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How to Deal with Election Anxiety (and Other Emotions) of the 2024 Race

Posted on by Vaseline
How to Deal with Election Anxiety (and Other Emotions) of the 2024 Race

The 2024 election is causing serious stress for Americans. An attempted assassination, a heated debate over the mental health of the president (who happens to have COVID-19) — and that’s just this month.

As the language of fundraising emails and the campaign’s flood of phone calls and texts grows more urgent, both parties are presenting this presidential election as existential for the country. And that’s without even mentioning the independent candidates who are encouraging voters to reject a major-party nominee.

It’s hard to deny that the temperature of American politics has risen to an almost unbearable level. Whether you’re a seasoned politician or not, the cacophony surrounding Trump v. Biden Rround Twhich is difficult to escape.

If that means you’re feeling more anxious than usual, you’re not alone. The American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health survey, released in May, reported that 73% of Americans are feeling “extremely anxious” about the 2024 election.

In the spirit of Pixar’s summer hit Inside Out 2, we’ve created a guide to help you cope with the new emotions you may be feeling this election season.

Election anxiety

Election-specific anxiety is on the rise, so if you get palpitations every time you see a news alert, you’re in good company. A Yahoo News/YouGov survey conducted in May found that 60% of 1,800 respondents said they were “very” or “somewhat” anxious about the election.

“It’s similar to other types of anxiety in that there’s a focused source of worry — the election — although it’s pretty broad,” says Lynn Bufka, a clinical psychologist and associate chief professional officer for the American Psychological Association. Election anxiety is a bigger bucket, she explains, encompassing everything from stressors about the outcome of the race to nerves triggered by combative campaign rhetoric.

Since the beginning of time, humans have had to develop a mental system that responds to threats, Bufka says. That’s the physiological basis for some of our election-related stress. “We’re trying to understand what our bodies are doing and what’s out there in the world, and that gives us this experience of feeling anxious,” she explains.

Expert tip: Try to become more comfortable with the unknown. “Learning to become more comfortable with uncertainty is a great skill to have,” Bufka says. She also recommends getting involved with a campaign or social cause, which can help ease anxiety by giving you a sense of ownership and making you feel like you’re contributing or working toward a goal.

Hyper-partisanship

One nation, indivisible? Not so much. America has become increasingly partisan in recent decades. Gridlock in Congress and eroding political norms suggest that the spirit of compromise is fading in Washington. Across the country, Americans are dividing themselves along political lines, both socially and geographically, even down to neighborhoods.

Given the divisive media and hostile campaign rhetoric, it can be hard not to feel genuine anger toward members of the other party.

The idea of ​​“in-groups” and “out-groups” has long been researched, Bufka says — we like the people who are like us, and we avoid those who aren’t. “Hyperpartisanship has really amplified those differences,” she says. “It makes it easy to say, well, they’re not like me, so I don’t like them.”

By labeling people with differing viewpoints as the “other,” it’s easier to dehumanize and attack them, which leads to further division, Bufka points out. “What’s fundamentally happening is that we’re not seeing ways in which we could be similar,” she says.

An idea that is lofty in the mind can be difficult to fathom in real life when hyper-partisanship is present. This is especially true when the other party’s position poses a significant risk to your safety or that of the country.

Expert tip: Try to remember what shared goals you have with people who disagree with you—such as safety for your loved ones, or access to education, health care, and jobs. It helps if you know some of these people.

“Trying to continue relationships with people who you know have a different perspective than you can help alleviate the stress that comes from others never having my best interests at heart,” says Bufka, who acknowledges it’s a challenge.

Exhaustion of the news cycle

The days of the morning paper and the 6 o’clock news are over. The advent of the smartphone has brought the 24-hour news cycle into our pockets, and if hurricanes and wars weren’t enough, the contentious race between Biden and Trump is only adding fuel to the fire.

You don’t have to be a news junkie to feel fatigued by the constant barrage of polls, op-eds and push notifications. Bufka advises breaking the queue. “Most of the time, the news doesn’t change so radically that we have to be online 24/7,” she says.

A flood of information combined with no way to address it all can create a dangerous cocktail. Being overinformed doesn’t necessarily give you the tools you need to address the issues you care about, she warns.

“If we acknowledge that and make decisions about when, where and how we receive news updates, it becomes something that we can control. That’s always a great way to take some of our anxiety under control,” she advises.

Expert tip: Turn off the news for a while. Reconnect with nature. Sometimes seeing trees that survive for hundreds of years or the cycle of life that continues from season to season can help us zoom out, Bufka says.

Existential fear

A warming climate, a democracy under threat and a population so distrustful of each other that both sides feel that a victory for the other would be a disaster. It is not a happy picture.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of people are predicting pretty negative potential outcomes for whatever we’re going to encounter,” Bufka says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re red, blue or purple, your perspective is that if things don’t go the way I think they’re going to go, it’s going to be bad. So I think there’s a lot of potential for fear on both sides.”

Expert tip: Get involved. Volunteering for a cause you care about that is at risk during this election, or encouraging neighbors to vote, can give you back a sense of control. It can also foster social connections with like-minded people, a vital tool for alleviating anxiety.

“Social connection and support make a big difference,” Bufka advises.

it comes down to

There is nothing wrong with a little bit of stress around the election. It is probably a sign that you care, and that is good.

“We don’t want to get rid of our emotions, because our emotions can be a good indicator to help us take action,” Bufka says. But when those emotions become unbearably loud, it can be hard to get anything done, and your well-being can suffer.

As the final 100 days of the election campaign approach, take these tips to heart and make sure you come out on top.

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