(NewsNation) — The future of America in general and the presidential election in particular are the source of stress for at least seven in 10 Americans, according to a new survey from the American Psychological Association.
“For nearly a decade, people have faced a political climate that is highly charged, which has led to the erosion of civil discourse and strained our relationships with our friends and our families,” APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr. said in a news release.
“But isolating ourselves from our communities is a recipe for adding more stress to our lives,” he added.
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The survey, titled “Stress in America 2024: A nation in political turmoil,” found that 77% of those asked said the future of the nation is a significant source of stress. A total of 73% say the same thing about the economy, followed closely by 69% who worry about the presidential election.
Stress related to the election was around the same in 2020 at 68%, but much lower in 2016 at 52%.
Drilling down on election anxiety, the survey found that 72% worry that the election results could lead to violence, and 56% said they believe that the election could lead to the end of democracy in the U.S.
Election stress may also be a bipartisan malady, as 80% of Republicans, 79% of Democrats and 73% of independents surveyed said they were stressed about the future of the nation.
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Misinformation and disinformation have also increased America’s stress level: 73% said it’s stressful to see just how authentic fake information can appear, and 82% said they fear that people might be basing their values and opinions on false or inaccurate information.
The APA survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, questioned more than 3,000 American age 18 and older throughout August.
