American Psychological Association
According to its About page, the American Psycological Association (APA) "APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members." It describes its mission as "to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives."
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Americans are feeling increasingly stressed about politics amid assassination attempts, a late-breaking candidate change, debate drama, and legal battles. In APA’s 2024 Stress in America survey, 77% of U.S. adults said the future of our nation was a significant source of stress in their lives (Stress in America 2024, APA).
Research shows the distress we feel around politics can harm our physical and mental health—and it’s only getting worse. In 2016, the presidential election caused significant stress for 52% of adults—this year, that number jumped to 69%. Additionally many U.S., adults said they were worried that the election results could lead to violence (74% of respondents) or that the 2024 election could be the end of democracy in the U.S. (56% of respondents) (Stress in America 2024, APA).
“In general, we know that chronic stress harms psychological well-being and physical well-being. It takes a toll on our bodies,” said Brett Ford, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who studies the link between emotions and political engagement. “There’s a strong case to be made that for many people, politics is a form of chronic stress.”