5 Tips for Staying Sane Post-Election

Because self-care is an act of radical resistance.

Photo by jose pena on Unsplash

After the 2016 election, I was an emotional wreck. I couldn’t sleep. I fretted constantly about what would happen next. Every inane Trump tweet sent me into an anxious spiral. I couldn’t read the newspaper or listen to NPR for weeks. On inauguration day, at the precise moment Trump was sworn in, I ran to the bathroom and vomited.

This time around, things are better. I only lost two nights of sleep. I’m already back to reading the news, and I’m too busy planning how to respond to the new administration to waste time worrying about what Trump will do next.

What changed? I now have a system for managing my political distress. You can too.

Today, I’ll give you the first part of the system. It deals with “urgent care”: what to do during periods of heightened anxiety, like now and when Trump takes office in January. In a future article, I’ll provide advice for managing your emotions long-term.

1. 72-Hour News and Social Media Blockade

The first thing your nervous system needs right now is a break. To reset your emotional baseline, turn off the news and stay off social media for a minimum of three days. Don’t worry — you’re not going to miss anything important. Once your blockade is over, you can go back and check what happened while you were gone. Even though we often feel the need to know what’s happening in the world in real time, in reality, it can wait. Unless it’s a nuclear attack or natural disaster, you don’t need to know.

2. Avoid People Who Heighten Your Anxiety

Most of us naturally move to distance ourselves briefly from Republican friends and family at times like this, but sometimes the most problematic people are those who agree with us politically. Anxiety is contagious. Even if you manage to reset your nervous system with a news and social media blockade, you can still find yourself being spun up by those in your social circle who are on edge themselves. Beware of people who catastrophize and perseverate on all the bad things happening rather than focusing on taking action. If you need to share your feelings about the election, do it with others who will help stabilize your emotions, like a therapist, pastor, or support group.

3. Take Time to Name Your Emotions by Writing Them Down

One of the amazing things about our brains is that they can shift gears. Sometimes, we can be really emotional while other times we are much more logical. Ideally, we want a balance of the two, but that’s not always possible. If you find yourself dwelling too long in the emotional part of your mind, you can forcibly reset yourself by engaging in highly cognitive activities. One of the best ways to do this is to name your emotions. Even though emotions exist in the emotional part of the brain, saying “I’m feeling sad” or “I’m feeling scared” can only be done by the more rational part of our minds. As a result, when we name our emotions, we inevitably bring the more logical part of our minds back online, calming us down.

4. When You Start to Spin Out, Take Immediate Steps to Calm Down

We all know what it feels like to be triggered by Trump. One minute you’re enjoying a beautiful fall day, and the next minute you’re freaking out after hearing about his unconstitutional plans to use the U.S. military to round up millions of undocumented immigrants. As horrible as the news is in these moments, and as justified as our emotions are, our reactions are usually counterproductive. As long as we are in a state of fight or flight, we are rapidly burning mental and physical energy — energy we need for resilience and effective action. Instead, be prepared to calm yourself down quickly. There are lots of ways to do this. My favorites are deep breathing exercises, asking someone for a hug, listening to soothing music, or watching a few quick videos of adorable animals and babies.

5. When You Reintroduce Media, Do It Slowly and Mindfully

After taking a break from the news and social media, it can be tempting to dive back in and immediately catch up on everything you missed. But it’s important to ease back into media consumption slowly to avoid getting overwhelmed again. Start with a small, manageable amount of news — maybe just one trusted source — and gradually increase if needed. Be intentional about what you consume: choose content that helps you stay informed without making you feel powerless or panicked. Remember, the goal is to only consume as much media as is absolutely necessary to be an effective advocate. Set limits for yourself, such as checking the news just once a day or avoiding sensationalist headlines. Personally, I no longer watch TV news or listen to radio news or podcasts because I find them too triggering and time-consuming. These days, I only read a few newspapers each morning, and that’s enough. This approach keeps me informed without igniting overwhelming anxiety, and helps me stay grounded and focused on taking action.

Conclusion: Building Long-Term Resilience

You will need a long-term strategy as well. Just as doctors and soldiers need to remain calm and cool under pressure, so do you. Developing resilience isn’t about avoiding triggers and distress altogether but learning how to manage them effectively. By employing these urgent care strategies, you can regain a sense of control over your emotions in moments of intense anxiety. However, true stability requires ongoing maintenance and a proactive approach to your mental well-being.

In future articles, I will share longer-term strategies to help you build emotional endurance and sustain your mental health for the challenges ahead.

In the meantime, your experiences and emotions are valid, and you are not alone. Are you struggling with post-election emotions? Share your story, and let’s support each other in finding ways to cope and stay resilient.

About the Author

Dr. Karin Tamerius is a political psychiatrist and the founder of Smart Politics, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching progressives how to communicate more productively and persuasively with people they disagree with, including Republican voters.