Election years can feel like interminable, sanctioned psychological and emotional abuse inflicted in the name of Democracy. And preserving one’s mental health in an election year can seem impossible. You can’t go anywhere without hearing about what one candidate or another may have said or done (or hasn’t said or done). And this onslaught of information is presented with such a degree of urgency that you might be reeling just sitting in a waiting room and inadvertently catching the tail end of the latest news promo.
Regardless of your political leanings, these are tough times for everyone. We are all looking for coping strategies that allow us to come through this election cycle (at least relatively) unscathed. Hopefully, some of the following methods will be helpful to preserve your mental health as we creep — ever so slowly — towards some respite in November.
Know That You’re Not Alone – Election Stress is Real
Election Stress Disorder is a real thing. Characterized by lack of focus/distraction, depressive symptoms, increased anxiety, and exhaustion, many mental health professionals recognize the phenomenon despite the fact that it’s not currently part of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM-5). A poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that 73% of respondents said they’re feeling anxious about the election, and a similar study conducted by Myriad Genetics showed that 35% of respondents admitted to feeling “checked out” as a response to the amount of news and social media attention on the topic.
Set Boundaries
If you can relate, the first step is to acknowledge whatever feelings you have about the election. It’s fine — almost expected — to feel stress over decisions that will impact your future. But while it’s good to care, setting some boundaries, like limiting your exposure to political news and social media can help. If you find yourself involved in an overly heated conversation that doesn’t feel productive, walk away from it. (This is especially true if the discussion is online; you will never “win” an argument on social media, and it’s not worth engaging with people who enjoy the fight more than you do.) Take breaks, and focus on tasks over which you have direct control. Ultimately, the goal is to save yourself from falling into that vicious anxiety cycle by recognizing when the stress is no longer serving a constructive purpose.
Separate People From Their Viewpoints
This is a particularly difficult feat, but doing it could save relationships you have with people on the other end of the political spectrum. Remind yourself, especially when it comes to family and friends, that you can love them without agreeing with them. It may feel nearly impossible to respect differing viewpoints these days, especially if they’re deemed problematic or an opinion grounded in ignorance, but if you value the relationship, you’ll need to dig down deep and agree to disagree. Maybe that looks like making a pact to not discuss politics at all. It could mean taking a break from being around each other until after the election. Try to exercise empathy; you might not be able to understand why they think the way they do, but if you love them, you need to move beyond that frustration.
Beware of Disinformation
One of the reasons our politics are so divisive is the rampant disinformation we are exposed to on a daily basis. The full repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in the early 2000s has meant that many news media outlets are able to either overtly or subtly express certain viewpoints over others. If someone doesn’t make it a point to seek out their news from several different sources, and then take the time to triangulate the actual truths in that coverage, over time they can develop political beliefs that align a certain way.
And that doesn’t even begin to address what we see on social media. Many platforms aren’t able to combat the wealth of disinformation that is spread by both malicious actors, and people innocently believing they are being helpful by passing something on. This is why metaliteracy — the ability to evaluate information for any bias, reliability, and credibility, and then assess your role in producing and spreading information — is a crucial skill for everyone.
Metaliteracy can help you evaluate which items of information to pay attention to. If you find yourself getting worked up over something you’re reading or hearing, ask yourself if it comes from a legitimate source. Then, ascertain whether consuming that information is actually helpful to you. If not, try to move on.
Focus on What You Can Control
For many, the stress surrounding the election comes from having to consider too many big-picture problems all at once, like environmental issues, the economy, and potential conflicts with other countries. While it’s important to stay informed in order to make an educated choice at the ballots, doom scrolling about these topics doesn’t help anybody.
Psychologists recommend combatting this source of anxiety by practicing “values-based living.” Instead of spending an evening reading articles about how our product consumption rates are dooming us to certain oblivion via climate change, for instance, read only one article, and then repair the shirt that lost a button instead of buying a new one and having it shipped to you. “Understanding what we can control and what we can change is powerful to our own stress levels,” says Teralyn Sell, a licensed professional counselor in an article from NBC News. “Most of the political climate is not controlled by us nor can we change other’s beliefs or feelings around it. Accepting the idea that we can only control ourselves and change things for us is a powerful reminder to not get caught up ruminating on the unchangeable and the uncontrollable. It is important to point the finger inward and ask, “What about this can I change and control?’ before you get caught up in the stress of it all.”
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