Anxiety increases among Americans as another election cycle gets into full swing

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A new study shows that anxiety is up 43% in Americans this year compared to last, and nearly three quarters of people say the election is a big factor.

"I think there's a lot of just angst about the unknown. This is sort of an unprecedented situation that we're in, and not knowing what the future holds, what it will mean, and what the implications are, have really gotten a lot of people pretty riled up," said Dr. Megan Pruette, who is an associate professor of psychiatry at UNC, and regularly sees patients as well.

Pruette said she's not surprised that studies are showing the increase in anxiety, but there are ways to combat this.

She recommends taking action in the political process if you are feeling high anxiety over not having control about the outcome.

"If that means they can vote, if that means they want to volunteer for the election in some capacity, those are actions that they can take that can give them more of a sense of control," Pruette said.

Something else that may be causing election-related anxiety among Americans is how differing opinions can cause a divide between loved ones.

"The strong feelings about the election has put a rift in a lot of families and communities, which I think is very sad. And so people have broken off relationships with family members because it's just the feelings are too strong and they can't be with each other and talk about anything but the election," Pruette said.

She said finding common ground with loved ones and avoiding political conversations if they get too emotionally heightened. She also recommended finding relationships that have nothing to do with politics.

Being intentional with how and when you consume election news can help too if it feels overwhelming, she said the "constant bombardment" can make it difficult to think about anything else and add to the sense of dread.

Focusing on the "here and now" can be an effective tactic too.

"Who's the person sitting in front of you? What is your relationship like with that person? What what are you doing in your day to day life? Are you going on walks? Are you meeting with neighbors? How are you engaging in the real world?" Dr. Pruette said.

Another thing to try if you're feeling a lot of anxiety this election season would be to schedule a "worry hour," meaning find a set period of time each day that you'll allow your mind to wander and feel that worry, and when it's over, try and avoid those thoughts for the rest of the day.