Michigan voters are being bombarded with political ads, and it’s impacting some people’s mental health.
“The ads is on everything we utilize. It’s on TV. It’s on YouTube. It’s all on social media. It’s everywhere,” voter Ryan Turner said.
“We don’t need the vitriol. I don’t think it contributes to good conversations. I’m surprised a lot of times that what is allowed,” voter Cathleen Hagan said.
Most of the campaign ads are negative.
And that’s by design, according to Dr. Arash Javanbakht, the director of Wayne State University’s Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic.
“If I scare you, you will listen better, and you’ll pay more attention. You will donate more. And it has become basically to the point of taking advantage of our tribal nature,” he said.
As a psychiatrist, he sees many patients who are experiencing anxiety surrounding the election.
“Regardless of their political views, they are terrified that if the other side is going to win, this country is going to be destroyed,” Dr. Javanbakht said.
He advises his patients to ignore political ads for their peace of mind.
“I’m not suggesting people should be ignorant. You want to know, but that political ad or that text message is not going to add anything to your knowledge, right?” Javanbakht said.
He is the author of the book “AFRAID: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety,” which explores the politics of fear.
Javanbakht said if someone is feeling angry about the election, he suggests getting involved.
“So now I have transformed this energy to action that is not eating me up, and turning to hatred towards people I’ve never met, and turning into something that can move things towards the positive,” he said.