How To Avoid Election Stress - The New York Times - 0 views
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“We’re seeing a huge increase in the need for mental health services,”
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“One of the very few things that remains, and not only remains but is heightened, is our political standing,”
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“I think that people are way more polarized even within their families and essential groups than they ever have been before.”
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Uncertainty produces anxiety, but you can counter that, in part, by understanding what to expect on Election Day this year.
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This year, Dr. Tillery observed, there’s a significant chance the presidential election will not be called on Tuesday night.
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“Voters should get some comfort from knowing that we do have counting procedures and auditing procedures and voter notification procedures that would make it better for us to be calm and let those processes play out,”
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Other analog activities can help you cope, too. “Anxious thoughts race by,” Dr. Stosny said, “and the faster they go, the less realistic they get.” Instead of dwelling on them, write them out longhand; this will slow down and moderate their frenetic pace. Next to each source of fear, write down how you’ll respond to it.
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Be on the lookout for viral disinformation: Check the provenance of news articles or memes making polarizing political claims or calling the election before a mainstream news outlet has done so.
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“Humans are quite resilient,” she said. “There’s a strong possibility that you will be able to cope.”
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f a family member approaches you with anger, try to respond with compassion. Consider setting a time limit on your political discussions, Dr. Lee said, agreeing in advance to a fun, shared activity when your time is up.
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If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, or need to take time out of a challenging conversation, go for a walk or run, and try to spend at least 30 minutes outside.
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68 percent of adults report finding the election to be a significant source of stress. This is due, at least in part, to the vitriol and name-calling exhibited by candidates,
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“One of the things Covid has made abundantly clear in so many aspects of our life is that we have a lot of cracks in the system,”
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“This is the first step in a long journey of really reimagining what America is going to look like and what America is going to be about,” Ms. Holland said. “That’s not going to end when the voting does.”