If you’re feeling anxious heading into the fall election season, rest assured, you’re not alone. Many people report feeling stressed about the upcoming presidential election, and that election stress can extend to local contests as well.
An August 2024 survey from the Thriving Center of Psychology, for instance, found that 72% of Americans are stressing about the upcoming election, with 61% of women reporting particularly high levels of stress compared to 45% of men saying they felt very stressed about the election.
In a May 2024 survey by the American Psychiatric Association, 43% of adults reported feeling more anxious than they did the previous year, with 77% of respondents linking their stress specifically to the upcoming elections.
“These findings suggest that as the election draws nearer and political tensions rise, the impact on mental health becomes more pronounced,” says Lindsay Richerson, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and executive director at Lantana Recovery, an alcohol and drug rehab facility in South Carolina.
What Causes Election Stress?
The term “political stress” or “election anxiety” refers to the “process whereby stress, anxiety and general arousal increase around important election times, such as the 2024 presidential race,” says David Campbell, clinical director and program director at Recover Together Bend, a private behavioral health facility in Bend, Oregon.
Why this feeling is amplified around elections may be due to several factors, adds Stacy Thiry, a Florida-based licensed mental health counselor at Grow Therapy, an online platform for private practice mental health practitioners:
— Stress and increased political polarization. “As the divide between political beliefs grows wider, the sense of conflict intensifies, making elections feel more like a battle than a democratic process,” she explains. This divide can lead to high emotions as people identify personally and morally with different political views, leading to tension in relationships and increased anxiety.
— The 24/7 news cycle. The constant barrage of updates, political analyses and potentially sensationalized stories doesn’t always allow people to take a break or focus on bipartisanship or unity.
— Social media. The spread of misinformation and creation of echo chambers on social media platforms can make the world feel more chaotic.
[READ: Stress vs. Anxiety: Understanding the Key Differences]
Doomscrolling vs. Hope-scrolling
In the search for information on social media and other online forums, you might stumble on sources that make you feel worse, which can lead to doomscrolling.
“Doomscrolling refers to the compulsive behavior of continuously scrolling through negative news, often during late hours, which can significantly intensify feelings of anxiety and despair,” Richerson explains.
Many people find themselves doing more doomscrolling around election times “in an attempt to self-regulate or self-soothe due to excess election anxiety,” Campbell adds.
This strategy, though, can backfire as negative news piles up, often creating a sense of hopelessness or depression.
Nevertheless, it has become increasingly common, particularly among younger adults. A 2024 survey by Morning Consult, for example, found that about 31% of American adults regularly engage in doomscrolling, with the numbers rising to 46% among millennials and 51% among Gen Z adults.
However, there’s a flip side to doomscrolling: So-called “hope-scrolling” refers to a similar online activity in which you’re “actively seeking out positive or uplifting content to counterbalance the negativity,” Richerson says.
These behaviors can impact your mood and anxiety levels because “when you repeat anything over and over again, you reinforce the neuropathways of the message and feeling. So avoiding the negativity of doomscrolling and replacing it with hope-scrolling — similar to cognitive reframing in cognitive behavioral therapy — improves your mood and outlook,” explains Brooke Bardin, director of clinical operations for Victory Starts Now, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that supports previously incarcerated people and others affected by the justice system.
But there’s a balance to be had between the two activities.
“Most of us don’t need many reminders that bad things are possible in this world, but doomscrolling may skew our perspective toward the belief that only bad things happen,” says Arianna Galligher, director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “On the other hand, ignoring bad things entirely can contribute to toxic positivity culture.”
Toxic positivity culture, which can come with too much hope-scrolling, is “unrealistic optimism or avoidance of the issues at hand,” Thiry adds.
[SEE: 11 Tips to Support Someone Struggling with Mental Health.]
How Can I Reduce Election Stress?
No matter your political leanings, the following 13 strategies can help you feel less anxious and stressed as important local and national elections loom large.
— Limit media consumption.
— Banish black-or-white thinking.
— Make a plan.
— Practice holistic self-care.
— Practice mindfulness.
— Stay connected to loved ones.
— Separate people from their perspectives.
— Avoid using substances to cope.
— Focus on what you can control.
— Empower yourself by volunteering and voting.
— Avoid arguing.
— Seek professional help as needed.
— Celebrate small victories.
1. Limit media consumption.
It’s essential to set boundaries around how and when you consume news media. This can mean setting specific times when you’ll check updates, and then avoiding news coverage the rest of the day.
By setting clear boundaries around your media consumption, “you’re not cutting yourself off from information, but rather, you’re giving yourself the space to process what you’re seeing and hearing without being constantly bombarded,” Thiry says.
She also recommends curating your media sources.
“Instead of scrolling through endless feeds filled with all kinds of content, focus on a few reliable sources that provide balanced, factual information,” she advises. “This helps prevent the feeling of being pulled in different directions by conflicting reports and opinions.”
[READ: Types of Therapy: Choosing the Right One for You.]
2. Banish black-or-white thinking
Also known as all-or-nothing thinking, black-or-white thinking is a type of cognitive distortion in which “people view situations, outcomes or choices in extremes — everything is either entirely good or completely bad, with no middle ground,” Thiry explains.
During election seasons, this type of thinking can exacerbate stress and anxiety in several ways:
— Overemphasis on outcomes. “Black-or-white thinking can lead to the belief that if a particular candidate or party doesn’t win, everything will be disastrous,” Thiry notes. “This mindset disregards the nuances and complexities of political processes, leading to catastrophic thinking where the election result is seen as the only determining factor in the future.”
— Polarization. Viewing the opposing party or candidate as entirely bad or evil increases division and tension and creates an “us versus them” mentality that makes compromise feel impossible.
— Personalization of politics. When people engage in black-or-white thinking, they often tie their sense of identity or morality to the election results. “This can lead to increased stress, as any threat to their preferred outcome feels like a direct threat to their values or who they are as a person,” Thiry says.
— Increased conflict. Black-or-white thinking can also lead to more intense arguments and conflicts with others, especially those with differing opinions.
Instead of engaging in black-or-white thinking, you should challenge these extreme thoughts.
“Recognizing that most situations, including political outcomes, exist on a spectrum rather than in absolutes can help reduce the intensity of election-related stress,” Thiry advises.
3. Make a plan.
Another good way to turn down the temperature on stress is by making a realistic assessment of potential results.
Acknowledging “what is realistic to expect from the outcome of an election is important, and spending some time developing a coping plan for anything negative that is likely to occur can help reduce anxiety,” Galligher says.
This means “shifting away from an anxiety-fueled ‘what if’ mentality toward a more pragmatic ‘if, then’ mentality,” she adds.
4. Practice holistic self-care.
When in doubt, fall back on the tried-and-true self-care strategies that can help alleviate stress.
“Regular exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet are fundamental to managing stress,” Thiry says. “Physical well-being directly impacts mental health, so maintaining healthy habits is key.”
It’s also worth noting that when you’re overly tired, everything feels more stressful, so you definitely want to ensure that you’re getting enough sleep. Most adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye each night. Your needs may vary depending on your age and medical conditions, so check with your health care provider for specific recommendations.
5. Practice mindfulness.
Be aware of your triggers. If you know political debates tend to upset you, switch off the television when one comes on. If discussion of certain political topics or controversies is stressful for you, do your best to avoid those subjects as you move around online or while consuming media.
“Before diving into social media or turning on the news, take a moment to check in with yourself,” Thiry recommends. “Ask how you’re feeling and what you hope to get out of the experience. Are you seeking information, connection or just trying to pass the time? Being aware of your intentions can help you engage more positively and avoid falling into traps like doomscrolling.”
Being mindful also means actively working to reduce stress by practicing breathing techniques, meditation and yoga, and engaging with other activities that can center you and keep you grounded in the here and now.
6. Stay connected to loved ones.
Staying connected with a supportive community is another effective way to manage stress.
“Engaging in nonpolitical conversations with friends and family can provide a much-needed mental break from election-related stress,” Richerson notes.
Plus, participating in community activities or volunteering can give you a sense of purpose and belonging.
7. Separate people from their perspectives.
It’s possible that not all of your loved ones will have the same political views as you. The key to preserving those relationships is to separate the person and why you care about them from your feelings about their political stance.
“Remember, friendships and family relations can continue in a healthy direction despite differences in opinion — in other words, an individual can still love, appreciate and hold space for those they do not agree with, and remain close,” Campbell explains.
8. Avoid using substances to cope.
If you’re tempted to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism, try exploring alternative stress-relief techniques, such as grounding methods or progressive muscle relaxation, instead.
“Grounding techniques are practical exercises that help bring your attention back to the present moment, which can be especially helpful when anxiety starts to take over,” Richerson explains. “For instance, you might focus on your breath while mentally listing things in your immediate environment that you can see, hear and feel. This helps redirect your focus from anxious thoughts to the present moment.”
9. Focus on what you can control.
Anxiety spikes when you feel like you don’t have control over a situation. And often, we don’t have control.
Finding balance in your daily routine, however, can help you stay focused on what’s within your sphere of influence while helping you let go of worrying about things that are beyond your control or may never come to pass.
10. Empower yourself by volunteering and voting.
If you feel passionately about certain causes, get involved. And be sure to exercise your right to vote in any and all elections where you’re eligible to vote. This empowering action can help you feel less anxious.
“Remember that your voice matters,” Galligher notes. “If there are issues that you feel particularly passionate about, think about how you want to use your time, energy, effort and social capital to help influence change. Your strategy may be different depending on who gets elected, but no matter what, you’re not powerless.”
Writing to your representative about the issues you care about can help you feel more empowered, too. These officials “are intended to work for your community, so let them know what is important to you,” Bardin says.
She also recommends reframing how you think about elections: “By focusing on making progress on the issues in your communities instead of winning, you will be able to feel some success with the outcomes and feel less overwhelmed.”
11. Avoid arguing.
It’s tempting to fight when you feel passionately about a subject, but it’s best to skip the online or in-person political arguments with friends and family.
“Your mental health is more important, so focusing on mentally healthy discussions on the needs of your communities and ways to engage on civic issues is less anxiety-provoking,” Bardin points out.
12. Seek professional help as needed.
If election stress becomes overwhelming, seek support from a mental health professional.
“Sometimes, talking to an expert can provide the tools and perspective you need to cope,” Thiry notes.
13. Celebrate small victories.
Lastly, Bardin says that even if your preferred candidate doesn’t win, there are likely other small victories you can celebrate, including that another election cycle will soon be in the past.
“We have survived every other election in history and will survive this one,” she concludes.
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13 Ways to Reduce Election Stress originally appeared on usnews.com
