U.S. Election Stress Fuels Demand For Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

As election season dominated every aspect of American life – from relentless TV ads to heated debates on critical issues – many U.S. citizens found themselves grappling with heightened stress and anxiety. As Double Blind reported, in the wake of the election, the demand for psychedelics therapy surged among people needing a reprieve from the overwhelming and often bitter political environment.

Psychedelics therapists across the country are seeing a marked increase in appointments, with many patients specifically citing election-related stress. "We've had an uptick in calls, people making appointments, and even new people trying to connect with us," says Dr. Cheryl Malina, a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and co-founder of Keta Medical Center, a network of ketamine-assisted therapy clinics in New York City and New Jersey. “I didn't connect it with the election until recently when I started to ask patients if the election was affecting them. Overwhelmingly, people had very strong responses."

A Nation Under Pressure

For the past two months, Americans have been bombarded with political messages, with ads often verging on the extreme. On one side, accusations of stripping rights and enforcing taxes; on the other, allegations of criminal behavior. The charged environment took on a reality-show quality, fueling stress and unease nationwide. The relentless nature of the campaigning and negative advertisements left many feeling as though they were living through an emotional maelstrom.

Psychedelic Therapy: A Growing Path to Calm

Psychedelics therapy has emerged as a refuge for those seeking to alleviate their stress in an era of hyper-political tension. Ketamine-assisted therapy, in particular, has shown promise for people with anxiety and stress-related conditions. Providers like Dr. Malina at Keta Medical Center report that patients are turning to these therapies not only for traditional mental health challenges but increasingly as a way to process and recover from the impact of the political climate. This uptick in interest reflects a broader societal shift: more people are considering alternative approaches to mental health, especially during moments of crisis. As the country faces ongoing political divides, psychedelic therapy offers a novel way to navigate these challenges.

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