Regardless of political affiliation, presidential elections can bring about a lot of stress, uncertainty, and worry – and the upcoming 2024 presidential election is no different.

With election day still months away, many are wondering if they’re doomed to feel stuck with this political anxiety. They may feel inundated with stressful news, feel helpless about having a say in the outcomes, and feel a sense of dread about the unknown direction for the country. If any of these sound like you, I assure you that you are not alone.

While we might not be able to make the political anxiety go away entirely, there are ways to manage it.

Reduce Your News Intake

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of constantly checking your news feed or social media. While it might be nice to be on top of the latest updates, overconsuming news can actually worsen one’s stress and anxiety levels. If you find that you’re getting stressed out by your news consumption, set some boundaries on yourself. Maybe that means limiting the news to 10 minutes per day, blocking certain tags or topics, or removing some apps all together.

Find Your Preferred Level of Involvement (If Any!)

We can easily slip into the mindset of “I’m only one person, my vote can’t make a difference!” Those thoughts are a one way ticket to helplessness and hopelessness.

Instead, focus on how you can and want to be involved. Maybe it’s canvassing in your neighborhood or helping to register people to vote. Maybe it’s participating in a phone bank or attending a rally. Maybe it’s making a donation to a candidate you like or having conversations with others. Maybe it’s none of these. There isn’t a right or wrong amount of involvement– find what works for you.

Set Your Boundaries and Lean Into Self-Care

During elections, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, which is why being proactive in our self-care is even more important. It’s okay to temporarily adjust the expectations you put on yourself in your work or schooling. It’s also okay to set boundaries with others, whether those are boundaries regarding conversation topics or how many outings or obligations you are willing to agree to. Furthermore, it’s important to acknowledge and share how you feel. Emotions build and fester in silence and can lead us to feeling even more worried or overwhelmed. Share how you’re feeling with close supports to get the tough feelings off of your chest. Get out of your head and into nature. Try distracting yourself with a favorite show or hobby. Whatever you choose, make sure to emphasize that you are the one who gets to make the decision. Doing so will help you to feel more in control and offset the bigger picture anxiety.