General elections are a time when emotions can run high, whether you are a candidate, avid supporter or a voter.
THIS is that period of time where politicians are likely to be the most anxious.
Some must have struggled with the anxiety of wondering if they would be nominated to contest the upcoming general elections.
For others, who have passed that stage by now, there would be that “what if” feeling, fearing the prospect of not being elected.
For some, it could be a real fear of losing all and losing face, not to mention jeopardising long-term political ambitions.
Adding on to this rollercoaster ride is poor sleep, fatigue and irritability, particularly during the campaigning period.
Social media is also likely to rear its ugly head with juicy, but often unverified, stories to vilify candidates, which will likely add on to their psychological distress. Despite these challenges, politicians have generally proven to be a special breed, for many of them can get going when the going gets tough and giving it their best shot, even when the cards are stacked against them.
For the rest of us too, the coming general election is likely to increase our stress, regardless of who will be getting our vote.
Constant media coverage and debates in our home and workplace, or on social media platforms, along with concerns about how the results of the election will affect our lives and society, all have the potential to impact negatively on our well-being.
With a record number of political parties in the ring – often with confusing permutations, reflecting the various interests, alliances and strategies among the contesting groups – voters who are already disturbed by the current political climate are required to think hard before casting their ballot.
When ideology and identity become increasingly tied to political groups, it leads to more animosity and situations where political differences can feel like personal attacks.
People may get more worried and feel insecure if their party does not win.
Additionally, predictions of significant weather phenomenon and the recently-reported wave of Covid-19 cases due to new viral subvariants, only heightens anxiety surrounding conversations on elections. Bitterness and pervasive negativity during the campaign period, amplified by news channels and social media, can create a level of stress and resentment that can intrude into our relationships with those around us.
We can become more reactive, irritable or withdrawn.
Fortunately, in our country, this hurtfulness and viciousness generally disappears once votes are cast, with smiles all around afterwards, even among political archrivals and their followers.
A stressful period
It is likely that this “election anxiety” that will grapple the nation until voting day will be just like other forms of stress and anxiety, having the potential to impact our physical and mental health. Such anxiety can trigger our autonomic nervous system, leading to a spike in the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which are also known as stress hormones.
Too much adrenaline can increase the risk of a heart attack and stroke.
Meanwhile, increased cortisol levels can affect our health in numerous ways, including increasing blood sugar levels, suppressing the immune system and constricting blood vessels. Stress and anxiety also impact a pair of almond-sized structures in our brain called the amygdala. These structures or nuclei, which govern our senses, memories, decisions and moods, can respond in an irrational or disproportionate manner during periods of increased stress in our lives.
The coming elections, touted to be the mother of all elections, could be such a period for some of us.
While we do not have robust studies on election anxiety in Malaysia, there are examples of it in other countries.
One study by the British Associa-tion for Counselling and Psychothe-rapy found that in the 2019 general elections in the United Kingdom, one-third of people reported a negative effect on their mental well- being due to the perceived uncertainty over potential government policies post-elections.
Similarly, a survey in the United States done a year before the last presidential elections in 2020, showed that 56% of American adults reported the elections was a “significant stressor” in their lives.
So, elections and stress seem to go hand-in-hand no matter where we are in the world.
Attitudes towards voting
In addition to the effects of election anxiety, our personality types and accumulative experience of the past may also shape our mental inclination and voting behaviour during the general elections.
The majority of registered voters are likely to be eager to cast their ballot on voting day.
They are probably those who are overwhelmed with strong emotions like gratitude and civic consciousness.
They may have strong opinions on why they are inclined to vote a particular candidate or political party, perhaps after spending several months wrestling with policies, politics and ideologies.
These eager voters strongly feel that every vote counts despite knowing that their vote is only one among millions.
On the other hand, those who are apathetic about voting may be undecided about whether or not to even cast their ballot as they may feel that their one vote will not make a difference to the outcome of the elections.
This is likely to be more prominent among young voters who may feel that politics is the business of older adults.
The lack of political interest and the absence of a solid indication of personal benefit through voting, makes this group apathetic and detached from political developments.
Others in this group would need for the issues being raised by the candidates to concern their immediate needs in order to be motivated to vote. On the other hand, there are those who are cynical and dismissive of the whole election process and who refuse to cast their vote at all. In reality, they may be argumentative and opinionated about political developments, but somehow rationalise their abstinence in voting.
Their justification is that lining up to vote is a waste of their time and not worthy of their effort and resources.
They may also declare that the political system is untrustworthy.
Paradoxically, it is this group that often espouses strong political views.
This type of behaviour, known as Down’s paradox, has been taken advantage of by political strategists in the past, allowing underdogs to catapult to victory in many landmark elections globally.
Dealing with election anxiety
It might be useful to limit the amount of time we spend doomscrolling on social media or being obsessed over the news.
Doomscrolling means spending a lot of time on our electronic devices reading bad or negative news.
We also need to be cautious when processing news, especially from unbiased sources.
During these exciting times, it is better to surround ourselves with positive resources, like friends or family whom we are comfortable with and can talk to openly, rather than spending time with toxic individuals.
We also need to respect others who may have a different political ideology.
Tensions can run high and we may need to work hard to ensure our relationships remain intact.
Therefore, it is good to limit the time spent with those we find difficult to engage with, especially when it comes to politics.
However, there might be occasions when we can have a meaningful conversation with someone who disagrees with us, as long as it is a respectful dialogue.
We can all channel our concerns to make a positive difference on issues we care about, even personally without contesting an election.
Therefore, no matter what the outcome of the 15th General Elections is, we need to try to maintain a balanced perspective.
Voting in an election is one of our fundamental rights to make our voice heard.
Additionally, having this opportunity allows us to feel positive, empowered and confident.
So, with the general election just around the corner, we should consider how to control election anxiety in order to protect our mental health at this time of great tension, while still engaging in this vital democratic process.
Dr. Andrew Mohanraj 