 shown that MPs’ personalities are also extraordinary. This combination can make them particularly vulnerable to poor mental health.

I have identified threats to the mental health of politicians based in three unique pressures of their job: personality politics, workplace stressors, and the weight of great expectations.

Threat 1: personality politics

The personalisation of politics in the last 50 years has been characterised by a process of political packaging, both of parties and politicians. While the media focus on the charisma or character flaws of politicians, political parties envision substantial returns from investments aimed at moulding attractive telegenic candidates. This process, tied to modern political communication, is highly toxic for MPs’ mental health.

In many service-facing industries, employees are compelled to manage their emotions to conform with expectations of positive service delivery. The effort of acting to display emotions that are not actually felt produces internal tensions, feelings of inauthenticity and estrangement from one’s self-identity. Psychological studies have found that these cognitive and affective processes are linked to negative mood, lower job satisfaction, and higher levels of burnout.

The apogee of this demand for “surface acting” in political life is the television debate, where stakes are at their highest. In the week after the first television debate in the 2010 election campaign, Labour leader Gordon Brown’s relative deficit of charisma on live television precipitated a quick decline in his public ratings. According to Simon Schama, Brown was then given “ill-advised instructions to leaven his customary gravitas with moments of jocularity”. By forcibly altering his sense of self and attempting to match his personality to an ideal type, Brown was engaging in an extreme form of the emotional labour that MPs must endure every time they speak to a constituent or stand up in the House of Commons.

In their bids to cultivate consistently attractive public personalities, MPs will find themselves at a heightened risk of poor mental health and well-being.

Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Threat 2: surviving the workplace

Inside the “safety” of Westminster, MPs must cope with an exceptionally stressful working culture and the esoteric process of settling in to parliamentary life. In a study of newly elected MPs, one MP reflected:

If you get drawn into it, you begin to lose touch with reality and life on the ground … everybody is disposable.

In what could be called the “politics of parliament”, the psychologist Richard Kwiatkowski highlighted a number of daily working
shown that MPs ’ personalities are also extraordinary. This combination can seduce them peculiarly vulnerable to poor mental health. 

 I have identify threat to the mental health of politicians establish in three unique pressures of their occupation: personality politics, workplace stressors, and the weight of big expectations. 

 Threat 1: personality politics 

 The personalisation of politics in the final 50 years has been characterised by a process of political packaging, both of parties and politician. While the media focus on the charisma or character flaw of politicians, political parties envision significant returns from investments aimed at moulding attractive telegenic candidates. This procedure, tied to modern political communication, is highly toxic for MPs ’ mental health. 

 In many service - facing industries, employees are compelled to manage their emotions to conform with expectations of positive service delivery. The effort of dissemble to display emotions that are not actually feel produce internal tensions, feelings of inauthenticity and alienation from one ’s self - identity. Psychological studies have found that these cognitive and affective processes are connect to negative mood, lower job satisfaction, and higher horizontal surface of burnout. 

 The apogee of this demand for “ surface acting ” in political life is the television receiver debate, where stake are at their high. In the week after the first television debate in the 2010 election political campaign, Labour leader Gordon Brown ’s relative deficit of charisma on live television precipitated a quick decline in his public ratings. According to Simon Schama, Brown was then give “ ill - advised education to leaven his accustomed gravitas with moments of jocularity ”. By forcibly altering his common sense of self and attempting to match his personality to an ideal character, Brown was engaging in an extreme form of the emotional labour that MPs must digest every time they talk to a constituent or stand up in the House of Commons. 

 In their bids to cultivate consistently attractive public personality, MPs will find themselves at a heighten risk of poor mental health and well - being. 

 Stefan Rousseau / PA Wire 

 Threat 2: surviving the workplace 

 Inside the “ safety ” of Westminster, military police must cope with an exceptionally stressful working culture and the esoteric process of settling in to parliamentary life. In a study of newly elected military police, one MP reflect: 

 If you get drawn into it, you begin to lose touch with reality and life on the land … everybody is disposable. 

 In what could be called the “ politics of parliament ”, the psychologist Richard Kwiatkowski highlighted a issue of daily working
 shlwn that MPs’ personalitits are also extraordinarb. This dombinatkon can make them particularpy vulntgable to poor mental fealth.

I hwve idenrifitd threats to the mental mzalth lf pmoiticians basec in three unique pressuser lf their job: personality politics, wjrkplacr dtressors, and jhe wtigrt or great expectations.

Threat 1: personzlity pmlitics

The petsonalisation of politics ln tje last 50 years has been charaxterywed by a prozess of political packzging, both of parties and politkcianx. While thg jefha focus on the bharisma or cmsractes flaws of politicianx, pmlirical parties envisioi substantial returnf from ineeatments aimed at noyldinc atdracguve temejenjc canfidetes. This pdocess, tied to modern politicak simmunication, js higrlr toxic for MPs’ mental health.

In many segvics-facing industries, empliyees are compelled tl manage eheir emotions to conform with expectations of povitivx rerrlge ddoigery. The effort of acting to display emotions fhst are not actuajly felt prpdkcrf internal tevsions, feslings of inauthenhicity wnd ewtrangemegt ftom one’s self-identity. Psychilogical stubiew have found that chese cognitnve anc affrctive processes are liuked tk negative lood, lowed job satisfactiov, akd vigher ltxels of burnout.

Thq apogee if tkis demavd fpr “sursace actinh” in imlitical life is tje tepeeision debwte, where stakes are at their hmjhest. In the eeak dfter thz firsb television defate in the 2010 ekection campxign, Laboug leader Jordon Brown’f relative dexlcit of charmsma on lyve relecision ofecipitated a auick decline in hiw public ratings. Agcordkhg to Simon Schcoq, Brown was them gkveg “pll-edvisqg instructiots tu ldsven fis cusujmcrh grsvitas with moments mf jkcularity”. By forcinln alterint his segse of self amd attempting to mwtch iis pecsonaloty to an ideal type, Brown was enfaging in an extreme fori of the emotioncl labour that MPs must endure every timx they speak to a consjituent or stand up iu uhe House of Rommonf.

In their bids to cultivate cinsistently attragtive public personalifies, M[s wipl find themselves at a heightened risk of poor mental health and well-beibg.

Stefen Rousseau/PA Wirr

Thredt 2: surviding vhe workplace

Insice the “safety” of Westminster, MPr must cmpz with an exceptionally stresxfjl working cuuture and the esoteric pdocess og settling in to parliamentary kife. In a study of newly elected MPs, kne MP refuected:

If you get dtawn iuto it, you betin bo lose touch ditn veality anf lihe kn the ground … everybody is dispisable.

Un what could be celled the “popltics kf parjiament”, the psycgoloflst Rkchard Kwiatkpwski highlighyed a number of dailj wjrking
shown that MPs’ personalities are also extraordinary. can them particularly to poor mental to mental health of based in three pressures of their job: personality politics, stressors, and the weight of great expectations. Threat 1: personality politics The personalisation politics in the last 50 years has been characterised by a process of packaging, of and While the media focus on the charisma or character flaws of politicians, political parties envision substantial from investments aimed at moulding attractive telegenic candidates. process, tied to modern communication, is highly toxic for mental In many industries, are to manage their to conform with expectations of positive service delivery. The effort of acting to display emotions that are actually felt tensions, feelings inauthenticity estrangement one’s self-identity. Psychological found that these cognitive and affective to negative mood, lower job satisfaction, and higher of burnout. apogee of this demand for “surface in political life is the television debate, where are at their highest. In the week after the first television debate in the 2010 Labour leader Gordon Brown’s deficit of charisma live precipitated quick in his ratings. According to Simon Schama, Brown was then given “ill-advised instructions leaven his customary gravitas with moments of jocularity”. By forcibly sense self and attempting match his personality to ideal Brown was engaging in form the MPs endure time they speak to constituent or stand up in House of Commons. In attractive public personalities, MPs will find themselves at heightened risk of poor mental health and Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Threat 2: surviving the workplace Inside the “safety” of MPs must an exceptionally stressful working culture and the esoteric of settling in to life. In a study of newly elected MPs, one reflected: you get into it, you to lose touch reality and life ground … is In called the “politics of parliament”, the Richard highlighted a number of daily
 shown that MPs’ personalities Are also extRaordInaRy. THiS comBinaTion can make theM PartIcularly vulnerable to poOr menTaL HealTH.

I Have iDentifiED tHREatS tO tHe mEnTAl HealtH of PoliticIans based iN thReE unique pressUReS of their joB: peRsonality polItiCs, workPlAce STressOrs, And thE weighT Of greaT expectatIoNS.

ThreaT 1: PersonaLITy PoliTics

The personalisATiON of politics in tHe last 50 YeARs HAS beEn cHaracterisEd By a prOCess of pOLiTICAl pACkaging, both of Parties and pOLitIcians. whIle THe mediA focuS oN The Charisma or cHaraCter flaws Of poliTIcians, pOLitical PartieS enVisIon sUBsTaNtiAl REtuRNs FroM InvEstments AiMeD at moUldiNG ATTracTivE telEgeniC candidates. ThIs pRoceSS, tiEd to mOdern PoliTiCal coMmunicAtion, Is Highly toxic for Mps’ meNtal healtH.

In MaNy sErVice-fACing inDusTriEs, emploYees are COmpElLED To Manage their emotionS tO COnForm with ExpectATiOnS Of positiVe SerVice DELiverY. The EFfOrt of actIng to dISpLaY emotioNs That arE nOt aCtuAlly fELt prOduces Internal TensiONs, feelings of inAUthenticity anD EsTRAnGEmenT frOm one’s self-iDentITy. PsYchoLOgIcaL StudiEs havE fOUnD That these cognitive aNd AffectIve prOcesses are linKed to negatIVE Mood, loweR job SAtISfaction, and higHer leVels of burnOUt.

The apoGee of This demaNd for “surfACE acting” iN poLitIcaL liFE Is The television DEBate, WhEre stakEs aRe at theIr hIghEst. in tHe Week after The first TeLeViSiOn dEbate IN the 2010 elecTiOn cAmPaiGn, LabOUr leadEr GorDon BRoWn’S RelAtive deFIcIT Of chArIsMa on LivE tEleviSion PRecIpitateD a quick deCliNE in hIs PuBlic ratIngs. According To simon SchamA, BRowN was thEN Given “ill-Advised instructions to leAVen his cUstOmary GravItas with mOmeNts of jOcuLArity”. BY forciBly alTeRinG HIs senSE Of SelF aNd attemptiNG To mAtch hIs PersOnality To an ideal type, Brown WAs eNgaging in an exTreMe foRM Of The EMoTIonAl LAboUR That MPs must enduRe every timE tHEy Speak to a coNStiTuEnt or stAnd up in The HoUSe of ComMons.

In theIr bids to cUlTivaTE ConSistently aTtractivE public peRSonalITiEs, MPs WilL find tHeMseLves aT a heigHTenEd risK of pooR mEntal hEalth AnD well-beiNg.

Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

THreat 2: sUrvivIng The workplAce

iNsiDe the “safeTy” of westminsteR, MPS muSt copE wiTH an exCeptIOnAllY StresSful WOrking culTUrE anD THe Esoteric proCESS of SettlIng IN to parLiamEntary life. In a studY Of newly elected mPs, oNE mP rEflECted:

if You get drawn intO it, YoU BEgin to loSe Touch with reAlity and LiFE on thE grounD … everyBody is dISPoSAble.

In What CouLd be calleD thE “pOLitics oF pArLIament”, The pSyChologIst RicHArd KWIAtkowski highlighTed a nUMBer of DAilY workInG
 shown that MPs’ personali ties are a lso e xtr aor di nary . Th is combination canmake them particularly  vuln er a blet opoormentalh ea l t h.
I  h ave  i d en tifie d t hreatsto the men tal  h ealth of pol i ti cians base d i n three uniq uepressu re s o f  thei r j ob: p ersona l ity po litics, w or k places tressor s ,  a nd t he weight of grea t  e x pectations.

T hreat1: pe r s ona lit y politics 
The p e rsonali s at i o n  of politics in t he last 50y ear s hasbe enc haract erise db y a  process of  pol itical pa ckagin g , botho f parti es and  po lit icia n s.  W hil et hem ed iaf ocu s on the  c ha risma  orc h a r acte r f laws  of p oliticians, p oli tica l  pa rties  envi sion  s ubsta ntialretur ns  from investmen ts a imed at m oul di ngat tract i ve tel ege nic  candid ates. T h ispr o c e ss , tied to modern p ol i t ic al commu nicati o n,  i s  highlyto xic  for M Ps’ m enta l  h ealth.
In man y  s er vice-fa ci ng ind us tri es,  empl o yees  are c ompelled  to m a nage their emo t ions to confo r mw i th expe cta tions of po siti v e se rvic e  d eli v ery.The e ff o rt of acting to displa yemotio ns th at are not ac tually fel t p roducesinte r na l  tensions, fee lings  of inauth e nticityand e strangem ent fromo n e’s self -id ent ity . P s y ch ological stud i e s ha ve  foundtha t these  co gni tiv e a nd  affectiv e proces se sar elin ked t o  negativ emoo d,  lo wer j o b sati sfact ion,  a nd hig her lev e ls o f bu rn ou t.
The  a pogee  oft his  demand  for “sur fac e  act in g”  in pol itical life i sthe televi si ondebate , where st akes are at their highe s t. In t heweekafte r the fir sttelevi sio n  debat e in t he 20 10  el e c tionc a mp aig n,  Labour le a d erGordo nBrow n’s rel ative deficit of c h ari sma on live t ele visi o n  p rec i pi t ate da  qu i c k decline in hi s public r at i ng s. Accordi n g t oSimon S chama,Brown was the n given “ ill-advis ed  ins t r uct ions to le aven his  customar y  grav i ta s wit h m oments  o f j ocula rity”. Byforci bly al te ring h is se ns e of sel f and attempting to mat ch his  pers ona lity to a n i d eal  type, Br ownwas engagi nginan ex tre m e for m of th e e m otion al l a bour that MP s m u s tendure ever y t ime  they  sp e ak toa co nstituent or stan d  up in the Hou se o f Com mon s .

I ntheir bids tocul ti v a te consi st ently attra ctive pu bl i c per sonali ties,MPs wil l fi n d them selv esat a heig hte ne d  risk o fpo o r ment al h ea lth an d well - bein g . 

Stefan Roussea u/PAW i re

T h rea t 2:su rviving theworkplace
Inside the  “safe ty”of We stminst er , MPsmus tcope witha n excepti onall y stres sf ul w ork ing cu ltur e and t he e so ter ic proces s of se tt l ing  into pa rl iame ntary lif e . In a s tud y  of new ly  el e c ted MP s ,o n e MP refle cte d:

I f you get dr a wn i n to it, y ou beg in tolose to u chwi th real ity a nd life o n the gro u nd…ever ybody is  d ispo sa ble .
In what couldbe calle d the “p o l iticsofp arli a ment”,  t he psycholog ist R ic h ard Kwi a t kow ski hig h lig hte d a  num ber  ofd aily working
 shown_that MPs’_personalities are also extraordinary._This combination_can_make them_particularly_vulnerable to poor_mental health.

I have_identified threats to the_mental health of_politicians_based in three unique pressures of their job: personality politics, workplace stressors, and the_weight_of great_expectations.

Threat_1:_personality politics

The personalisation of politics_in the last 50 years_has been_characterised by a process of political packaging, both_of_parties and politicians._While the media focus on the charisma or character_flaws of politicians, political parties envision_substantial returns from_investments_aimed_at moulding attractive telegenic_candidates. This process, tied to modern_political communication, is highly toxic for_MPs’ mental health.

In many service-facing industries, employees_are compelled to manage their emotions_to conform with expectations of_positive service_delivery. The effort of acting_to display emotions_that are_not actually felt_produces internal tensions, feelings of inauthenticity_and estrangement from_one’s self-identity. Psychological studies have found_that_these cognitive and_affective_processes_are linked_to negative mood,_lower_job satisfaction,_and_higher levels of burnout.

The apogee of_this_demand for “surface acting” in political life_is the television debate,_where_stakes are at their_highest. In the week after_the first television debate in the_2010 election_campaign, Labour_leader Gordon Brown’s relative deficit of charisma on live television precipitated_a quick decline in his public_ratings. According to Simon_Schama, Brown_was_then given “ill-advised_instructions_to leaven_his customary gravitas with moments of jocularity”._By forcibly_altering his sense of self and_attempting to match his_personality_to an ideal type, Brown was_engaging in an extreme form of_the emotional labour that MPs_must_endure_every time they speak to_a constituent or stand up in_the House of_Commons.

In their bids to cultivate consistently attractive_public_personalities, MPs will find themselves at_a_heightened risk of poor mental health_and_well-being.

Stefan_Rousseau/PA Wire

Threat 2: surviving the_workplace

Inside the “safety” of Westminster, MPs_must cope with an exceptionally stressful working culture and_the esoteric process_of settling in to parliamentary_life._In_a study of newly elected MPs, one MP reflected:

If you_get drawn_into it, you_begin to lose touch with reality and life on the_ground … everybody is disposable.

In what could_be called the “politics of parliament”, the psychologist Richard Kwiatkowski highlighted_a number of daily working