It's over. Election day has made Donald Trump the president-elect after he won a contentious victory over Hillary Clinton following an almost two-year campaign of attack ads, heated discussions and social media exchanges, angry debates, and constant cable and network news coverage. The election appears to have exposed a divide in the United States that's not new.
"This kind of vilification, this enormous schism in the populous has been characteristic of the country for a while," says Jeff Janata, PhD, Division Chief of Psychology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. "I think, to some extent, we've become more comfortable with the idea that people we know hold very different opinions than we do."
Dr. Janata says for the country to heal, Donald Trump and his supporters need to move ahead with humility while critics of Donald Trump need to accept the reality the nation will not fall apart.
"Anxiety and fear have us focusing on our most catastrophic worries and we need to work to reign that in," says Dr. Janata. "The worst possible outcomes probably aren't likely."
Tips for Post-Election Healing*Listen to each other, don't shout at each other*Don't vilify people with different opinions*Accept what happened with humility*Comfort ourselves with conciliation, communication and self-comfort*If you don't like the outcome, get involved
Jeff Janata, PhD, bio:http://www.uhhospitals.org/find-a-doctor/janata-jeffrey-652
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