Daily people are bombarded with political ads and political commentary online, it can be hard to escape. According to a 2024 study by the American Psychological Association, 77% of U.S. adults said the future of the nation was a significant source of stress in their lives.
With North Carolina being a key focus of this campaign season, candidates and their running mates are making as many stops as they can in this last week. Stress and anxiety are rising among voters.
ABC11 spoke with Tonya Isreal, a psychology professor who authored a book about 'bridging the political divide'.
"Everything is urgent and breaking and that keeps us at a level of stress that we didn't necessarily have in the past," said Isreal.
For Wake County voters like Kate Anchorstar, this was her first time campaigning for a political candidate, stepping outside of her comfort zone to knock on doors.
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"I just started feeling very 'called to go around the community and start having conversations with people.' I think sometimes we can get stuck in our echo chamber of close friends and family in our inner circle," said Anchorstar.
As she has strived to stay informed and engaged, she admits to feeling an increased level of uncertainty.
"It can be anxiety-inducing to hear, especially the hateful rhetoric," said Anchorstar. "I try to just take it with a grain of salt and know that the most extreme voices are the ones that are promoted."
According to a stress survey by the American Psychological Association, the overall average reported level of stress this year was 5 out of 10 and listed as the top cause of politics.
Isreal suggests these tips to cope.
- Listen and try to find common ground and do not demonize any group.
- Engage in a hobby.
- Manage your consumption of political information and stay away from phone use before bed.
"One candidate's going to win. One candidate's not gonna win. We might not know that for a while. So it's helpful to prepare us for that. So one of the things that we can do is make sure that we have support, who we can talk to if we are feeling stressed about the results of the election," said Isreal.
With the holidays approaching experts recommend some of the same tips if the topic of politics comes up over the Thanksgiving table.
Keep in mind you are not on the debate stage and sometimes it's best to avoid the conversation altogether and focus on common ground.