'So much uncertainty': Here's how to manage election anxiety, according to an Austin psychologist

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Election Day is nearly here, and many people may be feeling "election anxiety" before the results are in.

Dr. Samantha Myhre, a licensed psychologist and assistant clinical director at Austin Anxiety & OCD Specialists, said she frequently talks about the election with her clients — who range from children to teens to adults. She said she expects these discussions to continue beyond Election Day.

A 2024 study from the American Psychological Association found 77% of American adults felt the future of our nation was a significant stress source, which impacts physical and mental health.

The study also found political-related stress increased for adults between the 2016 election (52%) and the 2024 election (69%).

What is election anxiety?

Myhre said election anxiety means different things to different people, but it's anxiety specific to election season. Some people are worried about potential threats to their livelihood or changes in their lives, and others are concerned about impacts to family relationships and dynamics. Often, these worries extend past Election Day because uncertainties exist no matter who is elected into office.

"With elections, there just is so much uncertainty," Myhre said. "Because — outside of us voting and advocating and raising awareness of whatever causes or elected officials that we support — there's a lot outside of our control, and so there's a ton of uncertainty about what's going to happen."

How to manage election anxiety

A day-by-day approach is good because we don't always know what changes are going to go into effect, Myhre said.

Healthy habits include setting a boundary for news consumption and asking yourself if continuing to watch news or scroll news feeds is going to tell you anything new from what you have already learned or heard, she said. Overconsuming can activate negative feelings.

"Turning off the TV or setting down your phone doesn't mean all of a sudden you don't care about those issues anymore," Myhre said. "It means that you're making a conscious decision to shift your attention to something else in that moment that's going to help you feel better."

Instead, Myhre encourages people to recognize they want to consume more information and, instead, step away. People can, for example, prepare a dinner or take the dog on a walk or take a calming bath.

Myhre also recommends setting boundaries with family, friends and co-workers who agree and disagree with your political views.

"Even when it's a really value-aligned relationship...sometimes those well-meaning relationships can accidentally serve as too much commiserating, where you both leave that interaction like 'oh, now I'm just feeling more bogged down by this,'" she said.

For families, Myhre likes to understand how parents and children discuss politics and their typical election night routine to set boundaries based on family values and previous family conversations.

"Do they all sit down and watch the results together? How do they talk about that?" she said. "Because that will help me try to help that child or teen identify boundaries they might want to have for themselves."

One method for setting boundaries is using "I" statements where you share how you feel when talking about a topic. People can request leaving an election-related conversation off the table for now.