APA offers the following tips to help people manage their stress related to the election:

• If the 24-hour news cycle of claims and counterclaims from the candidates is causing you stress, limit your media consumption. Read just enough to stay informed. Turn off the newsfeed or take a digital break. Take some time for yourself, go for a walk, or spend time with friends and family doing things that you enjoy.
• Avoid getting into discussions about the election if you think they have the potential to escalate to conflict. Be cognizant of the frequency with which you’re discussing the election with friends, family members or coworkers.
• Stress and anxiety about what might happen is not productive. Channel your concerns to make a positive difference on issues you care about. Consider volunteering in your community, advocating for an issue you support or joining a local group. Remember that in addition to the presidential election, there are state and local elections taking place in many parts of the country, providing more opportunities for civic involvement.
• Whatever happens on Nov. 8, life will go on. Our political system and the three branches of government mean that we can expect a significant degree of stability immediately after a major transition of government. Avoid catastrophizing, and maintain a balanced perspective.
• Vote. In a democracy, a citizen's voice does matter. By voting, you will hopefully feel you are taking a proactive step and participating in what for many has been a stressful election cycle. Find balanced information to learn about all the candidates and issues on your ballot (not just the presidential race), make informed decisions and wear your 'I voted' sticker with pride.

Further detail on the survey findings is available in Stress in America: US Presidential Election 2016 (PDF, 164KB).

Methodology

The Stress in America survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of APA between Aug. 5 and 31, 2016, among 3,511 adults ages 18+ who reside in the US Surveys were conducted in English and Spanish. Data were weighted to reflect their proportions in the population. Weighting variables included age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income. Propensity score weighting also was used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. Hispanic respondents were weighted for acculturation, taking into account respondents’ household language as well as ability to read and speak in English and Spanish. Because the sample is based on those who were invited and agreed to participate in the Harris Poll online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. The full Stress in America report will be released in early 2017.

Pages: 1 · 2

More Articles

• Jo Freeman Writes: Kennedy vs. Trump at the Libertarian National Convention
• National Institutes of Health: Common Misconceptions About Vitamins and Minerals
• A Yale Medicine Doctor Explains How Naloxone, a Medication That Reverses an Opioid Overdose, Works
• "The 2022 midterm election returns could ... be marred by a rush to judgment by political leaders or news outlets"* Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
• Senator Ron Wyden's Office: On Health Care, Inflation Reduction Act Includes the Culmination of Wyden’s Work On the Finance Committee to Address the High Cost of Prescription Drugs
• Kaiser Health News Research Roundup: Pan-Coronavirus Vaccine; Long Covid; Supplemental Vitamin D; Cell Movement
• Encountering the News From the British Library's Breaking the News Exhibition: Unsettling, But Exciting
• How They Did It: Tampa Bay Times Reporters Expose High Airborne Lead Levels at Florida Recycling Factory
• Justice Department Issues Guidance on Ballot Drop Box Accessibility Requirements Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
• On A Chilly Saturday, Winter Graduates Turn to Their Future: “Some of (your) most important lessons came from a real-life curriculum no one ever anticipated”