Mental Health in Times of Democratic Backsliding: Insights from Trump's Second Term

The United States is currently experiencing democratic backsliding. This commentary considers how this backsliding impairs Americans' mental health. Surprisingly, the literature on democratic backsliding has little to say about its impact on mental health, and the literature on mental health has little to say about the role of democratic backsliding. The article draws on anecdotes, news stories, polls, and real-world events from Trump's second term to theorize about a potential connection. It highlights three ways that democratic backsliding might give rise to feelings of depression, anxiety, and, to a lesser extent, posttraumatic stress disorder. It then discusses how this mental toll may be felt unequally across citizens and may create a feedback loop that gives rise to more democratic backsliding. It concludes by urging scholars to build on these ideas as they collectively seek to develop and refine their understanding of this important topic.