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Posted on 12/13/2004 12:51:49 PM PST by ZULU
Dozens more Kerry supporters flock to Florida therapists American Health Association reacts with free ‘post-election selection trauma’ counseling
Published Wednesday, November 10, 2004 at 1:00 pm by Sean Salai
More shocked John Kerry supporters on Wednesday sought psychological help with “post-election selection trauma” in South Florida, prompting the American Health Association to officially release symptoms of the disorder and open its doors for free counseling.
“When someone commits suicide in New York and Kerry’s loss is even slightly connected, it’s serious,” Rob Gordon, executive director of the AHA, told the Boca Raton News. “There’s a lot of older Democrats here and they outnumber Republicans and you don’t want an epidemic of suicides with the elderly. So our counseling center is now open free to those with post-election selection depression, PEST, who need to exorcise their demons.”
According to Gordon, the Boca-based AHA has formally defined the symptoms of PEST and will offer the free sessions through the end of the year. He said approximately 30 people had contacted AHA for psychological counseling since Kerry conceded the presidential race to President Bush on Nov. 3.
Gordon said symptoms of the trauma are similar to post-traumatic stress disorder and include loss of appetite, sleeplessness, nightmares and pervasive moodiness.
The AHA’s actions come after the Boca Raton News reported Tuesday that Palm Beach County psychotherapist Douglas Schooler has already treated 15 Kerry supporters using intense hypnotherapy. Schooler, contacted Wednesday, said four more people had already set up appointments for the onetime therapy session since the article was picked up internationally and cited on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show.
“The problem is out there and it’s not going to go away anytime soon,” Schooler said. “Conservatives are calling me to say these people are weak-kneed kooks, but they’re not acknowledging that this is a normal psychological response to a severe and disillusioning situation. Any suggestion that this is not a serious problem arises from a political agenda. The Republicans don’t want this talked about.”
Nancy M. Tabet, a mental health counselor with a small practice in Delray Beach, said she had helped about five clients deal with the post-election trauma in their therapy sessions.
“It’s interesting to me that people in Palm Beach County, because they vote for Kerry and thoroughly expected him to win, are in somewhat of a disbelief stage,” Tabet said. “We talk it out in our sessions and I help them realize there are people who share their viewpoint and who are there for them throughout this ordeal.”
Asked when the Kerry-related trauma would end, Tabet said, “I think the jury’s still out on that one. I think it depends on the swing of the politics.”
Elizabeth Foxman, a cognitive therapist in Delray, took issue with the AHA’s decision to label the Kerry-related stress as a new sort of trauma.
“I don’t disagree with their diagnosis, but I wouldn’t use the word trauma,” Foxman said. “That’s a loaded term. I would say there’s more sadness and anxiety than trauma. My own patients have been stressed, but only one or two have mentioned the election as a topic in therapy.”
Gordon, the AHA psychotherapist, said his agency was referring his 30 callers — most of them men — to other support groups prior to Wednesday. He said the post-election trauma will require three to four support group sessions at his agency’s counseling center, but added that he thinks the problem will fade as the troubled Kerry supporters adjust to reality.
“The support group structure means you have to bring these people together for several sessions,” Gordon said. “But every day is a new day. John Ashcroft’s resignation is going to help because Democrats certainly felt the cause of their stress was bigger than President Bush. If Condoleeza Rice and a few others resign, that will help cure their animosity as well.”
Gordon said he had received a flood of phone calls from Republicans since Limbaugh, the conservative radio talk show host who lives in South Florida, read his name on the air Tuesday.
“It’s a shame that so many Republicans are calling and saying, ‘Why can’t these people handle reality?’ Some can’t. And what is with these right-wing radio warlords who think they need to bask in the misery of others? Rush Limbaugh, of all people, should be compassionate because he lives right here in Palm Beach County. I’m ashamed that he’s picked up this Boca News story to rub it in Democrats’ faces.”
Gordon added, “Post-election selection trauma affects many people and they have a right to be taken seriously and to seek counseling. This is a real need and we’re a charity. This is not a matter of Republicans and Democrats.”
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Symptoms of Post-Election Selection Syndrome (PEST)
According to Florida mental health professionals, the following symptoms have been identified in John Kerry voters since Nov. 3 and are signs that one should seek help from a licensed mental health clinician. Although therapists report that patients so far have uniformly identified themselves as Kerry supporters upset over their candidate’s concession, they urge that the trauma is not necessarily unique to Democrats.
Feelings of withdrawal Feelings of isolation Emotional anger and bitterness Loss of appetite Sleeplessness Nightmares Pervasive moodiness, including endless sulking Excessively worried about the direction of the country. Source: American Health Association exclusive to Boca News.
Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@bocanews.com or 561-893-6427.
"Feelings of withdrawal Feelings of isolation Emotional anger and bitterness Loss of appetite Sleeplessness Nightmares Pervasive moodiness, including endless sulking Excessively worried about the direction of the country."
Hmm, that covers every Democrat in the country. Got themselves a money-maker here.
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"Feelings of withdrawal Feelings of isolation"
"Feelings.....nothing more than feelings......."
I also love the acronyms here...AHA, a PEST!!
Pandering to get your DX in the manuals and your name in the APA journal is a farce.
I just called the AHA, and spoke to an "associate" there. (Dr. Gordon, cited above, was not available.)
The associate said that the label has since been changed to "Post Election Stress Disorder," and that AHA no longer uses the term "selection."
I tried to get him to tell me whether the term "selection" was in any way meant to suggest that Bush was "selected, not elected."
I couldn't get a straight answer, though it was pretty clear from the conversation that this guy is NOT a Bush supporter.
He told me that the label "Post Election Selction Trauma" was first coined in 1996 to describe Republicans upset over the re-election of Clinton.
But apparently, the AHA has dropped the term "selection" and no longer uses it. He said it is the press that continues to use the term even though it is no longer operational.
Thought you'd like to know.
My new one is, rather than PC, call it Liberal Internationalist Speech Protocol (L.I.S.P)
When Republicans lose, we get over it. Methinks your typical Democrat is an emotional cripple.
Sounds like they are just having anti-Bush bitch sessions, LOL.
"He told me that the label "Post Election Selction Trauma" was first coined in 1996 to describe Republicans upset over the re-election of Clinton."
Sounds like typical liberal double-speak. I can't recall anything about 1996 except Republicans being disappointed but not surprised. We were sandbagged again by that Frank Purdue sound-alike Ross Perot.
I ended up debating a democrat this weekend at a party. He was everything the stereotype called for. He said trademark democrat talking points such as I must be racists because it is "impossible" to be a republican and not be a racist. Of course he made sure to mention this in the presence of a black man superior in rank (Captain). He also had to remark that only an idiot could believe that their was possibly a God. I got very frustrated, because logic made no dent in his close-minded opinion. We almost took it outside once. Luckily we have wives who look out for us. His wife however was a republican and a Christian. I was amazed at this. I respected her that she didn't allow his opinions to sway her, and that they got along so well when disagreeing on such key points, but...who knows what goes on behind closed doors?
Dr. Gordon supposedly had numerous cases in 1996 when Klinton won but fails to report this because it is supposed to be "private" info. Hannity then asked why he was speaking about this and Dr. Gordon was blaming the media for all of the publicity. This is total BS because I remember the guy was on either CNBC or CNN being interviewed about this garbage right after the election. The guy should be running for Chairman of the DNC because he is such a left-wing nut.
Partially paraphrased conversation:
Dr Gordon: "This man (BUSH) checks with God before he checks with his VP (on important matters)".
Hannity: "What's wrong with that?"
Dr. Gordon: "Nothing, but ..."
Hannity: "Why do you have a problem with God?"
OK, lets try that again doc:
Post-Election Selection Depression...
P.E.S.D. - PEST
sorry I found it hilarious
He is laughing all the way to the bank though...
Poor delicate sensitive disappointed idiots...What IS the world coming to?
Boca Raton is in Palm Beach county which voted 60% Kerry and 40% Bush. Here's how they get so isolated. Groups of couples who have been friends all of their lives decide to retire to Florida together, mostly from New York city. Many are Jewish. It is their sticking together and not participating in the larger society that renders them isolated and afraid.
As my parents live there, I know it well. My dad used to have his office right above Robert Wexler's and rode the elevator with him on many occassions.
Rob misspelled a wonderful blessing.
These "poor delicate sensitive disappointed idiots", as you quite accurately named them, are going to be the reason this country eventually falls to terrorism. Can you imagine a few generations from now, when society has turned every young person into one of these fragile-as-glass pansies, these dopes being our only hope to defend this country? We'd have a carbon copy of the French army.
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