Whoever you voted for in the recent election, chances are you do and will feel better—mentally and physically—if you have compassion for those who voted differently. New research shows that "affective polarization”—negative feelings toward those of the opposite party—correlates with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The study surveyed a representative sample of U.S. adults in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. Investigators found that even when they controlled for demographic factors like gender and ethnicity, political affiliation, personality traits, and COVID-19, their findings held: A whopping 12.5% of Americans, they........