Stressed About The Election? Here’s How to Manage Your Anxiety
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If you’re reading this on November 3, election day is just two days away! The race to the finish line has been anything but predictable, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump dominating the social discourse. Even though all votes will be cast on Tuesday, we likely won’t know the outcome until several days later, which means until then, we’re stuck with election stress.
If, like me, you’re not sure how to best handle your election stress and anxiety, and want an outlet for your pent up energy, you’ve come to the right place. For this week’s blog post, I’ve asked Mary Cotter, a New York-based Licensed Master Social Worker, for her best advice on dealing with election stress. Mary has spent the bulk of her career in nonprofit social services, mostly in the height of the AIDS epidemic, and working with LGBTQ+ groups, teenagers, and homeless individuals. At present, she’s affiliated with a small private practice, where she works with women of all ages.
Here’s what she had to say…
Renata: Do you see a lot of people – in your practice and in your life – who are stressed about the upcoming election?
Mary: Yes, no question about it. I would say that 90 percent of the people I work with have some form of anxiety that’s related to the election. I also saw a few recent polls showing that anywhere between 60 and 75 percent of all Americans are stressed about the election. It’s not a diagnosis, but the stress is very real. I think it mostly has to do with the uncertainty of it all – the race seems close, people don’t know what’s going to happen. That brings up a lot of unpleasant feelings and fears.
Do you think that stress has more to do with not knowing who will win, or not knowing what the future looks like after either wins?
I would say both. For the women I know, they’re stressed about bodily autonomy and their rights, and they’re also concerned about the future of healthcare and caregiving. People are worried about how they’re going to manage their own health, how they’ll get support, or give it if they’re a caregiver for a parent or spouse. It’s not entirely clear how these issues will be impacted by either candidate winning.
How do you see election stress and anxiety manifesting? What are the signs?
I’d say it’s anxiety and constant worrying, obviously in relation to the election. It can also look like sleeping too much or too little, being irritable, being unable to focus, drinking too much, and being anxious in general, even when you aren’t actively thinking about the election. And what’s interesting is that right now, these feelings are very intense and very communal, which can be good and bad. It can be good to have confirmation of your own feelings – which, collectively, a lot of people feel right now – but at the same time, it can exacerbate your feelings. It’s a tough balance to strike.
Do you think overexposure to news and information has anything to do with that?
Yes, definitely. One point I try to emphasize to my clients – and abide by myself – is to understand what you’re looking for, when you go looking for information. Whether it’s news or social media, ask yourself: why are you looking for that? What are you looking for? Do you want confirmation of your feelings, or are you looking for negative information on the person you’re opposed to? We tend to think that having more information is a positive, but it can trigger a cycle – the more we get, the more we want. So I tell people to figure out why they’re doing it and what they want, and then to question whether what they’re doing will actually achieve that goal. Most of the time, they realize it won’t. If you’re looking for relief, you won’t find it on the news.
I totally agree – so what about coping mechanisms? What can we do to cope with election stress?
After you get clear on what you’re looking to achieve and the reason behind what you’re doing, figure out ways to disengage. Assuming this stress and anxiety is taking a toll on your life, it’s best to cut down on your exposure for now until the election is over. For me, this means deleting some apps on my phone, disabling news notifications. It also means getting away from it. You can do that by:
Going outside – Engaging with nature, going somewhere and breathing clean air, going for a walk, etc.
Having face to face interactions – When we’re stressed or anxious, we often feel isolated and sometimes we even isolate ourselves in an effort to cope (which doesn’t actually work). Having conversations and connecting with loved ones can help take your mind off the election.
Practice self-care – Whatever makes you feel cared for and comforted, now’s the time to do it. You can do the well-known practices like meditation, taking a bath, or listening to calm music, or you can find an activity that feels especially fulfilling, such as…
Volunteering! – Getting involved with something you care about, politics-related or not, can give you a focus that’s outside of yourself. I’ve found that volunteering for a school or a local community group provides me with a sort of higher purpose that makes me feel good. If you want to volunteer with a political campaign, that works too – but the goal is to do something you enjoy that brings you ease.
I love these tips, but I have a question about social connections. What would you advise for people who feel like they can’t connect with others because of their differing or conflicting views? What if talking about it causes more stress?
At this point in the election, very few people are going to change their minds about their views, so I would say don’t even bother. It’s not worth the stress; just don’t engage. If you feel like you would benefit from engaging with them on something political, just set some ground rules for yourself and the other person. Those rules can look like:
Agreeing to not be jerks to one another
No yelling and no personal attacks
Setting a time limit
This can be challenging, especially with family members, but if it does come up and you can’t ignore it, just try not to have it escalate. If it does, give yourself permission to leave the conversation – and maybe only discuss the election with like-minded people.
Obviously none of us can see the future or predict what’s going to happen… should we be preparing ourselves for any outcome? What can we do?
People are freaked out, understandably so. I think the best thing they can do is seek out other members of a group and try to engage with each other on topics that have nothing to do with politics. I’m not saying just ignore politics, but give yourself a break. Being amongst a group of people affords you the opportunity to get out of your head and potentially use some of your stress and anxiety towards something bigger. Isolating yourself is one of the more damaging things you can do to yourself. You can turn to a friend group, a local or community group, even an online group. Connecting with a group when you’re feeling overwhelmed makes a huge difference – and I’d recommend setting that up now, before the election unfurls.
What role does exercise play in stress and anxiety?
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your stress, no question about it. That can mean going to the gym, going for a walk in nature, doing yoga in your bedroom, whatever you want. It can mean anything that engages your physical self.
I love all of this advice, and now I want to ask about the longer term. Election day is upon us, but whoever ends up in office will be there for four years. What strategies can we practice in the longer term to mitigate any general dissatisfaction with our political system?
A lot of the shorter term strategies can be applied to the longer term, too. Looking outside of yourself, volunteering, exercising, engaging in a group activity, all of those will still hold. Also, thinking about how you want to consume news and politics in the future can be helpful. Sometimes I recommend that people find really local news sources that don’t necessarily cover political content. It’s a way to stay in the loop about what’s going on in your area, while turning down the volume on the media frenzy. And be careful to not take everything at face value – publications, news networks, they’re all trying to sell advertising. So don’t accept everything that you see, and be mindful of the inputs you’re receiving.
I want to thank Mary Cotter for all of her incredible advice – I certainly feel more in control and at ease after having spoken with her. Mary mentioned the importance of being a part of a group, and I couldn’t agree more – so if you want to join a supportive group of women over 50 and a community you can lean on, join the Pure Joy Squad Patreon today!
Xo,
Renata