Mental Health Advice. Or--Dealing With the Election.

[Erin Elizabeth]

If this isn't your first time at the rodeo, feel free to skip this, but I'm seeing some threads that are just screaming out for this kind of thing.

Watching the ins and outs of a daily national campaign is stressful to say the least. Volunteering for it can be stressful, too (although in a weird way, it makes you feel better because you are DOING something). Listening to the dillweeds on TV is stressful. It all gets to be overwhelming.

So:

1. STAY BUSY. That's my best piece of advice. Fill your calendar with work, social or volunteering for the campaigns activities. Fill it! Don't let yourself have long stretches of time to sit around listening to the punks on TV and biting off your fingernails. Plus the time will go faster that way, too. To Obama, a day must seem to last three seconds.

2. I know this message is ironic, considering the medium it's given in, but take an internet break or two. You'd be amazed at how much it helps. The constant "chatter" of the internet gets hard to turn off and even more overwhelming than TV. So break away, get some fresh air, walk your dog, stare off into space, listen to some good music, whatever you have to do. You'll come back MUCH refreshed and with a better outlook.

3. On election night, do not sit around listening to the TV douchebags. That is guaranteed to drive you to the brink of insanity. Yes, check it from time to time, check here of course, but mute it out sometimes, too. Or don't even look until 10 pm or so. They're not going to know before then anyway.

4. Also about election night--if you can, be around people who feel the way you do. I'm normally not a political segregationist (living where I do, in Texas, I can't be), but on this one night, I think it's really important to be with people who feel as you do. If the news is good, you can celebrate openly and loudly. If it's bad, you will have others around you to commiserate with, something I wish I had had in 2004 and didn't. Also, see #3--being with people will keep you from obsessively checking the TV or internet every second.

Happy Mental Health and hang in there, "my friends." Hee. It's almost over. Now go walk your dogs, then water your plants, ok? They're kinda dry and droopy.

[politicasista]

1. Kicking this because

I am wanting to take a break from DU between now and 11/4 and watch the results away from the computer.

I am thanking the lucky stars that I wasn't here until after 11/3/04 (joined around late November of 04). That had to be nerve wracking. It's somewhat nerve wracking now reading all the worries and concerns (and I don't even watch or listen to the pundits!), though I am cautiously to very optimistic that we will win this time. :)

I understand 08 is a different ballgame, but I don't enjoy going back to 04 (my first election) and reading and rehashing revisionist history, even it's meant to help Obama in a positive light, when it isn't. Maybe I am just thin-skinned. :shrug: JMHO

Making the long story short thanks for this thread. :kick:


:hi:

[Erin Elizabeth]

4. 2004 was completely depressing.

So much so that I became incredibly burned out and took a TOTAL break from politics. For about two years, LOL. A hardcore break.

It was horrible---I passed out leaflets for the Dem candidate running for state house in the cold rain all day that day and then came home to find out Kerry lost, my Dem state house candidate lost, everyone I wanted to win lost.

2006 helped a lot.

[politicasista]

7. Oh no, I am sorry

Breaks are good. And yes, 2006 helped a lot, which paved the way to even bigger things for 08. :)

[firedupdem]

2. Erin...you are sooo right and thank you! I realized about two weeks

ago that I was completely losing it. I just finished dinner and cleaning my entire house and now I can check out the internets. I've learned to keep myself more busy because being unemployed is bad enough....watching all that tv was making me absolutely nuts!

[Erin Elizabeth]

6. It's nice isn't it?

Everytime I get outside, take a break, I realize how necessary it is.

[StrongBad]

3. My performance at my regular job has definitely been impaired the last month.

I'm looking forward to resuming my normal life and state of mind within a week...hopefully with a new President Obama!

[Erin Elizabeth]

5. Yep. We've probably all been distracted, to say the least.

On all sides.