{"id":80254,"date":"2023-10-12T08:10:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T13:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?p=80254"},"modified":"2024-04-06T04:02:05","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T04:02:05","slug":"kevin-mccarthy-the-speaker-of-the-house-and-the-stress-of-political-uncertainty","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/kevin-mccarthy-the-speaker-of-the-house-and-the-stress-of-political-uncertainty\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the House and the stress of political uncertainty"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Another week, another\u00a0chaotic, unprecedented, political news cycle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Over the past few days, Americans have watched with bated breath at the drama unfolding in the\u00a0House of Representatives<\/a>, where\u00a0Kevin McCarthy<\/a>\u00a0was ousted as Speaker of the House Tuesday in a move that’s paralyzing\u00a0Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Experts say the ups and downs of the political world can cause serious\u00a0stress<\/a>\u00a0for people who feel like all they can do is watch helplessly. Plus, with an election year on the horizon, these feelings of stress are likely to only intensify.<\/p>\n

“Research suggests election anxiety increased between 2016 and 2020,”\u00a0Marsha Brown<\/a>, a licensed psychologist, previously told USA TODAY. “With growing fear for the future of human rights, health care, the economy and other life issues, it seems election anxiety may have risen again since the previous election cycle.”<\/p>\n

\"Americans<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Stress triggers the release of cortisol<\/a>, the so-called stress hormone, William Heckman, executive director of The American Institute of Stress<\/a>, says.\u00a0This affects mood, motivation and fear. A\u00a0March 2022 poll by the American Psychological Association<\/a> revealed\u00a0a majority of Americans reported\u00a0high-stress levels due to financial concerns, inflation, the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Here are tips to keep in mind if you feel political uncertainty taking a toll on your mental health.<\/p>\n

‘Master your morning’<\/h2>\n

Nefertiti Nowell, a licensed clinical professional counselor in the Chicago metropolitan area, subscribes to this motto: \u201cIf you can master your morning, you can master your day,” she previously told USA TODAY. She recommends brief stretching exercises and\u00a0writing down something you\u2019re grateful for<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0preferably a new source of gratitude every day. Yoga, deep breathing and meditation can be added to the morning ritual, but it\u2019s not necessary.<\/p>\n

Turn off your news alerts<\/h2>\n

Yes, it’s OK if you need to.\u00a0“Ensuring the hour before you go to bed is free from electronics is helpful to wind down and keep the nervous system regulated,”\u00a0Mona Eshaiker<\/a>, a licensed therapist, previously told USA TODAY. “Similarly, you can limit yourself to media blocks throughout the day. For example, only checking the news for 30 minutes twice a day. This way you are less likely to (doom) scroll or go into an anxious spiral.”<\/p>\n

Stressed about the election? <\/strong>You’re not alone. How to stay calm.<\/a><\/p>\n

Channel your stress<\/h2>\n

“Many individuals get a sense of purpose and strength by channeling their anxiety into action,” Eshaiker said. “This can look like attending a town hall, volunteering at the polls, canvassing, protesting, information sharing, attending workshops and seminars. Being part of a group can also provide a sense of support and community.”<\/p>\n

Journal<\/h2>\n

Chloe Carmichael, a licensed clinical psychologist in New York, suggests\u00a0writing a one-page journal entry recording your thoughts<\/a>\u00a0and feelings about politics, which she says “can relieve our brain of the burden of feeling like you have to keep all of those points active.”<\/p>\n

More:<\/strong>Some neighbors feel hopeless, others are thrilled. How to keep sane in this divided American moment<\/a><\/p>\n

Go on a media cleanse<\/h2>\n

“This can be as little as one\u00a0day without looking at the news or social media. Or a week depending on what you think you may need,” Eshaiker said. “The point here is to help regulate your nervous system after election season to get your mind and body back to homeostasis.”<\/p>\n

Seek therapy<\/h2>\n

Of course, mental health challenges are often best treated with professional help, especially if this stress persists, Eshaiker says.<\/p>\n

More:<\/strong>Kevin McCarthy ousted from House speakership after Republican rebellion: What you missed<\/a><\/p>\n

Contributing: David Oliver, Josh Peter and Marco della Cava<\/em><\/p>\n

Original post-USA TODAY<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo by Trev Adams<\/a><\/p>\n

The American Institute of Stress<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Another week, another\u00a0chaotic, unprecedented, political news cycle. Over the past few days, Americans have watched with bated breath at the drama unfolding in the\u00a0House of Representatives, where\u00a0Kevin McCarthy\u00a0was ousted as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":80256,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false},"categories":[139,228],"tags":[136,137,138,141,143,647,145,607,151],"class_list":["post-80254","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-life-blog","category-social-life-stress","tag-ais","tag-american-institute-of-stress","tag-anxiety","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-politics","tag-relaxation","tag-social-life","tag-workplace-stress","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nKevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the House and the stress of political uncertainty - The American Institute of Stress<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/kevin-mccarthy-the-speaker-of-the-house-and-the-stress-of-political-uncertainty\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the House and the stress of political uncertainty - The American Institute of Stress\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Another week, another\u00a0chaotic, unprecedented, political news cycle. 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