US presidential election weighs on Americans' mood

Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson Associated Press With his head surrounded by a campaign sign, a supporter listens to Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speak at a rally Nov. 3 in Kinston, North Carolina.

Joshua Melvin – Agence France-Presse and Nicholas Roll – Agence France-Presse in Reston and Salem respectively

Published at 9:55

• United States

A few dozen people lie with their eyes closed as a gong rings in a Virginia yoga studio. Preoccupied with Tuesday’s election, like many Americans, they’ve come here to seek some peace of mind.

White House candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have dramatized the stakes for their voters, imploring them to protect the nation from a tragic outcome if their opponents prevail.

After a campaign that has been rife with invective, the country is on edge. Tired or on edge, many people are eagerly awaiting the conclusion of an election that polls predict will be extremely close.

“I feel like I can’t do anything about it. “There's a floor level of stress,” says Cheryl Stevens, 55, after a yoga and meditation session Saturday in Reston aimed at relieving election stress.

“What happens if we have to go through this again?,” she asks, considering the possibility of another Donald Trump term.

A supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, she says she is so anxious about the election that she sleeps only four hours a night and finds herself in a state of permanent anxiety.

Tens of millions of American voters must choose between the former Republican president, who never acknowledged his defeat in 2020, and the Democrat, who could become the country's first female president.

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Two Americas are opposed and this gap has created conflicts between spouses, friends and relatives, while being a real source of worry for many.

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“Hammered by the media”

“Americans are feeling increasingly stressed about politics,” says an article on the American Psychological Association (APA) website.

“It's been a tumultuous campaign, with assassination attempts, a last-minute candidate change, dramatic debates and court battles. »

According to an APA study published in October, 69% of American adults say the election is causing them stress.

That’s even higher than in 2020 (68%), when the country was emerging from Mr. Trump’s turbulent presidency, the Covid pandemic was wreaking havoc, and social justice protests were growing.

It’s also much higher than the 52% reported in 2016, before the billionaire pulled off a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton.

A farmer and marijuana grower, Joe Upcavage, was among Trump supporters gathered Saturday in Salem, Virginia, a world and a half away from the solidly Democratic town of Reston.

“We're getting hammered left and right by the media and all the fake bullshit. “You can't say anything on social media without it being labeled as false,” he argues.

“Getting depressed in front of (your) screens”

“In my hometown of Levittown, Pennsylvania, there's a whole bunch of election fraud, and everybody there is on edge because it's a complete mess, an absolute disaster,” he adds.

“Our way of de-stressing is to stick to what we do best: tending chickens and chopping wood,” Upcavage says.

As the election approaches, a plethora of online articles offer advice on how to manage stress, from breathing exercises to avoiding social media before bed.

“We all have different tolerance levels. “It can lead to a catastrophic outlook, a worst-case scenario,” Susan Albers, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told ABC News.

In the yoga studio in Reston, Reggie Hubbard urges his students to take care of themselves.

“I'm glad you all came to be with strangers instead of getting depressed in front of your screens,” he says, prompting laughter from the audience.

“We're all in this together, whether we like it or not. So why not try to like it,” he adds.

That sense of cohesion will be tested Tuesday, however, when Americans will have to come to terms with the fact that half the country disagrees with the outcome no matter what.