By Nancy Jiang ‘23
Staff Writer
If you are stressed or feeling anxious about the election results, you might be experiencing election stress disorder. (Yes, it’s a real thing.)
According to the American Psychological Association, 68 percent of Americans claim that the 2020 U.S. presidential election is a major source of stress in their lives, more so than the 2016 election when only 52 percent of Americans reported feeling stressed. The stress level is especially high for specific groups such as African Americans, who saw an increase from 46 percent in 2016 to 71 percent in 2020, and adults experiencing chronic illnesses. Although the exact reason remains unknown, 25 percent of college students reported clinically significant stress symptoms related to the election in 2016, meaning these symptoms were so severe that they needed to see a doctor.
Uncertainty is considered a major cause of election stress disorder. People worry not only about which candidate will win but also what the future of the nation will look like, especially in an election between two candidates who are extremely divisive. It’s hard to make predictions as the country would be moving in opposite directions based on either one’s administrative plans.
“No matter who wins, people will protest,” Allison Benguiat ’22 said. “One thing is for sure: the unrest of the crowd.”
Additionally, international students’ experiences in the U.S. will be hugely affected by the outcome of the election, as they must face additional unknown factors such as the future policies for student visas and U.S. work authorization. “I’m worried about my visa expiring. That will stop me from coming back to Mount Holyoke,” Susan Wang ’23, an international student from China, said. “I hope the pandemic gets more under control after the election. As much as I miss the campus and hope to return, the increasing number of positive cases makes me hesitate.”
Some students appear more comfortable with uncertainty. “We’ll have to figure out what to do based on the new policies,” said Kelly Li ’23, who is also from China, “But as for now, we can do nothing about it. We’ll have to take it as what it will be, so I’m not stressed now.”
As of Nov. 4, Democratic nominee Joseph Biden had won 50.3 percent of votes while President Donald Trump had won 48.1 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Li’s strategy of “taking it as it will be” is also suggested by the APA to help deal with election stress disorder. Distracting yourself from constant worrying might also help alleviate anxiety. Watch a few episodes of your favorite TV show, talk to family and friends or focus on schoolwork (although that might cause another type of stress). If that doesn’t work, you can also talk about your concerns with someone from Mount Holyoke’s Counseling Service online.