Six Ways to Ease Election Anxiety

Election season is stressful. As presidential campaigns, rallies and debates flood news outlets and media channels, you may feel the weight of making impactful decisions for the first time, the pressure to stay informed, the hesitancy to engage in political discussions, or the fear of how election outcomes might impact your future. All these feelings and more can lead to heightened anxiety. 

“Many universities are reasonably worried about the election season,” says Jennifer Fountain, dean of Student Wellbeing and Flourishing. “[There is] potential for exacerbated speech and demonstrations [to] disproportionately affect our Black, LBTGQ, Jewish students, and nearly every marginalized identity.”

With the increasing intensity surrounding election season, it is important to take proactive steps to manage anxiety. Here are six ways you can ease election anxiety during this time:

1. Focus on what you can control and the positive actions you can take

Feelings of depression and anxiety around election season can be rooted in one’s feelings of powerlessness or inability to control the situation. It is easy to experience feelings of hopelessness around the election season as some begin to question if their vote truly makes a difference. Combat these feelings by voting. This can assuage some of these anxieties as the physical act of voting can represent one’s active participation in the democratic system.

Eric Patterson, a licensed professional counselor and author of an article entitled, “How to Manage Election Anxiety: 13 Tips to Staying Calm,” argues that “the act of voting can also represent the conclusion of another election cycle, and it presents an opportunity for people to shift their habits away from politics.”

However, voting is not the only way to take action. You may also choose to volunteer to campaign for your candidates and attend peaceful rallies and marches in support of the causes you are passionate about.

2. Separate people from their viewpoints

With an increasingly polarized political system, it may be difficult to separate friends and family from their political views. 

Judy Hao is the senior staff psychologist for University of California-Irvine, and she suggests one way to separate a person from their viewpoints is to “remind yourself, ‘I can love someone without agreeing with them or even understanding why they think the way they do. Our relationship is built on so much more than our political views.’”

Practicing empathy and compassion during this time can be difficult but Hao reminds us that “your views are part of who you are, but they don’t define you.”

It may be helpful to think of the election season as a time to incorporate the Ignatian values Gonzaga puts forth. Fr. James Martin, S.J., compelled his readers to “put a positive interpretation on a person’s words [rather] than a negative one.” Give someone the benefit of the doubt because you do not know how they are feeling or what is going on inside their head.

If you do find yourself in a conversation with someone whose political opinions differ from your own, Fountain suggests that after each student has expressed their point of view, try to name the feelings that are being expressed. 

Some examples of this are: 

• What makes you say that?
• Why is that concern (or issue) important to you?
• Did a person or experience influence your belief?
• Can you say more about what you mean when you say ________? 
• Why do you think that is? 
• Have you always felt that way?

"This gives members a chance to slow down, pause, and let the other person know that you are listening,” says Fountain.

3. Set boundaries

While it is important to remain aware of the political happenings, Patterson suggests that “sometimes going off the grid for a period may be necessary to offset the negative effects of your election-related anxiety.”

Limiting news and social media exposure can be key to reducing election-related anxiety. In 2022 the American Psychological Association cited a study that found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals who frequently consumed information across media platforms were more likely to experience emotional distress. While the content of the stressor differs, the logic remains the same: frequent consumption of election news and information can exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety mirroring the emotional stress in the COVID-19 study.

It is also important to take mental breaks from engaging in political discussions. Set a time limit on the amount of election-related news you consume in a day, or make space to hold conversations with others that do not involve politics. 

Creating guidelines for yourself regarding election-related conversations is important to ensure your relationships maintain mutual respect. If certain individuals cross personal boundaries when discussing politics, it’s okay to keep them at a distance. As Patterson reminds us, “your friendships and other social bonds are supposed to bring you joy, not be another source of stress.”

4. Prioritize physical health

While setting social boundaries is important, you should also prioritize your personal health. It is important to limit negative coping skills–such as drugs and alcohol–that may exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety. While these coping strategies may offer a temporary ‘fix’, Patterson argues that these “substances only compound the issue.” Even when you are overwhelmed, it is crucial to maintain healthy habits in regard to diet, sleep and exercise.

“When stress is high, people may choose the foods that are available rather than the foods that are healthy,” Patterson writes in his article. “Focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables with healthy proteins for energy.”

Prioritize sleep and refrain from looking at election-related news within an hour of when you go to sleep. Both exercise and sleep are vital to improving and restoring both physical and mental health. Patterson says that even setting aside 20 minutes each day to take a walk can “clear the mind as it strengthens the body.” 

5. Stay mindful

When you feel anxious or stressed, your first instinct may be to suppress or ignore these feelings, when it is important to recognize that what you are feeling makes sense and work to understand where these feelings are coming from so you can process them in a healthy and productive way. 

Charmayne Adams is the assistant dean of Student Health at Gonzaga University, and offers a helpful guide to assemble the emotional experience.

Start by identifying the trigger—what bodily experience sparked the anxiety? Next, recognize any primary or secondary emotions that surfaced when you felt that shift in your body. Consider the meaning you have attached to these emotions. Finally, reflect on the action or behavior you took as a result of these emotions. This awareness can help you understand your anxiety and respond to it more effectively.

6. Search for hope

While the political world may seem daunting during this time, do not forget that there is hope. Patterson encourages us to retrain our brains to find hope and beauty in the world.

“Spend time each day appreciating a new bloom, the sunset reflecting against a window, or changing leaves on a tree,” he writes. “In addition to the beauty of nature, there are people doing good and contributing amazing amounts of positivity into the world, even when situations look bleak. Make it a mission to find these people, to celebrate them, and become inspired by them.”

If you are looking for good news stories, goodnewsnetwork.org and @goodnews_movement on Instagram are great places to find news filled with joy, hope and inspiration. 

Fountain reminds Zags that the election does not require an “all-hands-on-deck” campus response, but rather it can “serve as an opportunity for living our core values of being a campus that elevates differences and believes in the value that higher education must be a marketplace for ideas. By showcasing the positive impact that Gonzaga students have on the development of understanding, curiosity, and a willingness to engage respectfully, we can and will highlight the unique ways Gonzaga plays a role in shaping informed and engaged citizens.”