Stress and the upcoming election: How to avoid heart attack

[QuidditchFan]

It is a well-known and well-researched tenet of Health Psychology. Stress over an extended period of time causes an increased cortisol response. Extended periods of elevated cortisol cause health repurcussions that are extensive and generally bad.

Furthermore, there is a body of social psychology research out there that points to perceived lack of control as being one of the larger stressors.

So, instead of reading the polls and becoming depressed by something OUT of your control, do something fully IN your control. Register voters. Set an easy goal: Register ONE voter. Become intoxicated by this. Register ANOTHER voter. Become thoroughly drunk with democracy. Register ANOTHER voter.

My final point is that it does not matter who you are registering. I firmly believe that the MORE people that vote, the HIGHER our chances. I believe that the smear campaign against Kerry serves the GOP's purposes in many ways. One of the diabolical (and probably intentional) effects is to cause disinterest and disgust among potential voters, thereby creating apathy and reducing turnout.

Take control. Set a simple goal and meet it.

[NoBorders]

1. Right on.

It's the only way to counter the stressful day-to-day emotional roller coaster of polls, medida bs and hyperventilating posters. Need to focus on what *I* can do to *help* the campaign.

[grasswire]

2. I've been thinking...

...of taking up gin. I don't drink, but I'm thinking of starting.

[dennis4868]

3. I am seriously.....

stressed out over this election....if the media 0only did their damn job I would be a happier person....but thenaks to the manistreem media hiding all of Bush's High Crimes and Misdameanors this is a close election and it seems as though Bush is taking the lead in the polls....it is hard for me to work these days because I am so worried and stressed out.

[Connie_Corleone]

4. I'm going to take up eating alot of food.

Oh, wait. I'm already doing that. I guess I'll go on a well balanced lifestyle diet.

[pmbryant]

5. Excellent proposal!

But what do we do in the final 30 days when it's too late to register voters?

:-)

I learned from 2000 that poll watching is a pointless exercise. Having anxiety attacks over every statistical blip got very old after a few weeks. I'm trying hard to avoid that fate this year.

Peter

[SotarrTheWizard]

7. The bottom line. . .

. . .only ONE poll counts. And we'll get the results of that on the evening of November 2nd. Anything prior is guesswork, estimation, and spin. Not worth getting worked up about. . .

[AgadorSparticus]

6. good advice.

:kick:

[ikojo]

8. Don't stop with voter registration because that happens only

every couple of years...teach people how to be active...take them to the library and show them how to use public computers to access the Internet and write their "representatives" letters via e mail.

If there is a demonstration scheduled in your area give the newly registered voter information about it. Let that newly registered voter know how he/she can get involved as well.

Once we vote we need to hold people ACCOUNTABLE.

[buycitgo]

9. chewin on some magnolia bark as I type

http://www.fitfaq.com/magnolia-bark.html