Support during election season

We don’t have to tell you that it’s election season. The overwhelming quantity of messages and news updates, the spreading of misinformation, and election night outcomes can cause anxiety and stress for many. Thanks to social media, the build-up has only increased in intensity.

There are a number of ways to take care of yourself and others. Here are some tips for you during election season:

Self-Care Strategies:

Limit the amount of time you spend on social media or the news. When you get the impulse to look at social media, count slowly to 10 and ask yourself: What am I hoping to get out of this experience? Let that question help you decide whether you still want to open that app.

Set boundaries and curate a positive or affirming social media feed.

Engage in self-care routines like exercise, nature, sleep, or meditation. Participate in a hobby that is totally separate from the election. When you lose yourself in process, art or any absorbing activity, it can be an escape.

Surround yourself with positive resources, like friends or family who you can talk to. If you need it, ask to avoid talking about politics.

Inhale for four, exhale for four. Count your breaths. Relax your shoulders. Unclench your jaw. The simplest of actions, like enjoying a moment of silence, can help you reset your body and mind.  

Do some prep work. Take care of essential chores (e.g. grocery shopping, laundry) in advance of a stressful week. Set up your week to require the least energy from you.

Be kind to yourself. Be realistic about what you have the mental and emotional capacity for right now.

Ask your faculty and supervisors for what you need. Do you need an extension on a paper or project? Do you need to attend class with your camera off? It’s okay to ask.

Community Care Strategies:

Self-care is about the individual caring for their basic physical needs, whereas community care is focused on the collective: taking care of people together, for everything from basic physical needs to psychological and even spiritual ones. 

Invest in relationships and friendships. Check-in with friends and community members. Ask “How can I support you?” 

Support mutual aid efforts. Share what you have—be that a car, time, extroversion, money, writing skills, empathy, art supplies, etc. Any and all of these can be incredibly useful in supporting someone in the community.

Lend a hand to someone in need, like giving someone a ride to the store or walking someone’s dog when they are in a bind.

Listen to others with compassion and non-judgment.

Educate yourself about the impact of systemic oppression on historically excluded and marginalized communities. Resist the urge to ask them to educate you.

IU Resources:

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Make an appointment for free individual counseling, a group, or a workshop: 
https://healthcenter.indiana.edu/counseling/services.html

TimelyCare
Providing free, 24/7 virtual mental health support: 
https://app.timelycare.com/auth/login#0

Original source for list of resources: Reed College