Election anxiety and information overload: Finding balance in a polarized world

Join Collapse Life this Thursday for a livestream panel discussion on digital detoxing, the impact of nonstop news, and how to regain control of your mental well-being.

The end of one of the most contentious US elections in recent memory cannot come soon enough. Today Americans go to the polls and the world will know who moves into the White House in January 2025.

For many people, election anxiety doesn’t end when the polls close tonight.

No matter where you live or where your political allegiances lie, the strain has likely taken a toll on you. A recent survey from the American Psychological Association found that political concerns were a common stressor among US adults.

• More than 7 in 10 (72%) said they worried that the results of the election could lead to violence.

• More than half of respondents (56%) said they believed the 2024 presidential election could be the end of democracy in the US.

• Around a third (32%) said the political climate has caused strain among themselves and their family members.

• A similar number (30%) said they limit their time with family because they don’t share the same values.

Overconsumption of media plays a huge role in the increasing stress we’re all feeling. If you find yourself doomscrolling before bed, or reaching for your phone to check headlines as soon as you wake up, you may be due for a digital detox. The information overload we’ve subjected ourselves to these past few months could otherwise overtax our brains, pushing them to their cognitive limits and affecting our decision-making abilities.

Readers who admit to an unhealthy internet addiction are probably wondering how to throw the monkey off your back. Of course, there’s no silver bullet that works for everyone. Some people suggest setting a schedule when you allow yourself only brief windows to browse the internet. Others have had success by breaking one habit at a time — for example, if early morning doomscrolling is a problem, try reaching for a book when you wake up, or playing music, or exercising instead.

This Thursday, Collapse Life is teaming up with fellow podcasters Limina (host of The Human Responsibilities Tribunal on Rumble) and David (host of TheFreedomConvoPodcast) for a live conversation about the dangers of digital overdosing, Dead Internet Theory, whether or not it’s still useful to be online, and how information overload could actually be subverting our own thoughts.

Please join us for this interactive discussion — we’d love to hear from you and find out what digital detox strategies and tactics have worked in your own lives.

The livestream starts at 5pm ET and you can catch it on the Collapse Life YouTube or either of the Rumble channels listed above. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Click here to add the event to your calendar.

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