Stressed About Election Politics ?

Stressed about politics? Here are 5 ways to take care of your mental health

The presidential election is taking a toll on the mental health of Americans. And that's according to recent surveys conducted before the attempt on one candidate's life and widespread calls for another to drop out of the race.

In a poll by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents said they're feeling anxious about the election. Another poll by Myriad Genetics found that nearly 40% said they are feeling anxious and/or depressed about the election season, and a similar share said they are "checked out" by the amount of news and social media attention on politics and the upcoming election.

Psychologists say it's normal for people to feel heightened negative emotions during this time.

For those looking to get a handle on their stress and anxiety right now, here are some strategies from Lewis and Bufka.

1. The first thing to do is understand what's fueling your symptoms — it's the uncertainty.

"Uncertainty is a breeding ground for anxiety and fear," says Lewis.

"We'd like to know what's going to happen," adds Bufka. "We'd like to predict. So when uncertainty strikes, many people start to imagine worst-case scenarios." And that's not helpful, she says. "An important strategy there is to try to break that habit, not go to the what's-the-worst-thing-that's-going-to-happen and anticipate everything will fall apart if X happens or Y happens."

Instead, she suggests asking ourselves questions like: "How likely is that worst-case scenario? Can I manage to cope with that? What are the kinds of things that I might again have some control over to try to manage a situation that would look like that?"

Those specific questions and one's responses to them can help people get a sense of control. "Focusing on what we can control is a great way to help us manage our stress and anxiety," says Bufka.

2. Another way to exercise control is to limit how much news one consumes.

Know when to step away or take a break, suggests Lewis. "What that might look like is turning off the television, news outlets, wherever you're receiving your news," she says.

That includes social media. "We don't have to scroll through social media just because it's handy and it's in front of us because we have smartphones in our pockets," says Bufka.

3. Do things that are meaningful to you. 

Research shows that engaging in activities that are meaningful improves people's overall well-being, says Bufka, particularly during times of stress.

4. Find other healthy ways to cope.

That includes doing things that bring you joy and keep you in the present moment, says Lewis, instead of worrying about what may or may not happen in the future.

5. Stay socially connected.

As multiple studies have shown, social isolation is bad for our mental and physical health. And it is particularly harmful if our mental health is already feeling frayed. "Staying socially connected with friends, family, peers that help support us and give us someone to turn to when we're feeling overwhelmed — that makes a big difference in how we handle our stress," notes Bufka.

But, she cautions, "we do have to be careful to not turn into stress spirals with other people."

And make sure not to isolate yourself from people who have different political views from you, she adds.

"We don't have to dive into political conversations with everybody that we meet," she says, "but connecting with people who might actually have different points of view than us [and] seeing our shared humanity can help us to lower the temperature about what our feared outcomes are."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/07/18/nx-s1-5041980/politics-election-anxiety-mental-health-tips