United States: As America counts down to election day, both the former president and Vice President Harris are intensifying their campaign efforts nationwide.
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As voters grapple with their choices, mental health specialists inform ABC News that feelings of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty are prevalent during election seasons.
A self-archived study from January 2022 by researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno, found that anxiety and depression symptoms reported by Americans spiked around the 2020 elections, surpassing levels recorded at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020.
Dr. Kevin Antschel, a psychology professor at Syracuse University, emphasized, “Election stress and anxiety is very real, and anyone experiencing it should know they are not alone; millions are likely feeling the same way,” as reported by ABC News.
What Drives Election-Related Stress and Anxiety?
Experts attribute the widespread anxiety to several factors, with the unpredictability surrounding the election being a significant contributor.
Dr. Judson Brewer from the Mindfulness Center at Brown University explained that this instinct is an ancient survival mechanism.
“If our ancestors heard rustling in the bushes and didn’t investigate, it could mean danger,” he noted.
He likened the human brain’s quest for information to a hunger for food, stating, “Information is food for our brain just like a sandwich is food for our stomach.” He further explained, “Our brains are wired to dislike uncertainty. It’s not just about who will win, but the unpredictability of the outcome.”
Another factor contributing to voters’ indecision is the prevalence of misinformation regarding candidates and their policies, as highlighted by ABC News.
Dr. Jessica Borelli, a psychological science professor at the University of California, Irvine, added that fears surrounding the election could lead to significant changes in access to healthcare, reproductive rights, immigration policies, economic strategies, and climate policies.
“There’s a great deal of uncertainty about the future when government structures change,” she remarked, explaining that such changes can profoundly affect people’s livelihoods.