Have you been longing for Nov. 5 to get here so we can be done with all the election day stress already? If so, you aren’t alone. In fact, crisis centers are gearing up now for election-related calls on the big day.
That’s according to USA Today. Dr. Shairi Turner, chief health officer at Crisis Text Line, told the outlet that the line received a notable increase in callers during both the 2016 and 2020 elections. According to TIME magazine, 30% of texts to the crisis line had to do with election anxiety on election night 2016. In 2020, that percentage jumped to 40%.
Angie Anaeme, a crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line also cited by USA Today, is preparing for a busy election night this year.
“It definitely does kind of feel overwhelming sometimes on the platform when you’re working a particularly busy shift or have a certain number of conversations going on at once,” said Anaeme, who is also a medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Results of a Stress in America™ survey conducted in August and released this month by the American Psychological Association found that 77% of adults rank the “future of the nation” as a significant source of stress in their lives, even more than the economy (73%). This concern was ranked as a significant stressor by Republicans (80%), Democrats (79%) and independents (73%).
Nearly 70% said the presidential election itself was a significant source of stress for them and 72% were worried the results could lead to political violence. After former President Donald Trump – the current GOP candidate – lost the 2020 election to current President Joe Biden, a deadly riot broke out at the U.S. Capitol. Trump continues to make claims about election fraud without providing evidence.
Per the APA survey, 73% of adults reported that they were stressed out about how real fake information can appear. Even more (82%) said they were concerned that people may be basing their values and opinions on false or inaccurate information.
More than half (56%) of those surveyed said they believed the 2024 presidential election could be the end of democracy in the U.S. Additionally, 32% said the political climate caused strain among their family and 30% said they even limit time with their family because they do not share the same values.
Turner said some individuals are more impacted by election stress and get pulled deeply into it.
“They may become deeply enmeshed in the news, pull away from their relationships, and experience sleeplessness, changes in appetite and anxiety,” USA Today explained.
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, constant news coverage can increase feelings of anxiety, depression, fear, and even hopelessness. Scholars from Carnegie Mellon University noted that election stress might seem more inescapable than ever, with social media algorithms offering a steady stream of election-related content to doom-scroll through.
“In general, we know that chronic stress harms psychological well-being and physical well-being. It takes a toll on our bodies,” said Dr. Brett Ford, associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who studies the link between emotions and political engagement. “There’s a strong case to be made that for many people, politics is a form of chronic stress.”
Dr. Anthony R. Pisani, a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Rochester’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide offered some tips for avoiding election stress as Nov. 5 draws near. His recommendations include: practicing political empathy, being productive, reflecting before engaging in political discourse, and pausing the social media scroll and comment cycle.