How to limit election anxiety

SAN ANTONIO — More than eight months into the pandemic and anxiety levels for many people are extremely high. Factor in a volatile election season and that anxiety can jump through the roof.

When it comes to anxiety, the pandemic, and the election, it is all about knowing your limits to allow yourself to walk away from whatever is causing your stress. 

Landry Weatherston-Yarborough from The Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center and Eating Recovery Center told us, "Setting boundaries for yourself is one of the most compassionate things that you can do for yourself when you are struggling with anxiety."

One of those boundaries involves having a voting plan. She added, "Know concretely where do you go, where can you go, when you can vote, who you're going to go with if anybody, and have control over the things you can control in this moment."

Here are some tips to help keep those anxiety levels in check:

• Find news sources that give accurate information. 
• Set limits on how long you'll scan the news each day. 
• Try not to engage with people where a discussion could become unproductive or heated.

Weatherston-Yarborough said, "When it really becomes attacking or mean spirited or it feels like we are just going in circles and my own anxiety is increasing as a result then those are really times where it's best to say, you know what I can't continue this conversation with you or unfortunately I can't talk politics with you right now."

Limiting your time on social media would go a long way in keeping anxiety at bay. Weatherston-Yarborough told us, "Maybe I'm only going to spend 10 minutes a day reading the news or I'm going to set a timer where I get a reminder in this app that I've been on for a certain period of time."

With some social media time knocked out she says do something more fulfilling. Weatherston-Yarborough added, "Spending time in nature or with your family or doing something that's relaxing or meaningful to you."

Weatherston-Yarborough also says only not to stress over things out of your control. That will give you more time to work on changes you can make to those things you can control.