With the election less than 55 days away, some people are starting to feel a familiar dread creep in.
Election anxiety is nothing new, however, the American Psychiatric Association, reports increasing anxiety about November with 73% of people reporting some fear about the upcoming contest.
“Elections are one of those situations in our lives where we can't control the outcome, and when we can't control the outcome, our anxiety increases,” said Colleen Marshall, chief clinical officer at Two Chairs, a hybrid therapy company. “Our thoughts run wild or our emotions can increase our anxiety.”
This year is especially stressful because it’s a presidential election, which can cause large changes for some groups of people.
There are things you can do to help yourself if you’re feeling stressed, having headaches, tense muscles or feelings of panic.
Most importantly, Marshall said that if these symptoms are getting in the way of your daily life, then you may want to consider seeking professional help.
For the day-to-day, Marshall says one of the best things people can do is set boundaries about consuming information about the election.
“You could watch the debates, but then not follow social media afterwards, so that you're setting a boundary about how much you're letting it sort of come into your life,” Marshall said.
Another option is to set boundaries with your friends and family, making it clear when you’re comfortable talking about the election and when you’d like politics left out.
Meditation and breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety when it gets to be overwhelming.
Marshall said increasing joyful activities can also help.