The general election is an event to determine voters. In Indonesia, elections not only elect presidential and vice presidential pairs, but also elect legislative representatives. Like other competitions, every legislative candidate can experience defeat which causes him to not qualify for parliament. This defeat can cause legislative and team candidates to successfully experience stress.

Causes Of Stress Due To Elections

There are many factors that cause candidates and teams to successfully experience stress due to elections. Some of the causes of stress include:

Having high expectations

Everyone who competes always has the opportunity and hope to win. When competing, although the data shows candidates on the favored side, the reality on the ground can be different. This difference between reality and expectations causes a person to become stressed when the results are not as expected. 

Has spent a lot of money

Running an election campaign costs a lot of energy, costs and thoughts. Many legislative candidates are risking their wealth in order to get the people's votes. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that a campaign that spends a lot of money can guarantee victory during elections. When the election results do not match the wishes, a legislative candidate can feel like they have lost everything, namely money and the opportunity to lead.

Social pressure

Sometimes the tension caused by an electoral defeat is triggered by social pressure. Stress can also be brought on, for instance, by individuals or the legislative candidates' success team who find it difficult to concede defeat and who call on the candidates to organize a protest and engage in anarchic behavior. However, societal pressure like others making fun of you might also make you feel worse after the election.

Also read: Elections Can Cause Stress, Here's How To Overcome It

How to Overcome Stress Due to Elections

In competing, it takes great heart to accept defeat. Instead of blaming various parties for the defeat suffered, it would be better to wisely take lessons from the events experienced. The following actions can help you release the pressure that comes with losing:

Congratulations to the opponent

Defeat is painful, but congratulating opponents can help you accept defeat better. Although it's not easy, try to congratulate your opponent by shaking hands, telling him directly or sending a message to him. With this attitude, you show that you uphold sportsmanship and are able to be tolerant.

Also read: Psychological Reasons Why Talking About Politics Can Trigger A Quarrel

Taking lessons from defeat

It is always possible to draw lessons from every experience, including failure. Of course, there are things you can learn from hosting elections throughout the campaign season, such as:

• Develop effective communication skills in the community
• Formulating a victorious approach
• Exercise both mentally and physically
• Capacity for problem-solving

Take time to rest

Election events are events that take a lot of time and energy. After the election, there's nothing wrong with you to rest in reorganizing your plans for the future. You can keep doing the work and activities you like while determining what you're going to do, setting up new targets or planning new things that you want to learn after the election. 

Limit the use of social media

If you feel tired of reading news about the election, you should limit the use of social media, especially access to listen to news. If reading too much election news causes you to have difficulty sleeping, stress and a lack of appetite, it's time to limit the use of social media and the type of news you consume. 

Consultation with psychologists or psychiaters

If the defeat due to the election causes you to experience severe stress and the method above does not work to overcome the anxiety you feel, then you should check with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Mental health experts will help check and recommend handling that suits your symptoms. 

It is not easy to accept defeat, especially defeat due to the election. If you need medical advice, don't hesitate to consult with a doctor or utilize the consultation features provided by Ai Care.

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