A hard-fought battle, in the form of the 2016 Presidential Election, has come to an end. From campaign television ads to get-out-the-vote campaigns, the 2016 election season was divisive.
Many analysts on CNN, Fox News and other media outlets repeatedly said President-elect Donald Trump had a narrow path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. But his late-night victories in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania, along with traditional Republican strongholds, gave the New York City-based businessman the path he needed to win, the Associated Press said.
For those who supported Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton — now what?
Local psychologist Robert Griffin, based in Forty Fort, said people’s feelings of loss and anxiety over the election make “perfect sense” and are “legitimate.”
“The fact that it was a surprise makes it harder to take,” he said.
Individuals have taken to Facebook to mourn the loss of America as they knew it.
Former Bear Creek Village resident Thomas Rudick, who now lives in Tennessee, said he’s “grieving at this moment.”
“Today, I do feel ashamed to be an American because something very dear to me died last night,” Rudick posted.
Griffin related the loss of Clinton to losing a parent. He sensed people saw Clinton as a “nurturing mother” and Trump as an “abusing father figure.”
“When someone you love passes on, people tell you to get over it or grow up,” Rudick continued. “It’s really hard for me to believe she (America) is in a better place.”
Bobby Light, of West Pittston, said in a phone interview that, as Wednesday went on, he’s been able to breathe more and realize the fear factor associated with a Donald Trump presidency is not good for him or the country.
“I’m sensing a weird sense of hope,” Light said. “Anything is possible.”
In his Facebook post, Light, who is openly gay, acknowledged “through blurry eyes as tears stream down my face” why he’s upset with voters.
“The Vice President (-elect Mike Pence) is someone who openly advocates electroshock therapy to turn gay people straight,” Light wrote. “(Pence) very recently voted to pass a bill that would put gay people in prison just for applying for a marriage license.”
Light said with a Trump win, the “unimaginable happened” but noted he’s hopeful because it’s “forcing people to say okay, let’s get through this.”
The Kansas City Star newspaper has encouraged people to make conscious decisions to redirect election emotion by taking a walk, playing a mindless game on a mobile phone or even reading a book.
Griffin agrees.
“Go see a movie; go see a concert,” he said.
The one feeling Griffin said people should not feel is bad about feeling bad. He advises those finding the election result difficult to swallow to attend a support group.
The American Psychological Association (APA) released a survey in October which found 52 percent of American adults thought Tuesday’s election had been a very or somewhat significant source of stress.
To change, especially a big change, like a president who doesn’t support personal values, Griffin said, is hard on people.
“The biggest thing in life is to adapt,” he said, noting he believes Northeastern Pennsylvania is a slow-to-change area.
