The 2024 results of the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll show that U.S. adults are feeling increasingly anxious – and 73% feel anxious about the upcoming election.
“When we look at historical data, election years are often associated with higher stress levels,” says Sarah Carstens, LCSW, LCADC, Addictions Clinical Director at Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health. “But this year in particular is paired with a great deal of rising tension and divisiveness, which has a broad negative impact.”
In addition to experiencing heightened anxiety, many people may feel fearful or powerless, disconnect from others, or isolate more. They may also turn to ineffective coping mechanisms.
“Conditions are ripe for a very difficult fall, and substance use can seem like an easy fix,” says Carstens. “People tend to seek immediate relief for the intensity of their symptoms.”
Heading Off Fall Stressors
Carstens advises watching for signs of increasing anxiety that could lead to addiction this fall. She offers this advice that behavioral health providers can use with patients:
Be on the lookout. Some signs of an issue are very subtle and easy to write off as part of a typical transition to fall, but there’s only a fine line before sliding into concerning symptoms. An uptick in agitation is one sign to watch for. Starting conversations now and creating cope-ahead plans can help.
Be intentional. Asking patients to rate their stress level at every session and discussing how it may be different than baseline can help providers better gauge subtle changes.
Ask about substance use. It’s a fair question when discussing coping mechanisms, and providers may be surprised by the answer, even when the patient doesn’t have a substance use disorder diagnosis.
Match up coping skills. When anxiety manifests in extreme anger, deep breathing probably won’t help – but doing jumping jacks might. Likewise, progressive muscle relaxation may work when someone freezes up. Providing education to match skills to the moment is impactful.
“What’s happening in the world affects all of us, so normalizing reactions can also help,” says Carstens. “The key is to catch subtle changes as soon as possible and collaborate on healthy ways to navigate them.”
