University of Utah offering classes to prepare for upcoming national election
Aug 29, 2024, 1:03 PM | Updated: 3:37 pm
FILE (KSL TV)
(KSL TV)
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah is offering classes designed to help people navigate election season after a recent mental health poll reported that 73% of respondents are feeling anxious about the upcoming U.S. election.
According to the American Psychiatric Association‘s annual mental health poll, adults are “particularly anxious about current events,” including the economy, the 2024 U.S. election, and gun violence.
“Living in a world of constant news of global and local turmoil, some anxiety is natural and expected,” APA President Petros Levounis said. “But what stands out here is that Americans are reporting more anxious feelings than in past years.”
Levounis cited that the increase in anxiety may be due to “unprecedented exposure that we have to everything that happens in the world around us,” or an increased awareness and reporting of anxiety.
The University of Utah is offering seven classes to help people cope with anxiety, learn media literacy, and communicate effectively.
Election-related classes offered
- The Voice of Reason: Writing Letters to the Editor
- Writing as a Tool to Cope with Anxiety
- Beyond the Headlines: Fact-Checking and Media Literacy
- Applied Somatics: Practices for Turbulent Times
- A Change in Dialogue: Effective Communication
- Adobe InDesign: Creating a Basic Newsletter
- An Introduction to Antidiscrimination Response
“It’s stressing us all out,” Debbie Leaman, who teaches the class ‘Writing as a Tool to Cope with Anxiety’, said. “The good news? Writing can help. Studies have shown that unloading persistent thoughts onto the page can alleviate anxiety, provide distance, and a new perspective.”
Leaman said in this class, people can learn how to use pen and paper to re-center and calm their minds.
Those who are interested can register now by visiting the Lifelong Learning website. Admission to the University is not required, and registration is currently open with classes starting weekly, during evenings and weekends.
