A few dozen people lie with their eyes closed while a gong sounds in a Virginia yoga studio. Concerned about the election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, like many Americans, they came to seek a little peace of mind.
White House candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris dramatized the issue for their voters, imploring them to protect the nation from a tragic outcome if their opponent were to prevail. After a campaign where invectives flew, the country is on edge. Tired or on edge, many people are impatiently awaiting the conclusion of an election that polls predict is extremely close.
« I feel like I can't do anything about it. There is a floor level of stress », Explains Cheryl Stevens, 55, after this yoga and meditation session Saturday in Reston, intended to relieve the stress of the elections. “ What will happen if we have to go through this again? », she asks, raising the possibility of a new mandate for Donald Trump. 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.
Conflicts between spouses, friends, parents
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. Two Americas oppose each other and this gap has created conflicts between spouses, friends and relatives, while being a real source of worry for many.
« Americans feel increasingly stressed about politics », Says an article on the website of the American Psychological Organization (APA). “ It's been a tumultuous campaign, with assassination attempts, a last-minute change of candidate (editor's note: Ms. Harris belatedly replaced outgoing President Joe Biden, who declined to run), dramatic debates and court battles. . »
According to an APA study published in October, 69% of American adults consider the election to be causing them stress. A figure even higher than in 2020 (68%), when the country was emerging from Mr. Trump's turbulent mandate, the Covid pandemic was wreaking havoc and demonstrations for social justice were increasing. It is also much more than the 52% reported in 2016, before the billionaire created a surprise and was elected ahead of Hillary Clinton.
Farmer and marijuana producer Joe Upcavage was among Mr. Trump supporters gathered Saturday in Salem, Virginia, four hours and a world away from Reston, a solidly Democratic city. “ We are attacked left and right by the media and all the false information. You can't say anything on social media without it being called fake. “, he argues.
“In my hometown, everyone is on edge”
« In my hometown, Levittown, Pennsylvania, there's a whole bunch of voter fraud, and everyone there is on edge because it's a complete mess, an absolute disaster.he adds. Our way to de-stress is to stick to what we know how to do: take care of chickens and chop wood », underlines Mr. Upcavage.
As the vote approaches, a flurry of articles online offer advice on how to manage stress, through breathing exercises or avoiding looking at social media before bed. “ We all have different tolerance levels. This can lead to seeing everything in a catastrophic way, to considering the worst-case scenario ” Susan Albers, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told ABC News.
In Reston's yoga studio, 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 said, triggering laughter in the audience. “ We are all in the same boat, whether we like it or not. So why not try to love it », he adds.
This feeling of cohesion will, however, be put to the test on Tuesday, when Americans will have to, whatever happens, come to terms with the idea that half of the country disagrees with the result.
