According to consulting Psychologist, Dr Shina Adebanjo casting your vote is good for your mental health, Punch reports! The consulting psychologist explained that by exercising your right to vote, you will be giving yourself a measure of control regarding the next dispensation by selecting the preferred candidate of your choice, and what is good for your mental health will be good for your physical health.
“When you feel that you actually made a life-changing decision for the good of many such a nation, for instance, you are bound to feel good about yourself. You feel you did a reasonable calculation.
“The last election results in some states were quite close. People who voted in these areas felt that they were players. This is good for some functions in the brain. Mere thought that your vote actually counted is more likely to douse any anger in you.”
“The psychological benefit starts from when you vote and believe you have chosen a candidate that can make your life better.”
His findings was concurred by another mental health expert, Dr Marc Zimmerman of the University of Michigan School of Health. According to Dr Zimmerman, the mental health benefit is more acute for those in the vulnerable category of our society such as the old, infirm, sick or pregnant women. By exercising their constitutional rights, the vulnerable segment of our society will feel more connected to the community and have a sense of control over their destiny.
“Politics and politicking have their health benefits. You become more engaged in your community, especially if the candidates have held town hall meetings. As a community, you bond and engage one another more when you are voting. You know you have empowered yourself so you can have some control over the things in life that are under your control,” Zimmerman assures.
