Credit: BusinessDayNg

Historically, politics has been referred to as a game. Thus, like any game, politics involves winning and losing. When there is a win, the body goes into a state of euphoria. On the other hand, a defeat may result in depression.

Political euphoria and depression are both associated with negative emotional build-ups that can cascade into systemic dysfunction which has been well-documented to result in life-threatening diseases like a stroke.

The elation that results from euphoric experiences may be sometimes counterproductive if not well-managed. Although, this is a function of personality predispositions based on individual differences. Similarly, losers may zoom into a depressive phase when no other alternative route is available due to poor adjustment or adaptation to the encountered reality.

The risk of the onset of stroke is increased within hours to days after psychological triggers associated with a political event. This is supported by the report of a published study that revealed an increased incidence of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases after the United States presidential election in 2016.

In the case of Africa, its political setting is extremely competitive, and many times combative. This may lead to possible higher psychological stress. In addition, the electioneering process is less transparent and the quest for good governance and inclusiveness has increased the psychological triggers amongst the citizenries.

The Nigerian 2023 electioneering has started with different dramas that could predispose the citizens to psychological triggers. Some of these triggers include sleep deprivation, headaches, anxiety, depression and so on.

The anxiety is not always accidental. “Campaigns can feed off of the fear of the unknown,” said Dr. Robert Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. After all, the goal of the aspirants is to try to make voters choose sides.

From statistics, stress-related illnesses in Nigeria are way higher than the global average. Therefore, we must take necessary actions to control the pressure associated with the electioneering process.

We now live in the era of an incredibly polarized political environment, and thanks to smartphones and computers, we are constantly soaking them in. Putting deliberate efforts into sieving the information we consume is one of the ways to ease ourselves off this stress. Furthermore, arguments and banters associated with political jingoism should be downplayed and the sanctity of life, upheld.

Finally, individuals should learn to ease their tension when expectations are not met. Also, appropriate lifestyle modification, exercise and other positive activities are essential to avoid unexpected neurological disorders like stroke.

Resource:

Mefford, M. T., Mittleman, M. A., Li, B. H., Qian, L. X., Reynolds, K., Zhou, H., Harrison, T. N., Geller, A. C., Sidney, S., Sloan, R. P., Mostofsky, E., & Williams, D. R. (2020). Sociopolitical stress and acute cardiovascular disease hospitalizations around the 2016 presidential election. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(43), 27054–27058. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2012096117)123:14