: “I can’t think about it. My friends and I are not alone: ​​As of August, 69 percent of adults across party lines said the presidential election was their top stressor, according to the annual survey of the American Society for Stress in America. And the closer we get to November 5, with the election showing Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in a dead heat, the more we all feel. So how can we deal with the negative impact of elections on our mental health? I asked Amy Audet, a California-based medical doctor; Dr. Joshua Aronson, director of the Mindful Education Lab at New York University; and dr. David Dunning, a social psychologist at the University of Michigan, on how to deal with election anxiety and depression. Here is their advice.

There are a variety of factors that make this election cycle stressful for many people, including feelings of uncertainty about the future of the country, the intensity and frequency of the news cycle, and the statements of groups, according to Aronson. “We tend to channel things that scare us the most,” he says. you are angry and anxious to go out and vote.”

Anyone who’s constantly drinking from the social media firehose or who feels like they can’t turn off the news should set up a routine to stay informed, Dunning says. Check the news once in the morning for 30 minutes, or whatever works for you, but don’t keep dipping in and out all day. “If you find yourself refreshing a page of early voting statistics — I’ll probably bring your example — that means it’s time to leave,” he says.

In times of stress, finding connection and happiness can be fundamental. Aronson says people should make time for people and hobbies that make them happy, and cut back whenever possible. He adds: “Stopping to smell the roses is normal for a reason. (Or, as the kids say, go grab some grass.) “These are the things that make life be patient and have fun.”

One of the challenges Audet’s clients face now is a sense of disconnection from family, friends and acquaintances who do not share their political beliefs. He says it’s important for people to verbalize that they are uncomfortable when the conversation turns angry or the topic causes negative feelings. “Once we are born with patience, we don’t talk anymore. We are not connected and we are not doing anything productive,” says Audet. “I recommend that I say, ‘Hey, I feel really strong about myself. Let’s take a break and maybe we’ll come back to this.'”

True election news addicts will want to leave their news cold. Audet says: “If people find it difficult to use the recommended strategies or have difficulty implementing them, I will invite them to participate in what I call a ‘retreat.’ “The nature of this thing is that it can snowball, right? We’re worried, so we read more, and then we change Again worried. We really need to stop that cycle. ” That means deleting social media and news apps from your phone, turning off TV news, unsubscribing from campaign or other political emails and texts, and anything else you need to. it makes you relax.

Audet likes to move his clients from focusing too much on the most anxiety-provoking aspects of the election season to zooming in to look at the bigger picture. “We have been in divisive elections before. We may not be happy with the outcome, but things go on, right? ” he says. Although these times are very difficult and the consequences really affect people, the main thing is that life is happening.” Acknowledging this can help you reduce your anxiety.

This deadline before Election Day is critical for campaigns. If the feeling of panic takes over, Dunning recommends taking that energy back into action. “You can actually be active in the voting process and take back a little control. You can donate money to voting efforts, phone banking, door knocking, or volunteer to drive people to the polls,” he says.