Feeling stressed, overwhelmed and burned this Election Day? Well, it turns out you’re not alone! According to a recent survey, 72% of the country is feeling the exact same way. This is why we sat down with Dr. Brian Licuanan, Board-Certified Clinical Psychologist & Author of How to Get Your Resisting Loved One Into Treatment, to learn how you can fight election burnout and anxiety while also staying informed and updated. Keep scrolling for more.
What is election burnout?
According to Dr. Licuanan, election burnout is quite common for people who have kept up with politics and are struggling to find ways to separate themselves.
“Election burnout—also known as election fatigue—is when people are physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted or even tapped out due to the processes related to the elections,” he says. “People have been inundated with so much information via news coverage, social media, conversations with family members, and in the workplace that their emotional fill has been exhausted.”
He then told First for Women that the causes of election burnout can range from “sadness, anxiety, irritability, and less motivation to do things that you normally enjoy doing. People can also begin to isolate themselves and neglect their other basic needs such as diet, exercise, and other activities that help facilitate their healthy living.”
How to fight feelings of burnout and anxiety
With an election, things like anxiety and burnout are very likely to occur, especially when waiting for results.
“Anxiety, stress, and all the other emotions related to the election process are valid. This is a very contentious time in our lives and decisions can range from having small to even major life implications,” says Dr. Licuanan. “This is a very contentious time in our lives and decisions can range from having small to even major life implications.”
He also shares some ways to help fight those feelings of anxiety and burnout, saying, “It’s important to not catastrophize—also known as thinking about the worst—case outcomes. Sometimes, to protect our emotional well-being, we think about the worst-case scenarios in order to protect ourselves in case things don’t go away. It’s going to be very important to stay optimistic, look for solutions, and not focus on problems.”
In addition, he recommends “coming up with an amount of time each day (e.g., 2 hours) and even using a timer. That is the amount of time you will allow yourself to engage in the information related to the election or politics.”
Ways to safely keep up with the news
If you are experiencing election burnout or anxiety, but still want to keep up with the polls, Dr. Licuanan says to pick only one or two trust media outlets and only keep up with those, instead of constantly switching between sites.
“Too many times, people are exploring a multitude of outlets to attain their information and news, and it can be too overwhelming,” he explains before sharing a helpful tip on where to view your news so you don’t become addicted and overwhelmed.
“Decide how you will attain this information, rather than having multiple sources of information gathering,” he says. “I would suggest looking at your news coverage on a device that’s not always on you, such as a home computer or maybe even a television. Having access to information at your fingertips, such as an iPad or phone, will make it hard for you to separate yourself and shut down the inflow of information.”
He also makes it a point to remind everyone that “We cannot change who is in the position, but what we can really change is how we respond to it and what we do with our lives moving forward. Attend to the other things in your life that matter to you such as your own health, health of others, your lifestyles and the relationships with your loved ones.”
