Lack of trust, uncertainty, anxiety 鈥� they are all topics that are coming up in the therapy room relating to the political turmoil of the past few months and years.

And now a General Election is five weeks away.

It鈥檚 the third time the country has gone to the polls since 2015 to choose who will run it.

But does this impending election impact even further on people鈥檚 mental health and wellbeing?

鈥淲hat is happening politically and nationally really filters through to people鈥檚 personal anxieties,鈥� said Norfolk counsellor Jennie Cummings-Knight.

鈥淲hen there is uncertainty and chaos, when we see a lack of loyalty or are not sure who we can trust, that atmosphere affects our own lives.

Another deadline

鈥淭his election is yet another deadline, and we have had a lot of those recently.

鈥淲e feel unsafe and unsecure with the rapidity of what is changing around us.

鈥淚t definitely increases people鈥檚 anxieties.鈥�

Trust, loyalty and uncertainty

Jennie added: 鈥淚t absolutely does come up in the therapy room. These issues of trust, loyalty and uncertainty are something I talk with my clients about a lot.鈥�

Glasgow-based counsellor Catherine Gallacher said while elections or political uncertainty may be discussed in therapy, they鈥檙e not the issue that people present with when they first come to counselling. It鈥檚 more likely to be discussed a few sessions into counselling.

鈥淧eople talk about the uncertainty, the current climate, how they feel about it,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a topic of conversation in their families and work environments too. When there are different opinions, there can sometimes be strains and rifts because there are different belief systems.

Judgement and mistrust

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of judgement and mistrust.

鈥淧eople are not really trusting what they are told. They feel they are being told that something is going to happen, or something is being promised 鈥� but they are not sure if that鈥檚 really going to be the case.

鈥淎ll these things can affect people鈥檚 underlying issues,鈥� added Catherine.

But there are things you can do to help in this situation.

Positive things in the world

鈥淚t鈥檚 good to pull back and to have a different perspective,鈥� said Jennie. 鈥淩emember what you see in the news is just one perspective, one story. There are many positive things in the world that are happening 鈥� we just don鈥檛 hear about them on the news.

鈥淟ook after yourself,鈥� she added.

鈥淢ake sure you have a good work-life balance. Look after the everyday stuff such as sleep, your general health.鈥�

Catherine echoed that.

Resilience

鈥淚 talk to people about how they normally manage their stresses and anxieties. We discuss exercise, nutrition. We look at how they can build their own resilience.鈥�

She added: 鈥淲hen there is that lack of trust of others, or society, or authority, I talk to people about how the only person you can trust is you. I can work with them on their own self-belief, their own resilience. I can鈥檛 tell them who to trust or make them trust others, but I can build up trust in themselves, which can help,鈥� said Catherine.

Jennie also recommended trying to limit the time you spend on social media.

鈥淲e are so immersed in social media now. We鈥檙e surrounded by the news about the election, we can鈥檛 get away from it. So try not to be glued to your phone all the time checking social media,鈥� she said.

The final piece of advice comes from Kent counsellor Claire Hershman.

Be kind to yourself

鈥淲e feel frightened. We have no idea what鈥檚 going on or what鈥檚 going to happen next, when an election is coming up.

鈥淭he support network you have around you is important. Be around the people you love.鈥�

鈥淗ug the ones you love. Be kind to yourself.鈥�

To find a counsellor or psychotherapist who can help you visit our Therapists Directory.