Politics take up a lot of oxygen in our lives, and many Americans are feeling anxiety.
A sense of election burnout is settling in for many Americans.
Political advertisements and text messages have bombarded voters for months, and psychologists say they're seeing the side effects show up in their sessions.
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"The information is very heavy, it's very emotional, people care a lot about the issues," said Dr. Janna Koretz.
"I definitely have patients coming into session, talking about how they’re struggling with stress, anxiety and worry related to the election," said Dr. Mary Anderson.
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Combating those feelings is easier said than done. Simple things like sleep, exercise and healthy diet can help, but successfully clearing your mind might come down to simply stepping away.
"Unplug and unsubscribe, because it's a lot of constant information," said Koretz. "You can go to the information, the information doesn't have to come to you."
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"Meditation, journaling, going out into nature, turning off your phone, really moderating your exposure to things like social media and TV, so that again, you stay informed, but you fuel your mind with some moments of quiet," said Anderson.
It's also important to find ways to spark positive interactions.
"Try to be kind to yourself and others right now, just being aware that this is a stressful time out there for everybody," said Anderson.
The techniques can help prioritize your wellbeing as we near the two-week countdown to the election on Nov. 5.
"Try and figure out how to live well with it as opposed to trying to eradicate it," said Koretz. "That tends to be more reasonable and more possible."
