Election Stress: How to Cope When the News Feels Heavy
Nov 04, 2026
Whatever the election results mean to you, whether that’s relief, worry, anger or simple exhaustion, it’s normal to feel the weight of it. Constant updates, heated opinions and hours of scrolling can leave your mind racing and your body on edge, even if you’re nowhere near a polling station.
Election stress is a mix of uncertainty, strong emotions and information overload. When the future feels out of your control, your brain looks for answers, and refreshing the news can feel like a way to find them. Usually it just keeps the stress going.
Looking after yourself
Set limits on when you check the news, and turn off notifications if you can. Notice how you feel after scrolling, and step away if you feel worse. Spend time on the things you can control, such as sleep, movement, meals and time with people you trust, and give yourself permission to leave a heated debate for another day. Your feelings are valid, and so is taking a break from them.
If the stress is affecting your sleep, mood or relationships, it’s worth speaking to a professional. You don’t have to carry it alone.
When You Need More Than a Technique
If certain thoughts keep circling back no matter how many times you challenge them, that's usually a sign they're tied to something deeper: an old experience, a long-held belief about yourself, or a pattern that started long before the situation in front of you today. That kind of work is hard to do fully alone, and it's exactly what therapy is for.
If this sounds like where you are right now, we'd be glad to help you work through it.
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