HOUSTON — Whether it’s the blitz of negative political ads or the headlines that follow day by day, if you're feeling stressed about the upcoming election, you're not alone.
“It does get a little stressful to see it (ads) and be beat over the head with it every day,” voter Antrice Thomas told us.
"I've intentionally not been paying attention to the news honestly, whether in print or online or on TV, it’s to avoid the stress and the anxiety that is inevitable,” said Omar Rouchon who shared he’s already voted.
According to the American Psychological Association's latest report "Stress in America 2024: A Nation in Political Turmoil," one of the dominating issues wearing people down was politics. Seven out of 10 adults say the future of the nation is a significant source of stress in their lives.
- The study also found 56% of adults believed the 2024 presidential election could be the end of democracy in the U.S.
- 41% said the state of the nation has made them consider moving to a different country.
- 82% of people also worried they were basing their values and opinions on false and inaccurate information.
"I'm a young voter, I'm 22, I just graduated so I haven't had that many elections to go through, but I definitely feel this one, there's more consequences around it,” voter Aidan Terlizzi said.
"It's very difficult this year because of the candidates, it makes it a little more difficult to choose one side or another,” voter Rei Umali said.
Medical experts like Dr. Lokesh Shahani, a psychiatrist with UTHealth Houston, are seeing the effects firsthand.
"We ourselves, in our clinics, have seen patients who have reported this current political environment 'is stressing me out,'" Dr. Shahani said.
So, what's the best way to cope?
According to Dr. Shahani, first, it’s important to get away from the stressor.
"If you're feeling anxious and stressed based on the news that you're watching, take a break,” he advised.
Second, take care of your physical health.
"Eating healthy, exercising every day, having good quality sleep, those are really important basic things your body needs to deal with the stress,” Shahani said.
Finally, he advises to be mindful and that it’s best to let go of things you can't change and focus on what you can.
By the way, it wasn't all bad news in the latest report. The study found three out of five adults reported feeling hopeful about the election results. If you'd like to see the full report, click here.