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In my practice, clinical need skyrocketed last week. It reminded me of the other moments in my career when a national event caused great distress to many people: 9/11, the 2016 election, the Muslim ban, COVID, and the Dobbs decision. In response to the 2024 election results, I ask myself again: How can I be most helpful to those who are in deep distress during a time of great uncertainty?

The closer one is to a traumatic event, whether emotionally or physically, the more intense the blow will be. If you lived near the Twin Towers or if you lost a loved one on September 11, the shock, fearloss and pain They were intense. If you lived far from the East Coast or had no direct connection to New York, the cities where the planes took off, or the missing people, the event still felt horrible, but the effect was much less personal.

This construction also applies to the 2024 election. You may feel good after the election. But there is a large section of Americans who are suffering significant emotional pain after November 5th. Some young people are at much higher risk of self harm and suicide now than last week. In my office, young survivors of sexual assault report that he feels betrayed and insecure in a country that has just voted for a sexual abuser Calls to the Trevor Project, a national suicide and crisis phone and text line for LGBTQ+ youth, increased 700% on Nov. 6, compared to October. Talk about the election increased almost 5,200%.

My approach in the office after November 5

Sometimes patients freely share their concerns about election results, but others don’t know if my office is a safe space to talk openly. They don’t know if I will understand their heightened sense of vulnerability.

For patients who come to the office with increased distress, I ask them how they feel after the election. If they say “good”, I move on to the topic of their choice. They may have concerns about the election but don’t feel comfortable sharing them with me. If so, you now know that I welcome a debate on this topic if you wish to raise it in the future.

For those who are affected, my question gives you permission to share how you are doing. I’m interested in your perspective; It’s okay to talk to me about this topic.

If you are upset about the election, I ask for more details. Then, if appropriate, we talk about how they have suffered an emotional blow, directed at them, and that is why they feel so vulnerable, scared and alone.

While expressing pain, anxietyor fear, I affirm your feelings that the results are deeply disturbing and that the future is uncertain, which is frightening. Anything else would be gas lighting.

I don’t go into the details of my political leanings, but I do affirm the reality of this moment for marginalized groups. If the patient is happy with the current election results, my job is to lean on the concerns my patients have, not impose my own.

Some patients have shared an increase in suicide thoughts with intention and a plan. As therapists, we are faced with a specific type of wounded person and we need our words ready; They are our ointments and our medicines.

What I Tell Patients at Higher Risk for Self-Harm After the Election

If you get hurt, you are aligning yourself with the group that already hurt you deeply.

Right now, the most resilient act is to give yourself unwavering self-care and compassion and connect with your community.

This is a time when we need to reach out to each other and be together. We are more vulnerable alone. Who can you be with to help you with this feeling of isolation?

We don’t know what will happen in the coming days, months or years, but I promise you that you will not face it alone. We will continue to work together and this office will continue to be a safe place for you. I don’t have much power, but I have some. I promise Use the power I have to advocate for your health care needs and make school a safe place for you.

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I’ve had patients ask me how I’m doing, and the real answer is that I feel like our conversations are deeply meaningful and that this work has grounded me during a very turbulent time. While the therapeutic relationship It’s professional, the connection is real. I feel privileged when patients trust me to discuss these sensitive topics. Personally, I feel less helpless if I can provide comfort and connection, one conversation at a time. It seems to me that this is always the first step forward for all of us in turbulent times.

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If you or a loved one is thinking about suicide, seek help immediately. For 24/7 help, call 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. For To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.