Coping with Election Anxiety: Finding Community in Uncertain Times
As another election approaches, it’s a righteous response to feel stressed, anxious, and/or overwhelmed. Many of us experience a deep sense of uncertainty during this time, for a multitude of reasons. It’s not just about the results, but about everything the election represents—our rights, our communities, and the future of the world we live in. And if you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone.
What is Election Anxiety?
Election anxiety is the worry or stress many people feel during political campaigns and voting periods. It often stems from the unknown—what will happen if certain candidates win or lose? What will the future look like? This kind of anxiety can feel overwhelming, especially when it’s tied to big issues like safety, justice, accessibility, and equity.
Your feelings of distress and unease might come from real concerns about the future; we are all directly affected by the election’s outcome. For many, politics isn’t just a distant event on the news—it’s personal. It affects our access to healthcare, safety, education, and rights. So, it makes sense that you may feel anxious about the possible outcomes, particularly in current times.
One way we can work together is by focusing on what’s most meaningful to you. Elections often bring up bigger, deeper questions about what we care about—our values, our purpose, and the kind of world we want to live in. While the political process can feel out of our control, we can explore the things that are within your control and what actions or choices might help you feel more empowered.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Coping with Election Anxiety: Tips for Finding Grounding and Community
Intentionality with media consumption: It’s easy to get caught up in the constant flow of news and social media, but this can make your anxiety worse. Try setting boundaries, like checking the news only once or twice a day, and only from trusted sources.
Importance of micro-learning instead! Use your time on social media platforms or other internet spaces to learn or gather additional quality information to better inform your understanding/knowledge/perspective. Microlearning offers opportunity to gain new knowledge without snowballing into doom scrolling or getting lost in a sense of hopelessness and/or helplessness.
Focus on what you can influence and impact: You can’t change the entire political system by yourself, but you can take small, meaningful actions that align with your values. Whether that’s voting, volunteering, or educating yourself on issues that matter to you, doing something positive can help reduce feelings of helplessness.
Practice grounding techniques: When anxiety gets overwhelming, grounding exercises can help bring you back to the present moment. Deep breathing, focusing on your senses, or mindfulness exercises, yoga, dancing, stretching, or walking outside can all help reduce stress.
Find community support: Connecting with friends, family, or community groups can help you feel supported and is a vital part of being a human being. Sometimes, just talking about your concerns with others who understand can make a big difference.
Self-care as self-preservation: Being in care with yourself during stressful times is important. Make sure you’re setting aside time for activities that cultivate connection and curiosity. You deserve to slow your internal pace when the world around us demands constant speeding up.
Finding Meaning and Purpose
At the heart of election anxiety is often a deeper question about what matters most to you. We can use this time to reflect on your values—what you believe in, what you stand for, and how you can live those values, no matter the outcome of the election. While we can’t control most things, we can always choose how we show up in the world and where/who/what we can have impact on.
We can also explore ways to reconnect with community. Whether through activism, volunteering, or simply supporting friends and family, being part of something bigger than yourself can help you feel more grounded and hopeful during uncertain times. Remember that you’re not alone in this—communities throughout history have faced political challenges, and collective action has always been a source of strength and change.
We can’t predict the future, but we can take steps to care for ourselves, connect with others, and hold onto curiosity and hope. That is what has held people together in the face of adversity throughout history. Together, we can find strength in uncertain times.
Interested in working with Kelsey? Connect with her at KelseySchroeder@RoomToBreatheChicago.Com