With a country so divided, it was inevitable that a large percentage of the country was going to wake up on November 6th feeling devastated by the results. One way or another about 50% of the US population was inevitably going to struggle with many post-election result emotions including fear, anger, sadness, and intense anxiety, to name a few.
If you are currently in this category, you may be struggling with how to manage your emotions. This can be especially tough if you have to get up and function normally as if nothing is different. Maybe you have to go to work, take a test, or interact with others who you know are celebrating this morning. Here are ten tips you can use to help manage what you are feeling without crumbling:
Set limits on media consumption, or stay off media all together: While we want to be informed and know what is happening, consuming media - especially social media - will likely make you feel worse. Many people will be panicking, offering worse case opinions, and expressing their unedited anxiety. If you have enough of your own anxiety and feel that you have the information you need, such as knowing who won the presidential election and elections in the senate and house, it may be time to stay off social media. If you still want to be involved, set realistic limits for yourself, such as setting a timer for 5 minutes and then turning off your device for at least an hour when the timer goes off.
Practice Mindfulness Techniques: Anxiety will pull us into the future and our minds are very good story-tellers. Whether our minds are envisioning very real potential futures or making up worst-case scenarios, spiraling into the future will not help us cope with today. It is important that you be present for what matters in the here and now. Try using youtube to find a guided mindfulness exercise, hold a hot cup of coffee and notice its warmth and smell before slowly sipping it, or take deep breaths, noticing the air fill your lungs and then leave. Any technique you can use to bring yourself back to the present moment will be helpful.
When it feels unmanageable, try a grounding technique: Grounding techniques are meant to pull us into our present environment immediately. When thoughts are spiraling or you feel like you’re about to have a panic attack, grounding helps bring us to the present and safe moment. I like to use what I call the “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” method. Look around your space (this works in any space) and find 5 things that are blue, 4 things that are green, 3 things that are yellow, 2 things that are red, and 1 thing that is purple. The colors don’t matter, choose any that suit you. In fact, you can use shapes or textures instead of colors if you prefer. Other grounding techniques can include splashing your face with cold water, eating something spicy or sour, or smelling something intense like your favorite candle or smelly cheese. In general, anything that engages your senses and brings you to the current moment will be helpful.
Reconnect with Nature - We know that a change of scenery can help but more than that, research has shown that nature has a positive influence on our mental health. Take a minute and walk outside. Allow the breeze to blow, feel the sun (or maybe rain?) on your face, or look at the trees. Take some deep breaths.
Move your body! - Taking a walk can be an excellent way to cope and get some positive feelings. However, if that isn’t enough, do some cardio (if you have doctor approval). When our mind is spiraling and our heart is racing, we can help manage it by matching our physiological responses with external input. In other words, if your heart is already racing, going for a run or doing jumping jacks will help your mind interpret the heart rate as related to the cardio and not to the “impending doom” story your brain is telling you about. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of feel-good endorphins when you’re done!
Find comfort and lean into it - We all have things that make us feel good and today is a good day to lean on those. Maybe it is wearing your favorite cozy sweater, wrapping yourself up in the softest blanket, or snuggling your pet. For many we find comfort in food so perhaps you choose tonight to make your favorite childhood meal or get your favorite take-out.
Connect with a supportive loved one - find someone you love who you feel safe with and spend time with them, even if it’s just a phone call. It’s important to note that this shouldn’t be to ruminate in doom or gloom but rather to connect and talk about how you’re feeling or maybe even just to talk about other important things. If you start to feel more anxious, feel free to change the subject or take some time to yourself.
Avoid drugs and alcohol - It can be tempting to deal with your stress and anxiety by having a big glass of wine or a couple of beers. While I’m not going to tell you that this is “bad” right now, I can share that this will likely make you feel worse later-on. We know that alcohol is a depressant, meaning that it brings you down. It can easily increase later negative thoughts and anxiety. It’s better right now to avoid substances and focus on coping skills that won’t have negative impacts a few hours later.
Try taking control of something that feels manageable - right now so much is out of your control. You did your part in voting but that didn’t yield the results you hoped and you may be feeling like everything is out of control. Though many things are, we can still find some comfort in doing something where we do have some power. Try cleaning a space that has felt messy, organizing your desk, or intentionally picking out an outfit that feels empowering. You could also get what some may call the “post-breakup haircut” where you change your look and feel empowered, but you may want to wait until things are feeling a little more manageable before you make a drastic decision.
Distract yourself - Okay, we don’t want to use this as our only skill, but boy is it a good one to use when you need the break. Pick something that feels good and not something that will add to your discomfort. Read a silly book, play with your pet, watch a compilation of babies laughing, or anything else that you find joyful.
In the beginning, we must take everything one day at a time - in the early days of coping with results it may be important to use short-term coping skills to make it through the day. While the skills I offered are not all meant to be used indefinitely and some may not work for you, many of them will help you manage the immediate flood of stress and anxiety so that you can regulate enough to figure out how to move forward in the long-term. If you are still struggling to cope after an extended period of time, or using short-term coping skills is not helping and you are struggling to function, it may be time to reach out for additional professional support.
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