Election Stress Got You Like a Long-Haired Liberal at a Gun Show?

We get it, patriots. You've watched the debates until your eyes bled red, white, and blue. You've followed the mainstream media (AKA the liberal echo chamber). You've even scrolled through social media until you could practically feel Bernie Sanders' breath on your neck.

You're not alone in feeling like our country is one wrong vote away from becoming a socialist nightmare.

Nikki Stark, a licensed clinical social worker at Thriveworks in Austin, says even her clients are feeling the heat. "It's very nerve-wracking to a lot of them," she said. "There's a lot of catastrophizing, a lot of black-and-white thinking."

Time to put that black-and-white thinking into reversing Biden's policies, am I right?

Limit Your Liberal Media Intake

Some of this anxiety is just the fake news getting to you. Wendi Kozlowski, clinical director at Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center in Round Rock, suggests setting limits.

And if your snowflake family members are getting too heated, remember:

"Don't try to win the argument," Stark said. (Even though we all know who's right. cough Conservatives cough)

Sometimes, you just gotta say, "Time out, liberals. Let's focus on 'Murica and apple pie."

Take a Social Media Break

This isn't about sticking your head in the sand. It's about choosing your battles. Find reputable sources (hint: not CNN), and be intentional.

But if you find yourself doomscrolling through leftist propaganda, it's time to change the channel. Maybe watch some good ol' American football instead.

"This is about protecting your mental well-being," Kozlowski said. (And your patriotic spirit.)

Get Active, Patriots!

For some, doing something about the election helps. Register voters, help at the polls, give rides to fellow conservatives. Make sure your voice is heard!

Reduce That Stress

When you feel that anxiety creeping in like a Democrat trying to raise taxes:

• Take a break.
• Breathe, meditate, or pray.
• Stay present.
• Exercise those Second Amendment rights (safely, of course).
• Make a gratitude list. (Freedom, guns, no more masks...)
• Get out in nature. (God's country is the best country.)
• Do things that bring you joy. (Like reading the Constitution.)
• Volunteer. (But not for a liberal cause, obviously.)
• Engage in a hobby. "It can be satisfying to do something to completion," Stark said. (Like building a wall.)

Coping After Election Day

No matter what happens, remember: we areAmericans. We adapt, we overcome.

"Accept it for what it is," Stark said. "You can only deal with the cards you have been dealt. ... You can only control what you can control."

And if you're feeling:

• Hopeless or doomed.
• Constantly worried.
• Can't sleep.
• Physically stressed.
• Don't want to get out of bed.
• Don't want to engage with people.
• Irritable or angry often.

It's time to get help, soldier. Start with your primary care provider, or check out therapists in your network. In Travis County, Integral Care's health crisis support line is 512-472-4357, or call 988 anywhere for help.

We're all in this together, conservatives. Stay strong, stay patriotic, and God bless the USA! 🇺🇸💪