Mental Health Matters: Finding Peace Amid the Political Noise
By: Meghan Matthews, LCSW-C, LCSW- PMH-C
If you live in the United States of America, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ve seen political signs, news stories, debates, received texts, phone calls, and mail asking you for money, and urging you to vote for a specific candidate. You’ve unconsciously (and consciously) consumed HOURS of political content leading up to the highly contentious election happening in November 2024. This can feel heavy, impacting your mental health even if you don’t necessarily see it. Here’s the thing, these ads, headlines, debates, etc are meant to create strong feelings in you. They want you to feel a certain way, as a means of motivating you to mobilize and support their cause. They aim to make people feel sad, scared, anxious, angry, hopeless. Think of the old adage: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Research tells us that it takes 5-7 exposures to remember something. The more they expose you to their agendas, the more likely you are to remember what they said when you go to the ballot box, and the more likely you are to have adapted your mindset around what you’re hearing. That’s why even passive consumption matters, particularly when you talk about the impact on mental health!
Your mental health is IMPORTANT. Let me say that again. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT. It’s incredibly important to prioritize your mental health all of the time, but particularly during politically charged times. The feelings of helplessness and anxiety that can develop from consuming constant coverage are not going to change the outcome of the election. Those feelings are not going to change the minds of people from the other party. Those feelings do not serve you in your personal life. This blog will provide you with some actionable suggestions on how to navigate the next few weeks between now and the finalized vote, and find your peace along the way!
The Mental Health Toll of Election Season
Let’s talk for a moment about all of the different places and ways we consume political content. From the moment you wake up, you’re likely to see news stories and headlines if you turn on your television. Whether you watch the news or not, you will see political commercials. Look at your phone and you’ll mostly see a barrage of headlines, news pushes, social media posts. Whenever you leave your home, you’ll see yard signs and displays, maybe protestors, bumper stickers, advertisements on public transit. Maybe you listen to a podcast or radio station that broadcasts election- related content. Even if it’s not about a specific candidate or party, the topics discussed may be political in nature. You go to work, the store, etc. and are likely to hear other people talking about the election. Maybe you receive texts from family or friends about various headlines or latest updates of the day. Perhaps you meet up with friends or family members that have different thoughts on the election than you. Whether that comes out in conversation during visits, or tension and distancing yourself from them as a result, it all impacts your mental health. You think about what you’ve heard and how it’s going to impact you and your loved ones.
It’s no wonder that we see heightened anxiety, depression, feelings of helplessness, and tension during election seasons. That is overwhelming, simply put. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your brain processes about 70,000 thoughts each day. That may sound like a lot, but imagine how much of that is taken up by the constant exposure to political information. Remember, that political information is also created to make you feel something, usually a negative emotion. Creating polarization and division is a more widely used tactic than ever, and guess what', it’s working. If we’re not careful, those tactics have the potential to infiltrate our personal lives. Please note, this is different than setting healthy boundaries. It is one thing to set boundaries to protect your peace, it’s another thing to allow country-wide division to influence your life.
Strategies for Maintaining Your Mental Health Peace
1. Limit Media Consumption
Consider where you’re most likely to see political content. If it’s on your television, consider recording the shows you want to watch and fast-forward through commercials. You can also mute your television during commercials. If it’s headlines from news apps on your phone, consider changing your notification settings or moving the headlines off your main screen. That way, the information is available when you choose to view it. On Facebook and Instagram, you can hide ads and unfollow family or friends that post content (political or otherwise) that you don’t want to see.
2. Set Boundaries
It is very unlikely to avoid any exposure to politics during election season (for all of the reasons listed above). There are however, several ways you can set boundaries that are helpful for protecting your peace. You could:
Inform family members, friends, etc. that you do not wish to discuss politics when you’re together
Limit conscious consumption of political material to a specific amount of time per day/ week
Avoid consumption of political information first thing in the morning or right before bed.
Engage in healthy distractions where you’re less likely to experience unconscious exposure. (There aren’t generally political signs along a hiking trail, for example)
3. Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
If you’re wanting to consume political content, give it your full attention. If you’re multi-tasking, you’re less able to process the information and know when you need to stop, to maintain your mental health. It may be helpful to take a few minutes after reading the stories or watching the information to process the information you took in and your feelings on that. Consider meditating, breathing techniques, or distraction to help re-center yourself and lower any anxiety you may be feeling.
4. Seek Professional Support
There is no shame in seeing a therapist. I say that both as a therapist and as a client of a therapist. It can be extremely helpful to talk to an unbiased person about whatever is giving you anxiety, depression, stress, hopelessness, and more. If you thought you were having a heart attack, you would see a medical professional without feeling shame. A therapist can help you process your feelings and experiences, teach you techniques to help you manage your symptoms, and develop the confidence to set boundaries in your life. Election season can be extremely stressful, and it helps to normalize and process those feelings in a safe environment.
Get Involved
I know, I know. This subheading sounds like it suggests the exact opposite of everything I’ve written so far. Stay with me for a moment. Even with the strongest of boundaries and avoidance of any unconscious exposure, it’s very possible you’re still going to be left with some feelings of anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and more. The topics being debated are important. They have real-time impacts on our personal lives. So what do you do with that? You can choose to get involved in a way that feels helpful and actionable for yourself. Look for ways to make a difference in your community. Contact your representatives to express your opinions on topics that matter to you. Find individuals you can have constructive dialogue with on political topics. And most importantly, VOTE. Vote based on what you feel is best for the country and yourself. Vote based on your values and beliefs. Vote based on where you want to see our country go over the next couple of years. Encourage your family members and loved ones to vote. And once you’ve cast your vote, remind yourself that you’ve done your part, wait for the results, and determine what your next steps will be.
Resources
U.S. Election Assistance Commission https://www.eac.gov/
Psychology Today (Database that can be used to contact a therapist) www.psychologytoday.com
