Doctor Apinis: elections can trigger brain mechanisms similar to addiction

Latvian physician and columnist Pēteris Apinis has written about the psychological and neurobiological effects of elections, drawing parallels with classic forms of addiction.

Winner's high, loser's shock

According to Apinis, winning candidates and their supporters experience a sharp rise in testosterone and dopamine on election night, boosting confidence and reducing anxiety, but also fueling arrogance and a loss of empathy toward opponents. Losers, by contrast, often go through shock, apathy and a loss of faith in democratic processes — for those whose political identity runs deep, defeat can feel like personal humiliation.

Parallels with gambling and compulsive behavior

Apinis compares the election period to gambling mechanics: constantly checking new ratings and news triggers the same dopamine-adrenaline cycle as social media "scrolling" or slot machines. While no official medical classification recognizes "election addiction," he estimates that for roughly 5–10% of people the process can turn into a compulsive, hard-to-control need, marked by rising tolerance, social consequences and withdrawal-like symptoms once the voting ends.

The alcohol connection

The article points to Latvian examples where election candidates and other politically active people were seen under the influence of alcohol, including one case of drink-driving. Apinis argues that intense campaign rivalry, political polarization and stress can increase alcohol consumption — both as a way to calm anxiety and as part of victory celebrations or coping with defeat.

He also references more severe international cases: after highly polarized US elections, psychiatrists reported a rise in anxiety and depression among supporters of losing candidates, with isolated instances of suicide linked to a political identity deeply tied to personal sense of purpose.