‘To Cope with This Horror Show, I’ve Been Seeing a Therapist’

Not everyone has dealt well with election season.

One gentleman from California told LifeZette he’s already made plans to relocate outside of the country no matter who wins. “In the last few months, I’ve had to start seeing a therapist and take anti-anxiety meds just to cope with this horror show,” he said.

People who don’t usually drink have been giving themselves permission to do so.

The past 18 months have been a bumpy ride no matter which candidate people support — and the nation has dealt with it in both positive and not-so-positive ways.

“People are not coping well with election stress,” Carole Lieberman M.D., a Beverly Hills psychiatrist, said.

Meditation, yoga, remembering to breathe, and turning off the TV appear to be some of the more common ways Americans are dealing with too much election news and overall stress. Each method is said to be a healthy prescription for those who may struggle with the outcome moving forward.

“By meditating, we become happier and less stressed,” said Lynne Goldberg, a certified meditation coach and co-founder of an app called “OMG. I Can Meditate!” “Stress takes a toll on us — both emotionally and physically. Our heart rate and blood pressure increase, our immune response weakens, and our digestion slows down. When we are anxious, we also may feel frazzled, frustrated, and angry. Meditation is the antidote for this.”

Related: Yoga Pants are for Yoga, Not School

Yoga teacher Anne E. Appleby, founder and CEO of YogaForce LLC, said there is a lot of stress in the studio that people are trying to shed. “It’s been a very busy time,” she said. “I live in California and it is a blue state, so many people are stressed about Trump. The classes are packed. But this time there has been more stress in the room and people are bringing their friends to class.”

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Others, meanwhile, are spending more time with friends, getting outdoors, or finding the nearest liquor store or brew pub to temporarily wash some cares away. There is endless commentary online of how much this election has made people want to drink.

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Sales of alcohol have been rising nationwide — and in states like North Carolina in particular over the past 18 to 24 months. The manager of one Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) liquor store told LifeZette on Tuesday she wasn’t sure what was bringing in more people, but they have seen an ongoing significant uptick in consumption for the past two years.

Others are making the most of the election and having a little fun with tapping into the frustrations Americans are feeling. Revolution Brewing, Illinois’ largest craft brewery in Chicago, tapped one of its latest brews this past week — Election Fatigue. A pub manager said sales are going well and people are having fun with it.

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Not that anyone can overdo it on yoga (maybe you can) — but Lieberman cautions against some of the other ways people are trying to cope.

“Many are using comfort food to try to stuff down their emotions. From cupcakes to chocolate ice cream, pasta to pancakes, we’re bingeing on foods that, as kids, comforted us,” said Lieberman. “And we have been gaining weight as a result. People who don’t usually drink have been giving themselves permission to do so, telling themselves they will stop when the election is over. But, whether your comfort has come from food or drink, it will not be easy to stop after the election results are in, because there will still be unrest — and election blues for some — even after Nov. 8.”

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