The Election is Coming: Here’s How You Can Manage Election Anxiety

Article written by Denver Therapist, Molly Ward

Though we are no strangers to the stress that election season can entail, this 2024 election season may feel more anxiety-provoking than others.

According to a poll in February from the Pew Research Center, 65% of people said they were exhausted about this election and 55% said they were angry.

Election anxiety and election related stress are real and can be really difficult to manage  when there are so many other things going on in day-to-day life.

As election day nears, there are some coping strategies you can use to help your mental health.

Here are 5 things you can do to help with managing election anxiety

Practice Pausing and Being in the Moment

At this point, it is nearly impossible to get away from talk about the election. Whether it’s political ads, being on social media, or watching TV – the election is everywhere.

One of the best tips when dealing with any sort of stress or anxiety is to practice taking pauses.

Read More: “Learn to Manage Election Anxiety for your Mental Health”

As human beings, we all have a tendency to spend either too much time in the future, or too much time in the past.

This only increases anxiety, stress, and fatigue.

Finding ways to stay in the present moment is crucial to managing stress and coping with all that’s going on.

Taking deep breaths can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to decrease anxiety in the moment.

It allows us to reset our nervous systems and gives us a tool to come back to the present moment.

Other effective ways to take a pause could be going for a walk outside and noticing what you see, smell, and hear, doing some stretching, or mindfully enjoying one of your favorite foods or hobbies.

Whatever it is, use your senses to come back to the here-and-now and watch how it can disrupt anxious thoughts from consuming you.

Focus On What You Can Control

There has been so much going on around us that it can be easy to get lost in the negativity and spiral to a dark place of hopelessness.

There are always going to be things that are out of our control. Our job is to focus on what we can control, so that we can manage our mental health and wellbeing.

You can’t control an election, but as voters, you can control whether you vote and who you vote for.

You can’t speed up time to hear the results quicker, but you can practice coping skills that keep you present until you do find out.

You can’t control what other people say or believe, but you can control your boundaries and response to others.

You can’t control the political climate, but you can make sure to get enough sleep, move your body, and eat a balanced diet so that you have a better chance of managing what comes your way.

Shifting our focus to what’s within our reach can be an impactful way to manage anxious thoughts.

Set Limits 

Spend some time thinking about what your needs and limits might look like to help manage your anxiety, stress, and anger.

Read More: “5 Quick Tips To Calm Anxiety Fast”

Setting limits can look like reducing media intake and news consumption to 15 minutes a day or not at all.

It can look like not engaging in political conversations with certain people in your life, limiting election coverage, turning off news notifications, or changing the settings on your social media platforms to hide certain comments and conversations.

Studies show that those who frequently consume media are more likely to experience emotional struggles, depression, and PTSD symptoms, referring to it as “media saturation overload”.

Another study details that 73% of Americans reported being overwhelmed by the number of crises facing the world at that point.

Remember that it’s ok to take a break and it’s encouraged to do so.

Focus on Hope and Gratitude

Research shows that gratitude can help us feel more positive and disrupt negative thinking patterns.

In fact, just the act of trying to think of something that you are grateful for can increase optimism.

If we didn’t look for hope, it would be easy to give up, to lose any motivation, to feel powerless.

Hope is needed to cultivate the world that you want to live in.

If we didn’t focus on hope, we would never be able to make change.

Take a moment to accept your emotions, rest, and then get back to taking action to work towards that world that you believe in.

Read More: “Curious About Anxiety Treatment? We Have Answers”

Knowing When to Seek Mental Health Support

These days, politics aren’t just about little disagreements around different beliefs.

The emotional distress that comes from the election can have severe impacts on people’s on lives and mental health.

You may benefit from therapeutic support if you are finding that your anxiety persists or if it’s causing large disruptions to your life, such as impacting relationships, work, sleep, etc.

If this is the case for you leading up to the election or after election results, therapy can help.

A therapeutic relationship can be an opportunity to process emotions in a neutral or safe place and explore deeper traumas that may be connected, in addition to learning new ways to cope.

Not a single person has gone without some form of trauma. It’s okay to lean on professional support.

References:

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/trust/archive/winter-2024/navigating-the-challenges-of-the-us-political-landscape

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/11/strain-media-overload

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2022/march-2022-survival-mode

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Denver Therapist, Molly Ward

Molly Ward is a Denver therapist who supports people in managing stress, anxiety, and other challenges that come with life. She takes a curious and compassionate approach to helping clients navigate life transitions and has supported many through past elections.

Election anxiety can have a real impact on someone’s ability to function and when the results are not of your choosing, anxiety, fear and stress can increase.

Even if the results are of your choosing, the transition can create stress and possible conflict in relationships with those you are close to and not so close to.

Having a therapist who aligns with your values as we navigate this election can be extremely helpful. If you are seeking support and curious about working with Molly, schedule a consult today to see if she may be a good fit for you.