How To Deal With Election Anxiety And Stress

SEATTLE — In a year that has been taxing on both mental and physical health across the nation, Election Day can present an added layer of stress and anxiety, according to local health experts.

On Monday, UW Medicine and Public Health - Seattle & King County offered up a few tips for taking care of your mental wellness amid an ongoing public health crisis, as the days get shorter, and plenty of uncertainty lies ahead.

"What we see is folks are dealing with stressors layered on top of stressors," said Anne Browning, assistant dean of wellness at the UW School of Medicine. "If we think about resilience broadly, so much of being able to experience resilience is you get knocked down, but you're able to recover before the next stressor hits. We know that 2020 has just been this incredible time where the next stressor keeps hitting before we have any chance to recover."

More than eight months into battling the coronavirus pandemic, grappling with the mental health effects can become even more difficult. Adding a contentious election season to the mix can add to the challenge.

"I feel like that, if we're looking at the trajectory of recovery after crises, we're actually moving into what we anticipated to be the most challenging months in this cycle, where we're likely to see this highest experiences of depression within our community," Browning said. "As we lead into this next election — elections are always a little bit unnerving — but to put that on top of what has been a year of incredible challenges and uncertainty, I think we're seeing really high levels of stress and anxiety."

According to Browning, finding the root cause of those stressors can be the first step in helping to minimize them.

"I think recognizing what some of the things are that are specifically causing you anxiety," Browning said. "I've debriefed with a lot of colleagues who have used the term 'doomscrolling,' where you just find yourself on a device and you're stuck on it."

One step to help reduce that particular stressor, Browning said, is simple: consider turning off phone notifications.

"My phone does not beep at me, tweet at me, click at me, tell me when to pick it up," Browning said. "It's a paperweight. I choose when I want to engage with it, and that gives me a little space to actually be a bit more mindful and stay focused on the things I want to focus on in front of me, rather than getting sucked into notifications."

Another thing to consider is taking a moment before clicking a video or article to consider whether it will improve your mental state or make it worse, Browning said.

Another tried-and-true method to cut down on stress is just taking a walk, either alone or physically-distanced with a friend.

"There's such a restorative power of being out in green spaces, where it drops your rumination on negative thoughts and feelings," Browning said. "I think a great benefit is giving yourself a chance to go outside as much as possible, take some deep breaths and step away from the things we can't control."

Public Health - Seattle & King County shared a blog post Monday, reiterating several mental health tips given early on in the pandemic:

Maintain a routine

Do your best to maintain a regular routine: sleep, exercise, and diet.

• Set a regular sleep and wake schedule and stick to it as much as possible.
• If you are able, go for a walk in your neighborhood or on a trail, while keeping six feet apart from others. If you’d rather exercise at home, take advantage of the many online exercise routines available for free.
• Try at-home yoga or exercise.
• Take this time to practice new, healthy recipes. With more time at home, cooking can be an outlet that helps keep both our minds and bodies healthy.

Stay connected

Avoid crowds, but stay connected.

• Connect with a friend via phone or video chat. Sharing your concerns and anxieties is helpful. The other person likely has the same or similar concerns.
• Reach out to a family member or neighbor – let them know you’re thinking about them.
• Share meals with family or roommates.
• If you are able, help a neighbor who is at high-risk. Offer to pick up groceries or other necessities and leave them at the front door.

Have fun

Be intentional about making time for fun and joy.

• Limit the amount of times you look at the news to only a few times or once per day from a reliable source. Watch a movie or catch up some comedies instead.
• Play a game.
• Start a new hobby.
• Have a dance party.

Nurture your mental health

Adopt new practices to care for your mental health during this stressful time.

• Take a deep breath. Practice yoga or mindfulness.
• If you meet with a therapist, let them know your concerns about coronavirus. If you don’t have a regular therapist:
  • King County Department of Community and Human Services provides referrals for mental health and substance use services if you have Apple Health/Medicaid:. Call 206-263-8997 or 1-800-790-8049 to learn more.
  • Call WA Listens, a program that provides nonclinical support to people experiencing elevated stress due to COVID-19. Call 1-833-681-0211 to be connected to a live support specialist. The support specialist will listen and connect you to community resources in your area. The program is anonymous and no identifying information is maintained.
  • The Community Health Access Program (CHAP) connects you with care you can afford. Interpreters are available. Call 1-800-756-5437, visit www.kingcounty.gov/CHAP or email: CHAP@kingcounty.gov.