Is The Election Causing You Stress?

The election is just a few days away now. How are you holding up? A surprising proportion of Americans are stressing about the election--from both sides of the political fence. First and foremost, people are concerned that their candidate will not win. People are getting more passionate and involved in this election than they have been in recent history, and many are experiencing significant levels of anxiety when considering what would happen if the other candidate won. People who normally aren't very interested in politics are finding themselves feeling differently about this election. There's a lot riding on this election!

Also stressful is the fact that more and more people are communicating about this election via email--what was once more of a taboo topic will now be forwarded via email ad nauseam, often to unwilling recipients. NOT hearing about people's political views is getting more and more difficult.

Adding to the stress is the siren song of the 24-hour news stations and websites; they have constant attention-grabbing headlines and can supply a steady, time-sucking stream of political information to those who visit. They can be addictive, but can leave viewers somewhat stressed and anxious if too much time is spent speculating about the election with pundits and not enough time is spent in real-life activities that relieve stress: spending time with family, exercising, having quiet time, and taking care of real-life responsibilities--and not stressing about the election!

If any of this is striking a chord, this article on election stress can help. I discuss the causes of election stress in greater detail, and offer solutions for getting you through the next few days.

Additional Resources:

• Take a Break with Meditation!

• Email Pet Peeves to Avoid

• General Coping Strategies That Work

Do you have strategies for dealing with election stress? Share them in the comments below. Please leave political debate (which candidate should win, which candidate is terrible) out of it, though; we're trying to keep this a stress-free zone!

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