With the election this week, many of us have been carrying an extra level of anxiety recently. Ruminating on these stressful events or venting with others can feel like you’re helping yourself process in the moment, however these behaviors can actually make our anxiety worse. Anxiety creates uncomfortable sensations in the body including muscle tension, headaches, stomach sickness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and can even lead to chronic pain.
If you recognize this in yourself, it can be helpful to take some time to get to know your feelings under your anxiety. When painful things are happening outside of our control, facing feelings toward what has happened will bring our anxiety down. As you spend this time with yourself, you may feel a number of feelings like grief, joy, anger, love, healthy guilt, or healthy shame at the same time. Slowly approach each feeling. How do you experience this inside your body? What information does this feeling give you to help you be good to yourself in the face of this painful and stressful election?
You do not have to face these feelings alone. If you’re already working with a therapist, consider talking this through with them. If you are not yet connected to a therapist, you do not have to wait long – call us today, and we will connect you with a therapist as soon as today. You can reach us at 517-481-2133.