According to a recent report from the American Psychological Association, 70% of U.S. adults report significant stress and anxiety about the 2020 election, compared to 52% in 2016. The fight for racial justice, the pandemic, and the “winner take all” political climate have all combined to make 2020 a ripe environment for anxiety to flourish. This week’s presidential election is like the cherry on top.
The high conflict nature of this Election cycle is having the same impact on the US population that a high conflict Divorce has on children.
This week, we’re taking a deep breath and remembering that the Vietnam era and the Civil Rights movement were also times of significant social unrest and high anxiety. What can we do to manage our anxiety? What are the things that feed it? How do we keep ourselves and our family healthy and safe? And, is there hope for our country to heal, moving forward?
HOST: Prentiss Pemberton
Guest: Subrena Smith, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of New Hampshire
LINKS:
- USA Today article on the prevalence of election anxiety.
- Psychology Today gives advice on managing current widespread anxiety.
- In TIME, David French discusses how the country can confront division.
- How Terror Management Theory might help the country deal with division.
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LIVE BROADCAST: Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. AKDT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Wednesday, November, 2020, at 8:00 p.m. AKDT
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Zachariah Hughes reports on city & state politics, arts & culture, drugs, and military affairs in Anchorage and South Central Alaska.
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
