It's easy to feel unsteady and unbalanced these days, or, to use a therapy term, dysregulated. Dysregulation’s aspirational twin is “emotionally regulated,” and often people come into therapy with a goal of better emotion regulation. But what are we really saying when we talk about the regulation and dysregulation of emotion? And what can help us stay regulated when everything feels out of control?
A quick Google search tells me everyone and their cousin is writing about election anxiety right now, and for a good reason…according to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 69% of Americans say the election is a “significant stressor.” I notice my own anxiety as a sort of queasiness in my stomach, and an increase in avoidance behaviors like shutting down or checking out (or writing a blog about anxiety as a way to avoid instead of feeling my feels.) It's rough out there, so let's talk about some ways to stay grounded amidst the turmoil.