Surviving Election Anxiety and Fear for the Future of Our Nation
Written by: Dr. Yvette Boles, Psy.D.
Psychologist at Sejdaras Psy.D. & Associates
Have you been feeling more and more anxious for this election day? Did you find yourself getting pulled into the black hole of news and social media, emerging feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, unsure of where the time has gone? Many of us are experiencing this kind of fear, anxiety, hopelessness, and information overload. Regardless of our political views, who we support, where we live, or how we identify, we are all impacted by the fear and division felt in our nation right now. Today is the Election Day and the uncertainty of what the results will be and when we will know for certain who will win the election, we could all use some tools to help us get through this moment.
Check your Doom Scrolling
Most of us are spending significantly more time staring at screens nowadays, whether for work or to stay engaged with our loved ones and the world we live in. Research has shown us that increased consumption of news is connected to increased feelings of fatigue, depression, and anxiety as well as increased difficulty sleeping. If this experience resonates with your own, try to take steps to be more intentional about the time you spend on social media or consuming news. It’s okay to take breaks and take care of yourself. Sometimes we feel that if we look away for a moment, we will miss something important. While this is a completely normal feeling, especially in the fast-paced information age in which we live, we must put our own sanity and well-being first.
Exercise Self-Compassion and Engage in Self-Care
If we do not care for ourselves, we cannot care for anyone else. Whether you are hoping to support your loved ones, care for children or elderly relatives, engage in activism, or just keep your head above water, it is important to make sure that you are caring for yourself. Sometimes self-care means simply taking a moment to step outside your door and breathe. It does not have to be big; it just has to be. Similarly, self-compassion can exist in small moments of kindness and understanding that we extend to ourselves. Acknowledging that we are living in stressful times and being gentle with ourselves can make all the difference in making it through the day. Admitting things are not okay and giving yourself the same comfort you would give to those you love most is the essence of self-compassion.
Focus on Bite-Sized Actionable Steps
When life feels so overwhelming that it feels like there’s no possible way to get through the day and accomplish everything you need to do, it can help to pause and break your to do list into small manageable steps. Instead of telling yourself that you need to clean the house or the apartment, start by gathering all the clothes and other fabrics that need to be washed together. Then gather anything that is clean and needs to be folded into a separate place. Move through each small task and give yourself credit for everything you accomplish. Even just making a list or taking stock of what you want to do is an accomplishment. It is completely okay to take small steps that help to bring you closer to your larger goals.
Say a Serenity Prayer for Yourself and the World
It can be helpful to remind ourselves of what is in our control and to figure out how to make meaning and take perspective of the challenges around us. The serenity prayer is a text that is commonly used to aid in calming the overwhelm and helping struggling individuals get through difficult times. It says, “God (or whatever you would like to insert that is relevant to your personal belief system) grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” In short, we can only do what we can do. Those are the things to focus on when the existential dread and the stress of living in a dystopian novel become too much to bear.
Focus on Understanding Rather than Division
In a time when our nation is more divided than ever, it can be hard to hear each other over the shouting of opinions in the echo chambers of social media. The stakes have never seemed higher than they do in this moment and with so many people convinced of contradictory alternative facts and confused by the struggle to distinguish between fake news and accurate information, it can sometimes seem an impossible task to communicate effectively and compassionately about topics rife with controversy and disagreement. This difficulty is exactly why it is so important to be intentional about holding on to the compassion and value inherent in each and every person. Voices should be heard and everyone has a right to speak their truth. If that truth is spoken with compassion and understanding, it is so much more likely to be heard and held, even if not all of those who hear will agree. We will all continue to exist together in this world after the election is over and the years continue to pass. Much healing will be needed as a country and as individuals. In keeping compassion in the front of our minds when we interact with each other, we will lay the groundwork for the healing that comes next.
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