Saying “this election is stressful” is arguably the understatement of the year. But an early preview of the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey reveals that 52 percent of American adults indeed view the 2016 presidential election as a “very” or “somewhat significant” stress source.
Social media is evidently a major culprit of election stress, with 38 percent of adults indicating that both political and cultural discourse on social media channels creates stress. The APA survey, conducted by Harris Poll online in August, included 3,511 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The full survey will come out early next year.
Fifty-four percent of adults who use social media cite the 2016 election as a very or somewhat significant stress source, compared to 45 percent of those who don’t use social media. More specifically, 56 percent of millennials and 59 percent of “matures” (ages 71 and up) call the election a very or somewhat significant stress source, compared to 45 percent of those in Generation X.
To combat election stress, the APA echoes suggestions outlined in a U.S. News article released earlier this week. Tactics include:
— Taking a step back from social media consumption
— Staying away from potentially heated election conversations
— Voting, in order to feel proactive
An additional strategy? Engaging in the practice of mindfulness to promote relaxation and tamp down stress when it threatens to boil over.
“Tune your attention to something in your sensory environment, like the sound of a fan or the running of water; pair the sound of the above with a deep, diaphragmatic breath,” says Dana Lipsky, an Arlington-Virginia-based psychologist, in a recent interview with U.S. News. “Allow yourself to focus just on the sound you hear and your breath, while acknowledging your thoughts and letting them calmly drift away by redirecting your attention back to the sound of the water. Mindfulness fosters relaxation, decreased feelings of anxiety, greater focus and overall well-being.”
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Stressed About the Election? You’re Not Alone originally appeared on usnews.com
