Many Americans are very worried about the election, which is impacting our mental health.

A study of the American Psychological Association found that 77% of adults are stressed about the future of the nation and 69% are worried about the upcoming election.

Other statistics from the study include:

• More than 7 in 10 adults (72%) fear that the election results could lead to violence.
• More than half of adults (56%) believe the 2024 presidential election could mark the end of democracy in the United States.
• About a third of adults (32%) said the political climate has created tension between them and their family members.

“We already live in a world of high stress and tension, but you add to what seem to be very high stakes, the political climate, of course, which is going to increase our anxieties, our fear about the future. This could exacerbate existing behavioral health issues,” said Dr. Paige Baker-Braxton, a psychologist at Vail Health.
So how do you manage this stress?

Psychologists say it’s essential to have simple plans in place to deal with stress before, during and in the days immediately after election results are announced.

“Safety planning is about thinking about things you can do when you feel overwhelmed and stressed,” Baker-Braxton said. “Take a walk. Eat your favorite meal. Call your best friend, people or professionals you can contact, your therapist, a mentor, a trusted colleague. And then have all the resources on deck if things get worse, and these are your 988 or local crisis lines.

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“Be very mindful of how you interact with others,” said Vail Health psychologist Dr. Casey L. Wolfington. “When interacting with them, if there are people who are particularly focused on the election that you don’t feel safe talking about, maybe try having a different activity. Maybe schedule- you activities around bowling or a movie, then the conversations can focus on this other topic, this activity.

Wolfington also told Scripps News that employers should consider the anticipatory stress that can occur before the stressful event.

“Our elections may not be called for days or even hours,” Wolfington said. “So is it going to be helpful for everyone to click and click and refresh over and over again, or maybe employers can think about how we prioritize health behavior of their employees? Maybe the next day there will be a walk and a discussion. There is a mindfulness activity. ?

What’s important, psychology experts agree, is that whenever we talk about stress, we emphasize the difference between it and anxiety. Stress and anxiety can be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as tension, headaches or body aches, high blood pressure, and loss of sleep.

The NIH puts it simply this way: In general, anxiety is internal and a response to stress. When it’s a pervasive, constant fear and it’s impacting your daily work, school, or life, that’s when it’s worth talking with your primary care provider.