Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


2020 Presidential Election Is Stressing Americans Out

Dora Mekouar

   Here's one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on: They're
   stressed out. Big time. And the 2020 U.S. presidential election is to
   blame.

   "If the news goes on, that to me, just listening to it, that is
   grating, and it causes anxiety for me so that I get wound up and can't
   fall asleep," says Betty Mattimore, a Virginia financial services
   professional who supports President Donald Trump.

   "Very high levels of anxiety, not sleeping well...I'm extremely
   stressed out," says Julie, an attorney from Maryland who supports
   former Vice President Joe Biden. "I'm so stressed out that I can't even
   really talk about it or think about it or read about it."

   Julie asked VOA not to use her last name for privacy reasons.

   A majority of U.S. adults can identify with Mattimore and Julie,
   according to a recent American Psychological Association report that
   finds 68% of U.S. adults view the presidential election as a
   [1]significant source of stress in their life.

   It's a bipartisan concern, with 76% of Democrats, 67% of Republicans
   and 64% of independents feeling the strain.

   Also, 77% of U.S. adults say they're worried about the future of the
   nation.

   "There are many compounded stressors that people are recording right
   now and they all will be influenced, one way or another, by the outcome
   of this election," says Dr. Vaile Wright, a clinical psychologist and
   co-author of the report on election stress.

   "Things like access to health care, climate change, the pandemic,
   social unrest, mass shootings, all of these things have a really
   significant national impact," Wright adds. "And whoever is in charge
   either will or will not identify solutions to these national-level
   stressors."

References

   1. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/10/election-stress

.