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Polarization, accusation, and old fashioned mudslinging. The November elections are almost here and I see so much demonization of opponents, so little discussion of the issues.
Why? Perhaps one reason is that this election season finds many of us in caught up in chronic stress, which influences how we process information. Instead of responding more thoughtfully and cerebrally, we’re reacting with what neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux has called “the low road” (LeDoux, 1996). Sensing a threat, our amygdalas trigger a rush of fear, anxiety, or anger. And with the complex problems we face, there’s a lot of fear, anxiety, and anger out there.
Yet chronic stress undermines our perception, our ability to see, hear, and understand the people around us. It impairs our judgment, triggering defensive reactions whenever someone disagrees with us. As I’ve pointed out in a recent study, stress weakens our cognitive capacity, preventing us from recognizing larger patterns of cause and effect, from seeing the implications of our actions (see Dreher, 2015).
So we get polarized, locked into the logical fallacy of the false dilemma, reducing complex issues to either/or, all or nothing, right or wrong. We see those who disagree with us as threats and opponents as enemies instead of fellow citizens equally concerned about the future of our country
What can we do? LeDoux (2015) has found that mindfulness can help us focus on the present, reduce tension, and shift out of chronic stress. Psychologist Shauna Shapiro and colleagues call this “reperceiving, . . . a fundamental shift in perspective,” that can bring us greater clarity and peace of mind. (Shapiro, Carlson, Astin, & Freedman, 2006, p. 377).
Becoming more mindful is as close to you as your breath. If you’re feeling stressed about the election or anything else in your life, try this brief mindfulness practice. Take a moment to:
- Close your eyes
- Take a slow deep breath.
- Slowly release it,
- Saying to yourself silently, “breath out_____”--(choose a word: worry, doubt, anxiety, fear—whatever is stressing you)
- Then say to yourself as you breathe in: “breathe in peace.”
- Repeat this two more times,
- Choosing new words if you wish.
- Then slowly open your eyes.
If you’d like to begin a regular mindfulness practice, there are many resources out there from mindfulness classes at local community centers to books by Thich Nhat Hanh and Jon Kabat-Zinn. Or check out their short videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXJs9bdcnXw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HYLyuJZKno
References
Dreher, D. E. (2015). Leading with compassion: A moral compass for our time. In T. G. Plante (Ed.). The psychology of compassion and cruelty: Understanding the emotional, spiritual, and religious influences (pp. 73-87). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
LeDoux, J. (1996). The emotional brain. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
LeDoux, J. (2015). Anxious: Using the brain to understand and treat fear and anxiety. New York, NY: Viking.
Shapiro, S. L., Carlson, L.E., Astin, J.A., & Freedman, B. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62, 373-386.
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Diane Dreher is a best-selling author, positive psychology coach, and professor at Santa Clara University. Her latest book is Your Personal Renaissance: 12 Steps to Finding Your Life’s True Calling.
Visit her web sites at http://www.northstarpersonalcoaching.com/
