EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Politics take up a lot of oxygen in our lives, including a steady stream of ads on TV and text messages on our phones.
Anxiety, stress, and burnout are nothing new, but when you add on the pressures and partisanship of a presidential election, psychologists tell 28/22 News it can really start to weigh on people day to day.
No matter where you are or which screen you're looking at the onslaught of political texts and advertisements seems ever-present.
"They're everywhere. They don't stop," said Scranton resident Angel Brock.
"I have seen a lot of political ads pretty much every time I watch TV," Savannah from Scranton said.
"I have started to get text messages a lot which are actually pretty annoying," Scranton resident Lani Thomas added.
In fact, at times, it's tough to even finish a thought.
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If you think you're alone, psychologists will be the first to say no.
"There's a lot of judgment and criticism right now, it's not very healthy," said Lex Remillard, a Clinical Social Worker and Therapist with Altior Healthcare.
"I have people that will come in and talk about just the stress that they do experience this time of year," UPMC Behavioral Health Psychologist Dr. Melissa Brown said.
Combating that feeling of election burnout is easier said than done.
Simple things like sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet can help, but successfully clearing your mind might come down to simply stepping away.
"Find ways to mute them of course, getting off of mailing lists, unsubscribing to text messages," Dr. Brown explained.
"It's important to really remember that we can turn it off anytime we want right? We have control over what we take in," Remillard stated.
It's also important to find ways to spark positive interactions.
"Focus on things that do bring you joy because, let's be honest, the political ads do not bring anybody joy," Dr. Brown added.
Those techniques are meant to prioritize your well-being up to and beyond November 5.
"For everyone to focus on what you can control and what positive actions you can take," Remilllard added.
We have 14 days left to go.
As a reminder, early voting is now underway along with those mail-in ballots that are already out there and returned.
The last day to apply for a mail-in is October 29.
