“Politics isn’t very good for us.” That stark admission, spoken by Kevin B. Smith, PhD, pierces the cacophony of campaign commercials and inflammatory debates. With the dust now settled after the 2024 presidential election, there’s no question the emotional afterglow isn’t just a media headline; everyone’s a health issue. For young adults who watched with worried eyes, bickered with relatives, or watched their mood plummet as months ticked by, the psychological cost is tangible.
But here’s the catch: though election stress affects virtually everyone, it doesn’t affect everybody on an equal basis. From doomscrolling anxiety to fraught relationships and even physical health changes, the aftershocks are personal and societal. Let’s dissect the most head-bending recent studies and spot expert-recommended methods for taking back your well-being, whoever’s residing in the White House.
1. Election Anxiety: The Stress Starts Way Before Election Day
Forget just dreading the result, the months of waiting before the 2024 election were a mental health obstacle course of epic scale. Stress of anticipation (the perpetual fretting about what will happen) was a fine forecaster of depression symptoms in a long-term study of younger adults. The stress didn’t trail behind the ballot; it insidiously slipped into the never-ending cycle of campaign stories, debates, and rumours.
Experts such as Brett Ford, PhD, note that disordered chronic stress can differ from day-to-day concern. “There’s something strange about the way that politics is stressing us out,” said Jayme Renfro, PhD, in APA Monitor. The widespread fact of politics everyone knows everyone else’s talking, worrying, and responding produces a communal, but deeply individualised, emotional rollercoaster.
2. News Overload: When Being Up to Date Causes More Harm Than Good
With 24/7 news, hurried listening can be poisonous. Stress caused by the news was the best predictor of depression and anxiety among young adults near the 2024 election, per the CARES study. Constant infusions of breaking news, Twitter spats, and headlines do more than inform: They fatigue.
Renfro recommends a simple but handy trick: “Reading gives you a little bit more control over what you’re ingesting, so you’re not being bombarded with scenes and images that may be intended to manipulate you in some way.” That is, substituting endless video feeds with carefully selected articles could be the beginning of taking back your sanity.
3. Physical Fallout: How Election Stress Shows Up in Your Body
It’s not all in your head election stress can also affect your physical body. National surveys indicate individuals lose sleep, feel physically drained, and even see changes in appetite and energy levels during election time. One stunning study discovered that adults with low levels of sexual activity, increased amounts of belly fat, and depression were at increased risk for premature death, hypothesising a deadly positive feedback loop between mood and body shape.
Chronic stress is not merely feeling anxious, it’s what that anxiety does to your body over time. “It’s taking a toll on our bodies,” said Brett Ford, PhD. Takeaway: Sleeping, exercising, and taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s survival.
4. Social Strain: When Politics Gets Personal
Election cycles divide the country not just families and friendships. Results of the APA’s 2024 Stress in America survey show that 32% of adults said that the political environment strained family relationships, and 30% reduced time with family members due to disagreements on values. Almost two out of five considered relocating to a different state or even another nation due to politics.
Research further shows that people in politically polarised environments experience more anxiety and depression (APA Monitor). The instinctive response might be to withdraw, but experts like Steven Stosny, PhD, recommend reaching out to people who share your values for support and, when appropriate, exercising compassion toward people who do not.
5. The Resilience Factor: Finding Hope and Taking Action
And yet, hope exists. Studies show that symptoms of depression and anxiety vanish in weeks following an election (APA Monitor). And for others, the 2024 stress even brought hope and action: 61% hoped that constructive change was possible, and 51% indicated they felt more inspired to volunteer or participate in the issues important to them (APA Stress in America).
Ford’s latest research is particularly promising: “Just as negative feelings push us to act, so do our positive feelings.” Inspiration, admiration, and thankfulness can mobilise action without emotional cost. That is, redirecting stress into positive action and community can prove a useful antidote.
6. Coping Smarter: Strategies That Actually Work
So what can you do when the next election cycle comes around? Some good advice comes from experts: avoid news consumption, sleep and exercise, and get together with like-minded friends to commiserate. Cognitive reappraisal, labelling bad thoughts as something else, can improve emotional health, but it may actually decrease your desire to vote, so find a balance.
And keep in mind, the aim is not to tune out politics, but to be active on your own terms. As Ford says, “We can’t ask people to sacrifice their well-being, so we need to understand what can work to reduce political anxiety.” Which means finding your own middle way between staying sane, staying informed, and staying active.
7. The Unique Vulnerability of Young, Engaged Adults
Not all stress is equal. Science shows that young adults, particularly those who are politically active or liberal, experience greater rates of political anxiety than other adults. Where you are and with whom you surround yourself can buffer or worsen these results.
For this population, self-awareness is important. If you notice your mood, sleep, or relationships getting impacted during election seasons, it’s not your fault it’s a predictable, well-documented reaction. Use this information to establish boundaries, to get help, and to remind yourself: resilience is achievable, and you don’t have to do it alone.
The 2024 election not only determined the future of the country, but it also determined the mindset of a whole generation. The good news: Education is where recovery begins. By learning about political stress and by applying utilitarian methods for coping, young adults can take anxiety and turn it into action, and weather the political storm more wisely, resiliently, and prepared for whatever lies ahead.
