TOLEDO, Ohio —
As Election Day fast approaches, tuning out politics can be tough and a major source of stress for Americans.
A study from the American Psychological Association shows the 2024 election has caused "significant stress" for 69% of Americans, up by 1% from 2020 and 17% from 2016.
"I will say this time is consistently anxiety-producing no matter which side of the aisle you stand on," said licensed mental health therapist Allison Kuhr.
Kuhr says over the past decade, more and more clients have brought up politics as a source of anxiety.
She says being present is important.
"I think that what people can do is take a step back and say 'no matter what happens, I will still be here tomorrow.'"
Setting boundaries for consuming political news and information is another step to consider, too.
"Just deciding, is that a physical location? Is that 'I'm going to mute these certain accounts' or 'I'm only going to watch the 6 p.m. news and when that's done, I'm done,'" Kuhr said.
Poll workers can also face anxiety in the days leading up to Election Day and the day of.
Lucas County Board of Elections Director Lavera Scott says poll workers go through de-escalation training to prepare for stressful situations.
"We provide additional resources for them on how to be able to defuse or de-escalate something when the voter is angry or there appears to be tension or things of that nature," Scott said.
Whether you're directly involved with the election or not, Kuhr says her three tips for dealing with political anxiety include acknowledging the anxiety, making a plan of what to do if you're feeling anxious and having perspective.
"Having that self-awareness but that pre-planning of 'what feels helpful for me?' Some people, when they feel anxious, they need to do something," she said. "If you can just know, 'I can ride this out, this will eventually shift' because it just will. We don't feel any feeling forever. It will eventually shift."