With the election on Tuesday, North Texans may be feeling some nerves and jitters. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, 77% of Americans are stressed over the future of the nation and 69% are worried about the upcoming election.
These sentiments are more prevalent than in past election cycles, said Susan Franks, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor at Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, part of the University of North Texas Health Science Center. “Definitely more people are worried about the ramifications of the presidential election and what that’s going to mean for them,” she said.
While such anxiety is normal and often unavoidable, there are ways to cope and even channel it productively. Here are some psychology-backed tips.
Be aware of your news consumption
The news can help people stay informed during uncertain times. But obsessive checking and doomscrolling can cause anxiety, said Bryan McLaughlin, an associate professor of advertising and brand strategy at Texas Tech University. These behaviors are driven by something called the negativity bias, where our brains are wired to focus more on negative information than positive information.
“The idea of the negativity bias is that ... we pay attention to things that are threatening to us, [rather] than those things [that] are potentially rewarding because the consequences of not paying attention outweigh the rewards of paying attention to positive things,” he said.
A 2022 study conducted by McLaughlin and colleagues at Texas Tech found adults who were moderate or severe in their news consumption reported higher levels of mental and physical ill-being and were thus more likely to develop chronic stress, anxiety, inflammation and more serious health conditions.
Several other studies have found a connection between media overload and mental well-being.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people who frequently sought out the news reported increased emotional distress, a 2021 study found.
A 2022 study followed a group of young adults for 30 days to assess how consumption of pandemic-related news affected the emotional state. The study found their symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder were related to the amount of news exposure on social media.
Eric Wood, director of Texas Christian University’s Counseling and Mental Health Center, said avoiding the news isn’t the answer, noting that could discourage political participation.
He and McLaughlin instead stressed finding the right balance.
“Our recommendation isn’t to stop consuming the news, because we think consuming the news is important,” McLaughlin said. “It’s to find a healthier balance, to be more cognizant of your relationship with the news and [to] make sure you’re spending more time paying attention to the world directly around you.”
Practice mindfulness and do activities
Diverting your focus from politics can not only relieve anxiety but instill a sense of empowerment, Franks said.
“You have to look at a situation and ask, what can I control right now and what is out of my control?” she said. “Sometimes, the only thing you can control in any given situation is yourself and how you respond. So then you need to look at how you’re responding, how is this affecting me, am I tense, if my muscles are tense, what do I need to do?”
When feeling anxious, Franks and Wood recommend taking a moment to center yourself. Take slow deep breaths that engage your diaphragm — as that can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, according to the Cleveland Clinic — and try meditating to calm your thoughts.
McLaughlin said mindfulness can help reduce emotional tension caused by problematic news consumption. In a recent study, he and colleagues at Texas Tech found people who obsessively consumed the news were more prone to political hostility, such as participating in online fights. Those who reported higher levels of mindfulness were less likely to develop problematic news consumption and, in turn, political hostility.
If anxious thoughts are still hard to avoid, Franks and Wood recommend doing hobbies or other activities that can help take your mind off the news and promote well-being. These can include volunteering for issues you are concerned about.
“It will also lend itself to feeling like you have some control, like you’re doing something that may make a difference,” Franks said.
Go outside and take care of your health
Both Franks and Wood recommend going outdoors, which can help relieve stress and anxiety and improve overall well-being.
A 2019 study found people who spent at least two hours a week in local parks or other green spaces were more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who didn’t.
Being outdoors can help foster greater community cohesion, one 2015 study found. As many as 50% of Americans said tension around social and political topics made them less likely to want to connect with others, according to the recent American Psychological Association survey. And a growing number of Republicans and Democrats have tended to see members of the other party as “more immoral, dishonest [and] close-minded than other Americans,” a 2022 Pew Research Center poll found.
Exercise is a great way of dialing down election-related anxiety, Wood said, because it releases endorphins, hormones that improve feelings of well-being.
Franks also emphasized the importance of getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, eating well and engaging in positive social interactions to lower your risk of anxiety.
Don’t be afraid to seek professional help
While these strategies can be practiced on your own, Franks and Wood said it’s important to recognize when the anxiety becomes too much.
“If you have any suicidal thoughts or if your social relations are damaged to the point you feel that they are at risk — those are the things that cue you in that you need professional help,” Franks said.
Wood added that you don’t have to wait for your anxiety to reach a fever pitch before seeking help.
“I think there’s never a bad time to think about talking to a counselor. Anxiety is part of the human experience,” he said. “What we always say is, ‘Do you notice a change in yourself?’ Because anything that’s off should be something to get looked at to see what’s going on. If it lasts too long and you feel you need help resetting, a counselor or therapist would be a good resource.”
Miriam Fauzia is a science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. The News makes all editorial decisions.
