Taming Election Stress

Did you know “Election Stress” is actually classified as a disorder now? Coined after the 2016 election, four years later 56% of Americans say they experience election related stress. Of course the election is not the only stressor. Many people look to the next elected officials for answers to the current situations. Both before and after the election, taming election stress will improve your overall well-being!

Welcome to Mindfulness Monday! Where we learn some easy ways to be more present “in the moment” at our jobs, in our homes, with our families and friends.

Learning to recognize God and what He has for us in each divine moment He offers. We acknowledge the belief that God is with us always.

We confess His presence is available to us, lifting our spirit and helping us with power and grace. Learning the art of “stillness” so we can hear His voice and view ourselves, others and our surroundings through His eyes.

election stress is a thing

Election stress disorder is a thing. The American Psychological Association recognized this phenomenon back in 2016 and continues to track it currently. It’s no surprise that anxiety and election related stress continues to escalate the closer we come to Election Day. Though a non-medical disorder, very real symptoms drive the sufferers to Urgent Care Centers and their PCPs. One of our top self-care routines must include taming election stress.

Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinic director at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perlman School of Medicine, stated the political environment is extremely negative. She commented the intensity of personal attacks through the media and every day conversation drives the stress levels up for everyone. The intensity of this election has no predecessor. Political leaders and the American public are more polarized than ever. Social Media reflects users drawing “lines in the sand”, threatening to end relationships if others don’t vote as they do.

what does election stress look like?

Election stress manifests much the same as any other stress in our lives. Physical symptoms of headaches, nausea, insomnia and joint pain are common along with poor decision making and brain fog. But election stress also manifests in defensiveness, aggression, irritability and “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out) news addiction. All of which creates a hyper-vigilance and distracted mental state. Anxiety can increase significantly just thinking about talking with someone who has opposing political views.

Dr. Gallagher feels the extreme level of uncertainty creates the false hope that one political candidate or another is the answer to “our problems”. This kicks the election into a high stakes game, that sadly has no good outcome. The fact that the American people have so much riding on this election contributes to election stress. The importance of taming election stress both before AND after the election cannot be overstated.

Taming election stress

Overwhelmed by election stress? Mindfulness can help. I compiled various mindfulness techniques designed especially for our current situation and beyond. If you’re feeling insecure, uncertain about the future or fearful of possible unrest resulting from the election outcome, try mindfulness today.

The beauty of mindfulness is you can practice anytime, anywhere and as often as you need. Mindfulness simply teaches us awareness of the present moment. As we practice mindfulness, we get better at recognizing stress in our bodies, specifically how it feels. We begin to recognize the triggers for our stress and when we are most vulnerable. To skillfully manage stress, we must know how it feels for us and what triggers it. With that information we can then make wise self-care decisions.

Mindful Check In

I’ve mentioned this before, it’s one of my favorite ways to stop a downward spiral in my day and super easy to do. Basically it’s like putting yourself in a “time out”. When you feel overwhelmed, your thoughts are racing, or you feel jumpy and generally out of control, STOP. The Mindful Check In takes five minutes, think of it as five minutes to a better day.

Here’s how to do a Mindful Check In:

• Sit down. Find a quiet place with no distractions. You can sit or lie down. Close your eyes, simply to avoid visual distractions (like OMG that coffee table needs dusted) or simply lower your gaze downward.
• Breathe. Notice your breathing. When we become stressed we tend to shift to more shallow chest breathing. Don’t try to change anything at first, just notice your breathing. After a moment, try to deepen your breath naturally to more of a belly breath. Don’t force it, just focus on the inhale and the exhale. You can count to four while inhaling and count to four while exhaling. You can’t “think” anxious thoughts if you’re counting.
• Assess. Notice how you feel. Where is there tension in your body? Simply notice, don’t judge. With each exhale try to soften the tense areas. Lower your shoulders, relax your jaw and face, relax your hands. Believe it or not, if your hands are tense, the rest of your body is tense. Relaxed hands = relaxed body.
• Awareness. Notice how your body feels under stress. Which areas had tension? Were you able to soften the tension? How is your breathing? Were you able to deepen and slow your breathing?
• Resume. Slowly resume your previous activity. Resume activity without rushing, but with an awareness of how you feel, go back to your day.

The purpose of the Mindful Check In is to bring awareness to how stress feels in your body so you can act to bring relief more quickly. You can do the Mindful Check In as often as you like, it’s great before bedtime too!

Body Scan

The Body Scan works especially well before bedtime, but I have done it during the day. It can take 20 to 30 minutes, which some people do not have in their daily schedule. You simply “scan” your body from toes to head to notice any tension, pain or just awareness of that area. Performing the body scan before bed is optimal because it limits anxious thought patterns, as you are focusing on each body part, and the mind cannot do two things at once. The internet has many recorded body scans, that say the same thing I list below. Personally I find strange voices distracting, and prefer to just think through the scan on my own. Feel free to experiment.

here’s how to do a body scan:

• Lie Down. You can do a body scan sitting, it works well for me during the day because I hold much tension in my upper body. But a full body scan is best done lying down on your back as relaxed as possible. Eyes closed, again to avoid visual distraction, but feel free to stare at the ceiling if that works for you.
• Breathe. Notice your breathing. When we become stressed we tend to shift to more shallow chest breathing. Don’t try to change anything at first, just notice your breathing. After a moment, try to deepen your breath naturally to more of a belly breath. Don’t force it, just focus on the inhale and the exhale. You can count to four while inhaling and count to four while exhaling. You can’t “think” anxious thoughts if you’re counting.
• Toes/Feet/Ankles. Begin with your toes and feet. Simply focus your attention on that part of your body. Notice if you have any pain, discomfort, tension or stiffness. Notice with curiosity rather than judgement. If any discomfort or tension is present, take a few deep breaths and on each exhale gently attempt to soften, relax or comfort the area. Don’t spend a lot of time, don’t force or fuss. Move to the next body part in the following list and repeat this same process finishing with your face.
• Lower Legs/Knees/Upper Legs.
• Torso/Chest.
• Fingers/Hands/Wrists.
• Shoulders/Neck.
• Head/Face.
• Gratitude. Take a moment to thank God for your amazing body, all you are able to do and experience in the body He gave you.

The purpose of the body scan is to focus your attention and awareness on how your body feels under stress. You may not be able to relax or relieve every discomfort, but by simply drawing attention to those areas, the mind can begin to relax and subsequently bring relaxation to the entire body.

Limit News Intake

News is a common stress trigger, whether that news comes from the newspaper, social media or the internet. Remember, algorithms are set up to drive clicks, the more inflammatory and sensational, the more clicks. Don’t expect the news to offer anything that will help relieve your anxiety. Part of taming election stress is limiting all news and media. On the few occasions you choose to view the news, try these mindfulness tips to keep your stress awareness on alert.

Mindfulness tips for media awareness

• Notice how you are breathing. Do you notice shallow, chest breathing? Do you notice if you’re holding your breath? What does the quality of breath tell you about your state of mind? Try pausing to deepen and slow your breath.
• Notice your posture. Is it open or closed? Tense?
• Seek to remain curious, not judgemental. I wrote about this recently here.
• Notice any emotions that arise.
• Ask yourself why you are watching this right now. How is this benefitting me? How is it benefitting others?
• Will this information lead to action? If not, why do I feel that I need this information?

Keep An Eternal Perspective

The most important aspect of taming election stress is keeping an eternal perspective. As Christians we can fall into the worldly trap of placing our hope in the wrong things. Isaiah 30:2-5 reminds us if we trust in the help of man we will be humiliated. Psalm 20:7 further reminds us that some trust in the power of their nation, while we [should] trust in God. Anger and anxiety displayed in election stress betrays where our trust lies. Revealing we may be far more invested in the outcome that we want to admit.

Truthfully the heart of the king is in the Lord’s hand, and the Lord directs it as it seems good to Him. (Proverbs 21:1). We cannot control the outcome of the election in the sense that if “our candidates” win, everything works out the way we desire. The same way we cannot control whether any candidate keeps their “promises” and does as they said. Keeping an eternal perspective involves remembering God is sovereign regardless of any election outcome.

how to keep an eternal perspective

We live in perilous times; that is both exciting and frightening at the same time. We spent the last eight months living in uncertainty and by all appearances, election or no, an end is not in sight. In fact, things may even get worse. Apart from keeping an eternal perspective, we have no hope.

• Covet Time in God’s Presence. Asaph, the author of Psalm 73 experienced anger, despair and hopelessness until he went into the sanctuary of God. At that time, the “sanctuary” represented the very presence of God. In God’s presence, he understood God’s faithfulness to His people. God’s presence restores perspective.
• Trust God’s Goodness. Nahum 1:7 reminds us God is a refuge in time of trouble. Psalm 136:1-3 affirms God’s love endures forever. Lamentations 3:22-26 tells us of God’s great mercy. Psalm 31:19 tells us God lavishes His goodness on those who fear Him. As you meditate on His goodness, fear turns to praise.
• Remember This is Not Your Home. While we are to seek the good of our city, likewise we remember we seek an eternal city not made with hands. (Hebrews 13:14-16). This world is not our home, we can’t live as if his is all we have.
• God is Just and Righteous. Psalm 37 and Psalm 73 are the quintessential psalms about the wicked prospering. Yet throughout those psalms we see reminders that God sees, knows and will bring justice. The Christian faith is a lesson in delayed gratification; that justice is a future justice. In our lifetime on earth we may not see that justice, but we must trust “in the end”, the righteous are not only vindicated, but rewarded.

Taming Election Stress through trusting

Ultimately, taming election stress involves understanding the source of that stress. Mindfulness provides an avenue of quiet reflection in the midst of chaotic thoughts. Through mindfulness you can push the “pause” button and get control of your thoughts. The mindfulness techniques that I shared help relieve symptoms in the moment, so we can then accurately assess the driving force behind the anger and anxiety.

Both anger and anxiety are fear driven, indicating we feel a loss of “control”. When we allow a “time out”, we regain control of our thoughts, release tension and cultivate acceptance for things outside of our control. As we reinforce an eternal perspective, we cultivate trust and place our hope in a sovereign God who controls all things. Knowing He crafts each outcome for our eternal good and His glory.

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Feature Image Photo by Elliott Stallion on Unsplash