While the election is over, many people are still trying to figure out next steps for them emotionally and psychologically. It doesn’t matter if your candidates lost or won. For those that religiously follow politics, the last year or so of election season has likely been fairly overwhelming, and all that stress can take its toll – even after the election is over.
So what’s next?
Now may be a useful time to consider therapy for stress and anxiety – no matter if you’re happy or sad about the election results.
The Effects of Long Term Stress on Mental Health
Long term stress – including stress that lasts for many months of the year – is not just something that affects how you feel in the moment. It can, quite literally, change how your brain functions. Long term stress causes:
- Structural Changes in the Brain – Chronic stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that, in high amounts, damages brain structures such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The hippocampus, responsible for memory and learning, can shrink under high cortisol levels, impairing memory retention and recall. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functions such as decision-making and problem-solving, also weakens, leading to impaired cognitive processing.
- Overactivity in the Amygdala – The amygdala, which governs the brain’s fight-or-flight response, becomes more reactive under prolonged stress. This heightened state makes it difficult for the brain to manage fear responses, which can lead to heightened anxiety, increased irritability, and more impulsive behaviors.
The results of this stress are an increased risk of mental health disorders – especially anxiety and depression – that will continue onward, even after the election is over, as well as heightened issues with emotional regulation, memory, and sleep that all contribute to a worse quality of life.
The longer that stress continues, the more likely it will impact you, thus necessitating the need to address your mental health faster and make sure that you’re getting the help that will benefit you the most.
Next Steps for Your Mental Health
Even though the election is over, the effects of the election on your mental health may still be present. If you’ve been putting off therapy, now is a great time to start, as it can help you undo some of the damage that the stress did to your mind and prevent further risk of mental health challenges.
If you’re ready to get started, contact Long Island Psychology, today.
