What to Do If the Election Doesn’t Go as You Hoped, According to a Mental Health Expert

So, you’re experiencing election anxiety. Across the country, people on both sides of the aisle are feeling the same way. “One of the hardest aspects of elections is that as individuals we don’t have ultimate control over the outcome,” says Nicole Cain, ND, MA, a trauma-informed psychology expert. “When fear mixes with a sense of powerlessness, it can create a traumatic experience not only on an individual level, but collectively as well. Many aspects of our modern society can be psychologically taxing, and elections often amplify these stressors.”

Say that after a long night of tracking the national exit polls, things don’t turn out the way you hoped and panic sets in. What should you do? How should you cope? Here, a few quick tips.

Calm the body

The first thing to do is to take a deep breath. From there, Dr. Cain suggests trying something called the “TIPPSSSS method,” which is scientifically proven to calm the body. Its elements are as follows:

• Tip the temperature (using cold water or ice, for example)
• Intense exercise (say, with a sprint)
• Paced breathing (try the square-breathing method)
• Paired muscle relaxation
• Scene change
• Scent (oils, perfumes)
• Sip (ice, tea, juice)
• Stimuli (3-3-3 rule: identify 3 things you can see, hear, touch)

Understand the situation

From there, you need to acknowledge the truth and how you’re feeling in reaction to it. “It could be fear, grief, rage, or a physical symptom. Feel it completely, as denying or resisting emotions often amplifies them. Once you’ve acknowledged and held space for what is, you can move on to what’s next,” Dr. Cain says.

Bring the body and mind together

“When you experience an extreme stressor, your emotional brain takes over, sending panic signals to your body, which then goes into autonomic arousal (fight, flight, freeze, flop, fawn, or fracture),” Dr. Cain says. Try something that brings mindfulness back into your space, whether it’s a bit of yoga, feeling the grass beneath your feet, or going on a walk. “These mind-body interventions help synchronize the brain and body, promoting a greater sense of calm and control.”