How Politics Is Changing Conversations Between Therapists And Patients

The 2016 election and its aftermath brought unprecedented levels of stress surrounding politics. Just ask therapists. Mental health experts say the current political climate is coming up with patients during their sessions more than ever before ― and there are no signs of it slowing down. “Conversations have changed,” Cheryl Gore-Felton, a psychologist at Stanford Health Care, told HuffPost. “The anxiety and worry about the future are not new topics, but what is new is their relationship to politics.” A poll conducted in January by the American Psychological Association found that two thirds of all Americans feel anxiety over the future of the country. A recent analysis also found that Talkspace, an online counseling resource, saw an increase in users since the election. Reports also show that there was a rise in calls to crisis helplines directly following the results. Psychologists are colloquially dubbing the anxiety following the presidential race “post-election stress disorder.” And it’s an issue that’s nonpartisan: Clients on both sides of the aisle have expressed their concern, according to Chloe Carmichael, a New York City-based therapist focusing on anxiety and depression. “There’s a real range of emotions,” Carmichael told HuffPost. “It’s been very anxiety-provoking for a lot of people.” Differing concerns based on political affiliations While stress is not a partisan experience in...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news