Worried about the 2024 elections? Here’s what therapists recommend

“If you’re dealing with a young child, know that a lot of this is too much for them and it can be traumatic,” she said. “You can explain the process to them without going into scary detail: “Two people are competing and they have different beliefs. People can get very angry and nervous about this. But you will still be safe in this house with your parents.”

“We don’t want to lie to them or over-promise, but we just don’t want to expose them to things that aren’t appropriate on the news or on social media,” McLean said.

Read KQED’s bilingual guide on how to talk to kids during difficult or scary times.

Monitor your anxiety levels on Election Day…

Today is November 5th. You or those around you have already voted. And presidential election results will begin coming in at 5:00 pm PT when polls close on the East Coast.

Every major television network will broadcast the results continuously throughout the night, and it is likely that most restaurants, bars and public places with a television will show this broadcast. But remember: you can choose how much of this coverage you consume.

If you know that waiting until the early hours of the morning for the results of every swing state that could be decided by just a few thousand votes is going to really make you very anxious, take a break from watching. It might be even better for you to make a plan with your family or friends to do something completely new on November 5th.

No matter how much (or little) news you read on Tuesday, remember that there will still be results at the end of the vote count, which could take days, as it did in 2020.

…and focus on your breathing

Another strategy Angelakis recommends is to spend time doing breathing exercises.

“Take two inhales and one exhale,” she said, adding that you can do as many exercises as you want until you feel a little more grounded.

“If you try this breathing, you will feel very good,” Angelakis said. “It calms the nervous system.”

She especially recommends doing these breathing exercises if anxious thoughts start to creep in on election night. When you feel these thoughts arise, “visualize the best possible outcome for the day of your life,” she said, “from every little detail you wake up to the moment you go to bed at night.”

Why: By bringing our attention back to our lives and actions, we remind ourselves of what is under our control and let go of worry about things outside of our control.

Don’t forget the power you have in your community.

The results of this general election won’t affect everyone equally—and that’s true well beyond the presidential race.

In talking to people in communities that are most vulnerable to policy changes, McLean hears how people sometimes feel disconnected from decisions made in Washington, D.C. “They feel powerless,” she said.

But ultimately, “we are not powerless,” McClean said. “Getting involved in social activism, something local to your community, can help combat those feelings of powerlessness.”