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    • As the number of callers increases, crisis lines are ready to help on election night
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    As the number of callers increases, crisis lines are ready to help on election night

    Harry Posted on

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    in the night 2020 electionCaitlin Ruzycky, a social worker and crisis clinician, was handling 30 conversations at once on the Crisis Text Line.

    Some were afraid of their future LGBTQ+ communityothers were worried conspiracy theories or there was media bias and some were worried the election outcome would tear their families apart. Texters came from a variety of political and socioeconomic backgrounds, including age, gender, ethnicity, and political affiliation.

    Ruzycky was the crisis counselor supervisor at the time, and her job was to support volunteer crisis counselors through these conversations and intervene when necessary. A significant part of his role involved de-escalating high-risk situations; suicidal tendencies This divisive occurrence occurred frequently throughout time.

    “Like now, 2020 was a very politically charged time,” Ruzycky says.

    This type of support is needed more than ever; 69% of U.S. adults report that the 2024 presidential election is a significant source of stress in their lives; This rate reflects an increase from 52% in 2016. APA study It was published this month. More than 7 in 10 adults worry that election results could lead to violence, and nearly 1 in 3 adults experience tension and distance from family members.

    988, the national suicide and crisis lifeline, experienced a historic increase in callers on Election Day 2016, with caller volume increasing nearly 65% ​​more than expected. Crisis Text Line Chief Health Officer Dr. According to Shairi Turner, there was a significant increase in the number of people messaging the Crisis Text Line during both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

    “We can’t predict what 2024 will bring,” says Turner. But they’ve already had an influx of conversation about: election anxietyAnd they expect it to increase as we move forward We are a little closer to November 5th.

    With an election on the horizon, crisis centers are gearing up to support texters and callers in times of distress, no matter where they fall on the political spectrum.

    Crisis counselors prepare for election night

    Although most people will spend time thinking about the choice, they can still continue to function normally. But Turner says there are some people who are “deeply drawn into all the turmoil around the election.” They may become trapped by the news, drift away from their relationships, and experience insomnia, appetite changes, and anxiety.

    That’s when they should consider contacting a crisis line, she says, but support is available no matter the severity of a person’s stress. The motto of the Crisis Text Line is: “Crisis for you is also a crisis for us.”

    Crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line and St. Angie Anaeme, a medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, joined the team just after the 2020 election. Now he’s getting ready to work for his first election night.

    “Sometimes it can be absolutely overwhelming on the platform, especially when you work a busy shift or have a certain number of calls at once,” says Anaeme.

    Ruzycky says you need to know how to “pivot” when managing 30+ conversations at once.

    Although election anxiety has led to an increase in the number of messages, the rest of the crisis calls do not stop. Volunteers need to be equipped to move between various election-related calls while also supporting people struggling with suicidality, depression, domestic violence and more.

    Anaeme is expecting a busy night, but she’s relying on the support of her fellow volunteers and staff to get through it.

    ‘We are also in the same climate’

    While those in crisis are experiencing election anxiety, volunteers and staff are also experiencing the same turbulent days.

    “We ourselves are not isolated from the elections. “We are in the same climate,” says Anaeme.

    “This presents a challenge for us as counselors because we have to remain politically neutral,” says Ryan Dickson, Director of Crisis Community Services for ComMUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank in Iowa City. “We don’t focus on our values, we focus on the person’s feelings.”

    A crucial component of this, according to Ruzycky, is practicing cultural sensitivity and learning how to manage conflicting beliefs.

    “I will never know what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes. So I can’t understand it, but I can always try to understand: ‘What would make you want to vote for this person?'” he says. “It allowed me to remain neutral about what I believed in so I could support my volunteers and texters.”

    Often, crisis hotline workers help each other through difficult interactions. Part of the job, Ruzycky says, is “to help de-escalate some of our volunteers who feel triggered by some of these conversations.”

    What resources will crisis lines have?

    Crisis lines are designed to support callers, texters, and counselors alike.

    At Crisis Text Line, the team has developed an election anxiety toolkit that includes recommended prompts, basic exercises, tips, and external resource referrals. Auditors prepare their advisors through role-playing scenarios—private conversations in which advisors try to diffuse politically charged situations. Other techniques include helping those in crisis reframe their emotions and avoid disaster through cognitive behavioral and improved coping skills.

    Crisis counselors are also prepared to reduce suicidality, and supervisors are equipped to intervene when people in crisis are at imminent risk of suicide.

    Dickson notes that political stress appeals do not typically lead to suicidal ideation, but one notable exception is Roe v. wade overturned. Later, there was an increase in the number of callers with unplanned pregnancies and those considering suicide.

    “Generally speaking, callers on presidential election night are very scared and don’t know what to do,” Dickson says.

    Aid is available across the political spectrum

    Crisis lines encourage anyone who needs additional support to get in touch on election night and beyond — Turner says they’re ready for you.

    “As crisis counselors, we are not there to influence (messengers’) views in any way, judge the emotions they feel about the election, or change their perception of the political climate,” Anaeme says. “Our number one commitment is to them – to make sure they feel heard, validated and able to cope.”

    If you’re struggling with election anxiety, you can get help. Call or message 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “ELECTIONS” or “ELECTIONS” To 741-741.

    Harry
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