Political Anxiety: How Are Americans Reacting to a Chaotic Year?

The 2024 election, combined with ongoing chaos, has led to an uptick in anxiety for a significant number of people in the United States. However, experts tell Healthnews there are ways to manage these feelings while navigating the next few turbulent months.

Politics is one of several topics people avoid discussing at dinner parties and social affairs. However, in light of recent events, more people are talking — and significantly more are worrying.

Some of those recent events include the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden stepping out of the race, and Vice President Kamala Harris gaining popularity for this year’s Democratic candidate.

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So, as America gets closer to November 5, 2024, AKA election day, simmering worries are rapidly transforming into full-blown anxiety.

For example, the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) 2024 annual mental health poll found that 43% of adults in the United States feel more anxious this year than they did the past two years. Moreover, 70% are worried about current events, 77% are concerned about the economy, and 73% have anxiety over the 2024 U.S. election.

This "political anxiety," as some call it, is an almost palpable combination of excitement, uneasiness, and fear. It's becoming so common that people are discussing their concerns on social media.

For instance, some feel 2024 is a repeat of 2020 election woes:

While others are anxious about virtually everything happening in the U.S.:

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Meanwhile, the rise in political anxiety has inspired some X users to post advice about how to manage it:

What is causing political anxiety?

According to the APA, political anxiety differs from other mental health conditions, such as general anxiety, as it has a unique impact on emotional wellbeing and social structure.

"I have seen a huge uptick in anxiety, depression, OCD, and anger management because of current events," says Vicki Botnick, a licensed marriage and family therapist and Clinical Supervisor at Phillips Graduate Institute, to Healthnews. "Most of my clients, across the board politically and culturally, are experiencing a general feeling that the world is getting worse and our power to make changes is declining."

Vicki Botnick
Vicki Botnick, LMFT (Image credit vickibotnick.com)

Botnick says that her younger clients tend to see world events as unstoppable, and this sense of helplessness and despair may prevent them from engaging in activities that can help them feel better.

"I've noticed that a connection to, and dread of, politics is more present for Millennial and Gen Z clients," Botnick says. "They may feel that they saw more progress in the past and are grieving the current state of the world. They worry that they won't be around to see the pendulum swing back, or the system improve. There's a general sense that time is running out to fix the problems."

Political anxiety can also impact health and produce physical and psychological symptoms, including trouble sleeping, stomach issues, migraines, and addictive behaviors.

"The desire to escape leads some people to overspend and overindulge, while others isolate or get caught up in niche communities like conspiracy theorists," Botnick adds.

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Erin Rayburn, LMFT, an anxiety, relationship, family, and culture expert therapist at Evergreen Therapy, tells Healthnews that although not everyone is talking directly about their anxiety regarding the elections or even connecting the two, there is definitely an increase in worry or fear about the future.

Erin Rayburn
Erin Rayburn, LMFT (Image credit Evergreentherapy.org)

"The current candidates who are pursuing our presidential office are rather extreme in their positions, and the extreme positioning is leading to greater polarization amongst people," Rayburn explains. "This polarization is felt in terms of anxiety or fear."

Rayburn says the country's issues presented by the presidential candidates are part of the mounting anxiety.

"Such big issues always create fear because many will be affected either way. Feeling like one has less autonomy or agency over one's life is fear-invoking in general. Thus, it is natural to have increased anxiety due to upcoming political changes or lack thereof," Rayburn explains.

How to cope with political anxiety

Election uncertainty and the need to stay one step ahead of what might happen can keep people's thoughts focused on the future with the hope of somehow controlling the outcome. Moreover, people may feel like another chaotic event could happen at any given moment. It’s these, and other election-related factors, that can lead to persistent anxiety.

Still, there are ways to manage these feelings throughout the next few months.

Botnick tells Healthnews that one of the first things a person could consider is going on a media diet and avoiding news sources that trigger anxiety.

"Limit the amount of time you spend getting input or information about the election," Botnick explains. "If you want to stay educated, take one hour a day to read and listen to sources. This will let you stay up-to-date without pulling your attention all day, or allowing you time to doom scroll."

In addition, both Botnick and Rayburn say that volunteering and advocating for the change a person wants to see can help reduce feelings of powerlessness.

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By volunteering for a politician you support, or working for a nonprofit whose work feels like it’s helping the world, or just reaching out to friends and neighbors in need, you have automatically moved from feeling powerless to being part of the solution.

Botnick

Staying focused on the here and now can also help reduce anxious feelings.

"Remember to stay present, and one day at a time," Rayburn says. "We have seen political landscapes throughout all of history — this is nothing new."

Rayburn notes that whenever there is change, there is opportunity.

"Even if you don't like the changes, there will still be an opportunity to create change that you believe in," Rayburn explains. "You must stay present and responsive to the changes at hand."

Botnick offers similar advice, noting that the world has always endured moments of great strife and significant transformations.

"The media thrives on the message that things are worse than ever," Botnick says. "The truth is that the world has seen a lot of catastrophes, and a huge number of triumphs. This too shall pass."

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