EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — If the elections have been making you stressed, an El Paso expert said maybe it’s time for you to turn off your phone or stop watching 24/7 news.
KFOX14/CBS4 spoke with the Chief of Clinical Services at the Emergence Health Network, Celeste Nevarez, who said that following the election on social media and TV can trigger stress and anxiety.
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“The reason why sometimes some people get really overwhelmed or stressed out is because they’re spending a lot of time watching the news or spending a lot of time on social media,” said Nevarez. “And so, because of that it can tell our brain that something bad is going to happen or is happening. And so it can put us in our fight or flight or freeze mode where we’re anxious about all of the potential possibilities.”
Nevarez said that the practice, known commonly as “doom scrolling,” which is when you find something on social media and you fall down a spiral looking at more and more related things, can spark new fears and new anxieties, leading to– in her own words– feeling like “the end of the world.”
However, Nevarez said that there are simple things that you can do to calm yourself.
First, Nevarez believes that you should monitor how much time you spend on the internet and watching news on TV.
If we think about it in that sense, consuming the same way if you love cake, if you eat too much of it, you get sick. And so, being careful of how much information you are consuming for your mental health,” said Nevarez.
Nevarez also mentioned that after the elections some people might be relieved of the stress, while others might feel more frustrated depending on the results.
Regardless, Nevarez said you should monitor how much news and information you are consuming.
To help, Nevarez said the Emergence Health Network has a 24-hour crisis hotline available seven days a week, just dial 915-779-1800 or 1-877-562-6467.
The Emergence Health Network website also has “virtual relaxation rooms” and “guided meditations” that can help, as well as a podcast that you can listen and learn more about managing your mental health.
In the end, Nevarez also said that despite the stress, she urges people to go out and participate in their civic duties and vote.
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Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
KFOX14/CBS4 has a full election guide with key dates, early voting polls, and other information: Guide to November General Election 2024
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