Election anxiety

Before the 2016 election, an American Psychological Association survey found 52% of American adults reported the election was a “very" or "somewhat significant" source of stress — and the impact was statistically equal among registered Democrats and Republicans, for men and women. The 2024 results of the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll show that U.S. adults are feeling increasingly anxious, with 73% of surveyed adults saying that they feel particularly anxious about the 2024 U.S. election.

And it’s not just Americans who experience election stress. The 2019 General Election in the UK also led to more and more headlines around voters feeling the overwhelm of a relentless news cycle, which also came on the heels of the country voting for Brexit and leaving the European Union.

A 2024 survey¹ conducted in the UK by Headspace shows that politics continue to take a toll on Brits’ mental health, impacting their work, relationships, and sleep. The poll found that:

• 56% of people in the UK feel stressed when they think about politics too much.
• 44% find it hard to switch off and avoid political news.
• Three in 10 (29%) Brits have lost sleep thinking about the upcoming election.
• 44% of Brits feel despair, and a third feel anger (35%) and disgust (32%) when thinking about politics today.

While not an official diagnosis per the American Psychiatric Association, the term “election stress disorder” was coined by Washington DC-based psychologist Steven Stosny to describe the intense symptoms of stress and conflict he witnessed being experienced by patients in his couples’ therapy practice.

He said after the presidential election in 2016: "I was overwhelmed with distress calls during the recent election cycle. The vitriol and pervasive negativity of the campaigns, amplified by 24-hour news and social media, created a level of stress and resentment that intruded into many people’s intimate relationships.”

He added: "For many people, continual alerts from news sources, blogs, social media, and alternative facts feel like missile explosions in a siege without end.” Unfortunately, this stress did not dissipate once votes were cast, but continued after the next president was chosen.

So it seems stress and elections go hand in hand, wherever you are in the world. The anticipation and uncertainty of the outcomes can create a tense atmosphere, affecting individuals and communities alike.

Like other forms of stress and anxiety, election stress has the potential to impact our physical and mental health, and also our relationships with those around us by making us more reactive, irritable or withdrawn.

Feelings of stress and day-to-day anxiety are two different states. Stress often kicks in due to a situation we can see and comprehend, while general anxiety can linger for months and we don’t always know why it is happening.

But they share many of the same physiological symptoms. They trigger our autonomic nervous system, leading to a spike in the release of epinephrine and cortisol — the “stress hormones.” Too much epinephrine can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. And too much cortisol can affect our health in numerous ways including increasing blood sugar levels, suppressing the immune system, and constricting blood vessels.

Stress and anxiety also both impact our amygdala — two almond-sized nuclei that are essentially tiny processing chips that govern our senses, memories, decisions, and moods. The more stress and anxiety we experience, the more disproportionate and irrational the amygdala’s response becomes.

However, there are ways to manage the impact of this increased stress in our day to day lives.

The APA offers guidance to help people better manage their election stress. These include limiting our media consumption and taking digital breaks. Instead, engage in some time for yourself and spend time with friends and family, doing things you enjoy. You can find more simple ways to manage stress caused by politics here.

The APA also encourages us to channel our concerns to make a positive difference on issues you care about. Voting can positively impact our mental health in numerous ways. By voting, we can take a proactive step in the process, fostering a sense of control and empowerment. This act of participating in democracy can help to reduce feelings of helplessness and increase our sense of agency, knowing that our voices and choices matter.

READ NEXT: Headspace and When We All Vote Encourage Voters to Put Their Mental Health First

Meditation can help with stress and anxiety by reframing our relationship with our thoughts. This doesn’t mean we reject our thoughts — in the case of election stress, our feelings and emotions about an important and life-changing event are completely valid. We should be curious about these thoughts and how they make us feel. And by managing them better, we can lessen the implications on our physical and mental health.

Headspace co-founder and former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe says: “Anxiety, fear, is just part of being human. Sometimes it’s even helpful. We kind of need this range of human emotions in our life. It’s just when they become so persistent that they start to overwhelm us, then it becomes a problem. So it’s more about how we can change our relationship with anxieties – not how do we get rid of them.”

Meditation can help us reduce stress and anxiety symptoms. A recent study showed that the Headspace Managing Stress Program, an in-app mindfulness program, improves heart rate variability, helping your body respond better to stress.

A Headspace mental health coach can provide personalized support and strategies to tackle election anxiety. These trained professionals can offer tailored guidance to help you understand and manage the specific stressors you’re facing during an election cycle. Through regular sessions, a mental health coach can assist you in developing coping mechanisms that are uniquely suited to your lifestyle and stress levels. A personalized approach makes sure the techniques you try are not only practical, but also sustainable in the long term, allowing you to navigate the election period with greater resilience and peace of mind.

A Headspace mental health coach can help empower you by equipping you with tools to reframe negative thought patterns and foster a more positive outlook. They can guide you in exploring mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, both proven to reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being. By focusing on these proactive strategies, you can gain a sense of control over your mental state and the overwhelming feelings that often accompany election seasons.

Additionally, working with a mental health coach provides a supportive and non-judgmental space for you to express your concerns and emotions. This can be especially beneficial during times of political uncertainty when it might feel challenging to find impartial listeners. With the help of a coach, you can develop a healthier relationship with your thoughts and emotions. Engaging in this form of self-care can not only support you through election stress but also can build a foundation for better mental health practices in the future.

It’s important to stand up for our rights, fight for what matters, and to vote. By training our minds to deal with the stress and anxiety that comes with these important issues, we’re better equipped to make our mark on the world.

_{1 An online survey of 2000 UK-based adults was commissioned by Headspace and conducted by Perspectus Global in May 2024.}