Feeling stressed? You’re not alone.
The latest version of Stressed in America, an annual analysis of how Americans are dealing with stress by the American Psychological Association, shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans worry about the country’s future, according to a Nov. 1, 2017, news release from the organization. Another 57% say the current political climate keeps them up at night. These stressors cross all party lines—73% of Democrats, 56% of Republicans and 59% of independents cite the future of the country as a source of worry.
And it’s not just politics at play. Social divisions are causing stress for 59% of respondents. Money (62%) and work (61%) also hold strong as common stressors.
When asked what specific issues in the country cause them stress, the 3,440 respondents to the Harris Poll, conducted between Aug. 2 and Aug. 31, 2017, noted heath care (43%), the economy (35%), trust in government (32%), crime and hate crimes (31%), and terrorist attacks in the United States (30%) were the highest areas of concern.
While stress is uniform across all areas of the country, it differs based on gender and race. Women’s stress levels generally are higher than men’s. Meanwhile, African-American and Hispanic men report higher levels of worry than white men.
“With 24-hour news networks and conversations with friends, family and other connections on social media, it’s hard to avoid the constant stream of stress around issues of national concern,” says Arthur C. Evans Jr., chief executive officer of the organization. “These can range from mild, thought-provoking discussions to outright, intense bickering, and over the long term, conflict like this may have an impact on health. Understanding that we still need to be informed about the news, it’s time to make it a priority to be thoughtful about how often and what type of media we consume.”
