Is Being a Democrat Bad For Your Mental Health?

[SharonAnn]

My take on this is different from hers. Sociopaths and Psychopaths often think their mental health is "fine". People who are more in touch with themselves may be more aware of their personal concerns and difficulties. Autocratic, dictatorial people as well as active alcoholics, have always told me that they're "fine". That doesn't make it true. Any sane person would say these people are exhibiting strong signs of mental illness. But they think they're "fine".

People who are more in touch with themselves may be more aware of their personal concerns and difficulties. People who are more in touch with reality and who have empathy for others may be more concerned about "not having all the answers".

IS BEING A DEMOCRAT BAD FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

Opinion - Maggie Gallagher
"Tue Dec 4, 6:48 PM ET

Of course, it is in poor taste to ask this question just days after a deranged, violent man threatened to blow up New Hampshire campaign workers to get Hillary Clinton's attention. Yes, it would be classier to pass over in silence the accident that just as news of the hostage crisis was hitting the front page, a new Gallup Poll suggesting Republicans enjoy better mental health was not.

<snip>

So forgive me for paying attention, especially since the findings themselves are so interesting and so robust: Fifty-eight percent of Republicans say their mental health is "excellent," compared to just 38 percent of Democrats, according to Gallup's analysis of data from the last four November Gallup Health and Healthcare polls. Democrats were also nearly twice as likely as Republicans to rate their own mental health as only "fair" or "poor."

<snip>

In an analysis that controlled for all these variables simultaneously, Gallup still found "an independent and highly significant impact of being a Republican on mental health."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucmg/20071204/cm_ucmg/isbeingademocratbadforyourmentalhealth;_ylt=AoxXp9l6IVm8D_7mzBCssO78B2YD

[ryanmuegge]

1. Probably so. We, on the left, are more aware of how much this world really sucks.

[unpossibles]

2. maybe

but for some reason the batshit Republicans like Maggie Gallagher get paid to spew their BS.

I honestly don't take much stock in self-analysis, and I also wonder what the political persuasion of that hostage taker actually was.

[Eurobabe]

3. Only if you post in GD Politics n/t

[EFerrari]

4. Not at all. Being a Republican just means you are unaware of your pathology.

Democrats tolerate difference much better and so, are in much better touch with conflict in a healthy way.

[Deep13]

5. I saw an ad for some psychiatric medication on TV a few years ago.

Feeling hopeless, depressed, worried, unable to sleep? ...


That's when I turned off the sound and said--you might be living in George Bush's America.

[EFerrari]

8. LOL! That's right.

:rofl:

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

13. *LOL*

:rofl: NO! SHIT!!! :rofl:

[DemGa]

6. Republicans have very poor insight, plus more primitive defenses

Hence, they are quick with denial. So even when they are miserable, they lack the depth or honesty to acknowledge it.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

7. The book, "People of the Lie" speaks to this topic.

"Being Democratic" is NOT 'bad' for anyone's mental health.

"Being" an aware, empathic, thoughtful human being requires more energy than "being" a thoughtless, selfish asshole.

The former MAY develop some form of chronic neurosis (most do/have/will develop acute, temporary issues). The latter ARE sociopathic, mildly or greatly, and tend to reveal human evil.

[BushOut06]

9. They say that ignorance is bliss

It's easy to be happy when you think everything is fine.

[leftwing9]

10. This makes sense to me

Republicans are much more likely to believe what they want to believe. Republicans tend to believe that their own peace of mind is more important than the condition of the world.

We on the left are more likely to try to discover things about the world that might be upsetting. We are the ones who actually care when genocide happens overseas, or when homelessness occurs in our own town.

Often in life, there is a choice between what is right and what is profitable/easy. What choice you make goes a long way to determining which political party you identify with.

Also let's not forget that the Democratic party attracts many of those groups (African-Americans, women, gays) who were and are oppressed. Being an object of oppression does take a toll on one's mental health.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

14. Welcome to DU, leftwing9!

:hi:

I like what the poster just below you pointed out about being the "WE Party" rather than the "ME Party"!

Glad to have you here, leftwing9!!! :hi:

[leftwing9]

18. Thank you

Long time lurker, first time poster.

:hi:

[LSparkle]

11. Being in power means you feel better about things ... duh!

Generally speaking, the Rethug party is the party of the rich -- who have good health insurance and can get mental as well as physical healthcare easily OR who can live in their delusional gated communities convincing themselves they're NOT mentally ill in the first place.

Then of course there's the "we" attitude of the left versus the "me" attitude of the right. Things always look better when you're focused just on YOU, not on the greater good.

[mcscajun]

12. I question the sanity of people who claim to be sane.

:crazy:

[Ishoutandscream2]

19. No kidding

And amen!

[stillcool]

15. I think Republicans spread disease...

and Democrats try to prevent it.

[melody]

16. I look at it this way

[CJCRANE]

17. The lunatics are running the asylum

so of course they're happy.

[Azathoth]

20. Democrats and Independents tend to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders

Republicans, by and large, live in a world of faith and slogans, good and evil, black and white.

The world is not a pleasant place. Those who are insulated from reality because of faith, absolutist ideology, and/or ignorance are bound to be less troubled than those of us who live in the reality-based community.

[KoKo]

21. Oh ...yes...when one see's DEFEAT SNATCHED FROM JAWS OF VICTORY!

(it could eat away one's soul and cause some psychic disturbance) One would think, anyway. :shrug: