Politically Induced Stress

Over the past century our country has faced challenging periods ripe with uncertainty and stress: World War II, anti-war protests and draft lottery during Vietnam, assassination of a U.S. president and civil rights leader, Watergate, 9/11 terrorist attack and others.

Add to that list our current political climate as a new presidential administration enacts constant and sweeping changes to laws and programs impacting us and the country we call home.  

“No matter what your political beliefs or affiliations, it's safe to say all Americans are now living through a unique moment in our nation's history,” writes Michigan Medicine in an article entitled “5 Ways to Manage Politically Induced Stress.”

Politically induced stress has been growing, according to the 2024 Stress in America survey conducted by the American Psychological Association: In 2016, the presidential election caused significant stress for 52% of adults—in 2024 that number jumped to 69%, and 77% of adults said the future of our nation was a significant source of stress in their lives.

“In general, we know that chronic stress harms psychological well-being and physical well-being. It takes a toll on our bodies,” said Brett Ford, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who studies the link between emotions and political engagement. “There’s a strong case to be made that for many people, politics is a form of chronic stress.”

We react to stress in different ways, and our age, level of education and political involvement can affect how we handle stress during an election, according to a North Carolina State University study.

Older adults are more likely to vote, especially in presidential elections, and typically have an increased stake in economic issues, including social security and home ownership, which may make them feel more vulnerable, researchers found. That said, “older adults are more likely to employ life experiences and learned skills that they can leverage to adaptively approach daily stressors as compared to their younger counterparts,” according to the study.

Tips to Reduce Stress

Michigan Medicine’s 5 tips to reduce politically induced stress are:

1. Limit how much time you spend on political content, especially on social media;
2. Be mindful of where you share opinions, especially around children and in the workplace;
3. Be open to learning about other points of view (check out Braver Angels, which is working to bridge the political divide through civil conversations and other events.)
4. Step away from uncomfortable conversations that are causing you stress;
5. Self-assess your involvement in political content and how it is affecting your physical and mental health.

 "While it's important to be aware of what's going on in our country and the world, you need to take care of yourself and your mental health too," said Michelle Riba, M.D., M.S., psychiatrist and member of the University of Michigan Eisenberg Family Depression Center.

In January Diana Butler Bass, author, historian and public theologian, wrote an article for her blog “The Cottage” titled “What are we going to do?” In it, she shared 10 Ws to deal with these uncertain times. Here are 5 of them:

1. WALK (everyday).
2. (Be) WITH OTHERS (everyday);
3. WRITE or find another creative outlet “to work through your fears, losses, or doubt”;
4. WEEP (whenever);
5. WONDER (as much as possible). “Go out into nature, spend time at an art museum, listen to your favorite music, read books and poetry, get obsessed with space photos from the Webb telescope — anything that connects you to beauty and deepens your awareness of awe,” she writes

Other stress busters

While politically induced stress may be new to us, stress in general is something we navigate throughout our life.

Many of these tips you know, but it’s always helpful to review when facing a stressful situation. Here are 5 more “stress relievers,” these from Mayo Clinic.

1. “Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can help both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Meditation can empower us to enhance our well-being,” according to the clinic. There are plenty of books to help you get started, such as “Real Happiness” 28-day program by Sharon Salzberg and apps, such as “Calm.”
2. Laugh More. Watch a funny movie, read a joke book, call that friend who always makes you laugh, maybe try Laughter Yoga.
3. Try Yoga. Much like meditation, yoga postures and breathing exercises can bring a sense of calm.
4. Get Enough Sleep. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly and quality is important too, so turn off the screens, listen to soothing music or find another calming ritual.
5. Seek Counseling. Like other health issues, sometimes we need a pro to feel better.