As we near election day in November, individuals may find themselves grappling with heightened stress and anxiety. However, there are tips and useful resources available to help navigate the election season and maintain one’s mental well-being.

In this Q&A, Magellan’s Mary Walston, LCMHC, a counselor in the Military and Family Life Counselor program, offers practical strategies for mental wellbeing.

Q: What are effective strategies to manage stress and anxiety related to political discussion and news?

Mary Walston:

Limit Exposure by Setting Boundaries: Allocate specific times for checking news and avoid consuming political content right before bed to prevent sleep disturbances. Choose specific times of the day to check news updates. Avoid consuming news first thing in the morning or right before bed. Set a time limit for how long you spend reading or watching news each day (e.g., 30 minutes to an hour).

Curate Sources: Consider using news aggregators to filter the most relevant information. News apps can help filter and summarize the news, presenting the stories without overwhelming detail.

Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: When you do consume news, focus on it fully rather than multitasking. This helps you process the information better and reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed. After reading or watching the news, take a few minutes to reflect on what you’ve learned and how it makes you feel. Engage in regular mindfulness or meditation practices to center your thoughts and reduce anxiety. Use deep breathing techniques to calm your nervous system when feeling overwhelmed by political news.

Engage in Healthy Distractions such as Hobbies or Interests: Spend time on activities you enjoy, such as reading, gardening, or exercising, to shift your focus away from political stressors. Engage in non-political conversations with friends and family and participate in community activities that bring you joy.

Seek Professional Support: Consider talking to a therapist or counselor if political anxiety is significantly impacting your mental health. Join support groups or online communities where you can share your concerns and learn coping strategies from others facing similar challenges.

Self-Care Practices

Journaling: Use a journal to express your thoughts and emotions, which can be therapeutic and help clarify feelings.

Creative Outlets: Engage in creative activities like drawing, painting, writing, or crafting to divert your mind from stress.

Pampering: Take time for self-care activities such as baths, skincare routines, or massages.

Physical Activity

Exercise Regularly: Engage in physical activities like walking, running, or any form of exercise that you enjoy. Exercise helps reduce stress and improve mood.

Nature Walks: Spend time outdoors in nature to disconnect from the digital world and relax your mind.

Q: What are some ways to respectfully disengage from political conversations that cause distress?

Walston:

Express Personal Boundaries

Simple Decline: Politely say, “I’d prefer not to discuss politics right now.”

Set Clear Limits: Use statements like, “I understand this is important, but I find these discussions stressful and would rather not engage in them.”

Redirect the Conversation

Change the Subject: Shift to a neutral topic by saying, “Let’s talk about something else. How was your weekend?”

Shared Interests: Bring up a shared interest or hobby to steer the conversation in a different direction.

Acknowledge and Exit

Show Respect: Acknowledge the other person’s viewpoint without engaging further, such as, “I see where you’re coming from, but I need to step away from this conversation.”

Graceful Exit: Excuse yourself from the conversation by saying, “Excuse me, I need to take care of something,” and physically leave the space if possible.

Use Humor

Lighten the Mood: Defuse tension with a lighthearted comment like, “Politics can be heavy. How about we save the world later and talk about something fun?”

Time-Limited Engagement

Set Time Limits: If you feel obligated to engage, set a clear time limit: “I’m okay discussing this for a few minutes, but then I need to move on to other things.”

Scheduled Discussions: Suggest discussing political topics at a later time when you feel more prepared, saying, “Can we talk about this another time?”

The COVID-19 pandemic led to abrupt and massive changes. We have learned to adapt to new routines and protocols in the workplace, at home, at school, and in public settings. However, we still wonder how we will function as a society as we continue to fight the pandemic and find our “new normal” all while dealing with potential feelings of burnout. All these changes and unknowns can make us feel stressed and anxious.

Practice these tips to help you get through the transition:

Be mindful of emotions. During times of stress, it is common to have a wide range of emotions. We may be anxious, frustrated, angry, or sad. These are normal human reactions. Emotions provide us with information that causes us to react so that we can take care of ourselves.

Identify and validate feelings. It’s hard to control emotions when you don’t know what you’re feeling. Sometimes, when you’re busy, distracted, or don’t have much time for yourself, you may not be aware of what or how you’re feeling. Try going for a walk, talking to a friend, or just sitting quietly. If you can pinpoint the feeling, you can acknowledge it. That doesn’t mean you have a bad attitude, or that the feeling lasts forever. It just means you have an emotional reaction and, like the weather, the feelings will eventually pass.

Engage with supportive people. Talk to a trusted person, such as a friend, family member, or counselor. If we openly share our feelings without being judged, we feel less overwhelmed. Sharing with others can make us feel more supported and less alone. Look for opportunities to be that supportive person for people you care about. Mutually supportive relationships are the most rewarding.

Practice stress-reduction techniques. One of the most challenging things about emotions is learning to express them constructively. For example, you may be angry about something, but it is inappropriate to transfer that anger to someone else. Manage and express emotions in a healthy way with activities that bring you joy, release negative energy, and incorporate exercise. Such activities may be journaling, painting, singing, dancing, exercising, or meditating.

Be kind to yourself. Instead of condemning yourself for having certain feelings that make you feel worse, be compassionate to yourself. Being kind to yourself when you have emotional reactions provides a calming quality that puts us back on the path to feeling better.

Look for possibilities. Look for what is possible despite the current circumstances. Do not dwell on how things used to be, focus more on what is possible. Change is difficult and resistance is a natural human response. You can change your mindset with practice. If you find yourself focusing on the negative, stop and make a conscious effort to find the good in the situation.

Help is available. Your program is completely confidential and here to help you and your household members 24/7/365. No situation is too big or too small. Give us a call or visit your program website to get started.

Source: Verywell Mind

Stress is a part of everyone’s life in one way or another. But did you ever consider that stress doesn’t always have to be a bad thing? What if you found ways to make stress a positive thing?
Stress is complicated and tends to impact people over a long period of time. Here are a few tips to help you manage your stress.

1. Get organized. Being unorganized creates stress and leaves you feeling out of control and overwhelmed. Get your house or your desk or your car in order and then feel the wave of relief that comes over you.

2. See things from another angle. View stress as an energizer. Consider each new demand as a challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem.

3. Take charge. Although you can’t control other people’s actions, you can control your response to what comes your way. When it comes to managing your emotions, you’re the boss.

4. Think big. Think in terms of long-range goals, not just day-to-day problems so you can see beyond the immediate situation.

5. Find true friends. Having supportive friends is a key to reducing stress. Good friends should recognize your strengths and lend a hand in stressful situations.

6. Learn from it. Look for meaning in the stress you have experienced. For example, a sick family member may have caused a great deal of stress, but the situation brought your family closer.

7. Be proactive. Learn to recognize the early signs of your stress, such as anger, taking on too many things, working too much or irregular sleep patterns. Think about what you can do to reduce the negative stress effects.

8. Accept limits. Understand your boundaries. Set realistic expectations for yourself.

9. Use your strengths. Recognize your strengths and focus on projects that allow you to use them. Taking on too much can make you feel out of control.

10. Make decisions. Indecision increases stress. Start by making small decisions and acting on them.

11. Laugh. Laughter is indeed the best medicine. Laughing at yourself can relieve stress.

12. Keep yourself healthy. Take care of your body by eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water. Find time to exercise.

13. Pay attention to your body. There are times when our bodies send signals telling us to slow down and take a break. When you experience physical signs such as exhaustion, restless sleep, headaches, body aches and other types of pains, take time to renew your body and your mind.

Resources
National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

This document is for your information only. It is not meant to give medical advice. It should not be used to replace a visit with a provider. Magellan Health does not endorse other resources that may be mentioned here.

Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades.* Negative work stress can come from a variety of factors including having little control but lots of demands, fear of being laid off or fired, working additional overtime due to budget cuts or pressure due to constantly rising expectations.

Start your day off right

After scrambling to get the kids fed and off to school, dodging traffic and combating road rage, and gulping down coffee in lieu of a healthy breakfast, many people arrive at work stressed, and become more reactive to stress at work. In fact, you may be surprised by how much more reactive to stress you are when you have a stressful morning. If you start off the day with good nutrition, proper planning, and a positive attitude, you may find the stress of the workplace rolling off your back more easily.

Be clear about your role

One of the factors that contributes to job burnout is unclear requirements. If you don’t know exactly what’s expected of you, or if the requirements keep changing with little notice, you may find yourself much more stressed than necessary. If you find yourself falling into the trap of never knowing if what you’re doing is enough, it may help to have a talk with your supervisor and go over expectations, and strategies for meeting them.

Stay away from conflict

Interpersonal conflict takes a toll on your physical and emotional health. Because conflict among co-workers is so difficult to escape, it’s a good idea to avoid conflict at work as much as possible.

That means staying away from gossip, not sharing too many of your personal opinions about religion and politics, and steering clear of colorful office humor. Try to limit contact with those who don’t work well with others. If you do have to deal with conflict try these conflict resolution strategies.

Stay organized

Even if you’re a naturally disorganized person, taking the time to plan ahead to stay organized can help you decrease stress at work. Being organized with your time results in less rushing in the morning to avoid being late and being able to leave at the end of the day with a clear mind.

Get comfortable

Another surprising stressor at work is physical discomfort. You may not notice the stress you experience when you are in an uncomfortable chair for a few minutes. But if you practically live in that chair when you’re at work, you can have a sore back and be more reactive to stress because of it. Even small things like office noise can be distracting and cause low-grade frustration. Do what you can to ensure that you’re working from a quiet, comfortable and soothing workspace.

Form positive relationships

While the negative effects of stress are very real, much of the stress we experience can be alleviated simply by talking about it. That’s why positive relationships at work are so important. Even if they can’t solve your problems, the simple act of verbalizing your stress with someone you trust can actually reduce the severity–or clear it up altogether.

Start exercising

Many people are feeling ill effects from leading a sedentary lifestyle. One way you can combat that, and manage stress at work at the same time, is to get some exercise during your lunch break and perhaps take short exercise breaks throughout the day. This can help you blow off steam, lift your mood, and get into better shape.

Keep perfectionism in check

Being a high achiever can help you feel good about yourself and excel at work. Being a perfectionist, on the other hand, can drive you and the people around you a little nuts. Especially in busy, fast-paced jobs, you may not be able to do everything perfectly. But striving to just do your best and then congratulating yourself on the effort is a good strategy. Your results will actually be better and you’ll be much less stressed at work.

Don’t lose sight of your purpose

Each of us is more than the work we do. Taking the time to understand what motivates us and makes us happy is time well spent.  When we starve our purpose—by not engaging with our work, suppressing our creativity, or ignoring our relationships (including the one with ourselves)—we trigger our stress response. When our life is full of nothing but work and obligations, we begin to feel bitter, resentful, depressed, and even angry. The antidote to these feelings is to infuse your life with a sense of purpose and gratitude for what you have every day.

Establish boundaries

In today’s digital world, it’s easy to feel pressure to be available 24 hours a day. Develop some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a rule not to check email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner. Although people have different preferences when it comes to how much they blend their work and home life, creating clear boundaries between these realms can reduce the potential for work- life conflict and the stress that goes with it.

For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

* The American Institute of Stress, Workplace Stress, January 12, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress/