This election season is full of tension, and stress is on the rise following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. If you’re feeling heightened anxiety in this climate, you’re not alone. Policies, the economy, debates, predicting the next president, all can feel out of hand. The South Carolina Department of Mental Health is addressing this growing concern. “If you’re in a dark place and feel like every thought is being dominated by it, take a step back,” said Jessica Barnes, program manager for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. “Start doing what you can control right now.” A May poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that 73% of Americans are anxious about the 2024 U.S. presidential election. “My patients seem to be especially anxious about the political situation,” said Dr. Petros Levounis, former president of the American Psychiatric Association. “Anxiety is compounded with anger, which may be related to the polarization of the political situation.” The American Psychiatric Association points to social media, messaging, and recent violence as major contributing factors. Dr. Levounis said stress can manifest in a variety of ways, including becoming too engrossed in politics or detaching yourself from politics. “Even if you decide, ‘I’m going to completely detach myself from everything that’s going on around me,'” Dr. Levounis said. “Life is life, and eventually life will turn around and reel you in in some way. Maybe you should aim for a middle ground, not the extremes.” If mentally detaching yourself from politics doesn’t improve your mental state, health leaders say it may be time to look for other resources. “Have social support and connections. We know that having social support and connections is important in relieving stress,” said Dr. Vail Wright, a licensed psychologist and senior director at the American Psychiatric Association.
This election season has been said to be full of tension, with stress heightened in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. If you’re feeling heightened anxiety from all of this, you’re not alone.
Policy, the economy, the debates, trying to predict who the next president will be can all be overwhelming. The South Carolina Department of Mental Health is addressing this growing concern.
“If you find yourself in a dark place and it’s dominating your thoughts, take a step back,” says Jessica Barnes, program manager for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. “Start doing what you can control right now.”
A May poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that 73% of Americans are anxious about the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
“My patients are especially anxious about the political situation,” said Dr. Petros Lebonis, a former president of the American Psychiatric Association. “There’s also anger layered on top of that anxiety, which may have something to do with the polarized political situation.”
The American Psychiatric Association points to social media, texting and recent violence as major contributing factors, and Dr Levonis says stress can manifest in a variety of ways, including becoming too involved in politics or ignoring it.
“If you decide, ‘I’m going to completely detach myself from everything that’s going on around me,'” says Dr. Levonis, “life is life, and eventually life will turn around and engage with you in some way. Maybe you should aim for a middle ground, not the extremes.”
If mentally distancing yourself from politics doesn’t improve your mental health, health leaders say it may be time to look for other options.
“Find social support and connections. We know that having social support and connections is important in reducing stress,” says Dr. Weil Wright, a licensed psychologist and senior director of the American Psychiatric Association.
