Five tips for coping with election outcomes

It’s easy to get wrapped up in an election and closely follow what the candidates say, what they do, how wide the margin is between them.

You might feel there’s a lot at stake. Caring about the election outcome is good. Worrying about it can be unhealthy.

Concern about the election’s outcome can turn into anxiety. You might feel frustrated and overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless wondering if your voice really matters.

Election stress is not unusual. A lot of people are feeling it.

Symptoms of election stress

You may:

• Become preoccupied to the point of neglecting other aspects of life and being unable to talk about or think about anything else
• Turn irritable and pessimistic
• Spend too much time consuming the news about the election
• Bring tensions into your relationships
• Have trouble sleeping

If you’re constantly thinking about the election and fearing the outcome, your body keeps releasing stress hormones, including cortisol. That can keep you from sleeping at night even if you feel exhausted. And losing sleep will make every problem worse.

Know what you can change

Try to remember what you can control and what you can’t.

Before the election, you can put up yard signs, get involved in respectful discussions with others about the issues that are important to you and support your preferred candidate with donations.

There’s not a whole lot else you can do. You can’t control what the candidates do or say or how your neighbors, friends, relatives or the nation votes.

After the election results are announced, you might be excited or relieved, or you could be seriously disappointed.

The reality is that we live in a diverse society. When we say we value freedom, part of the tradeoff is that freedom allows for different perspectives to emerge and those voices to be heard. It’s important to come to terms with that. But how?

Need help? Call 9-8-8 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Tips to coping with election results you don’t like:

1 Stop and breathe

It’s best not to react right away. It’s OK to feel anxious, disappointed and angry. Give yourself a day or so to swim in those feelings. Feel your feelings, but don’t do anything you’ll later regret. Remember that violence is not an acceptable way to try to get your way.

2 Check in with yourself

Decide if what you’re telling yourself about the election is 100% accurate. Challenge any thoughts that push you into extreme thinking or lead you to believe that the country is irrevocably doomed.

3 Consider what you can do

You’re not powerless. Think about your options for using your voice. How can you continue to advocate for your views in healthy, productive ways? You might donate to a cause or get in touch with your elected officials. You might gather with others who feel the same way and strategize together in a non-violent way about how best to advocate for the issues that are important to you. You might volunteer in some way to support what you believe in.

4 Avoid getting caught up in consuming news

Don’t get stuck obsessing about what could happen or might happen. That will only lead you down a rabbit hole of perpetual worry and possibly strain your relationships with others. Set limits for yourself on how much and how often you’ll read or listen to the news or idly doomscroll. Try to make it a higher priority to get involved in some activities that help you to be present in the here and now of your life.

5 Make peace with the outcome

It’s a matter of radical acceptance. This occurred. It’s not what you wanted. But remember that what was important to you before the election still is important to you. Think about how you want to approach this going forward given this reality. It’s from that moment of acceptance that your options will start to unfold.