Almost everyone is very worried about Election Day in the US, because it is fast approaching. In the end the questioning From the American Psychological Association, 72% of people said they were worried that the election results could lead to violence. And 56 percent said it could end the country’s democracy. Nina VasanThe Stanford University School of Medicine psychiatrist, who has researched Internet-based anxiety treatments and sees patients in her clinical practice, says she has never encountered depression levels and worries about the future. And he’s seeing that in the people who support Kamala Harris and the people who support Donald Trump.
American scientific Senior health editor Josh Fischman spoke with Vasan this week about the reasons for this extreme stress level. Vasan also described some self-help methods people can use to reduce their fears and anxieties, practices they can use even after Election Day, when uncertainty about the winner has passed.
(Following is an edited transcript of the interview.)
About supporting science journalism
If you like this article, please consider supporting our award-winning journalism subscribe. By purchasing a subscription, you’re helping to ensure a future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas that shape our world.
Are people on a roll for this presidential election?
Oh, yes. I’m hearing things like “I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning” and “I wake up at night, or I can’t even sleep because I’m so nervous” and “I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning”. nightmares of what could happen in two weeks or next year.’ I have a patient who lives in Washington, D.C., but is staying with her mother in Oregon because she fears the possibility of violence in the nation’s capital. There are many real symptoms of anxiety and depression. Some people feel it very physically. They feel nauseous, or their heart is racing, or they are sweating, or they feel extremely tired. We all experience anxiety and fear differently.
Is this level of stress worse than what you’ve seen in past elections?
Definitely, and I think there are several reasons for that. One is that they have been building up the feeling of stress for years. It’s not just this election. Flash back to October 7, 2023, and the massive attack on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent destruction and loss of life brought about by Israel’s war in Gaza. Before that, Russia’s war with Ukraine was continuous. Here at home is a mass shooting and mob attack on the Capitol on January 6th (2021). Let’s see New York Times or Facebook or TikTok, we get this constant stream of very negative news about humanity that makes people really depressed and sad and upset about the world.
Now it’s Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Trump was already president four years ago, right? If you’re a Republican, you probably think of his four years as when life was great. If you’re a Democrat, chances are you thought life was terrible during those four years. For both of them, there is this fear that “if all this comes back, my life will be bad for me”.
Does this fear also affect relationships?
We are a diverse country with diverse beliefs. Opinions are now so divided that people feel they can’t talk to their boss or friends or family because they disagree about politics. People feel silenced or bullied into silence. I’ve heard from some people that they won’t go home for Thanksgiving because they’ll discuss politics with their family.
Reading the news about politics seems to upset people.
There are people who are constantly consuming news. They become stressed and anxious. They stop spending time with friends and doing the work they need to do because this huge thing is taking over their lives.
What can people do to alleviate this fear?
My advice to everyone is to set very firm limits on your consumption. So when I wake up in the morning, I can read the news for 30 minutes, scroll through TikTok or Instagram or whatever for 10 minutes. But then I stop, and I don’t leave it until tomorrow morning to come back.
Do you really tell people “30 minutes and you’re done”?
i do I think you can consume all you need in half an hour, especially if you are a daily news reader. Politics or sports or entertainment or stocks or whatever. Beyond that, it becomes repetitive. I see people see or read something, it bothers them, and they feel driven to read four more articles on the same topic, hoping that will make them feel better. And you know what? It never makes them feel better. They feel worse.
You have to check with yourself. Ask yourself if you are happier or sadder after reading something. If you feel more negative, you should really stop.
But it’s not easy to stop doomscrolling.
It is facilitated by smartphones and computers running media and social networking applications. My research team worked with TikTok a year or two ago on ways to set boundaries. The idea was to put in the ability to say, “I’m not going to do more than 30 minutes or 60 minutes.” A little pop-up will appear and say, “Hey, it’s been 60 minutes.” So it’s time to get down. I have an iPhone and you can set a 15 minute limit on all social media for example. I think I have a five minute limit.
Do you obey?
I press the button every now and then. Everyone does that, but I think it’s nice to have the ability to see that pop-up and make that change.
Are there other things people can do themselves to stop this spiral into despair?
Absolutely. Things that are really good to do, especially for anxiety, include meditation, deep breathing, exercise, time in nature, and journaling. Figure out what things bring you peace and calm. They may be different for many of us. Maybe he’s reading a book. Maybe it’s about building a fort with your kids, right? But do something that isn’t about the election.
You mentioned writing in a journal. Why does that help?
Journaling is something I’ve seen help people a lot, especially people who have trouble sleeping due to anxiety. It’s just writing down your feelings and thoughts the day before you go to bed. I think there is something very powerful about the physicality, the connection with the body, holding a pen and writing on paper.
Connecting with your body is also why time in nature is valuable?
yes Taking a walk in nature and hearing every sound and smelling every scent: it’s about connecting with the world, connecting with your thoughts, connecting with your body in a meaningful way. These are the sensations you don’t get if you scroll through TikTok for an hour.
You may also find it helpful to do something called a body scan.
Body scan is a form of meditation and relaxation where you start with your head or your toes, and move up or down accordingly. You isolate each part of your body and just focus on it for a few seconds. For example, you can start with your head. Just focus, close your eyes, think about your skin. feel it Then tighten and release. And then with the forehead and then the eyes and then the cheeks and then the lips, and so on.
Can you do these things for a long time? Many people worry that this election will not be decided on election day and that the challenges and uncertainties will drag on for months.
Without a doubt This is not just for elections; this is for any type of anxiety. When you find something that works for you, stick with it.
