Still Having Those Election Blues?

May 2018 saw the making of a historical milestone in Malaysia’s political landscape, as the country witnessed a change of ruling power for the first time in 59 years.

- Lim Teck Choon

The road to this milestone had been a tumultuous one, however, and regardless of which side of the fence one may be on, some people may still experience or are starting to experience anxiety long after the election results. If you are one of these people, read on to find out what the experts have to say on getting over these election blues.

LAST YEAR WAS QUITE DISTRESSING FOR SOME FOLKS IN THE US AND UK

Donald Trump officially became the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017, and even more than a year later, he remains a polarizing figure both in the USA and outside. In the months prior to his inauguration, he engaged in acrimonious debate with his political opponent Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the resulting fallout saw their supporters engaging in heated debate on social media. The mainstream media took sides, as did Hollywood, and dirt was flung from each side in a noholds barred fight.

It was then mental health professionals noticed an unfortunate trend: more and more Americans were becoming anxious. The American Psychological Association (APA), in fact, noted that they saw the anxiety rates in the US increase for the first time in a decade!

Many people reported that they became addicted to following political news on social media, but doing so resulted in greater stress levels. As a result, many became less interested in work or school. Others became very worried about their livelihood and future. This phenomenon was not restricted to people who supported a certain political party: it affected people regardless of their political affiliation.