Here’s how crisis hotlines are preparing for Election Day surges

On the night of the 2020 election, Caitlin Ruzycky, a social worker and crisis clinician, was managing 30 conversations at a time on the Crisis Text Line. 
Some were fearful for their future as part of the LGBTQ+ community, others were concerned about conspiracy theories or media bias, and some worried that the election outcome would tear their family apart. Texters came from various political and socioeconomic backgrounds, ranging in age, gender, ethnicity and political affiliation. 
Ruzycky was a crisis counselor supervisor at the time, and her job was to support volunteer crisis counselors through these conversations and intervene when needed. A significant chunk of her role involved de-escalating high-risk situations; suicidality was frequent throughout this divisive time. 
“It was a very politically charged time in 2020, as it is now,” Ruzycky says. 
These modes of support are needed more than ever, with 69% of U.S. adults reporting that the 2024 presidential election is a significant source of stress in their lives, which reflects an increase from 52% in 2016, according to an APA study released this month. More than 7 in 10 adults are worried that the election results could lead to violence and nearly 1 in 3 have experienced tension and distance from their family members.
The national suicide and crisis lifeline, 988, had a historic spike in callers on Election Day in 2016, with caller volumes rising approximately 65% above expected. Crisis Text Line received a notable increase in texters during both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, according to Dr. Shairi Turner, chief health officer at Crisis Text Line. 
“We can’t predict what 2024 will bring,” Turner says. But already, they’ve experienced an influx of conversations about election anxiety, and they expect that to rise as we inch closer to Election Day.
With the election just on the horizon, crisis centers are gearing up to support texters and callers through distress – regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum. 
While most people will spend time thinking about the election, they can still carry on with their normal functions. But there are some people who are “getting pulled deeply into all the turmoil around the election,” Turner says. They may become deeply enmeshed in the news, pull away from their relationships, and experience sleeplessness, changes in appetite and anxiety. 
That’s when she says they should consider contacting a crisis line, though support is available regardless of the severity of one’s stress. Crisis Text Line’s motto: “A crisis to you is a crisis to us.” 
Angie Anaeme, a crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line and medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, joined the team just after the 2020 election. Now, she’s preparing to work her first election night. 
“It definitely does kind of feel overwhelming sometimes on the platform when you’re working a particularly busy shift or have a certain number of conversations going on at once,” Anaeme says. 
And when handling upward of 30 conversations simultaneously, you have to know how to “pivot,” Ruzycky says. 
Though election anxiety brings a surge of texters, the rest of the crisis calls don’t stop. Volunteers need to be equipped to bounce between various types of election-related calls while also supporting people struggling with suicidality, depression, domestic violence and more. 
Anaeme anticipates a hectic night but feels confident in the support from her fellow volunteers and staff to get through it.
As those in crisis experience election anxiety, volunteers and staff are living through the same tumultuous times. 
“We’re not isolated from the election ourselves. We’re also in the same climate,” Anaeme says. 
“That presents a challenge to us as counselors, because we need to remain, politically neutral,” says Ryan Dickson, the Director of Crisis Community Services at CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank in Iowa City, Iowa. “We don’t weigh in with our values, we focus on the emotions of the person.”
For Ruzycky, a crucial component of this is practicing cultural sensitivity and learning how to manage conflicting beliefs. 
“I will never know what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. So I can’t understand, but I can always try to understand, like, ‘What would make you want to vote for this person?’” she says. “It was making sure I’m staying neutral about what I believe, so I could support my volunteers and my texters.” 
Often those working at crisis hotlines help each other through difficult interactions. Ruzycky says part of the job is “helping deescalate some of our volunteers who are feeling triggered by some of these conversations.”
Crisis lines are prepared to support their callers, texters and counselors alike.
At Crisis Text Line, the team has developed an election anxiety toolkit with suggested prompts, grounding exercises, tips and external resource referrals. Supervisors prepare their counselors through role-playing scenarios − private conversations where counselors practice diffusing politically charged situations. Other techniques include helping those in crisis reframe their emotions and avoid catastrophizing through cognitive-behavioral and refined coping skills.
Crisis counselors are also prepared to mitigate suicidality, and supervisors are equipped to intervene when those in crisis are at imminent risk of suicide.
Dickson says their political stress calls do not typically lead to suicidal ideation, but one notable exception was when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Then, they had an uptick in callers with unplanned pregnancies who were contemplating suicide.
“In general, on a presidential election night, (callers) are just very scared and unsure of what to do,” Dickson says. 
Crisis lines encourage anyone in need of additional support to reach out on election night and beyond – Turner says they’re ready for you.
“As crisis counselors, we aren’t there to influence (texters) views in any way, to judge the emotions they’re feeling about the election or change their perceptions about the political climate,” Anaeme says. “Our No. 1 commitment is to them and making sure that they feel heard, validated and can cope.”
If you are struggling with election anxiety, help is available. Call or text 988 or contact Crisis Text Line by texting “ELECTIONS” or “ELECCIONES” to 741-741.