Post-Election Stress Syndrome
Four years ago, I started writing Science & Society newsletters in response to the COVID pandemic, when disinformation and misinformation was populating all venues of communication. It was my attempt to help friends and family understand some microbiology, pharmacology, and human biology. Much of that writing also focused on combatting pseudoscience handed down from the highest governmental office. This is the same office that is poised to place a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer in the cabinet. What happens in the upcoming months is uncertain. What is clear is that post-election, many people are stressed, sad, despondent, angry, and scared along with a host of other emotions too numerous to mention. On November 5, 2024, people cast their ballots, and the next president of the United States won with just 50.5% of the vote.
For 70,916,946 voters, many are experiencing post-election stress syndrome. The emotions are justified as the rhetoric, vitriol, and plans for the next administration target citizens and non-citizens alike. Since the election (that’s 6 days ago) these groups have been targeted:
• members of the LGBTQ community
• women
• non-white people
This is the backdrop for uncertainty and unrest, all accompanied by physiological responses. This is not an over-reaction. I’ll begin by explaining what the stress response is and then provide concrete examples of why this election’s results are currently harming the people living within our borders.
Stress Response – This is our body’s automatic physiological reaction to a perceived threat. It’s a survival mechanism. The threat can be physical danger or psychological fear. It is commonly referred to as the “Fight or Flight Response.” Without our awareness, stress chemicals such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol are released to prepare us to confront danger (fight) or flee from danger (flight). It readies us to meet the danger and act. Heart rate increases, breathing rate goes up, glucose (sugar) is released to give us energy, and muscles tense. After the danger passes, this response usually resolves, and life goes on. For example, if you are driving a car and a dog runs out in front of you, your sympathetic nervous system immediately acts, and you slam on the brakes. You feel shaky as all those automatic responses kicked in. Once the dog is safely to the curb, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, and the stress chemicals no longer flood the blood, and calm resumes. But sustained stress can cause health problems: high blood pressure (hypertension), anxiety, depression, addiction, disordered sleep, and overeating. Each of these comes with a host of other conditions. Moreover, for individuals with stress disorders, triggers such as sights, sounds, smells, feelings, objects, or news reports of an assault can set off a response. This is true for dogs, too.
Many are struggling to understand how 74,650,754 people voted for a person with 34 felony convictions plus charges of fraud, election subversion and obstruction, defamation, and sexual assault. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime, and 81% have reported sexual harassment and/or assault. For survivors of sexual assault, triggers are common.
LGBTQ+ The president-elect’s attacks on the LGBTQ+ people have been ongoing for years. The Trevor Project’s post-election day crisis data is disheartening. The Trevor Project is a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ young people. To demonstrate the gravity of this, on November 6th, there was a:
• 700% increase in overall post-election services compared to weeks prior
• 5,200% increase in election-related content in conversations
• 125% increase in crisis contact directly related to election results
Members of the LGBTQ+ community and those that love them are on constant alert. Thus, the stress response is overactive.
Women. Since the election, social media has been flooded with misogynistic messages, including from Nick Fuentes, an American far-right political pundit who promotes white supremacy, misogyny, and antisemitism. In fact, he posted “your body, my choice” as more hate and harassment towards women continues. This guy has also dined at the private residence of the president-elect. Three of the six men on the United States Supreme Court have been accused of sexual assault. The president-elect appointed one of them. This is the same court that abandoned women in June 2022 when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Since stripping women the right to body autonomy, the maternal mortality rate in Texas increased by 56% and is attributable to the abortion ban. According to the CDC, 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States are preventable. Yes, women are stressed.
Non-White People Starting the day after the election, texts were sent country wide to Black people with messages telling them to report to the nearest plantation to pick cotton, that executive slaves would pick them up in a van, and that they would be slave labor. According to the NAACP, people now feel emboldened to spread hate. More stress and fear.
Post-Election Stress Disorder is the collective mental health condition, developed after experiencing the election. It is taking such forms as anxiety, sadness, depression, fear, anger, and detachment from other people. As millions of people struggle with the consequences of the election, it’s important to note that this affects the health of a nation. To hear people say “this is not who we are” discounts the feelings and experiences of millions of our neighbors. This is indeed who we are. Two elections have proved this is who we are. The election was not about choosing between Coke or Pepsi or the Cleveland Browns versus the Cincinnati Bengals. People will say they voted because of the economy. This is a convenient trope to repeat to friends and family, but in reality, it’s a refrain that likely hides their true hearts. The proof? According to the Economic Policy Institute by 2024:
• GDP has risen 2.9% annually since 2022, compared with 1.8% between 2007-2019 and 2.5% between 2017-2019
• Inflation-adjusted wages have reached a record high
• Unemployment averaged 3.8% since 2022, compared with 6.4% between 2007-2019 and 4.0% between 2017-2019
• Job growth has been faster overall
• New business formation is higher
• The stock market is higher and has grown much more rapidly
• Today’s economy is historically strong
Serotonin is a feel-good chemical, and increased levels make us happier. Stress depletes serotonin. To counter stress and increase serotonin levels without medicine, health experts suggest:
- Limiting news consumption
- Taking a break from social media
- Seeking mental health help
- Getting outside to enjoy sunshine
- Breathing deeply
- Exercising
- Yoga
- Meditating
- Laughing
- Engaging in a social activity
- Taking daily 10-minute walks outdoors
The United State of America was once held as the beacon of democracy. However, the aftermath of this election may extinguish that light. Look at the photo of Greta as a puppy, take a deep breath, and smile.
Economic Policy Institute
NAACP
National Sexual Violence Resource Center