The upcoming presidential election has an impact on Americans mental health.

A recent national survey by AMFM, a residential mental health treatment system based in California, looked at the anxiety levels of 2,000 Americans during an election year.

Almost 22% of respondents reported that election coverage had a negative effect on their mental health.

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Navigating misinformation (57%) and ‘doom and gloom’ messages (56%) were identified as key stressors, as well as worry about the consequences of the election (54%) and worry that their chosen candidate will not win (42 %).

Overall, 30% of respondents reported increased anxiety related to the election, 22% said they felt overwhelmed and 18% experienced anger.

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Almost 53% said they avoid election-related conversations prevent anxiety.

More than 73 percent of respondents haven’t sought support for election-related anxiety — and don’t plan to, they said.

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The AMFM concluded that it is essential that individuals “seek balance, limit exposure to anxiety-provoking content and consider looking for support when needed.”

Another survey by LifeStance Health — a Scottsdale, Arizona-based mental health care network — found that the presidential election is a “significant source of stress and anxiety” for Americans.

The survey, which polled more than 1,000 Americans online in August 2024, found that 79 percent of people experience election anxiety.

Younger Americans are more likely to be affected, the results showed, including 64 percent of Gen Z and 54 percent of millennials.

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More than half (57%) of respondents said they think about the election daily, while 31% said they think about it several times a day.

Meanwhile, 44 percent of Gen Zers have put off major life milestones like moving, going to college, getting married, or having children because of anxiety about the political climate.

This anxiety is also driven by friends and family, as 44% of respondents said political or election-related discussions led to conflict.

More than two-thirds (72%) of respondents said social media and other news outlets contribute to this electoral anxietywhile 34% admitted to unfollowing or blocking a friend or family member on social media because of their political views.

Some mental health experts refer to political anxiety as “election stress disorder,” according to MK Clarkin, clinical social worker and executive director of LifeStance Health in St. Louis, Missouri.

“People often report an increase anxiety, depressionconcentration problems and more,” she told Fox News Digital. “Feeling a deep sense of loss of control over one’s personal life understandably creates a sense of distress for many people.”

Experts shared some coping methods to help you keep your sanity in check during the election.

Christina Kayanan, a licensed therapist in California and executive director of AMFM, suggested practicing grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method to help you let go of worries about the future and to return to the present.

“In this exercise, you recognize five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste,” she shared for Fox News Digital. “Earth can disrupt anxious thought patterns and restore a sense of control.”

According to Kayanan, building a self-care routine including mindfulness, meditation, exercise and deep breathing can help calm the nervous system.

“A routine helps structure your day by giving you something predictable to build on,” she said. “Even small, consistent habits like journaling taking short walkscan make a significant difference in managing anxiety.”

Unhelpful thoughts can include all-or-nothing thinking and catastrophizing about a situation, which Kayanan noted can heighten anxiety.

People should identify these thought patterns and challenge them with “evidence-based thinking,” the expert suggested.

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“Ask yourself, ‘What evidence do I have for this thought? Is there another way to look at this situation?” she advised.

“By reframing anxious thoughts, you can reduce their emotional impact and regain a sense of balance.”

Both substances can worsen anxiety symptoms by overstimulating the nervous system and impairing “our natural ability” to manage stress, according to Kayanan.

Cutting back on these substances could help reduce physical anxiety symptoms and maintain a “more balanced emotional state,” the expert said.

Kayanan promoted setting clear boundaries in relationships, work, or social settings to reduce anxiety.

This could include saying no in certain situations, delegating tasks and setting boundaries social media to prevent overstimulation and exhaustion.

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Those limits may also apply to election-related content, about which Clarkin advised people to “be selective.”

“Don’t be afraid to set boundaries around your digital consumption — set a ‘time-on’ limit, mute or unfollow accounts that share harmful content and fact-check sources,” she advised.

Clarkin also discouraged engaging in political discussions on social media.

“Most people don’t post political content with the intention of changing their minds through dialogue,” she said.

“So your energy is better spent on something else.”

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a method that involves slowly tensing and relaxing different muscle groups “from your toes to your head,” Kayanan said.

The technique can help relieve the physical tensions associated with anxiety while increasing awareness of where you may be holding stress in your body.

“Practicing PMR can lead to greater relaxation and reduce overall anxiety levels by promoting a connection between body and mindshe said.

Those experiencing worsening anxiety or ongoing anxiety should contact a doctor for help.

Source of the original article: The presidential election has most Americans worried, according to polls: Here are 6 tips to calm yourself down