Nine Strategies to Support You Through Election Anxiety
Record numbers of voters came out to vote this election cycle from both sides of the aisle. Tension and anxiety is running high as the continuity of people's values and beliefs are coming into play. If this cycle proves to be anything like the election of 2000, we may be in for the long haul as recounts and court decisions are made before deciding on the outcome of our next presidential election. In the meantime, millions of people are left with a feeling of anxiety and fear. Some of the anxiety is what we call “anticipatory anxiety,” meaning that we worry about what may happen or play out as things progress. The problem is that there is no way to know what will result, and the best we can do is to keep ourselves emotionally healthy during the process.
Here are nine strategies to reduce your anxiety during this process
1. Accept your feelings
Develop self awareness about your feelings of anxiety and turn into those feelings. It is natural to want to avoid feelings of anxiety because they are uncomfortable yet avoiding them exacerbates the symptoms. Be able to sit with these feelings and allow yourself to be ok experiencing these feelings.
2. Practice self-compassion
Try to be gentle with yourself. Remembering that our responses are natural and there is no need to criticize yourself for having them.
3. Bring a gentle curiosity to your experience
Ask yourself curiosity questions about what is triggering your anxiety. Be curious as you explore what would really happen should desirable or undesirable results occur
4. Breathe
The simple act of taking slow deep breaths has immeasurable positive effects. Simply put, providing extra oxygen to your body helps cleanse and soothe different parts of our body. By focusing on deep breathing, you help slow your heart rate and allow more oxygen to enter your bloodstream thereby communicating with your brain to help you relax. Deep breathing also increases your endorphin level which are your “feel good” hormones.
5. Exercise
Exercise is a great way to release stress and tension. When exercising, your body produces a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine which improves cognition and mood. It also connects the responses of various nervous systems thereby improving your overall response to stress. Additionally, physical activity increases our endorphin levels which produces feelings of happiness.
6. Seek social support
Reach out to friends and family who will support you. As people learn and digest the ongoing new information turning to each other for support is extremely helpful.
7. Take a media break
Being that we are flooded by news via television, radio and social media on a 24-hour a day basis, we become overloaded with information. It is helpful to turn off the media and avoid checking social media. Remember that you aren’t going to change anything by constantly checking the news. It will also make little difference if you receive important news immediately or later on, but constantly checking the news can effect your mental health.
8. Practice self-care
As things play out, give yourself extra time to process your feelings. Slow down and think about what activities are relaxing for you. Some people enjoy coloring books, reading, listening to music, taking a relaxing walk etc. Be compassionate with yourself as you recognize that you are truly experiencing challenging times.
9. Take a broad perspective
There is an old saying that “the sun will come out tomorrow.” Recognize that whatever the outcome, the sun WILL come out tomorrow. You will wake up the next day, just the same as every other day. You can get through this. Be patient and realize that we are witnessing what feels like a slow and arduous process as democracy plays out. For those who experience disappointing results, recognize that nothing is forever and that you can advocate for change, regardless of the outcome.
Politics and Mental Health
Most recent elections have been incredibly stressful for people. This past year alone, has been filled with one stressor after the other, and it’s not over. Even after this election, we anticipate that the socio-political stress people are feeling will continue.
If you need a safe space to talk through these issues, know that the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here for you! While many of us have grown up with the phrase, “Don’t talk about politics or religion at the table,” you can rest assured that you can talk about those very things (and more) at our Maryland office.
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The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written By: Rivky Steen, LGPC
Rivky provides individual counseling services for trauma, grief, depression, and anxiety. She also has specialized training in Pastoral Counseling which can be really helpful for people who want their spiritual beliefs or world-views to be acknowledged and integrated into the counseling process.
Photos: cottonbro, Anna Shvets, and Clay Banks on Pexels and Unsplash
Date of Download: 11/6/2020
