How Can You Cope with Politically Induced Anxiety?

It is safe to say that our nation’s current political climate has reached new, stress-inducing levels. Whether you are a political activist or a novice when it comes it, there is no wonder that anxiety surrounding politics is something many people are feeling. 

If this is something you have been dealing with, you are not alone. Let's detail a few ways you can cope with politically induced anxiety below. This way, the next time you are experiencing an anxiety spike, you have an emotional toolbox full of ways to overcome your negative emotions. 

Recognize why you engage with political content.

Before diving into ways to cope with your political anxiety, it may be helpful to understand why you engage with politics in the first place. Ask yourself what you aim to gain from keeping up to date with politics. 

Do you want to sound smarter in group settings? Or are you invested in a specific bill and how it affects you? From here, you can begin to assess your political engagement and how it affects your mental health.

Stay informed...

A lot of the time, our feelings of stress and anxiety may come from fear of the unknown. Not knowing all the facts surrounding something frightening, like political unrest, can cause severe anxiety. 

While it may seem comforting to ignore an issue that frightens you, learning all the facts is a great way to lessen your anxiety. After all, knowledge is power, and for good reason. Start small by subscribing to a newsletter or a local paper. This way, you are not overwhelming yourself with political information. This also helps with burnout surrounding politics. 

But don’t be afraid to put down your phone.

In the golden age of social media, the 24-hour news cycle is more prevalent than ever. Sometimes, being constantly bombarded with information does more harm than good. It certainly takes away from the escapism aspect we look for from social media. 

Taking a break from the endless doom-scrolling on every app on your phone is much easier said than done. Social media has become completely integrated into our lives. However, the changing of the year is a great time to do a digital detox and really buckle down on stepping back from the screen. 

Practice mindfulness.

Practicing the act of mindfulness is one of the best ways you can do to lessen your anxiety levels. There are several ways you can go about doing this. Try one of the following to see which works for you and your lifestyle. 

• Find an exercise you enjoy: Moving your body is a great way to focus on the present moment. There are certain exercises that are especially good for this. In fact, yoga was essentially created to help with mindfulness practice. 

• Work on meditation: Meditation is a form of mindfulness that allows you to really become in tune with the present moment. You can meditate almost anywhere by simply focusing on breathwork. There are also guided meditations all over the internet you may benefit from. 

Put yourself first.

At the end of the day, your ultimate goal should be to put your own mental health first. If there are certain activities you engage in that you do not feel serve you, such as reading the news daily, there is no shame in scaling back your news consumption. 

Living with your anxiety does not need to be something you do alone. If you find that your anxiety surrounding politics gets worse or is not improving at the rate you would like, reaching out for help from a trained professional is another great way to cope. I would love to help you through anxiety treatment; reach out today to get in touch.