Anxiety in the Polling Booth

It’s that time of year again–the put up or shut up of the ever-longer election cycle that underlies our democratic republic. But as someone whose anxiety ranges on a good day at a 4, the unknown and lack of control of placing the decisions that will impact my future and the future of the free world in other peoples’ hands crank that up to a solid 8 before I even turn on the television in the morning. Yeah, it gets better and worse, depending on the day, but it still is a constant din ringing in my head like a gong that won’t quit. So, how do I deal with it? And is it possible to quiet that ringing to a minor annoyance? Oh yeah, and how do I do it as someone who has made politics a substantial part of my life for the better part of the past two decades?

Voters' decisions have determined my short-term employment prospects twice in my life. The first went well, but the second was less than great. In hindsight, I should have seen both coming, but the anxiety related to the uncertainty was quite painful. It also made the inevitable storm following the second time A LOT worse. But other than those two times, the other seven election cycles (including the one we are currently in) haven’t held my employment in the balance. Yes, specific outcomes in those elections would have made things “easier” in my professional life, but that was about it.?

So, have been the pinnacle of togetherness during these SEVEN election cycles? Absolutely not. But here are some tactics I have tried during my bouts of focus to help with the inevitable periods of panic.

Strategy #1: This, too, shall pass

While singular elections feel like the end all be all, they really aren’t. In America’s 248-year existence, there have been a lot of elections. Some have gone well, some haven’t. But the world didn’t fall off its axis, and we still get us to where we are. There are a lot of bad decisions that politicians can make, and many of those decisions can harm people. And that is wrong–full stop. However, future elections can and have changed those decisions.?

Knowing that there is a future helps me understand the opportunities that lie ahead in the American experiment. Yes, I know that takes us down a history rabbit hole, but at the end of the day, despite many of their faults, America’s founders sought to protect their new nation from many things they feared. Was it perfect? Hell no. But has it worked most of the time? Generally, yes.?

Strategy #2: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change

I was probably 7 or 8 when I learned the Serenity Prayer. My mom has a needlepoint that includes the prayer hanging on the wall going into my parent’s bathroom, and I probably asked about it. She has since used it as a centering mantra during times when my anxiety has spun me more out of alignment than usual. At its core, the prayer seeks to provide clarity to those who pray it who are dealing with things outside of their control. Though its origin dates back to sermons in the early 1930s, most know it as a prayer/meditation for those in Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous.?

It fits with those who are dealing with addiction because they are dealing with a force greater than themselves driving their actions, and they are seeking the power to control that force. And though the prayer has two other components (Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.), I don’t include them in this context because the courage to change and the wisdom to know the difference in the political realm would honestly mean a cataclysmic shift in the operation of a representative democracy, which is ultimately impossible.?

For me, serenity comes with the knowledge that I have one vote and am using it to support the candidates I think will be the best. Will other people feel the same way? I hope so, but ultimately, I am not making their decision for them. And worrying about it will only hurt me.?

Strategy #3: Your vote matters

Americans have fought and died for the one-person, one-vote system, which has made us the envy of nations worldwide. A generation ago, it wasn’t guaranteed to everyone, and today, some still have limited access due to historic policies and actions. This means that every American over 18 should take advantage of the privilege of casting a ballot in every election. In many elections, the difference between success and failure isn’t divided by that many votes. So, single votes can matter; ultimately, every vote counts by virtue of its combined impact.

But there is one thing I didn’t account for until recently. Sadly, though we know the pains many have gone through to gain the right to vote, some groups and politicians still engage in rhetoric and actions focused on limiting access to specific groups to vote. They do this for various reasons, but all amount to an erosion of democracy, especially people’s confidence in its importance. This is disgusting and shouldn’t be tolerated. Anxiety or not, it is something we all should be worried about.?

Strategy #4: Try to quiet the noise

Politics is like a drug. It's a habit that has been a part of my life for longer than I can accurately remember, and I have done things that most sane people wouldn’t do. And my addiction to the drug of politics is filled more easily and readily during election season. Punditry ramps to 11 the day we are a year out from the next election and crescendos in the final month before Election Day. This means that if you want to know something about how polls are breaking, what candidate X said at a rally in a rural area of a battleground state, or even how much is being spent on an ad by a no-name councilperson from a town you had to Google, you can find it as easily as you can the times at your nearest movie theater.?

It is challenging to quiet the noise during this time, but it is possible. It comes down to finding different topics to focus on. I try to focus on sports, though that can be its own challenge when what I’m seeing from my beloved Wolfpack on the field makes me look for anything else. More than anything, trying to consume as little information as possible is best because it is exceedingly difficult to stop once you start.?

Strategy #5: You are not alone

Anxiety is already a pretty lonely affliction, so feeling like you are alone in your feelings about the outcome of an election doesn’t have to add to it. In every election, there will always be sides with people sitting on them. So, no matter the anxiety that you feel about the other side winning and yours losing, there is always someone there with you who feels the same way. This community can help to mitigate some of the anxiety before an election and the despondency following it. Candidly, I haven’t found this strategy as successful as the others, likely because I tend to question those who make the “wrong” decision in my mind, especially when it results in an outcome I disagree with.?

In a representative democracy, elections are inevitable. Whether every two years, four years, or six years, they are coming, and they serve a vital purpose in preserving our way of life. I have lived them more than most, and the resulting anxiety has only furthered my underlying anxieties, amplifying them at many times. The strategies outlined above have and continue to help me deal with my response during election season. They aren’t guaranteed, but they each provide a port in the storm where you might take refuge.??

Just take the advice of my new favorite hashtag–#GFV, aka “Go Freaking (or insert another ‘F’ word) Vote.” By casting your ballot, you will know that you did all you could to impact the election outcome in the way you wanted. Will it turn out in a way that will mitigate or exacerbate your anxiety? Only time and the votes of others will tell. Find that serenity we talked about and distract yourself until absolutely necessary. I think I will turn on the current World Series race because I have no dog in that fight.?

#mentalhealth #anxiety #Elections