- New survey reveals nearly 7 in 10 adults say their lives have never been more stressful than now.
- Two-thirds of Americans say all this anxiety is making them less productive at work!
NEW YORK — U.S. politics have never felt quite as contemptuous, and unavoidable, as they do today. We’re a nation of people who are constantly plugged in, whether that be via smartphone, desktop, or regular old cable news. As such, it’s hard for the average adult to go so much as an hour without at least casually glancing at a sensationalized headline, nasty social media comment fueled by political disdain, or television screen featuring a bias news pundit. Now, a new survey of 2,000 Americans finds that all of this vitriol filled political discourse is taking a serious mental toll. An astounding 78% of respondents say politics are the number one source of anxiety and stress in their life.
The survey, commissioned by LIFEAID Beverage Co., also identified on-the-job worries (51%), and financial matters (51%) as other common factors stressing Americans out. Another major stressor for many is health and medical issues (37%), and 25% say their commute to work each day is a stressful nightmare. Surprisingly, 37% of respondents listed their own partner as a big source of personal anxiety and stress. Other frequently cited stressors included social media (29%) and climate change (32%).
All of that stress is complicating other aspects of life, as well, with two-thirds (67%) of respondents admitting their constant anxiety is causing them to be less productive at work.
It’s clear from the survey’s results that Americans are feeling stressed, but how are they alleviating these feelings? Unfortunately, 69% say they usually turn to “unhealthy” coping methods. Additionally, it seems fighting stress can also put a hurting on one’s wallet, with the survey estimating that the average adult spends $960 annually on products, activities, etc. intended to relieve stress.
For many Americans, their stress levels have never been higher. In all, 68% say they’ve never felt more stressed than they do today. More over, 67% say they can’t realistically say their stress will go away any time soon.
Of course, the holiday season sure doesn’t help matters either. When asked about holiday-related stress, respondents listed gift shopping as the most stressful aspect of the season (37%), followed by visiting family (36%), cooking big feasts (34%), and receiving gifts (31%). The top five holiday stressors were rounded out with long lines and crowds (30%).
For many (66%), the stress they feel over the holidays largely negates any seasonal cheer they would usually feel.
The survey was conducted by OnePoll.