Back in 2016, Ellen Slawsby, PhD, Director of Pain Services at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at MGH and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, was invited by WBUR to talk about what was then being called “election stress disorder”. At that time, Dr. Slawsby noted that, in her 30 years of practice as a psychologist, she had never seen her patients express such distress in the context of an American Election.
Needless to say, things look even worse in 2020, as we deal with a seemingly unstoppable pandemic, a deepening financial crisis, high rates of unemployment, and racial unrest. And we have endured the most divisive election campaign in American history. According to a Harris Poll conducted on behalf of the American Psychological Association, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) say that the 2020 presidential election is a significant source of stress in their lives.
When WBUR came back to see Dr. Slawsby last week, she commented on the uncertainty and upheaval all of us, and our patients, are dealing with as we approach another election,
“Plain and simple: They truly are afraid their lives and their worlds will crumble. They’ve already lost so much because of COVID – their social support, often their jobs, their finances may be in shambles, their children aren’t in school. And they just don’t see how they can take one more blow.”
Dr. Slawsby offers some strategies for managing our stress and anxiety over the next couple of weeks. At the heart of her recommendations is a variety of techniques designed to elicit the “relaxation response”. Whether you use meditation, yoga, or mindfulness exercises, these techniques can be used to counteract the body’s fight or flight response and diminish the physiologic effects of stress and anxiety.
Although the polls will close by the end of the day, the experts remind us that we might not have a definitive result for some time. Having to endure this sort of uncertainty for a prolonged period of time will likely weigh heavily on many of us. If the stress or anxiety becomes unmanageable, professional help is available. The MGH Department of Psychiatry provides an extensive list of resources for those seeking mental health services. Because of the pandemic, many of these resources can be accessed remotely.
Your Election Weekend Care Package (WBUR – The ARTery)
MGH Department of Psychiatry – Guide to Mental Health Resources
Ellen Slawsby, PhD is the Director of Pain Services at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at MGH and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Slawsby works with patients with depression, anxiety, and many chronic illnesses, specializing in individuals with chronic fatigue and pain.
The Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine (BHI) at Massachusetts General Hospital is dedicated to integrating the field of mind body medicine into clinical care, research and training programs. BHI scientists engage in biomedical research to treat and prevent stress-related illnesses.
