The panic caught me unexpectedly. I was browsing the trending stories on Twitter last week—like I do every morning for my job—and I felt it right in my chest, a tightening sensation that sent adrenaline through the rest of my body. It felt like I was gearing up to run away from a bear. But, unfortunately, I couldn't physically run away from the source of my anxiety: Election 2016.
Ever since this election began (which, to me, honestly feels like the moment President Obama started his final term), I've felt myself grow tenser and tenser with each candidate's tweets, each media think piece, and each passionate status a friend posts about "the state of our nation" on Facebook. With two radically different presidential nominees, I find myself spending less time supporting a candidate and more time playing a grim montage in my head of what could happen to the U.S. under a specific candidate. I have real anxiety about this year’s election, and I am definitely not the only one.
If you search "election anxiety" on Twitter, you’ll see what I mean. Among (many, many) other tweets, you’ll find people suggesting that therapists should specialize in "Election Related Anxiety," people describing their anxiety for our country's future as "insurmountable," someone saying they'll casually be having a three month-long anxiety attack until November, and someone trying to soothe their election anxiety with a GIF of Beyoncé meditating (a great coping strategy, if you ask me). The anxiety is real, and therapists are noticing it, too.
"I have more in this election—than I can remember from past elections—been hearing from clients that they are very anxious about the election," Shannon Bennett, PhD, co-director of the Weill Cornell Pediatric OCD, Anxiety, and Tic Disorders Program at New York-Presbyterian, tells SELF. "Interestingly, I work with a lot of children and it’s a worry that children are volunteering. I’ve had a few elementary-aged children talk about their anxiety about Trump being elected, which is new."
Related: 5 Surprising Things Most People Get Wrong About Anxiety
Art Markman, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, tells SELF he's seen a surge in election anxiety, too. Anxiety, he says, is an avoidance system, spurred by something you're trying to dodge (for example, a bear chasing you, or an upcoming exam). This election, he says, seems filled with more people focusing on the negative outcome if a certain candidate makes it to the Oval Office than elections past. It's less of a #MakeAmericaGreatAgain or #ImWithHer election, and more #NeverHillary or #NeverTrump.
"A lot of people have avoidance reactions to one or both of the candidates, so supporters of Hillary Clinton find the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency to be something that is frightening," Markman says. "And I think, likewise, supporters of Donald Trump find the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency equally anxiety producing. That's why you have these hashtags like #NeverTrump and #NeverHillary—that’s not saying, 'I’m excited about the election of this particular candidate,' it's 'I’m scared to death of the election of the other candidate.' You've got avoidance reactions all over this election."
Since you can't "outrun the bear" that is Election 2016—unless you make a move to Canada—here are a few strategies from Markman and Bennett to help you cope with anxiety this election season:
Instead of having a "Never (insert candidate-of-your-nightmare's name here)" mindset, Markman suggests switching your avoidance reaction to more of an "approach reaction." Think about the *great* things that could happen in our country if a certain candidate is sworn in as Commander in Chief.
"Try to reframe the election in terms of something positive," Markman says. "Be focused on the potential desirable outcomes, so focus on the candidate you favor and really what would be exciting or wonderful about having that candidate elected. That’s one possibility—but not everyone’s going to be able to do that."
While it may seem productive to soak up as much information about the candidates as possible—I mean, we are voting in November—if you're feeling stress or anxiety, sometimes it's necessary to take a break from the coverage. "The best way to calm yourself down is to feel some amount of distance from the proceedings," Markman says.
Give your mind a chance to reset and log off of Twitter. Instead, watch a movie, look at puppy pictures, go to the park— just do anything that's not election-related. This journalist's escape from election coverage: Gilmore Girls, because sometimes it's nice to worry about Lorelai's insane intake of coffee instead of the fate of our nation.
When you are prepping to vote and reading up on the candidates, Bennett suggests setting time limits to help manage your anxiety. Spend half an hour learning about a candidate's policies, she says, then do something else that will clear your head, like going for a run. Putting a cap on election coverage will force you to break a nervous cycle.
"When we're anxious about something, we can get in the habit of researching it, checking on it, reading about it more and more, thinking that we’re doing something productive," Bennett says. "But it’s really feeding into the anxiety. Take breaks from media and go and do something else that’s pleasurable."
One of the best ways to relieve anxiety is to take real action. Bennett says voting is the most important thing a person with election anxiety can do. And, until you can cast your vote in November, make moves by working for a presidential candidate that you're passionate about or by getting involved in government on a local level.
"There's lots of opportunities to work with local communities and get things done, whether it’s with city government or with volunteer organizations that actually have a direct impact on the lives of people in your neighborhood," Markman says. "I think many of us have ceded control of our lives to government in general rather than just getting involved in the things that are happening in our community."
We'll make it, people, one puppy picture at a time.
Related:
- How To Make Your Anxiety Work For You (Instead Of Against You)
- My Partner’s Reaction To My Anxiety Made Me Fall Even More In Love With Her
- 11 Celebrities Who’ve Openly Discussed Their Troubles With Anxiety
Watch: We Asked Kids To Explain What Makes A Good President And They Came Through
