7 Coping Strategies for Election Anxiety & Today’s Tense Political Landscape
Many commentators have said that this year's presidential election is more tense and emotionally heightened than any in recent memory.
With the controversial events of the past eight years, rampant conspiracy theories about politics and pandemics, and polarizing political personalities, it feels to many people as if there’s more at stake than in elections from yesteryear.
Is it impacting your mental health? Do you find yourself worrying about the future of our country? Are you feeling election anxiety and political burnout?
It’s normal to feel emotionally drained after exposure to the sensationalized political commentary we find on TV or the uncivil discourse flooding social media.
But there are some things you can do to help maintain your sense of balance and wellbeing during such a turbulent presidential campaign.
1.) Start with mindfulness: Be aware of how content affects you
A little bit of mindfulness can go a long way. Focus on how different media and conversations make you feel.
What happens to your heart rate, your stress levels when you watch the news? When a relative expresses a strong opinion with which you disagree?
Do you feel yourself getting angry as you doomscroll late at night?
Does playing political “what if” in your imagination make you worry about the future?
Media is designed to cause an emotional reaction in order to catch your attention and keep you coming back. And the mantra for social media algorithms is “enrage and engage.” Arousal of strong emotions causes us to focus in and pay attention — which is just what the advertisers who fund our online media and TV news want.
But you have the ability to take back the power over your attention by being mindful and aware of how different kinds of media affect you.
A good test is to stop and ask yourself, “Am I learning something new and valuable right now? Or is this just making me upset?”
For a long time we’ve been told that democracy depends on a well-informed public to make important decisions. But don’t mistake being well-informed with watching or reading a lot of news!
While it can be a valuable source of information, the news doesn’t always give you an accurate picture of the world the way it is. It tends to thrive on controversy — highlighting it and creating it where little exists. That means it brings out the most emotional, most extreme and most negative sides of stories which may already feature unusually disturbing and frightening topics. The net result can be a distorted view of the world around you and especially of people who are different from you.
A good test is to stop and ask yourself, “Am I learning something new and valuable right now? Or is this just making me upset?”
With 24/7 news coverage and commentary often amplifying the most extreme and shocking content, too much exposure is actually bad for your health! Not only can it increase anxiety and hopelessness, but it increases blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol. This emotional arousal is what can make it so addictive for some people despite its harmful effects.
That brings us to the next tip…
2.) Set boundaries
Like anything with the potential to be harmful and addictive, you need to set some boundaries with political content. Don’t doomscroll endlessly on social media or news websites. Don’t watch too much news before bedtime. Limit your exposure for the sake of your health and wellbeing.
Another critical part of setting boundaries involves the sources you choose for getting information. Many channels tend to feature inflammatory and controversial commentary more often than straight up reporting of the established facts. These are often the same channels which are not as reliable factually.
So if you’re stressed by all the drama but still want to keep up with the latest news, try to choose reliable sources that present the news in as unbiased a manner as possible. Focus more on fact-based news reporting and less on the flamboyant, personality-driven political commentary. This may involve trying some new options to find a healthier, more balanced source that you can gain knowledge from. Consult a media bias chart for independent help determining which sources are the most neutral and reliable.
3.) Counteract the stress with positive activities
Be intentional about doing activities which can counter the negative effects of election anxiety and a tense political environment.
Exercise
Spend time in nature
Watch comedy
Play board games or yard games
Read a good fiction book
Pet your cat or snuggle your puppy
Spend time with the people you love
These activities enhance wellbeing, reduce stress hormones, and help you focus on the positive things in your life.
4.) Focus on what you can control
When you find yourself ruminating on large scale political frustrations, it can help to scale back down to your own home, your friends, your family.
You may not be able to single handedly decide the next election, but you can start ripples of change with the way you take care of your own wellbeing and how you treat those around you.
Focus on what’s right in front of you. Focus on what you can control.
Even though you can’t control what politicians or other voters choose to do, you can control things like…
The way you treat your spouse and kids.
What type of friend you are.
How your coworkers feel about collaborating with you.
You can even control how appreciated the Starbucks barista feels after they make you a latte!
You may not be able to single handedly decide the next election, but you can start ripples of change with the way you take care of your own wellbeing and how you treat those around you. (Read our inspiring blog post about affecting change in your hometown.)
5.) Get involved in service for a good cause
Some experts recommend getting involved in local community politics or grassroots campaigns as a way to find meaningful engagement in a political cause.
For some people, this has the potential to make them feel like they’re doing something about issues that matter to them. For others, it can just lead to more time spent obsessing about stressful political issues and votes. So think carefully about how this kind of involvement may affect you, or try it out for a short-term evaluation period.
Fortunately, there are non-political ways of serving your community as well. There are always opportunities to perform community service and help people who are less fortunate. Volunteering is not only helpful for relieving the burden of political tension. It also boosts your health and wellbeing while making a tangible difference in the lives of others. It makes you feel connected to your community and the people around you.
Flexing your empathy muscle does wonders for pushing back the tides of political stress and burnout!
6.) Practice gratitude every day
Political drama can make us forget how many good things there are in our lives. And to be honest, it’s easy to overestimate just how much a change of president would impact our day-to-day lives.
Remember to be grateful for what you have: the people who love you, your home, the amazing variety of food available at nearby restaurants and grocery stores. The way your dog looks at you when she wants your attention. The super-comfy couch sitting invitingly in your living room. The beauty of nature.
Take a few minutes every evening, either by yourself or with your partner or family, to list some thankful thoughts. These can be things from the day for which you are thankful, such as the success of a big project at work or the time you spent laughing with a friend over lunch. Or they can be more general things you’re grateful for — like the love of your partner or your collection of record albums by your favorite artist.
There’s been a lot of research showing a connection between practicing gratitude and positive health, wellbeing and even longevity!
7.) Use your secret weapons: powerful enhancers of wellbeing for any situation
Incorporate meditation into your daily routine. Meditation is a proven method to stay grounded, keep things in perspective, and create a greater sense of serenity.
Use daily journaling to record your thoughts. Our brains process and assimilate thoughts with the cooperation of the language centers of our brains. Writing down your thoughts helps you process your day and close the loop on repeating thoughts that seem to follow you around. Journaling offers many of the same benefits as meditation.
Connect with a therapist. Sometimes it just helps to have an expert in your corner. Therapy uses your brain’s natural systems to help bring more meaning and balance to your life. It can help you replace negative thought patterns with more constructive ones. Therapy is an effective way to improve anxiety and depression while promoting overall wellbeing. Therapy is also a powerful form of self-care that can help you achieve the growth and healing you need to get unstuck from whatever is keeping you from living your life to the fullest.
Conclusion
If you’ve read this far, then you’ve already taken the first step of acknowledging how the divisive political climate is impacting you. You’re aware that too much political news or conversations can make you feel more anxious and depressed. And hopefully you’ve gained some ideas for how to survive the emotional impact of this tense election season.
Here’s a quick review of ways you can cope during the current heated political climate:
Use mindfulness—be aware of how you’re impacted emotionally by exposure.
Set boundaries—limit news exposure and choose reliable sources that increase your knowledge not frustration.
Counteract the stress with exercise, the outdoors, fun, and human connection.
Focus on what you can control—the world right in front of you.
Volunteering: Exercise your empathy muscles and perform some community service.
Practice gratitude—take time to be grateful every day.
Use your secret wellbeing weapons: meditation, journaling and seeing a therapist.
In the midst of the drama, don’t forget to take care of you. You matter in so many more ways than simply who you vote for!
And if you need help, reach out and learn how therapy can help you feel your best and live to your fullest potential.
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