WEST CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- Does the election season get you stressed? You're part of the 61% of Americans who are feeling the pressure of the unknown. But a local mental health expert says there are ways to campaign for peace of mind.
READ MORE: Separating fact from fiction in Pennsylvania's election process "Right now, we're seeing loss of sleep, anxiety, projection into the future," said Lex Remillard, a licensed clinical social worker in West Chester. He says those feelings and constant worry create uncertainty, anger and fear of the unknown. A new survey from Forbes found that of those who say the election is impacting their mental state, 46% feel anxiety and 31% feel fear.
Gen Z is the group with the most anxiety. Live updates on the 2024 presidential election But he adds that we have more control than we think we do and can elect calm over chaos by doing things like limiting screen time on our phones or tablets, how often we look at the television, and knowing when to engage or tap out of heated conversation with friends or family. "It's OK to allow people to have any viewpoint they want.
You don't have to get into it," he said. "You want to ask yourself, 'What's more important -- my family or my viewpoint?'" explained Remillard. He says it's also important to recognize you can't control what's happening around you, but you can control how you react.
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