Election anxiety presents ‘existential threat’ for students

Chapman students have reported feeling increased anxiety, manifesting itself in a variety of physical ailments, over the course of election week. Photo illustration by SAM ANDRUS, Photo Editor

Sickness to the stomach. Inability to sleep. Fatigue. Headaches. 

As if trying to avoid COVID-19 wasn’t enough, Chapman students have had to cope with the symptoms of a new pandemic that’s emerged over the past week. It spares hardly anyone. It has a high rate of infection. It is ruthless and it is real: 

Election anxiety. 

“This election in particular – it’s not just two politicians on the ballot,” said Jay Kumar, the director of Contemplative Practices and Wellbeing at Chapman’s Fish Interfaith Center. “Two very distinct worldviews are combatting right now, up against each other. And that is what’s at the heart of it …  two very different views on where America goes. Like, what does it mean to be an American?”

Rama Bedri, a freshman environmental science and policy major, had never felt such strange effects from stress as she did Nov. 5, the day after election night. She found herself refreshing vote counts for President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden every two to three waking minutes. The worrying led her to lie down, because she was afraid if she stood up, she “might fall.” 

Isaiah Jeannot, a sophomore and Chapman diversity student organization senator, didn’t understand exactly what was happening to him as he watched Trump and Biden’s electoral vote tallies rise. He recognized his anxiety, but couldn’t figure out why it was causing him headaches and stomach issues. 

The two certainly aren’t alone. 

Over 30 surveyors responded to The Panther’s Nov. 4 poll asking students how their mental health had been affected by election week. Respondents indicated they were “dissociating like crazy,” “super anxious,” and had an inability to sleep or concentrate on assignments, among other symptoms. A study done by the American Psychological Association shows that 68% of U.S. adults say the 2020 general election is a significant source of stress, up from 52% in 2016. 

Yet while those physical symptoms might seem confusing or even alarming at times, Kumar, who has studied the intersection of brain science, cognitive psychology and spirituality, told The Panther there’s a relatively simple explanation for the effect. The human brain creates anxiety when it recognizes a potential threat. However, it can’t distinguish in terms of stress levels between, for example, an oncoming truck or an exam.

Excessive amounts of that anxiety can cause inflammation in the body, which contributes to such conditions as stomachaches, heart palpitations, cognitive fatigue or “brain fog,” as Kumar said. So given the symptoms of a wide range of Chapman students, it’s clear our brains register this election as dangerous. But why, exactly? 

Beyond physical or psychological, Kumar recognizes a different type of threat – an existential one. As humans, knowledge about our particular identities is what defines us as individuals; by presenting candidates with massively differing policies, the fear that the less-preferred may win can trigger our brain’s survival instincts, Kumar said. 

“You can have certain groups of people – women, people of color, (LGBTQIA+) community members, who may feel an existential threat to their way of life, (and also) people who hold religious beliefs, pro-life activists … gun rights, wearing a mask,” Kumar said. “What this election is doing is it’s triggering that primal drive for safety, security and stability that can manifest as our cherished beliefs, our treasured values, our identity.”

Existentialism isn’t the only reason for students’ anxiety. Regardless of a Democratic or Republican victory, Jeannot said, minorities could face the tangible threat of physical violence – worrying about the reelection of a president who frequently criticizes Black Lives Matter protests, or planned attacks by extremist groups following Biden’s victory. 

In that sense, women, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students not only feel this mental fear, but a more tangible anxiety associated with personal safety. Bedri, who identifies as an African American woman, said she and her mother stocked up on groceries in preparations to remain indoors during election week. 

“‘Holy (expletive), this could be really scary; I should stay inside,’” Jeannot said of his thought process. “You never know; I could go downtown just getting some food and violence could occur, and because of the color of my skin and who I’m with, we could easily be in danger or hurt.”

In that sense, the particular physical ailments that come with deep-rooted election anxiety are difficult to cure, unlike those of a cold. Popping an Advil won’t do much to improve weakening feelings of motivation or gripping cognitive cloudiness. The solution, said Bedri, Jeannot and Kumar, is to relish in self-care. 

Bedri, for example, likes to immerse herself in her favorite Netflix show to live momentarily in a plot that doesn’t reflect real-life events, as well as bake and take breaks from social media. Activities like those are incredibly important to maintaining mental stability in this time of political divide, Kumar said. He referenced events hosted by Civic Engagement Initiatives and drop-in hours through Student Psychological Counseling Services and the Fish Interfaith Center as tools struggling students could utilize. 

“Self-care is not selfish, and self-care is solace,” Kumar said. “I want students to be aware: you are not alone. Please reach out to us. We’re here for you.”