Presidential Depression: Dealing With Post-Election Blues

I'm working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone's project will look different, but it's the rare person who can't benefit. Join in -- no need to catch up, just jump in right now.

No matter what happens on November 4th, a lot of people are going to be elated, and a lot of people are going to be dejected. What can you do if you're worried that you're going to fall into a major depression on November 5th?

You can take comfort from an area of research in the fairly new field of positive psychology, infelicitously named affective forecasting, which examines how people predict their future emotional states. It turns out that when we try to forecast our emotional state in the future, we tend to overestimate how horrible or how great we're going to feel as a consequence of a certain outcome.

For example, studies have examined college students' reactions to a loss by their school's football team, and young professors' reactions to not making tenure, and even the reactions of people who tested positive for HIV, and it turns out that people consistently overestimated how upsetting bad news would be (or how uplifting good news would be).

When you focus on just one aspect of the future - say, the identity of the President - you give this fact more prominence than it will actually have in your life. The identity of the President is important, but it won't be the only thing that you think about on November 5, and December 12, and March 19, etc.

So if you've been telling everyone that if The Other Candidate wins, you're going to move to Canada or Switzerland, remember that on November 5th, you probably won't feel as devastated as you expect.

If you'd like to read more about this topic, check out Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness and Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener's Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth.

Or do you dismiss the studies? I told a friend of mine about this research, and he said, "You can survey all the college students you want, but if things don't go the way I want in this election, I'm going to be depressed for a year." How do you predict you're going to feel, when the votes are cast?

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*** Interested in starting your own Happiness Project? If you'd like to take a look at Gretchen Rubin's Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email her at grubin, then the "at" sign, then gretchenrubin dot com. No need to write anything more than "Resolutions Chart" in the subject line.

Comments

[mespace]

Let's face it people. Either candidate is about 20 light years ahead of Bush. I'm not real crazy about Obama, and I'm equally not crazy about McCain. I'm just relieved SOMEONE new is taking over. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[SCarolina49]

I'm guessing we all have this potential state of depression coming up. Nov 5th 2008 will certainly be for some a day they will remember for the rest of their life! On this forum many write of this if McCain wins.
For others if Obama wins. For me I've wondered for awhile now just how we as a country have gotten to this place. All my life I've been told to work hard, pay your bills, live right and everything else will fall into place. I'm not so sure I can have that same talk with my children. My country has gone down a road that no matter who wins this Nov we've gone over the edge to a way of life that is enviable. America is stumbling and I see no one to catch her. So you see my depression. Yours falls on one winner. Mine is gone either way. Our canidates have lost touch of what this country stands for and the document that was written to guide her!

God save us from ourselves!

[LintLass]

At this point, if Obama doesn't win, what I'll be depressed about is the theft of America herself.

I think after 2004, the problem was similar: ...perhaps it was about too many Americans getting fooled twice. ...perhaps the prospect of doubling the duration of the unendurable had something to do with it....

[whatsthatsound]

If the other guys win, I'll have Chronic Pa(l)in Syndrome.

[PatrickforO]

I've lived and breathed this campaign for almost two years now. It will be an adjustment when it's over.

[diwdeesmom]

I will be very disappointed if McCain wins, but I refuse to allow myself to become depressed over it.

My husband has promised that he is leaving the country if that happens and I will go with him. We have been expats before and it was a mostly fun adventure. So either way it will be alright, though my disappointment with my country will know no bounds. I really don't want to leave under these circumstances, so I am praying for Obama to win.

Having lived overseas during the Iraq war, I had to hear more than one European complain about Pres. Bu$h. It was not a comfortable feeling to know that I was hated because of the actions of this administration. If McCain wins I will work on my Scottish accent.

[boogiewoman]

I remember how I felt 4 years ago and it took me about a month not to tear up everyday. I knew we were in trouble as a country. This time if Obama doesn't win, I think I will never ever vote again or care what happens in this country. I'll just go through the motions.

[radnip]

Time to listen to Jefferson.

[delirium42]

If McCain somehow wins...I really don't think I'd be able to go to work the next day, I'd be too shattered. I know I'd be joining any and all protests if it's proven the election was stolen (there would be such anger); but if it's a truely legit win...I really don't know if I could stay in this country. How can you live somewhere, where your "fellow" countrymen are so vehemently against your every belief and value? At the very least I'd have to move somewhere very very liberal, Cali or Portland or something, at least move out of the Midwest...­I don't think I could stand reading another editorial from a conservative after that without feeling incredible rage.

[Jezreel]

If this were an ordinary election and my candidate lost, I predict that I would feel very disappointed and I might even feel depressed for weeks before start ing to plan and act to bring about about a different outcome in 4 years.
But this is not an ordinary election. I firmly believe that America has arrived at an historical crossroads and the choice we make on November 4 will impact our future both as a nation and as a neighbor in the global community. If McCain wins the election my sentiment will not be depression as much as fear and dread. I honestly do not believe that our country can withstand 4 years of a McCain/Palin administration. And the thought of a Palin administration in the event of McCain's unfortunate demise is unimaginable.

[llisa]

I fell into a major depression 8 years ago, and it has only let up during bouts of terror and anger. I have had quite foreign and nearly forgotten twinges of hope lately that I would like to see grow and flourish, but I find myself tamping them down in case I somehow jinx things by wanting too hard.

I really have felt helpless during these dark times. And I believe that most of our electorate felt that way as well, because they all seemed to stand cluelessly by as our government spun more and more out of control.

Whatever happens on election day, people in power have GOT to stand up and do what is right for the citizens of this country and for the global community. I'd like to think that we couldn't get any lower, but I'm afraid that if the new administration continues in the path of the previous one, we will. And there will be no saving us.

Whoa. That was not inspiring. So, I'm off to read how well Obama is doing, and then go in tomorrow to the local Dem headquarters to work and get another dose of hope. Looks like I need it.

[sable41]

its a shame to say, Obama win or lose, its gona be some drankin done..!!!

[Oldbuck]

I really think there is a difference in depression and disappointment. Depression last for a long period of time where as disappointment only last for several days. Now if I were the one who had campaigned for the past two year if I lost. I would probable be depressed.

[JBS]

Disappointment was what we felt Dec 12, 2000 after the Supreme Court decided to hijack the election.

Depression is what we're feeling now, after having lived with the results for 7 years 10 months and 19 days.

[azyuwish]

Exactamundo.

[AZTrueBlue]

I'm laying in my stock of potato chips, cookies, ice cream and donuts.
If Obama doesn't win. I will eat myself in oblivion!

[Oldbuck]

I am with you let eat if we lose.

[Julie02]

If Obama loses, I'll cry on and off for about a year like a menopausal monster.

[IndyReader]

I'm invited to either as post-election celebration or a post-election funeral on the 5th. I strongly hope it's the former. I don't know if I can handle a whole room full of Democrats with knives sticking from their chests. :-)