This article is part of our monthly Mental Health & Climate Change series about how extreme weather and other climate impacts affect our psychological well-being—and ways we can cope.
Last week, I voted in a primary election in Vermont. The streets in my neighborhood are lined with signs for candidates across the political spectrum, and as we creep closer to the midterms, those signs will likely be decorated with colorful foliage. I love the fall leaves in Vermont. But I am anxious about the elections this year, and no amount of autumnal magic is going to erase that.
On a national level, this year’s midterms feel, once again, like a verdict on the soul of America. It’s been nearly two years of federal attacks on environmental protections—including rolling back the Endangerment Finding, weakening protections against coal plant mercury, and threatening to take away people’s right to give public comment when new data centers are proposed. It’s all a lot to handle.
Election season can be stressful under any circumstances, and this year is sure to be a doozy. Here are four simple ideas for protecting your mental health in the coming months:
1. Donate blood.
Hear me out: donating blood (whole blood or platelets) is an incredible way to care for yourself and your community in difficult times. This summer, the American Red Cross declared its second-ever national blood supply crisis, due in part to weather extremes, like heat waves that have made it harder for people to donate. When a climate disaster disrupts the blood supply in one part of the country, demand for blood can increase just as donations go down.
If you are eligible to give blood, go to the Red Cross blood donation website and book a donation or two for the fall. I promise, you’ll leave each session feeling like you contributed to something that tangibly mattered: it’s good for the soul to participate in community care that isn’t wound up in partisan politics. If you’re not currently eligible to donate, you can still help by reminding your loved ones to give blood.
2. Make sure your voter registration is up to date.
This is your friendly reminder to check your voter registration before it becomes a stressful, last-minute emergency. Are there loved ones you could mobilize to check their voter registration too? Maybe a “let’s have coffee and check our voter registration together” date with friends at a local cafe? Voting is still one of the highest-impact civic actions you can take.
3. Make a plan to engage in election volunteering.
Taking part in efforts to get out the vote is a great way to channel midterm anxiety into productive collective action. There are so many ways to get involved, fitting every level of capacity: text banking, phone banking, postcard writing, canvassing, becoming an election official, or even choosing five friends to text during early voting to remind them to get to the polls. If your life is as full as mine is, it’s worth thinking ahead about how much time you can realistically devote to get-out-the-vote work—and what you might need to do to make sure that time is protected. You won’t regret it.
4. Plan ahead for election self-care.
Block some time on your calendar now for pre- and post-election self-care. I’m going to do the same! Schedule therapy sessions ahead of time. Plan an informal gathering with friends in October to process pre-midterms stress over coffee or wine or on a walk. Map out a commitment-free weekend in early November to unwind after get-out-the-vote volunteering. Planning ahead can make recovery time more likely to actually happen.
Whatever happens in the midterms, we’re going to need people who care about the climate and clean air to stay civically engaged for the long haul. Take care of yourself over the next few months—we need you.