Many are still living with a feeling of anxiety and political uncertainty right after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the U.S. presidential election in 2024. For those who are suffering from “Trump blues,” experts from the Mental Health Foundation have come up with an advisory on how to navigate mental health during times of political turbulence and worldwide situations that leave one feeling useless.
Lee Knifton, a director at the Mental Health Foundation, reassures that feelings of anxiety in response to traumatic world events like Trump’s win are natural and should not be dismissed. “Anxiety is not an unreasonable response, and you shouldn’t feel belittled for being worried,” Knifton emphasizes. The expected outcomes of Trump’s presidency can be alarming: threats to human rights, social divisions and economic instability, to name a few. All these might instil a whirlwind of emotions such as fear, uncertainty and a sense of loss of control.
However, the Foundation admits that if people are not directly affected by these, then continuous exposure to the media or social platforms would affect their mental health. It has put forward tips like pause and step back to look at things from the right perspective and eventually, with the passage of time, the emotional shock would fade away.
For those afflicted by chronic fear, the Foundation offers some practical tips on how to deal with anxiety. One of the biggest recommendations is to limit, as much as possible, news and even social media when one feels overwhelmed with negative emotions. The more exposure to such content-filled stressors, the higher the feelings of despair.
Another excellent technique involves ways to get in touch with, or be in contact with someone else, or at least to have a feeling of community. “Don’t bottle things up,” Knifton advises. Many people share similar feelings and reaching out to others can bestow a sense of solidarity and emotional support. Volunteering helps people to regain their sense of agency. It has been proven in many studies that volunteering does, in fact, besides affecting emotional well-being, reduce social isolation while giving some sense of purpose.
A 2023 National Council for Voluntary Organisations study found that 75% of those surveyed agreed that it helped to enhance their mental well-being. In addition to that, it increased their feeling of ‘fitting in’ into those communities which would not have occurred otherwise, as 74% said that it improved positive contacts with different kinds of people.
Another counter to feelings of powerlessness is to engage in activism. The Foundation suggests that one can identify political, social or environmental groups or participate in public debates. Activities at the local civic level-including work with community groups, and attendance at town meetings or causes such as neighbourhood safety or education have the power to give people control and make them feel empowered.
Among such organizations is Reach Volunteering which connects people holding professional skills with charity roles in financial services, legal services and education amongst many others. Volunteering or activism in these contexts can help people achieve both personal fulfilment and a sense of community while contributing to positive change.
In general, experts stress that the need to maintain emotional balance predominates in politically and socially turbulent times. If people are limiting their media exposure, volunteering or engaging with activists, these strategies help them reconstitute a sense of agency and redress despair. “Time is important,” the Foundation concludes, but only by finding ways to unpack and manage these difficult emotions can people finally cope with all the uncertainty arising from raging political landscapes.
Read More: The Psychology of Elections: Inside the Minds of Voters
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