How Can Psychiatrists Help Our Post-Election Mental Health?

COMMENTARY ON THE DAILY NEWS

Choose words that heal, not harm.

– Ivanka Trump tweeted about X on November 4th about her birthday

Maybe half of the voters who voted for President-Elect Trump are happy, while the other half are sad. Perhaps that divide between happy and sad feelings is also evident in non-voters. However, regardless of political, social and personal preferences, I think there are mental health problems that all psychologists can help to deal with.

It has become clear that we psychiatrists are still absent from political affairs. Besides Bandy Lee, editor of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump and his close followers, psychiatrists played a very small role in recent political elections and debates. Perhaps that was influenced by the Goldwater Act, which advises against psychiatrists using their expertise to publicly comment on public figures. However, there is another ethical guideline in the same Section 7 of the American Medical Association/American Psychiatric Association ethical guidelines that prioritizes dealing with issues that harm health. and common sense in our communities.

While I wonder if more mental input would have been beneficial, and the Goldwater Act may need to be re-examined, in the meantime there are ways to integrate moral principles through public education and politician about what contributes to mental health in this most difficult time. . Here are some of them:

–Maslow’s Hierarchy of Psychological Needs. Here, the basics of safety, security, and physical needs need to be provided to lay the foundation for self-confidence and self-expression.

–Freud. Freud placed the ability to act and to love as essential to normality. The strong influence of the perceived economy on electoral decisions is consistent with this rubric and with Maslow’s.

–Post-traumatic growth. For those who have accepted the losing side, some trauma is inevitable, but there can be subsequent growth and resilience in spirit, community support, and a renewed vision of the future. Grieving is also necessary to move on.

–Narcissistic Hubris. The winning side must be careful not to humiliate the losers, provoking future retaliation, and the losing side to make up their own minds without blaming the other side.

–Our patients. Watch their responses, especially any causes of past anxiety, and fear of losing resources, especially for transients and immigrants.

–Reduce Social Psychopathologies. Vice President Harris and his identity may face many challenges of xenophobia, sexism, sexism, racism, anti-Asianism, anti-Semitism, ideology religious and climate deniers, both from the general public, especially the other party. Classifying and putting these social problems into clinical context can lead to new solutions.

–Push for Peace. Psychiatrists are now trying to organize and advocate for peace. Some analysis needs to be done as to why the 2 current wars started during the last administration.

All such factors need to be complemented by basic human empathy, compassion, respect and dignity, as well as a realistic assessment of the facts. We will be in a state of flux and a period of transition during the next 2 months before the transition to a new President. Let’s take advantage of this time to support mental health in any way we can.

Dr. Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist specializing in cultural and ethical psychiatry and is currently retired and retired as a pro bono private practice practitioner. A prolific writer and speaker, he has created a weekly column titled “Psychiatry in the Daily News” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” since the COVID-19 pandemic. it appears. He has been selected to receive the 2024 Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Association for Social Psychiatry. Previously, he received the Management Award in 2016 from the American Psychiatric Association, a one-time designation as a Community Psychiatry Champion from the APA Conference Speaker in 2002, and the Exemplary Award of Psychiatry from the National Alliance for the. Mentally Ill in 1991. She is an advocate and campaigner on mental health issues related to climate change, medical burnout, and xenophobia. He is currently editing the final book in a 4-volume series on religion and mental illness for Springer: Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianity, and the present. Eastern Religions, and Spirituality. He serves on the Editorial Board of Times of Mind.