How to Cope with Anxiety During Political Elections
Have recent political ads, election cycles, and the increase in political talk caused additional stress or anxiety symptoms for you? If so, you are not alone! Whether it’s the increase in high-stress conversations, or the actual political marketing ads appealing to the fears and anxieties of the voter bases, these can be difficult times for those who struggle with anxiety. (1)
Many Americans report that they experience an increase in anxiety symptoms and the weeks leading up to you and following election cycles or during times of high political stress.
So what can you do to manage your anxiety symptoms during these politically charged seasons? Here are a few things to consider:
Set boundaries on your media consumption.
It’s important to do an inventory of your life, and identify where the greatest exposure to political stress occurs for you. For some, it may be sources of social media, and for others, TV, online, or radio ads. Determine where your highest exposure rates are for politically charged material, and set practical boundaries related to the time, and attention that is given to those sources. Practical suggestions include:
muting certain accounts,
switching to preset playlists rather than a radio,
And generally spending time in alternative activities.
A higher exposure rate to these types of materials tends to increase anxiety symptoms, so reducing exposure to political material may intern, reduce those anxiety symptoms.
Set boundaries in conversations.
During these politically charged time periods, it can be a common topic of conversation to discuss areas of policy or current news. Certain people may be safe and constructive to have these types of conversations with, and others may cause increased feelings of resistance, uncertainty, and anxiety.
Think about the people in your life, those who tend to gravitate towards politically charged conversations, and how you feel in the various conversations that you engage in. Identify those people that tend to cause more anxiety or discomfort during conversations. Consider setting boundaries with those individuals about how you would like to discuss political content, route conversations away from areas of political discussion, or state your specific boundaries related to the topics you are or are not comfortable discussing.
Determine a plan for how you would like to get information.
The overabundance of information and opinions can be overwhelming and anxiety-provoking for many people. So in an effort to manage your anxiety responses, determine how and where you will seek out information to be an informed voter or citizen. Avoid the general google search spiral, and specifically, seek out the information that you would like to know from credible sources. Set time limits on how and when you will seek out this information, and make your decisions accordingly.
Engage in intentional self-care.
Anxiety related to political climate is no different than other anxieties in the ways that we are able to proactively manage the responses in our brain and body. Care for the body and brain is imperative when considering managing all forms of anxiety. Continue to engage in exercise, healthy eating, hydration, and the prioritization of sleep. These basic elements of care for the brain and body can do wonders in managing specific seasons of heightened anxiety responses.
If you are interested in getting greater support for the management of your anxiety, our team would love to partner with you in that goal. We have multiple options to connect through online therapy services and in person at our Arlington, Texas base therapy office. Let our team support you in reaching your goals of health and wellness.
