Election day has come and gone but the anxiety is sticking around. You are worried that it will never go away and working from a place of dysregulation. I hear you. You are nervous because it’s nerve-racking. Anxiety for better or worse, stays around to help inform you and guide you. However I know that right now it likely doesn’t feel this way. It feels like you are just overwhelmed. Let’s break down what might be going on for you.

The votes are in but you continue to experience election anxiety

This fact that the votes have already been counted. It would make sense for everything to be getting better. Except, you are still experiencing election anxiety and that seems confusing. It is likely that you think that since the election is technically over so should your anxiety. I get that however that is not how anxiety nor most emotions work. Anxiety sticks around because you are still processing the result of the election.

Of course, you’re having election anxiety

I want you to know that the anxiety you are having makes perfect sense! Of course, anxiety is growing and feeling overwhelming. When there are unanswered question and the unknown, anxiety often grown. And let me tell you in case your logical side is trying to help you forget: elections are a hot bed for anxiety! There is so much unknown, so much uncertainty and unprocessed emotions. Anxiety almost doesn’t have a choice but to grow and become too big to look at.

What do I do about election anxiety?

Okay okay, you know you’re anxious but like now what. I get that you want to do something about it. Let’s take a look at 3 key items that might be keeping your anxiety in high gear.

1. Election Anxiety is too overwhelming.

The overwhelm you are feeling with the election results are understandable. Overwhelm is a scary emotion that often feels lonely. When emotions feel too big it is often hard for us to feel them safely. It can make it almost impossible to let ourselves feel what are bodies are trying to tell us. This is a normal part of being human and it makes it hard to deal with election anxiety,

Consider asking yourself: What could help me feel safe enough with election anxiety?

You might notice that journaling how you feel can help you slow things down. Maybe you need to be held by someone you know understands. You might need to cry.

2. Election Anxiety might be helping.

I know this might not seem like it makes sense but stick with me here. Let yourself consider what you might have to face if anxiety was gone like right now? Perhaps it would mean that you might have to start feeling some uncomfortable things. Election anxiety may be serving as a placeholder and as a means to protect you from change.

Consider asking yourself: What might my election anxiety be protecting me from?

You might notice that if you felt less anxious you would feel a sense a grief you are scared of. If anxiety left you might continue moving through life as if nothing has changed.

3. Election Anxiety might be scared of leaving.

Again this probably sounds a little weird but roll with me. Anxiety comes in because it has a message it wants you to hear. If anxiety leaves without you listening to it, it’s been my experience that it will come back. Some times anxiety will come back in a more aggressive way than you are experiencing now. Anxiety wants you to listen to it. Anxiety wants you to hear what it has to say because it’s message to you is important.

Consider asking yourself: If election anxiety wrote me a letter what would it say?

You might notice that anxiety would say it needs you to comfort it. Maybe it just needs know that you are listening to it. Maybe you notice that anxiety is worried you won’t make changes it needs.

Some of anxiety’s purpose is helping you process what the election results mean for you.

Yes, post-election anxiety is uncomfortable. When facing the unknown there is great power in knowing that the unknown is scary. That of course when faced with uncertainty we will feel anxious. That is a normal and even smart reaction. Election anxiety doesn’t need to keep you in a place of overwhelm.

Ready to cultivate a positive relationship with anxiety?

Anxiety loves knowing that it is heard and understood. Anxiety but it can get really loud and demanding of our time and energy. If you are ready to take the next step then book your free discovery call with me. Let me help you uncover the transformative potential of anxiety counseling when guided by a clear plan and the expertise of the right therapist can help you now, tomorrow and well into your future.