Managing Election Anxiety (Regardless of Your Politics)

It’s Time to Restock Your Coping Kit

Oct 29, 2024

ICYMI 👉

Congratulations if you’re feeling relaxed about the upcoming election. But if you’re like me or most of my patients, you’re a little on edge. A good number report feeling agitated and sleepless. Some are turning to alcohol, sugar and comfort foods to cope. Others feel the impact of anxiety in physical ways—in the form of migraine headaches or back pain or elevated blood pressure readings. The open spigot of stress hormones means that irritable bowel syndrome is enjoying a heydey.

It’s normal to feel anxious in uncertain times. Wired for survival, adrenaline and cortisol levels naturally surge under stress. And our bodies feel it. The last presidential election did that to people! A study published in JAMA showed that hospitalizations for heart attack, stroke and heart failure were 17% higher in the five days after the 2020 election than in a five-day period two weeks prior.

Of course, not everyone is undone by the uncertainty of American politics, but here in Washington, DC, it’s difficult not to notice the air vibrating with anticipation. Anxiety festers when we give it a home, so instead of dwelling on the “what if”s and the “Oh my God”s (even if those feelings are justifiable), try directing your energy toward the things you can control—especially over the next week.

Specifically, ask yourself: What am I doing to manage my pre-election anxiety? Here is what I’m recommending to myself and to my patients:

Start with self-awareness

Scan your body the next time you feel anxious. Where is your anxiety located? Is your neck tight, jaw clenched, or back stiff? Is your heart racing or palms sweaty? Do you notice your gut flip-flopping? When we connect the dots between our emotional and physical states, we can worry less that our body is malfunctioning and direct our attention to the anxiety itself.

Tune into specific internal and external triggers for heightened anxiety. Is it the experience of physical symptoms of anxiety? Is it watching the news? Scrolling Twitter/X? Talking with an agitated friend or family member? Identifying what sets you off can help you regulate your emotions.

What unhealthy behaviors do you gravitate to when you’re stressed? Do you graze on junk food, drink too much wine, or stay up late scrolling through Twitter? Do you lash out in anger at home or at work or at people in the supermarket checkout line? Or do you turn inward, pulling up the covers and avoiding other people? It’s critical to recognize how easily we default to factory settings when we’re stressed. Self-awareness lays the groundwork for taking control over your fear.

Add some self-compassion

Give yourself permission to be a little undone this week, to eat too much Halloween candy if you must, or to have a $hitty week. It’s okay. You’re human. I say this not because despair-plus-Twix bars is a winning combination—or because slipping out of a hard-won streak of sobriety isn’t potentially dangerous—but because beating yourself up about fear in the face of uncertainty is the birthplace of self-sabotage.

Then, give yourself bonus points for being nice to yourself and sticking with your health goals this week.

Restock your coping kit

This is the week to book a yoga class, walk with a friend after work, or call the therapist whose business card is buried in your purse. This is the week to put your phone down at least two hours before bedtime. This is the week to get to an AA meeting or sign up for the Reframe app to manage your relationship with alcohol. This is the week to use the Calm or Insight Timer app for a guided meditation at bedtime.

This is the week to call your friends to talk about something unrelated to politics. This is the week to stretch your entire body for 10 minutes, dig in the garden, listen to calming music, snuggle with your pet, organize your underwear drawer, and do whatever brings you joy—as long as it's legal and doesn’t hurt anyone.

Whether it’s resuming an exercise routine or meditating before bed, being intentional about how we spend our time and energy can help us refocus on the present moment. The bottom line is that we all have the ability to break cycles of worried self-talk and self-sabotaging behaviors. We can give ourselves permission to feel uneasy. We have the ability to ask for help.

Take breaks from the news

There’s nothing healthy about constantly consuming the news. It may feel like leaving the TV on or regularly scrolling social media somehow protects us from the unknown, however it only ratchets up our fear response. It drains our emotional reserves. So, I suggest you rip the IV drip of adrenaline from your veins in favor of taking a quiet moment with a book, your cat, or walking outside. If you’re still sitting in front of the TV, try flipping the channel to a program about puppies or fish.

Create a politics-free zone if you need one

If you have friends or family who are particularly agitated or hyped up, know that it’s okay to ask for a politics-free zone. Just because you don’t want to talk politics or express outrage on demand—even if you agree with that person—doesn’t mean you’re blasé about the country’s future. And if they don’t agree, it’s okay to take a break. Marinating in heightened emotions isn’t good for anyone, especially en masse!

Get out the vote

Your voice makes a difference, even in the home stretch. Taking matters into your own hands is a great way to quiet feelings of vulnerability—not to mention you can still change hearts and minds! Whether it’s through phone banking, driving people to the polls on Election Day, or going door-to-door to encourage people to vote, making your voice heard can help you get out of your own head and stay focused on the present moment.

My last piece of advice? Go out and VOTE!

So, what are YOU doing to manage your election anxiety? (Please be kind ❤️✌️)