HOW TO STAY MENTALLY STRONG POSTELECTIONS
Election stress does not end on Election Day. It might even increase if your candidates did not win.
Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde understands that the current political climate may have an adverse effect on the mental and physical health and well-being. The anxiety likewise leads to lack of focus toward studies, duties and responsibilities.
To provide support, BWC shared some tips on how to stay mentally strong postelections, as listed by licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist and bestselling author Amy Morin, LCSW. She is the editor in chief of Verywell Mind, an award-winning platform for diverse mental health concerns.
Accept what happened. You may think that things should have ended differently. But acceptance is important to free yourself from negative thought patterns. You don’t have to agree with the results to accept them.
Name your feelings. Labeling your feelings reduces its intensity. It also helps your brain understand them and you might start to feel a little bit better.
Look at the facts. When you start imagining dreadful things, back up for a minute and look at the facts. Be cautious when you obtain this information and ensure that they are from credible sources.
Argue the opposite. Open your eyes to different possibilities whenever you find yourself thinking about how bad things are going to be. This is not to develop unrealistically positive predictions. This is to help you see that there are many diverse possible outcomes.
Limit your media consumption. Reading, watching and hearing the news will only fuel your anxiety. Limit the amount of time you spend consuming the news. Be mindful of the sources.
Stop commiserating. Acknowledging your despair with people who share your disappointment may be good emotional support. But talking too much about these subjects won’t be helpful in the long run. Be proactive and open other subjects.
Focus on what you can control. The outcome of the election is just one of the many things that you can’t control. Immersing in it will only make you feel more helpless. Refocus your energy on things that will give you a sense of control—a key component to good psychological health.
Resist the urge to debate on social media. This is a high time for online arguments even among family and friends. It may be tempting to respond. However, people’s political opinions are rarely changed by someone’s social media comments. It might help you feel better to mute or unfollow certain accounts.
Reach for healthy coping skills. Have some healthy coping mechanisms that can improve your psychological well-being both in the short and long term. This may include reading a book, practicing yoga, doing some deep breathing exercises, writing in a journal or getting some exercise.
Take care of yourself. This is key to reduce your stress. Sleep for eight hours. Eat healthy food. Do some physical activities. Watch it do wonders.
Change the channel in your brain. Engage in activities to distract your brain. Do this whenever you find yourself focusing on things that are only harmful for your mental health. Sometimes physical activity in a change of scenery helps.
Schedule time to worry. Jot down your thoughts and set aside 15 minutes a day to worry about whatever you want. This will help you worry less throughout the day.
Take positive action. You may not be able to change the results but you can still take some positive action. It may be community service or just a little good deed. This can help you feel more positive about the world while fighting that feeling of hopelessness.