Therapist Gives Tips To Manage Election Anxiety

I THINK THE DIFFICULTY WITH WAITING IS THAT IT BRINGS UP A LOT OF ANXIETY.

AND THERE ARE TWO TIMES.

PRODUCTIVE ANXIETY WHICH IS WHEN WE'RE MOTIVATED TO TAKE ACTION.

AND THEN UNPRODUCTIVE ANXIETY WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS IN WAITING.

THE OBSESSIVE ROOM NATION.

WORRYING ABOUT THING THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED AND MAY NOT HAPPEN AND YOU JUST KEEP SPINNING IN YOUR THOUGHTS.

WHAT DO YOU ADVISE PATIENTS?

I'M NOT ASKING TO YOU SPEAK OUT OF TURN BUT PEOPLE KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN.

IT WAS BEING TELEGRAPHED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

THERE WILL BE THIS COUNT AND THEN SEVERAL DAYS OR MAYBE WEEKS LATER THERE WILL BE THE FINAL COUNT.

WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

AND KEEP THEMSELVES HEALTHY AND SANE.

YEAH.

I THINK THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THEY CAN DO.

I REALLY SUGGEST TO PEOPLE THAT THEY SCHEDULE A TIME TO WORRY.

THAT SOUNDS COUNTER INTUITIVE.

WE THINK, I DON'T WANT TO WORRY.

WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A TIME.

I WOULDN'T DO IT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU FIRST WAKE UP OR LAST THING WHEN YOU GO TO BED.

MAYBE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.

WHEN THOSE THOUGHTS START CREEPING UP, WHEN YOU START WORRYING ABOUT THE WAIT AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU CAN SAY, AT 1:00 I GET FOOD BUT RIGHT NOW I NOTED TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT I'M DOING.

THAT CHEERS YOUR MIND SO YOU CAN KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THEN AT 1:00 P.M., YOU HAVE 30 MINUTES TO JUST WORRY.

WHAT MY PATIENTS ARE FINDING, WHEN THEY SCHEDULE THE TIME.

WHEN THEY GET TO THAT 1:00 P.M., BY WOUL1:15, THEY'RE BORED.

THEY'RE DONE.

IT REDUCES IT.

WHEN IT IS ALL IN ONE TIME LIKE, THAT YOU START TO REALIZE, OH, I'VE DONE MY WORRYING.

THAT'S ENOUGH AND I'M MOVING ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.

THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

I'M GOING TO TROY TO SCHEDULE MOY WORRYING.

IT JUST CREEPS IN ALL THE TIME.

WHAT ABOUT THE VERY REAL ISSUES?

THIS IS A VERY DIVIDED COUNTRY.

WE'RE HEARING PEOPLE SAY, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO VOTE.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE IN A STATE OF PITCHED BATTLE.

YET.

I DO.

WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS TO REMEMBER NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION, THAT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND SO PEOPLE FEEL HELPLESS.

AND I WANT THEM TO FEEL EMPOWERED.

BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS ELECTION, THERE IS A LOT THAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO CREATE THE KIND OF CHANGE THAT WE WANT.

WHETHER IT IS SYSTEMIC RACISM, CLOIMT CHANGE, THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN TURN OUR WORRY INTO ACTION.