America To Turkey, Learning To Live With "Post-Election Stress Disorder"
Long tail of the 2000 U.S. election
On the eve of the 2016 election victory of U.S. President Donald Trump, the electorate went to bed with a feeling of great uncertainty and woke up to a shock: Trump had won. The ensuing feelings of rage and hopelessness contributed to the not-uncommon experience we can describe as PESD.
Although PESD has not been fully defined in a clinical way, available data suggest real symptoms: hopelessness, anxiety about the future, insecurity, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, stomach ache, headache, fatigue, lack of sleep, lack of concentration and more.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), fieldwork during the presidential elections of 2016 and 2020 revealed that 52% of voters experienced election stress, meaning they suffered from one or more of the symptoms above in 2016 – with that number rising dramatically to 68% in 2020.
A Hillary Clinton supporter holds up a "Not My President" sign in protest of Donald Trump.
Winners' stress
That research also recorded an interesting piece of data. While higher levels of stress were found among voters on the losing side, a significant number of those in the winning camp experience stress as well.
During critical elections, like the one Turkey just had, tension and stress peak among polarized blocs of voters, and many struggled to digest the loss.
With elections worldwide likely to remain polarized, and the ongoing challenge of social media keeping people tense and pitted against one other, stress and trauma reactions after elections are increasingly likely.
As with all trauma, voters who suffer from election trauma first seek methods to deny the results before looking for somewhere to direct their anger and shock.
It’s not for nothing that for many, the first reaction to both the first and the second round of the recent presidential elections in Turkey was denial. The question of ballot security also became a top concern for many – an inevitable concern when trust in institutions is weak.
After confusion and shock comes rage, which is most apparent on social media in Turkey. It’s definitely important that this feeling is expressed. But when voters cannot find a means to channel their rage, it inevitably drags them to pessimism and depression.
Discouraged voters may drop out of politics
There are many things that we can do to deal with PESD. First, distancing yourself from social media and not tuning in to the news or political debate shows for a while may help. You don’t need to stop following politics or worry about the state of the country – think of it as an opportunity to rejuvenate and recharge your batteries.
Alternatively, joining the world of politics in a more active, politically organized way could be a serious alternative for voters who experience disappointment and rage.
In Turkey, post-election stress may affect two groups particularly strongly: the 5 million young people who voted for the first time and those who got interested in politics for the first time during this period.
We – and political parties – should heed the voice of those groups, and understand their disappointment. If not, I fear these groups may drop out of politics in the future. This would be a huge loss for a dynamic country like Turkey because the structural problems of our country can only be solved if the whole nation is politically active and involved.
