Coping with Election Anxiety 2024
For those of us in the United States, it’s a day before the life-changing election of 2024. We’ve each done all we can leading up to this big day. The electorate is split according to all measurements. It can go either way- and either way, there will be a range of reactivity from disappointment to neutrality to outrage and everything in between. By now we know that trying to predict the future is an exercise in futility, and worrying in advance is a useless drain on our energy.
The truth is that these feelings are generated in our nervous systems- past experiences of emotional activation– from nausea, to sinking feelings, to frozen feelings or flashes of heat plunging us into depression or accelerating us into words or actions that provoke retaliation. This boomerang becomes a cycle of negativity contaminating our social environments making it unpleasant for us to make our way through life.
So how might we prepare ourselves to cope with tumultuous election outcomes?
As a long-time psychologist, I have been privy to countless situations of polarization, from the intimacy of partnership relationships, through the tumult of organizational transitions, to scores of people undergoing and overcoming adverse situations in which blame and shame play huge roles.
Here are some general findings from those experiences.
First, foremost, and useful in all challenging situations: a little self-management can go a long way.
SELF-CARE
Physicality-– expenditure of energy can take the kinetics of negativity off the top of our emotional chart, and bring us down to an easier sense of equilibrium – gym, walking, dancing, etc.
Immersion in nature– The simple act of surrendering to the larger expanse of nature around us can pull us out of the stories in our heads into the larger world of big reality that surrounds us. Coupled with the action of walking, strolling, and breathing, can reduce our tempestuous temperature back into the normal range,
Breathing– There are many ways to regulate your breathing. A general rule is to inhale deeply to the count of your comfort- like 1-2.3.4.5.- and hold 1-2-3-4-5- and exhale to 1- 2-3-4-5 or longer. Longer exhales create more calm in less time. Experiment and see what works best for you. On different days, the ratios may be different.
Music- Keeping your favorite tranquil music on in your environment is a quick fix for downshifting.
Quieting your inner voices- remember to let go of worrying about what we cannot control. When quieting your inner voices you can pick one and have a brief conversation with it. Try speaking back to that upset voice in a soothing tone perhaps like a good mother might speak to a young child.
Refocusing- It’s useful to have a way of shifting your attention to another matter, or a task. Choosing something that will give you a sense of satisfaction or closure is a quick way to refocus.
Spending time with a pet, watching dog or cat videos, being quiet with a pet, or walking in nature…
Productive or nonviolent actions– such as doing artwork, painting, coloring, knitting, crocheting, working in the garden, watering plants, etc.
Making meaning personally or spiritually– Asking yourself or in conversation with a trusted other, “What might I learn from this?” or “How would understanding this better help me in the future with similar situations?”
Distraction- When all else fails, calling a long-lost friend, seeing a movie, going on a road trip to a new destination, or similar distractions can help move us closer to calm by having us, however temporarily, let go of negative ruminations.
INTERPERSONAL COMFORT
Protecting our interpersonal relationships, close and community-wise can steady us amid our daily activities.
Understanding: The ability to be empathetically or sympathetically aware of the thoughts and feelings of people other than ourselves. (It also benefits us to be aware of the reasoning and origins of our own judgments and opinions.)
Learning about the WHY behind this particular impending outcome is worth investigating. This kind of understanding can be both specific to others whom you trust to have conversations or as in reference to “the electorate” in general.
If you are reading this before the 2024 election, try seeking non-inflammatory and intelligent trustworthy writers who have been investigating and analyzing the psychology of others on both sides of this polarization,
Understanding the underlying reasons for people’s choices can bring our own anxiety and reactivity down into a manageable zone, Understanding where others are coming from, and making room for alternate points of view is always a starting point for being on the road to acceptance.
Associating back–thinking about times in our lives when we get scared or angry with the behavior of loved ones, children, parents, siblings, and friends. How did we escape the radical severance of our relationship with these important people? Some of us may have been fortunate enough to quiet our own inner voices and listen deeply to their point of view.
The ability to quiet your inner voice is a predictable outcome of mindfulness- a skill worth practicing.
Catch the thought! Practice noticing when a worrisome inner voice or thought emerges. Learn to identify that voice or thought earlier and earlier as you attend to your mental state. The sooner you can identify an enraging thought the sooner you will be able to detain it from flowering and the sooner you will be able to separate it out and put a fence around it. Obviously, there’s a practice effect here- and the more you practice, the more able you become. Achieving this ability helps us move through distressing times and increases our ability to function with high self-esteem.
The above description is the cornerstone of meditation which is why learning mindfulness meditation has become such a popular self-improvement skill. There are so many resources out there for people who are not yet familiar with this life-enhancing practice.
We are interested in hearing from you! Please send us what you are thinking, planning, and doing to remain calm and productive during this post-election season.