It is no surprise that many people—patients and acquaintances—have been talking with me about the anxiety they feel in response to the rhetoric of the current election cycle. Indeed, the divisive language that is daily bandied about, coupled with very real domestic and international challenges, contributes to creating a perfect storm for anxiety and worse. Many people report that they both obsess about and feel compelled to follow the latest declamations of the candidates, which heighten their discomfort: anger, a common response to the day’s rhetoric, activates further anxiety. A friend told me that her anxiety is so high that she believes it is affecting her health. Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum, the heated rhetoric is certainly having an effect not only on social discourse, but on our mental and physical health.
I’ve been encouraging patients to limit their exposure to the news cycle on television and the internet. Social media, with all its memes, often creates an echo chamber where we are constantly exposed to political messaging which activates and reinforces anger, feelings of helplessness, and anxiety. The purpose of self-limiting choices is not to bury your head in the sand but to manage anxiety. Find a balance that works for you.
However, there is a deeper challenge that arises: how to live with uncertainty?
The reality is that none of us knows what the outcome of this particular election cycle will be. Indeed, none of us knows what the next moment will bring. None of us has sufficient power alone to control for a particular political outcome. We are all subject to forces that are much larger than any one of us.
In my view, there are psychological strategies—attitudes and ways of thinking—that can help you manage the anxiety concomitant to living with uncertainty. At the foundation of them all is an honest assessment of your personal power and your place within the larger scheme of life.
Each of us has personal power, although it is not always easy to discern where it lies at any given moment, nor how best to exercise it. And when you’re feeling anxious, it is easy to forget that you have personal power—or misuse it.
Your power lies in your ability to choose your response to what is arising in this moment.
Simple, but easy to forget.
Mindfulness is a very useful means for responding to uncertainty. Mindfulness focuses attention and helps you develop clarity about what, if anything, needs to be done right now. (See my blog, “Do What This Moment Requires” [July 12, 2016] for more.) Mindfulness brings laser-sharp attention to this moment—here-and-now. Further, mindfulness can help you become aware of what you might be adding to your anxiety.
There can be a number of impediments to mindfulness, though. Old patterns of thinking, old beliefs (especially your beliefs about your power), substance use, and trauma all impact your ability to develop clarity and mindfulness. Psychotherapy supports mindfulness by identifying and working through those impediments.
Beyond this, it seems to me that there are a number of decisions or actions you can take not just in this moment but over the next few months. Several acquaintances have chosen to channel their anxiety into activism for social justice. A couple of artists I know are channeling their responses into creating art that gives voice to their values and beliefs. Another acquaintance is volunteering for a local political campaign. Taking committed action can be a very powerful response to living with uncertainty.
How will you choose to respond?