Nov. 6, 2008

USA Today

How Obama’s Win May Impact Americans’ Mental Health

Short-term relief from soaring stress levels is among the likely after-effects of Barack Obama’s Tuesday night victory, say experts in mental health.

The emotion-filled election came at a time of great anxiety, says Richard Chaifetz, CEO of ComPsych, the largest U.S. employee assistance and mental health provider. Requests for counseling surged significantly in the past six months, he says.

“Now that people know we’re going to have a change, it will give them hope and ease fears for a while,” he predicts.