If you aren’t living under a rock, you’re probably aware that the 2024 presidential election is in full swing. The uncertainty surrounding the outcome is likely to stir up anxiety for many Americans. Regardless of your side of the political aisle, you’re likely to find yourself glued to your browser or TV, watching results trickle in. It is important to remember that there is a fine line between being well-informed and being oversaturated with information.
No one needs this reminder more than me. I’m a practicing psychologist who develops and tests strategies for combatting anxiety in clinical trials and I, too, find myself getting sucked into the discourse. I wrote this post as a reminder to myself to practice what I preach— specifically, to use the proven coping strategies for anxiety I teach my patients to use in times of anxiety.
I hope you’ll try them too!
Approaching Emotions With Mindfulness
Being mindful refers to the quality of awareness we bring to our experiences—specifically, nonjudgmental, present-focused attention. Most people associate mindfulness with meditation (e.g., apps like Headspace or Calm), but the truth is, you can still apply the principles of mindfulness to your election anxiety even if meditation is not your thing.
- Being Present. When I’m anxious, it feels like an uncomfortable spiral of “what-ifs” about the future. Being present means making a point to notice what is actually happening right now rather than letting hypothetical fears take over. Although you may have serious concerns about the fate of our nation (I know I do), those outcomes have not yet occurred. I like to tell myself, “I’ll cross that bridge if I come to it.” If you notice yourself getting carried away by thoughts of the future, you can pull yourself back to the present by bringing awareness to simple sensations—the feel of your feet on the floor, the rhythm of your breath, or the sounds around you—and remind yourself that you are safe in the current moment.
- Nonjudgmental Attention. Many people are hard on themselves for feeling strong emotions. This might look like telling yourself that you’re overreacting, or that it is weak to let others see that you’re upset. In my case, I have been known to view that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach as evidence that negative outcomes (my non-preferred candidate being elected) are right around the corner. Making judgments about our emotions only serves to make us feel worse; in fact, many research studies show that pushing away emotions or beating ourselves up for having them leads to more frequent and stronger anxiety. Instead, try giving yourself a break—tell yourself, “This election is high stakes, so it makes sense I’m anxious.” Then, notice if your anxiety is driven by a fear about the future and bring yourself back to the present.
Source: Clay Banks/Unsplash
Getting Flexible With Your Thinking
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift away from rigid, all-or-nothing thinking about the future. When people are anxious, they tend to focus on the worst-case scenario. For example, you (OK, me) might be telling yourself, “If this candidate wins, it will be terrible and I won’t be able to cope.” When we’re practicing cognitive flexibility, I encourage my patients to move past that initial thought of “how awful” it will be and consider exactly how they will respond when the election outcome is announced, the next day, week, month, etc. Cognitive flexibility allows us to explore how we will cope, even in the face of a negative outcome, helping us feel a bit less out of control. If you’re experiencing a lot of anxiety about the election, try exploring what you’ll do if the undesirable candidate wins (e.g., “I’ll donate to causes that are important to me, attend protests). Since most of us have experience with our non-preferred candidate winning over the past eight years, we have evidence that we can cope, and we know how we did it.
Choosing Your Actions With Intention
Another tool for managing your anxiety related to the election is to consider whether your behaviors are affecting how you feel. For instance, most of us will be glued to the news, watching results trickle in. Full disclosure—in 2020, I gave an interview about managing election anxiety with no fewer than 10 electoral college map tabs open in my browser.
I have to remind myself that the goal of 24-hour news networks is to increase ratings; thus, it is in their interest to keep us reeled in by making it seem like important announcements are imminent. As a result, it may feel difficult to disconnect to engage in your typical self-care behavior. Try telling yourself, “If something happens, someone will text me,” and then go for a run or, better yet, go to bed. Keeping up with healthy habits can help reduce your vulnerability to experiencing anxiety.
In the aftermath of the election, you may continue to feel drawn to the news and to show up (e.g., donate, volunteer, protest) for a variety of causes you think will be affected by the election results. In 2020, I remember feeling guilty about saying “no” or disengaging from the media, leading me to overcommit and feel overwhelmed. If this sounds like you, try reminding yourself that taking a break from politics to cook, engage with your kids, get some work done, go to the gym, etc., does not mean you don’t care. In fact, keeping up with the activities that fuel you will give you the energy to contribute to important causes more meaningfully.
Take Care
This time around, I plan to be honest with myself about what I can control and what I can’t. For instance, I can vote—and I can encourage my friends and relatives to do the same. I can stay informed while also setting boundaries that will allow me to bring my best self when I do show up for the causes that are important to me. That means I plan to maintain my 9:30 p.m. bedtime and take daily walks as we await the election outcome. I plan to cook dinner for my family as I normally would instead of ordering take-out so I can continue to stare at a screen uninterrupted. I plan to connect with friends and talk about the election, but about other stuff, too. It is tough out there—take care of yourselves.
