[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Grief can best be understood as a response to loss. When we lose in a ball game or play a game online, we grieve for our loss and wonder what could’ve happened differently. The realm of politics is no different. The 2016 and 2020 elections were a rollercoaster of emotions for many, and a tidal wave of grieving as well. While loss, grief, and politics often don’t appear in the same sentence, our mental health and politics are more deeply intertwined than we may realize.
Depression has long been a partial response to loss. Along with anger, denial, bargaining, and acceptance, depression makes up one of the five stages of grief we might be familiar with. While anger and denial are all usually what we see in the news, pulling back the curtains reveals that post-election depression is common and felt by large multitudes of people. In a 2004 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, they discovered that 29% of Democrats felt depressed after the election of George W Bush. In 2008, an Associated Press poll found that 25% of Republicans were depressed after the election of Barack Obama. Data from GoogleTrends showed a massive spike after election years of people searching for ways to cope with their post-election blues.
What may initially sound silly is actually a common occurrence in our society after election cycles. Our emotions may cause us to look for alternative answers that best fit our worldview, or become hostile or alienating of the ones we love who may hold opposing views. Depression and feelings of anger, anxiety, and grief are all normal responses to have that can be expressed and managed in healthy ways. While there’s no simple way to dispel post-election grief and depression, there are healthy ways to cope.
- Focus on Healthy Living: Give yourself a break from the news and politics. Eat healthier meals and take the time during your break to exercise to help get your mind centered again.
- Limit Social Media: Alternatively, get off of it entirely for a while. Social media is a prime source of political misinformation, echo chambers, depression, and anxiety. Take time away from your digital space to not be around those who would further push you to grieve more.
- Find a Support Person/Group: WPA Counseling can help with that! Our professional and fully licensed mental health professionals are qualified to help you navigate the storm of post-election emotions and the polarity that comes with it.
We’re very blessed to live in a democratic society where we have the chance to choose our leaders. Unfortunately, part of the democratic process is that not everyone can win-and that’s okay! When we’re on the losing end of that process, it impacts us emotionally. Post-election grieving comes with depression, anxiety, anger, and more, and it may take time before we can get back into politics in a healthy manner. WPA Counseling is here to help you get back on that path and pursue politics from a place of healing and get you ready to engage our democratic process again.
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