In recent years, the tendency for a political event, whether an election, a civil battle, or a worldwide insurrection, to elicit effects such as stress and anxiety has also been on the rise. As a result, people stare into the contrast of the world order as the majority of the population finds itself in some kind of political turbulence more often than before and despite this geared to high suppressive measures, lots of people cope with the emotional costs by seeking a counselling therapist. The article will look into political stress, that will include its influence on the well-being of people in the communities, and how people are able to seek help from professionals during these trying moments.
Also known as political anxiety, political stress is excessive worry and emotional disturbance triggered by the political events and the media coverage of such events. The presence of real-time news channels, social media, and notifications has created an era where people have too much information most of the time to the point of information overload. In a study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), almost 60% of the Americans admitted that they were anxious about the politics of the country, while a majority worried about thriving political regimes or leadership styles that would make adverse decisions concerning them and their people. In India, 52% of the Indian respondents in a YouGov Survey claimed that politics influences their psychology while 45% of them relate or suffer from frequent anxiety and political stress. Political stress has various sources, and they include:
1. Unpredictability: concerns over the future may arise in view of the political environment especially in cases of ongoing political unrest. In 2022 it was found that 37% of Indians were bothered about the availability of jobs due to political activities.
2. Social Media: The majority of users in India, particularly the youth, are active on Facebook and other networking sites, encouraging political engagement, which directly distracts people from carrying out constructive tasks peacefully, instead creating enmity and occasionally leading to serious difficulties. In a study conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, it was noted that 60% of social media users in India had heightened levels of anger and stress due to the posts on political issues and developments in such sites.
3. Attitudes: Some subjects which are regarded as controversies in the politics can evoke displeasure to some individuals with a contrary perspective. A study published in the Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry found that 47% of the people polled were more tense at times with a political agenda, thus there exists some correlation of political issues to personal beliefs.
Political stress can harbour a lot of negative consequences on an individual’s health. Prolonged exposure to instabilities and conflicts prevailing in the surrounding can cause such risks as anxiety, depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among individuals. How does political stress relate to these conditions? A lot of people feel uneasy when it comes to politics. Evidence suggests that consuming upsetting content can exacerbate pre-existing anxiety conditions. The National Mental Health Survey of India states that approximately 7.3% of the Indian population suffers from anxiety disorders. Most of these people associate that distress with the political and social environment.
Political stress may also lead to despair. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), 15% of the Indians will experience depression at least once during their lifetime and includes political stress factors. In the case of exogenous issues related to political violence, the consequences may be horrifying. According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, levels of post-traumatic stress disorder for people who have been victims of communal riots or political upheavals may be as high as thirty percent. This evidence shows the effects political stress has on the mental well-being of individuals.
Many people resort to counselling especially during politically charged climates. The mental health experts are needed mainly to help an individual accept their emotions and learn how to deal with them. There is warmth and a sense of confidentiality in counselling that encourages the clients to express their political views and issues. It is such an atmosphere that allows the clients to express their feelings even addressing the cause of their stress without the fear of any judgement. The research conducted at NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) indicated that those who practised these techniques had a decrease of 40% in their level of anxiety.
On the other hand, some people are more likely to suffer from negative automatic thoughts triggered by political events that arise in the lives of many people. In such cases, the therapist can help the client to identify these thoughts and work on them so that they do not bother the person any more. This restructuring of cognitions is useful for the individual, as it leads to a better attitude towards the problem.
Meeting other people can be very helpful in dealing with political pressures. In fact, clients are often advised to take part in some activity and join a group. It has been found that high blood pressure is related to the presence or absence of social support; one of the studies showed that 25% less stress was reported by those who had network support. A community program in Mumbai reported a 30 % increase in the mental wellbeing of the participants quantitatively correlated to several group discussions conducted within the particular community on political issues.
Political instability in itself, for example, if there are frequent changes in government or civil unrest creates a vacuum. This may also cause concern because they will feel that they cannot control what lies ahead of them. For example, during the protests against CAA and NRC in India in 2020, anxiety of many people was cited due to the prospect of violence and a fracturing society.
Whenever there is a threat to civil rights, there can be a deterioration in the mental well-being of the people. According to the National Human Rights Commission of India, disadvantaged sections of society have more mental illness problems when there are political disturbances due to fear and discrimination. As stated in one study, 45 percent of the disadvantaged population considered that their mental health was adversely affected by external factors relating to political struggles for their rights.
The public conversations also impact mental health and wellbeing. In India, an increase in political barriers and divisions has contributed towards increasing the levels of social tension, which has led to cases of depression and anxiety. According to a survey conducted by The Economic Times, 62 per cent of the respondents indicated their anxiousness due to the fact that some political opinions or positions were strongly polarised on social media.
There are some political climates in which the provision of mental health services is restrained. In war, or areas of strong political unrest, on the other hand, such facilities could be hard to come by. The Indian Department of Health and Family Welfare reveals that approximately eight in every ten individuals suffering from mental illness do not seek help because of stigma, lack of resources, or unfavourable political situations – which could be worse in war settings.
Given how political anxiety affects people everywhere, one hopes to be able to find the right support. Many mental health counsellors actively focus on mitigating and treating the effects of political stress and anxiety. In case assistance for mental well being needs to be found, try to look for trained political stress therapists. Such people will greatly aid the clients in managing their emotions relating to the political situation.
Presently, the political strain and its effects on the mental well-being of the citizens is one of the many putative theories. With the challenges of the political landscape and what’s more, its associated news causing psychological distress among people, it is wise to turn to a therapist or counsellor to learn ways to cope with the anxiety-induced blaming attacks. Counselling therapists can help individuals to deal with political stress instead of avoiding it by providing a healthy environment to articulate their concerns, challenging unhelpful cognitions and facilitating the process of socialisation in the face of stressors.
At this time most of us are experiencing political ambiguity, and in this case it’s important to manage stress and reach out for help when necessary. Initiating the process of understanding the benefits of counselling and consulting mental health practitioners may help individuals in dealing with political stress and improving their health.