Study examines how much stress US election caused Americans, how to manage

WASHINGTON — No matter how you voted on Election Day, or early voting before, a new report found that most Americans are feeling some stress sand anxiety due to the presidential election.

Channel 2 Washington Correspondent Nicole D’Antonio spoke to a licensed psychologist about how to alleviate election-related stress in the wake of the presidential race.

More than seven out of 10 adults said the future of the United States during election season was the most significant source of stress in their lives, followed by the economy according to research from the American Psychological Association.

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Researchers surveyed 3,000 adults and found that both Republicans and Democrats were concerned about both the election and the economy equally.

The majority of respondents told researchers they were worried the election results would lead to violence, and more than half of adults were worried about how the election would impact the future of American democracy.

Separately, a third of those surveyed said the current political climate has also put a strain between them and their family members.

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“Our study suggests that this is the highest level of stress we’ve seen in an election in the last 12 years. And it’s bipartisan. Both Republicans and Democrats say the future of the nation is critically important to them and they are stressed. And now that we have the outcome, half of the country’s happy and half of the country is not,” Vaile Wright, APA, told Channel 2 Action News.

Wright said it’s important to be proactive about things you can control, rather than stress over things you cannot.

“So much of what makes us stressed is focusing on things that are outside of our control. Which is a lot of things including a presidential election. So we focusing our energies, especially on the local level. What can I do in the community?” Wright said. “Can I reach out to neighbors, can I reach out to institutions that are important to you.”

She said it’s important to put your time and resources towards causes in your community where you can have a real impact.

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