Can you feel your anxiety rising to a boiling point as Election Day creeps closer and closer? Are you getting more stressed with every news feed alert? Are you simultaneously ready for the election to be over and terrified about what it might bring? If you answered yes to any of those questions, congratulations — you’re in the throes of election anxiety, just like the rest of us.
And when we say “the rest of us,” we really mean it. A new survey from Project Healthy Minds and the Harris Poll found that a whopping 77 percent of Americans reported experiencing anxiety over the 2024 election, and 58 percent said the 2024 election has negatively impacted their mental health over the past year. And if those of us who have been through it all before are suffering, there’s evidence that younger voters are feeling the strain even more. A recent Forbes survey found that 66 percent of Gen Z-ers said the election had a negative impact on their mental health, the highest of all the generations surveyed.
That means that if you have a first- or second-time voter in your household, they’re likely stressing as much (or even more) than you are. Election anxiety can get overwhelming fast, so we talked to the experts about how you can help your first-time voter navigate the ups, downs, and general media chaos of the next week in American politics.
What is election anxiety?
You can think of election anxiety as any anxiety and stress related to or occurring around the election, Dr. Jessica Yu, a clinical psychologist and senior director of patient experience at Hims & Hers, tells SheKnows. That anxiety and stress are often “characterized by feelings of nervousness and tension and restlessness,” Dr. Yu explains, “as people are anticipating what’s going to happen when they vote, who is going to win the election.”
We tend to get so anxious around election season because of uncertainty, something that’s just hard to cope with in general — and something that’s inherent when it comes to elections, Dr. Yu points out. Plus, we only have so much control over the outcome. “En masse, we have the ability to move the election in a certain way, but as individuals, we can’t control the outcome of an election,” she explains. “And that’s really hard for people to deal with.”
The last few elections, of course, have been more stressful than most. “The past decade or so has been marked by a lot of political controversy and instability,” Dr. Yu says. “I think in some ways, people feel like there’s a lot more at stake in these elections than there was previously.” Add in a relentless news environment that exposes us to election news 24/7, it’s no wonder our mental health is suffering.
Why are more young people experiencing election anxiety?
It’s no secret that Gen Z has been through the wringer when it comes to experiencing massive world events during their formative, growing-up years; the COVID pandemic, climate change, Trump’s 2016 election, attacks on reproductive rights, constant international conflict, and the spotlight on racial violence all come to mind. With these things in the forefront, Gen Z-ers may be more likely to be politically and socially involved, Dr. Yu says, as well as more aware of the impact that presidential elections can have.
Over-exposure to media may also play a part, says therapist Beth Brown, director of health and wellbeing at ComPsych. “With 24/7 access, it can be hard to decipher fact-based information versus click-bait tactics that gain likes,” she tells SheKnows. You never get a break, which can make the anxiety seem that much more overwhelming.
And making all of this worse is the fact that young voters simply don’t have a ton of experience dealing with election anxiety. “Older generations have been through more elections than the younger generations,” Dr. Yu reasons. “They’ve seen the outcomes of those elections. They’ve managed the anxiety and stress related to those outcomes.” And getting that experience helps you develop coping mechanisms for that anxiety; you know what it feels like, and you know what works for you, personally, to manage it.
The good news? that experience can help the first-time voters in your family too.
How to help first-time voters deal with election anxiety
Helping your voting-age kids (or even your kids who can’t vote yet but are still stressed) deal with election anxiety starts by simply listening, our experts agree. “Listen with empathy,” Brown suggests. “Having an outlet to express anxiety can be extremely helpful in managing emotions. The simple act of allowing your child to name the emotion can help strip away some of the perceived power.” Let them put voice to their feelings of frustration, fear, anger — whatever is coming up. And that includes when your opinions don’t align, Dr. Yu notes. “I encourage parents to try to be as supportive as possible, to not so much interject their opinions, but more so just be there to listen to their kids,” she says.
Then, the experience piece comes in. As someone who’s already voted in elections, you can provide some perspective by talking to your kids about the experience and how you dealt with the stress of it all, whether that involves things like meditation, therapy, journaling, or simply taking breaks from the news feed from time to time.
Speaking of which, it’s definitely a good idea to encourage mindfulness when it comes to media consumption. “While it’s important and even necessary to remain informed and engaged, watching hours of election-related TikToks or doom scrolling all night isn’t useful,” Brown says, noting that TikTok, Instagram, and X aren’t necessarily good sources to go for fact-based news either. Teaching your kids how to identify trustworthy, factual media is key — as is letting them form their own opinion after they do it.
Then, suggest they take breaks from the news from time to time — and yes, that includes social media. “If parents see their children sitting down and really consuming the media and getting almost obsessive with it, I think they can suggest, ‘maybe you want to put your phone down,’” Dr. Yu says. Encourage them to go for a walk, hang out with a friend, watch a movie, or read a book — anything that will distract from the news and provide a mental break.
Encouraging your kids to take action in some way, beyond voting, is also a great strategy to relieve their election anxiety, Dr. Yu says. Whether that’s volunteering, donating, or even canvassing for a campaign, it’s a way to remind them that they have power in a time when it’s all too easy to feel powerless. “It’s helpful to just have something that’s tangible and productive, that will help us feel active,” Dr. Yu explains. “It’s the closest thing we have to be being able to control the situation for ourselves.”
And finally, you might consider helping your young voter reframe their election anxiety entirely. Yes, elections are increasingly stressful and anxiety-inducing, and it’s not fun to feel like you’re literally voting for your life. At the same time, voting is a kind of rite of passage, Dr. Yu points out, symbolic of moving into adulthood and having a say in how the country works. “You are going to be involved in these high stakes elections. You are going to be one of millions of Americans sitting by their couch waiting to find out what the outcome is,” she says. These historic moments are a part of the American experience. “As stressful as it is,” Dr. Yu says, “there’s a certain amount of beauty in that.”
Before you go, check out our favorite apps for mental health: