3 Ways to Stay Sane During Election Season and Other Insanities

The first is to find reasons to laugh in the midst of our collective grief, anger, and fear

Photo by Colin + Meg on Unsplash

Lately, the world seems to have gone mad. Hate speech, violence, mass casualties, natural disasters … there are plenty of reasons to be sad, enraged, and/or terrified. That’s why it’s essential to protect our mental health and help others protect theirs. Fear, rage, and despair don’t alleviate suffering; they add to it.

So what can we do to reduce our own and others’ suffering? Here are three possibilities:

1. Laugh more often.
   
   We can’t endure times like these if we consume or think about bad news all the time. Laughter is a healthy escape that is good for us in multiple ways. And it’s usually contagious, so it also benefits others who see us laughing. When my husband shares something he thinks is hilarious with me, his laughter makes me laugh even if what he shares doesn’t seem that funny to me.
   
   I also laugh at words I read. Anne Lamott’s books never fail to make me laugh. They contain wonderful sentences like these two gems:

   Sometimes I think that Jesus watches my neurotic struggles, and shakes his head and grips his forehead and starts tossing back mojitos.

   
   I thought such awful thoughts that I cannot even say them out loud because they would make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish.

   And, much to my surprise,

   Bob Dunning
   ’s sarcastic post made me laugh at an infuriating comment made by the current Republican nominee for vice-president:
   

   White House Rules: No childless cat ladies allowed

2. Get away from it all.
   
   Billy Joel’s song “Piano Man” includes these lyrics about why a bar’s manager smiles at a piano player: “Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see to forget about life for a while.”

   
   Listening to music is one way to get away from it all, and live performances have additional benefits. They get us away from home and among others who share our musical tastes.
   
   The highlight of 2024 for me was a Bruce Springsteen concert. I made new friends, sang and danced, and enjoyed every moment. Thanks to a YouTube video, I’m able to watch myself having fun and share the experience with others who weren’t there.

   
   I’m the woman wearing a red t-shirt and holding a blue sign behind the metal barricade just above the left stage ramp:

   
   

   
   Other ways to get away from it all:

   • spend time in nature

   • read a good book

   • swim

   • play tennis or another sport

   • go to a movie (or watch one at home)

   • visit a museum or art gallery

   • take a class

3. Do something to help others.
   
   The best antidote to despair is action. It’s easy to feel powerless to do anything about unjust systems and corrupt leaders. But if we decide it’s hopeless and don’t even try to make things better, we enable them to cause more harm.

   
   And there are always actions we can take to help others. Our actions may seem insignificant given the magnitude of the world’s problems, but they do make a difference.

   
   Voter registration drives and conversations with eligible voters can change election outcomes. Petitions, protests, and public testimony can determine whether proposed legislation passes.

   
   Political activities are one way to make a difference, but there are plenty of other options. Donations of food provide meals to people who would otherwise go hungry. Financial contributions enable relief organizations to provide or arrange temporary shelter for people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. Volunteer labor makes it possible for low income, elderly, and/or disabled homeowners to get their lawns mowed or sidewalks and driveways cleared of snow.

   
   When we help others, we also help ourselves. We are reminded that our words and deeds do matter. We feel better because we are doing something to address the world’s problems instead of just worrying or being angry about them.

   ---

   Laughing more often, getting away from it all, and doing something to help won’t
   magically solve the world’s problems. They also won’t eliminate the negative effects of those problems on our mental health.
   

   That’s because we all have good and bad days (or moments within each day). Some aspects of our lives and the world will always be better than others. There are times when we able to take care of ourselves and do things to help others. And there are other times when we are too overwhelmed by fear, anger, or despair to do anything.

   
   The only way for all of us to stay sane is to form supportive communities in which we each do things to help when we can and have time to rest when we’re overwhelmed. That way, all of us are cared for and get the breaks we need, and all of us care for others and enable them to take breaks.

   Maybe that’s an ideal community that real, imperfect humans are incapable of creating. There’s only one way to find out!

   P.S. If you’re overwhelmed and would like to learn more about the 1:1 peer support I offer, let’s talk! Schedule a free phone call with me here. (U.S. residents only).