Addicted to the Election

So I admit, this piece has little to nothing to do with actual coverage of the election or post-election. But I was drawn in because of the title "So much else happened while people eyed election." A lot of the things they mention were in some ways tied to the election (war and national security) and not overlooked, but I think the title at least, is a testament to just how wrapped up in this election voters (although not as many as predicted) were. Because of the fast pace of the technology and the rapid spread of information, trying to stay up-to-date could have been a full time job. So what now? How do we fill all the new-found free time? For some, like this blogger on HuffingtonPost, "I had more free time to enjoy pastimes like eating, sleeping, and watching Food Network." But what interested me more about this particular blog was an article he points to called "Campaign Withdrawal." Turns out you can be addicted to this stuff.

Dr. Petros Levounis, director of the Addiction Institute of New York at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, said such obsessions stimulate the pleasure-reward pathways in the brain, working in a similar way to drugs or alcohol. “There’s no question that someone can develop a strong habit in following these political campaigns,” Levounis said. “And when the campaign is over, they get a sense of emptiness, or a letdown, something missing in their lives.” He said doctors had seen similar reactions to TV shows such as “American Idol.”