The Tolls of the Polls: Election Day and Mental Health

Today is the day that will make history. I don’t know about anyone else, but I have been dreading this day. I have been seeing multiple things on tik tok and Twitter about how scared people are at this time. With everything that has been going on, it has taken a toll on my mental health. I honestly have been feeling numb to any news that I see on the media. I have seen things that I never thought could happen, that are happening to us every day. College has already weathered down my mental health, but with the pandemic, the politics, and a bunch of other bs on top of it, it’s been bad.

Every day I do homework and go to class like it is a regular time. I am worried about a midterm on Friday when a civil war could break out anytime this week. I wear a mask anywhere I go and keep my distance from people, and I think it’s a regular day. I see riots and people protesting for their rights. I see police beating and killing innocent people and have no repercussions. I see articles about how women’s rights are going to be stripped away. I see white supremacists toting around guns with no backlash. I see the effects of climate change and the raging forest fires in California. I see people being openly racist and inhumane to others. I see people being homophobic and harassing the LGBTQ+ community. I see the patriarchy influencing misogynistic behaviors. This isn’t even all of the shitty things that are going on in the United States.

It just seems like all of this is a nightmare fever dream. Sometimes I feel like dissociating from reality because of how fucked up it can be.
I know right now, for many with mental health issues, this is a tough time. I have Depression and Anxiety, and for me, it has been hard to keep hope when our futures look dim. I have been despairing lately and beating myself up over it, but then I remember what is happening in this world. I think when you have mental illness and a lot of bad things happen, it gets hard to receive little to no serotonin.

I wanted to make this post for today so that people know that they are not alone. I know a lot of my friends are feeling the exact same way I am feeling, and I know many others out there do as well. And for the people who have friends or family members who have mental health issues, PLEASE CHECK ON THEM. It is a tough time for everyone right now but especially for those with mental health issues. If you have any friends of color or friends who are apart of the LGBTQ+ community, please check on them as well. There have been multiple threats of harming those in either POC or the LGBTQ+ community, so please make sure they are safe!

Here are some websites that are great resources for those with mental health issues:
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml
https://www.jmu.edu/counselingctr

PLEASE VOTE AND STAY SAFE!