According to Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association, 52 percent of the American adults are stressed concerning the presidential election. The study was carried out as a poll and conducted online among adults 18 and above living in the U.S.
Stress is responsible for the lack of health and well-being among American adults, especially during the past decade. According to the survey, social media affects the stress levels most when it comes to the election and topics connected to it. Consequently, American adults who are active on social media are more likely to state the election as an important source of stress than the ones who don't use the new media platforms (54 percent versus 45 percent).
Demographically speaking, men and women are almost equally likely (51 percent and 52 percent) to state the presidential election as a source of stress. However, different generations react differently to this upcoming event and its effects. Millennials and matures are most likely to give the elections enough thoughts as to make them stressful (56 percent and 59 percent), while the Generation Xers only scored 45 percent, compared to the boomers among whom 50 percent are affected by this event.
There is also a difference in the stress levels of democrats and republicans, the first being 4 percent less stressed than the latter (55 percent versus 59 percent). Additionally, 49 percent of the independents also find themselves influenced by the upcoming elections.
Racially speaking, Hispanics are the most influenced (56 percent), while the Asians are the least influenced (43 percent). In-between, the white people and the native Americans scored 52 percent, 6 percent more than the African American people, who are 46 percent stressed.
Consequently, 6 in 10 people with disabilities report the elections as a source of stress, compared to 48 percent of the ones who do not have any disabilities.
Among the advice published by APA to help the U.S. citizens manage their stress levels during the election period, media consumption goes first. A self-imposed limit of the amount of information could prove beneficial, especially among those who are heavily present on social media.
Another tip, somehow derived from media consumption, targets avoiding conversation on political topics related to the elections as much as possible. Discussing a stressful topic fuels the person's fears and sources of anxiety, instead of keeping them within normal parameters.
Keeping the minds busy can also help. According to APA, volunteering and voting, and essentially any other behavior related to making a positive difference, can improve the stress levels significantly.
