Alcohol & Drug Programs | Student Wellness

Election Resources

At this point we have been living through a global pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans, for a significant portion of the year. The distress caused by the disruption in our lives as a result of COVID-19 has been an ongoing strain emotionally, mentally and physically. Add to that the racial turmoil, unsteady economy, and climate change that has fueled widespread wildfires and other natural disasters. 2020 has been a year to reckon with.

We are now approaching, one of the most divisive presidential election in decades. The result is an accumulation of allostatic load that will further impact our health and wellbeing. If the election that is just around the corner is causing you stress, you are not alone. According to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association, 68% of U.S. adults say the 2020 U.S. presidential election is a significant source of distress in their lives. The survey also found that regardless of political affiliation, majorities say that the election is a significant source of stress (76% of Democrats, 67% of Republicans and 64% of Independents).

Here are some evidence-based strategies that the American Psychological Association has offered to help people manage their stress related to this election:

Uncertainty is frequently stressful, and some people are better at dealing with uncertainty than others. The election, the global pandemic and social unrest are all adding to a sense of uncertainty in our lives. Avoid dwelling on things you can’t control. When uncertainty strikes, many people immediately imagine worst-case scenarios. Break the habit of ruminating on bad outcomes.
Focus on what you can control. If following the news, watching the debates or scrolling through social media is causing you stress, limit your media consumption. Give yourself permission to take a break from the news.
Engage in meaningful activities. Rather than fixating on news coverage, find an activity that you really enjoy and spend time doing it. Get involved in issues that are meaningful to you. By making a plan on how you will vote, for example — in person, by mail or as part of early voting — you are more likely to follow through.
Stay socially connected. Go for a walk or spend time with friends and family. Research shows that people who have at least one or two friends or family members to turn to for emotional support during stressful times tend to cope better than people who don’t have such support.
Stay active. Moving helps us release the energy we experience when we feel stressed.
Realize that we might not know who won the election on Election Day. If you think this will raise your anxiety, keep busy with things that you enjoy and stay connected to social support so that you aren’t continually checking for what could be viewed as “bad” news.

Below are some university resources that are available to you:

- Carolina Election Resources

- Campus Wellbeing and Mental Health Resources

Here are some self-care resources you can use anytime to manage stress:

ELECTION RESOURCES

Alcohol & Drug Programs

Binge drinking among college students has declined 21% in the last 10 years

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Binge drinking among college students has declined 21% in the last 10 years

Student Wellness empowers students to make healthy decisions about their substance use behaviors that affect them and the Carolina community as a whole. We focus on reducing the high risk behaviors and promoting safe, legal, and responsible actions.

Student Wellness utilizes a comprehensive approach to health and well-being. Our strategies range from working with students on an individual level to managing the campus and community environments. Student Wellness has adopted a non-judgmental harm reduction approach to preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse, which aims to reduce the negative consequences of high-risk alcohol and other drug use on the Carolina Community.

Our services include:

BASICS: a non-confrontational program to help students identify risks associated with their alcohol and/or drug use and ways to eliminate or reduce these risks.
AlcoholEdu online alcohol education course
The Carolina Recovery Program: A community-based program that supports students in entering and maintaining substance use recovery while on campus.
Educational programs and workshops for student groups and organizations. Check out our programming guide for alcohol/drug programming ideas.
Social marketing
Policy development. Check out UNC Campus Alcohol policy and Housing's Community Living Standards. Read about state and local laws on our Healthy Heels blog.
A community-wide social norms campaign aimed to create a healthier campus norm around alcohol by providing candid, data-driven information.
Assessment and research, including the Core Survey.