Election Day is less than a week away, but the story doesn’t end there.

Unfortunately, neither does the anxiety that many people experience while dealing with the anticipation of election results. While the voting will finish the night of November 5, counts leading to the final results sometimes take weeks before a clear winner is found in many races.

This can be emotionally taxing for those who believe their livelihoods are on the line this election season. Concerns like bodily autonomy, the Israel/Palestine conflict, and the treatment of immigrants and racial minorities have made this election as high stakes as ever for many, leading to more people experiencing anxiety related to the 2024 Election than ever.

Jewish Family Services Los Angeles — a nonprofit that has served Los Angeles for over 170 years  — provides therapists like Katerina “Katya” Ryndenkova to help patients deal with mental health issues tied to many issues, the coming election being one of them.

Here are a few tips that Ryndenkova says can help you cope with election anxiety.

Take Care of Yourself

Self-care and personal health are intertwined with one’s mental health, so Ryndenkova suggests that maintaining one’s health and hygiene is a key part of overcoming election-related anxiety.

Many prospects people have envisioned if the candidates they don’t believe in win are grim and life-changing. However, Ryndenkova also believes that many people get absorbed in political anxiety to avoid focusing on other issues they have, and fixing those issues can in turn help alleviate political-related anxiety.

“Make yourself stronger so that you’re not controlled by the situation,” Ryndenkova told Westside Voice. “When your self-worth is strong, not many things can derail you.”

In situations like an election, there are many things that people do not have control over. Ryndenkova tells her clients that they can’t worry about those exterior forces, and should remain focused internally on the things they can control.

She also suggests maintaining a positive perspective within the context of your own life, ensuring people are comfortable with the resources they have around them, whether it is publicly available or through relationships they have built.

“You can be certain that people are not gonna leave you,” Ryndenkova said. “I think things are going to change, but you are going to be okay with your own resources.”

Give Yourself Permission

Emotions are bound to run high no matter what a person does, but Ryndenkova says that is natural. She advises that people confront these emotions instead of putting them on the back burner, and permit themselves to feel the way they feel.

Ryndenkova likened keeping one’s emotions contained to keeping a can of Coca-Cola closed after it has been shaken too many times. Episodes of anger that break one’s emotional seal can happen over the smallest things, Ryndenkova argues.

“You’re not gonna understand why you blew up over somebody who was rude at the coffee shop,” Ryndenkova said, “but it’s more than that…it’s been building up.”

For some demographics and cultures, confronting emotions and showing vulnerabilities can be a difficult thing to accept. Ryndenkova believes it’s important to dispel those notions and allow people to confront their feelings and defy these ideas. Sometimes, she has even had to provoke anger out of her patients when they “emotionlessly deliver content.”

“They shouldn’t dismiss it because people are ashamed of feelings,” she said of the stress that people feel. “As kids, they will learn that you don’t open up, you don’t express your feelings, because it’s a weakness.”

Remain Open Minded, but Set Boundaries

For many people, political views can vastly differ between them and their family members, leading to stressful conversations and strained relationships. This even extends to people involved in the race, with Vice Presidential Candidate Tim Walz’s rift with his conservative brother having been well-documented in recent months. 

Ryndenkova suggests trying to keep political conversations with family members holding conflicting views to a minimum to avoid the stressors that come with those conversations. However, some simply cannot keep their opinions to themselves, and Ryndenkova suggests trying to end the conversation quickly and cordially in those cases.

“Do you want to be right, or do you want to have a peaceful time?” is what she suggests people ask their confrontational relatives and others they are forced into political conversations with.

While a person can perceive some beliefs related to politics as offensive, Ryndenkova suggests remaining open-minded. Dismissing another’s opinion respectfully is important in ensuring these conversations are diffused.

“People can have their opinion, and it’s not they do it to offend you when people take it personally,” Ryndenkova said. “Other people’s perceptions are different.”

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