Post-Election 2008: Psychiatrists offer tips on getting over post-election blues

Post-election blues * Insomnia * Loss of appetite * Exhaustion * Depression * Thoughts of suicide

Following the recent presidential election, psychiatrists suggested that voters should try to get some exercise and enough sleep, in order to return to their normal schedule as soon as possible.

Psychiatrists said that the number of people who suffer from insomnia or loss of appetite always increases after an important election.

Some of them suffer from an "adjustment disorder," which may eventually trigger "melancholia," they said.

Yang Tsung-tsair (楊聰財), director of Cardinal Tien Hospital's psychiatry department, said some patients complained before the election that they had difficulty sleeping because they were worried about the prospects of their favored candidate.

When they sought outpatient services, pro-blue camp and pro-green camp outpatients automatically sat on different sides of the waiting area, they said.

Yang warned that supporters of the losing candidate may feel exhausted and depressed and think negatively, and some may even want to commit suicide.

If these symptoms last for two weeks, they should seek professional help, Yang said.

Lin Po (林博), a physician at the psychiatry department of the Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, said that campaign workers, relatives and friends of the losing candidate may suffer the most depression.

Li said that the best solution was for the losing candidate to offer an "acceptable" explanation to comfort his supporters.

He also advised his patients that although the election is over, they could monitor the new government's performance.

This could give them hope as they realize there was still something important they could do, he said.