Psychologist gives advice for candidates’ nerves

DO you have sweaty hands? Suffering from palpitations? Experiencing rapid breath? Irritable? Well, you must be one of the 567 candidates contesting 165 seats in today’s general election.

Former TD and consultant psychologist Dr Moosajee Bhamjee advised yesterday those are just some of the symptoms the general candidates across 43 constituencies will be showing as the electorate goes to the polls today to decide their electoral fate.

The former Labour TD said: “Candidates will be having high levels of stress today as their fate is now out of their hands.

“Over today, tomorrow and for those counts still going on Sunday, the candidates will be irritable and be difficult to be around, so their families and supporters must be patient and tolerant with them.”

Dr Bhamjee said the candidates, after a long campaign of knocking on doors and meeting the public, will be also feeling relief today.

He said: “The canvassing is done. They will be very tired and adrenalin will keep them going over the weekend, but they will be tossing and turning in their beds tonight.”

The South African-born doctor caused a major shock in 1992 when elected as a TD in the four-seat Clare constituency.

Dr Bhamjee warned that those TDs with high expectations of being elected that do not make the cut “will undergo a depression, but in the days after, it is important that they get exercise, be with family and friends and forget about politics for a while”.

Dr Bhamjee said that for those that do get elected, becoming a TD is a mixed blessing for one’s emotional and psychological well-being.

He said: “For those that are elected, there is tremendous satisfaction in being elected to serve the people, especially in a time of crisis like we have now.”

However, Dr Bhamjee warned that after all of the euphoria of being elected, the excitement will quickly subside “as a TD’s life is quite a stressful one where you are in the public life all of the time, no matter where you go. TDs should expect disturbances in their lives day and night and the family dynamic changes. TDs’ families should prepare for that”.

Dr Bhamjee said that newly elected TDs “should quickly put in place boundaries to ensure that they retain a family life and do not become completely consumed by politics. There is more to life”.

He pointed out there is not much time for successful candidates to enjoy their election win “as canvassing for the next general election starts the day after the election count”.