If you've ever had anxiety, you know that the fear of what could happen is real. We've pretty much moved past the could part of the election cycle and we're well into the what is happening part, but the fear of the unknown is one of the reasons the past few months have been so tough for a lot of people. Researchers could have called us up and asked how the fear of the unknown was impacting our anxiety, but they went ahead and did a study instead. It confirms that your feelings from the election cycle were very, very valid.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago found fear of the unknown and many anxiety disorders basically go hand in hand, but the same fear doesn't affect people with disorders like depression quite the same. To test this, researchers gathered 160 people with various disorders and subjected them to both predictable and uncertain situations. The people with anxiety-based disorders were more likely to perceive a threat from the uncertain situation. That's an issue because perceived threats are basically the root of anxiety — you might think you're in danger and then your mind is unable to stop running scenarios or determine that you're not really under threat.
Psychology Today points out these are some pretty uncertain times we're living in, which means anxiety has probably been running pretty high lately. Uhm, yep. Therapists have even reported they're seeing more election-based fears from patients.
But the point here is not that the days leading up to Nov. 8 were one big panic attack. We already knew that. The point is that there's a reason, and when there's a reason it makes it easier to get help.
If you find yourself constantly dwelling on things that could happen or what might be, you could have anxiety. There's nothing wrong with you, you're not alone, and there are a lot of ways to find help. Whether you talk to a therapist, practice coping mechanisms like yoga or breathing exercises, or simply pick up a new hobby, you should find something that helps you calm your mind in a healthy, productive way. There's always going to be fear of the unknown and there's always going to be another election. Finding ways to cope can get you through all that and on to focusing on dealing with what's happened.
Related: How to Cope With Fear After the Presidential Election
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