AUSTIN, Texas — At a post-election rally in Downtown Austin, young adults sat on the grass of Wooldridge Square ready to hear activists speak about the election.
Most of the attendees scrolled endlessly on their phone, updating presidential election results or reading analysis on social media. The 2020 coronavirus pandemic coupled with the election compounded stress for many people the past month or so.
"It's hard to find the balance between just not paying attention," Maya Masterson said. "I do want to stay informed and pay attention to what's happening because, I mean, I could afford to not pay attention. A lot of people can't."
While election results poured in on Tuesday night, Masterson chose to not constantly refresh her internet browser until about 10 p.m.
"I don't think I'm taking a deep breath yet," Masterson said. "It adds to the stress, but it's almost like, how could you not be stressed right now? If you're not stressed then I'm a little concerned. You probably don't really care."
Mental health experts in Central Texas say 2020 has been a stressful year for people because of the pandemic. The election has only added to that.
"Throw on top of that the election season where the importance of the election feels much higher than typically," Dr. Steve Strakowski, vice dean of research and associate vice president for regional mental health at Dell Medical School, said. "I think many people are feeling anxious and stressed out, and I've had a lot of people talk to me directly about that."
Strakowski said more people, clients and people close to him alike have asked him about mental health and how to improve it over the past eight months.
"It's a normal response to an abnormal situation," Strakowski said. "We need to just let the events be managed, but they are being managed by someone. It's not a hurricane. It's a government process. Feels the same some days, but it's not, and so I think that's the first step. The second is to detach from the constant barrage of media, social media, internet, all these sources of constant reminders we have ... Go do something you like to do that has nothing to do with the politics or the pandemic."
The chief strategy officer for Integral Care said the clinics have seen a slight uptick in calls the past month, but nothing alarming. Ellen Richards calls 2020 an "incredibly difficult" year.
"Given COVID-19 and all of the uncertainty it's brought to our communities and people's fears about their health and the health of their family and friends, and just the uncertainty around so many issues – employment, school, you name it," Richards said. "Then you bring an issue like the election that's been incredibly contentious across the country, and it kind of compounds that sense of anxiety and uncertainty that we already had in the community."
Richards suggested people who are feeling higher levels of stress get outside, go for a walk, get sunshine when possible. That's something Masterson has tried to do whenever she feels any additional anxiety.
"I ride my bike a lot, like every day for a long time, and I go on a lot of walks, which I never did before," Masterson said. "I spend a lot of time with really close friends and camping, a lot of camping, trying to be outside."
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