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As the results of the mid-term elections are about to be revealed, here is how the last general election affected the population.
Go to any social networking site, from Twitter to Facebook, or activate the news and you will notice that we are currently living in a very contentious political period.
In the United States, the mid-term elections of Tuesday coming, it is quite difficult to avoid political discussions, especially very busy.
It can be stressful to get into the political melee, but what kind of impact can the current climate have on people psychologically?
A study recently published in the Journal of American College Health found that the 2016 presidential election was a particularly traumatic experience for some students, resulting in some symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The lead author of the study, Melissa Hagan, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, surveyed 769 students enrolled in psychology classes in Arizona State University in January and February 2017, just months after the elections.
Students answered questions during a psychological assessment known as the impact scale of the event. The scale is used to measure the impact of an event on a person, which leads to the development of PTSD, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
The study found that 25% of students had exceeded the "clinically significant" stress threshold, the average score corresponding to that of people seven months after attending a mass shootout.
The team also found that black and non-white Hispanic students performed better than their white classmates. Female students scored 45% higher than their male counterparts. The Democrats got a score two and a half times that of the Republicans, following the election of President Donald Trump.
"I think it's remarkable that the elections had a negative impact on relations close to 25% of students. I can not speak to other elections or the student's internal or interpersonal experiences around the election, "Hagan wrote in an email to Healthline.
"I believe that if an election of any type represents a threat to their lifestyle for some people, it could have a significant negative impact on their psychological functioning."
David Austern, PsyD, a clinical psychiatry instructor at NYU Langone Health, is skeptical about this type of study. He said that something like a political event "can not lead to a full PTSD".
Austern told Healthline that PTSA measurement tests were specifically designed to measure violent events such as war conflicts or car accidents. He said that even though an election may cause anxiety, it does not "necessarily threaten the life or health of a member".
"This kind of event could never lead to PTSD itself. I think it's more nuanced. And I'm not saying that the last election did not cause stress, but I want to say that they did not necessarily cause PTSD, "added Austern.
That being said, Austern agreed that conflicting and difficult election seasons can cause great anxiety in people, especially if they have the perception that a particular outcome could have a negative impact on their lives or their families.
"Anxiety that becomes chronic can be debilitating for people. They might be worried about what might happen in the future, "Austern said. "If one person is elected over another, one person may be concerned about the impact it could have on their family or their lives. This could lead to thoughts of hopelessness. If someone thinks "Wow, now we're completely screwed, things are going to spoil for my family and my relationships", that person might start feeling sad and hopeless. "
Emanuel Maidenberg, PhD, Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biological Behavior Sciences at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, acknowledged that our political environment was particularly stressful.
He said that since 2016, some people might well perceive that political events could have a direct impact on them.
"Some reactions to modern political events might very well give the impression" I'm threatened somehow, I have to protect myself, "he told Healthline. "Stressors of all kinds can activate the various vulnerabilities of people related to this type of perceived threats."
While he agrees with Austern that an election would not necessarily lead to PTSD, he nevertheless thinks that the result of an election could "activate vulnerabilities that you had already".
"Political events can become a stressor that can cause people to remember experiences that I've had in the past or to activate vulnerabilities," Maidenberg said.
Last year, the American Psychological Association revealed in its report "Stress in America" that about 63% of Americans said the future of the nation was a source of stress " very or somewhat important.
This year's report focused specifically on "Generation Z". The report – released October 30 – looked at people aged 15 to 21. According to them, large-scale shootings are a major source of stress for 75% of these young people.
That being said, stress does not necessarily lead to political activity. Only 54% of respondents aged 18 to 21 said they intended to vote in the mid-term elections in the United States.
If you are inclined to feel stressed by the politics of the day, technology certainly proves a problem. The 24/7 cable news channels and updates on social media have made politics pervasive in our daily lives.
"We all have to take on more responsibility, and if you were to separate from politics, it could certainly be more difficult now than in the past because of technology," added Maidenberg.
"We must now make more efforts to change viewing habits, for example do not watch TV more than once a day or limit your exposure to phone access at specific times during the day. This is true for anything that could be a stressor. "
Austern warned that if political discussions were particularly stressful to you and that consuming politics was a key part of your life or identity, he did not suggest "avoid" or remove it completely from your life.
He added that while avoidance may seem beneficial in the short term, it tends to maintain and temporarily maintain your anxiety from a distance. There are, however, some useful skills that you can put into practice to make you feel comfortable.
He said that there are helpful relaxation techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, which is a slow, deep breath that could help lessen the feeling of panic that you might experience if something you hear politically upsets you.
Progressive muscle relaxation, which is about alleviating and eliminating tension in your muscles, is another way to reduce anxiety. He also said that guided imagery, or the use of certain music or certain words to activate positive imaginary scenarios in your mind, could help you not to stray from the political environment current.
"Beyond the relaxation skills, if you feel a perceived threat, whether in the last election or at the mid-point, I encourage people to ask themselves what's most bothering them and to use their abilities." think about it, "he said.
"Try to calculate the real probabilities of danger and the threats you perceive are facing you. The brain often predicts that something will go wrong far more than it will actually happen. Look at past data, look at what happened in past events. "
Turning away from politics and talking to people you know can sometimes help, said Hagan, the author of the new report.
"To cope with any kind of stress, it is often helpful to reach out to supportive friends and family and do things that appeal to you," she added.
A recent study found that students reported having some symptoms associated with PTSD after the 2016 election.
Some mental health experts are skeptical that a single election could lead to a complete case of PTSD, but pointed out that the stress associated with election results is very real.
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