Kicking the Trump Funk

Look around and see signs of political burnout, in more than just eyes red and raw from excessive newsfeed scrolling. Listen and hear it in voices: nervous laughter, talk of fascism and edgy jokes about leaving the country.

And all this is amongst folks who arguably have the least to lose with the election of Donald Trump.

For less comfortable Americans, this malaise — this Trump Funk, if you will — is more like abject terror, a genuine nervous exhaustion. A quick Google search produces a sea of how-to articles about dealing with post-election anxiety.

Back in October, The New York Times reported Manhattan therapist Sue Elias saying: “I’ve been in private practice for 30 years, and I have never seen patients have such strong reactions to an election.”

Barack Obama is no angel, but with the election of our nation’s first African-American president, it felt like a page had turned.

And now, with a gross primary season resulting in what promises to be one of history’s most dangerous presidencies, that page has been slammed back hard — harder than anyone could’ve dreamed.

Marc Zola, a Eugene-based licensed marriage and family counselor, is founder of Eugene Therapy and Oregon Counseling of Corvallis. Zola says that, post election, his organization has definitely had an uptick in calls for first-time appointments

“People remain concerned about how extreme, racist, homophobic and oppressive views have been normalized during this election cycle,” Zola says. “The uncertainty this creates tends to have the most salient impact on vulnerable populations, including (but not limited to) those with chronic mental health conditions.”

But in addition to fear and uncertainty, Zola says the election has renewed a commitment in people to taking action for social justice causes they feel a Trump administration will threaten. “To some degree, we are seeing and hearing increased mobilization and interest in finding common ground,” he says.

“The existential threats of climate change, war and fascism are on people’s minds,” Zola continues, “and this can serve as a motivator to organize and advocate for our values in a way that both brings us together and creates personal satisfaction as a healthy byproduct.”

So besides growing a big black beard and heading for the hills in green Army fatigues with an AK-47, what does Zola suggest doing to weather the upcoming four years while managing to stay sane?

“Our advice is to consider taking some of the time spent being exposed to news and putting that toward reaching out to others and practicing self-acceptance,” Zola advises. “Fear tends to be experienced in a private and isolative way — part of the antidote to this is realizing that many others are experiencing very similar feelings.”

“There is power in realizing you are not alone,” Zola says.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!