If you happen to be stressed this election season, you’re not alone.
With the 2024 presidential campaigns in full swing, some of us consume political content every day and terms like election stress disorder have been coined to describe common experiences of mental, emotional, and physical discomfort during election season.
Carrie Krawiec, a therapist with Birmingham Maple Clinic, says a large percentage of people are dealing with stress when engaging in political discussions.
“For starters, about 60% of people report feeling stress related to elections and election season,” Krawiec said. “So, 60% of the people are feeling stress. I think if we are going to talk about it with our loved ones or complete strangers, it would be important to stay compassionate that probably the person you’re talking to is experiencing some stress related to the topics that you’re sharing, and you are probably experiencing some stress yourself.”
Krawiec says when approaching these conversations with curiosity, be sure to look for a space of mutual agreement.
