November 8th was a monumental day for me and several kids on campus. I voted in my first presidential election! It was pretty cool to think that I was actually making a difference just by placing my vote. So when November 9th arrived and the nation awoke to the news, people were devastated- and not just Clinton supporters. On the news, on my social media, on my campus I saw both parties arguing with each other with overwhelming feelings of anger, frustration, sadness, stress, and anxiety. It’s been a bit longer than a week since that day and I still see it.
So what’s next?
The optimist in me suggests that we, as a nation, move forward. What better way to start than learning how to cope with our world?
Let’s start with the basics.
Coping is not a mechanism. It is an intervention to help us function better in an uncomfortable environment. Consider any environment that is non-preferred, stressful, or attention depleting. In our case, this could be a Facebook newsfeed, the Diag where a protest is happening, or a class where a discussion about the election is occurring. The action of coping is taking control of an environment you are not happy with in realistic ways. The goal is to make it a place where you an effectively function. The rest of this post will discuss strategies to cope with these uncomfortable environments.
Strategy #1: Take control of your space.
Territory can be described in two ways: the first being the amount of control of the information that enters it and the second is where it exists on a continuum from a public to a private type of space. Keep in mind that territories are not sorted into discrete categories. Here is an illustration that depicts the continuum:
Certain cognitive activities can be carried out more easily in a territory where you do not have to be as vigilant, feel is a refuge, is familiar, and is easy to predict the behavior of others. As you react to the election, it is important that you are in a space where you can process your emotions effectively and sufficiently. If you have the opportunity to do so, I recommend moving through the continuum from private to public as you continue to adjust. However, I do recognize that certain people cope differently and would therefore prefer to be in a public space immediately with a type of hard fascination to get their mind off of their worries or stress. But, my advice is to begin in your own private space where you have nearly complete control over the information that you are exposed to. This might be spending some extra time in your bedroom or dorm. This could also include avoiding public spaces (even those online) like your Facebook newsfeed. Scrolling through several posts of colorful opinions or news articles could be overwhelming and especially when you cannot control what you will scroll and you do not know what you will see next. It is a great time to take a temporary hiatus from your social media. Next, transition into a semi-private area that you know will be positive for your emotions but will allow you to ease back into normal everyday life. A semi-private location could be your living room or a lounge in your dorm building. The next step is moving towards a semi-public space like a courtyard at a dorm building or attending your favorite small sized class. After enough time passes and you have spent sufficient time processing your reaction, you have reached the end of the continuum and should venture into public spaces like the Diag, State Street, the mall, or public transportation. The golden rule you should keep in mind is that you know yourself and the environments that make you comfortable, so acknowledge your preferences and be effortful in where you spend your time.
Strategy #2: Look at the situation from a new angle.
Focus on your interpretation of this event and realize that you can change the lens you are viewing it through. If you are unhappy with the President-Elect, fantasize about who could be the next president in another four or eight years. Remind yourself of the checks and balances in the government and the fact that the president will not have unlimited power. Try to change your view of the other side and attempt to understand supporters of the other candidate. Consider ways you can take action to change things you did not like about this election and that will translate into productivity. Reframing the situation is a powerful manipulation of the exact same non-preferred environment.
Strategy #3: Engage in mindfulness and other restorative practices.
Looking inward and taking time to be with your thoughts during this time is another coping strategy. The basis of mindfulness is simple: to be mindful of the present, not judge or cling, and to observe what is occurring around and within you. Doing this will manipulate your state of mind. Changing your state of mind will help you function better especially with your attention mechanism. A few concrete ways to try mindfulness include practicing yoga (there are plenty of beginner videos on YouTube), Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and meditation (there are also guides for this online). I realize that some people are hesitant to try mindfulness because they think it is religiously based, rigid and inflexible, is centered on suppressing thoughts, or there is a lack of evidence but all of these things are untrue. Give it a try! However, if today is still not your day to try mindfulness, you should at least visit a restorative environment. Components of a restorative environment include the opportunity to be away either physically or conceptually, some level of fascination that will serve as a distraction, extent of content available so you are intrigued, and that it is compatible with the type of restoration or experience you want to have. Nature is also a huge part of restoration. Walking through the Arb would be a good example of restoration. Restorative environments are especially useful as a coping strategy because they are helpful with restoring directed attention that can be depleted by stressful environments.
Coping Strategy #4: Surround yourself with supportive individuals.
It might not be time to face that friend who you have been butting heads with all election season. Or, if you do see them, create boundaries in the conversation so you avoid a heated confrontation. Instead, spend the day with a community you consider yourself close and comfortable with so you can openly speak about your feelings of the election without conflict or judgment. Being purposeful about the social environment you put yourself in will pay off as you continue to deal with this stressful time.
Utilizing these strategies in this time when you are faced with several non-preferred, stressful, or attention depleting environments is important. Consider the reasonable person model. This model suggests that we are information processing creatures and that we are at our best when our information processing needs are satisfied. One of the needs is model building and it involves understanding and exploration. Building a mental model of the election, our society, and even coping practices improves our functioning. Another need is being effective and it involves competence and clear headedness. We have a desire to use and present our information in a specific way that makes sense. Finally, meaningful action is the third piece of the model. This is composed of the desire to make a difference and participate in the world around us. This final part is especially important as we come together as a nation to reflect on this current election. It gives us the drive to make changes and get involved for the next election. Keeping the reasonable person model and these coping strategies in mind will help in the future when you encounter other non-preferred environments. Our nation needs you at your best.
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