Election-xiety? 2024 presidential race is seriously stressing Americans out

Although Election Day is still nearly four months away, Tiffany Kreck finds herself getting increasingly anxious.

"I'm really trying to do a better job of controlling it," said Kreck, 35, a professional gardener and married mother of two.

The registered Republican from Ellsworth Maine doesn't intend to vote for either major party candidate but between this weekend's violence, the "vitriolic" language of the campaigns and the stakes for issues like the economy, reproductive rights and immigration ‒ she can feel her blood pressure rise every time she thinks about the election.

In an election-related survey this spring, more than 40% of Americans reported signs of anxiety or depression. A similar percentage say the news and social media coverage of the election have them feeling even more anxious than usual, according to the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor poll conducted May 8-15 by Myriad Genetics,

Those results coincide with another spring poll from the American Psychiatric Association that found most Americans are "particularly anxious" about the contentious election. And, in a Yahoo News/YouGov poll of 1,800 Americans conducted May 10 to 13, about 60% said they felt "very" or "somewhat" anxious about the presidential contest.

It's very likely many other Americans are anxious, maybe even depressed, over the election without even knowing it, experts say.

"The negative impacts are too big. They are about twice as large of a percentage as we'd like them to be," said Thomas Valente, a psychiatrist based in Leesburg, Florida, who analyzed GeneSight's poll before the results went public. "And these polls were taken before the first presidential debate. I can only imagine what the numbers might be now."

Aftereffects of Trump's assassination attempt

If Americans weren't already anxious enough, many are likely feeling it even more after the attempted assassination of former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday.

"It's natural to feel a heightened sense of anxiety, even dread, even asking ourselves, 'When does it end?' because something so drastic occurred before our eyes," said Arianna Galligher, associate director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program at Ohio State University.

Kreck described the assassination attempt as "surreal" but also "par for the course."

At this point, she said she's buying an extra bag of rice to put away each trip to the grocery, because rice will be fine without refrigeration and a little goes a long way ‒ in case things get really crazy.

The only thing that feels certain to her now is that we are in for a rocky ride. "The scary part of it is that this is apparently reality," she said.

Dr. Rebecca Brendel, a psychiatrist and past president of the American Psychiatric Association said whether Americans support Trump or not, the shooting was "shocking and antithetical to our political system no matter how divisive our language has become."

The stress of an event like this could cause some Americans to undergo changes in their eating and sleeping patterns, bouts of panic, sweaty palms, and shortness of breath because they can't think about anything else, Brendel said.

"We should give ourselves a mental and physical break," she said. "Put the phone down, turn the TV off. Get outside, go for a walk, do (get) some exercise. We need to try reassuring ourselves that the world other than this event is still the same place."

Galligher said people could still expect to see a range of responses and emotions, even days after such a major news event.

"Some will struggle with showing the best version of themselves. Crisis doesn’t always lend to the best ways of coping," Galligher said. "Some will lash out, some will have a hard time maintaining focus, and some may have some nervous energy they need to find outlets for release."

Galligher said those episodes could happen especially during normal conversations with family and friends.

"We can also set some boundaries if the discussions become too contentious," Galligher said. "It's OK to say 'Hey, let's take a break and talk about or do something we may have more in common.'"

Overall, Galligher said checking our emotions during this election season will be a constant challenge as Americans face "a true test" in this country’s history.

"We have to fight to maintain our identity as Americans, as a nation prioritizing democracy," Galligher said. "And in democracy, there is going to be some disagreement, but how we conduct ourselves during that discourse is really what matters."

'Can't control the outcome'

Before the shooting, Trump, the Republican nominee, had moved slightly ahead of President Joe Biden in many polls, following the candidates' acrimonious debate on June 27. Two months ago, the candidates were in a dead heat, according to an exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll.

The fallout and issues including Trump's felony charges, escalating concerns over Biden's competency, and a presumed battle for preserving democracy, are among numerous contributing stressors for voters, said Colleen Marshall, a San Francisco-based chief clinical officer at Two Chairs, a mental health organization offering virtual and in-person therapy sessions.

Marshall cited this spring's American Psychiatric Association/Morning Consult's mental health poll, which revealed that 73% of more than 2,200 Americans were particularly anxious about the election. Only the economy at 77% rated higher, with the election heightening a range of emotions and generating more conversations, Marshall added.

"Elections can be triggering because even though you are voting for the candidate you support, you can’t control the outcome," Marshall said. "And when you can’t have that type of control, that’s where our minds can go anywhere."

"Election anxiety," as Marshall dubbed it, ranked higher than personal safety, health concerns, and paying bills, according to the poll.

"I believe election cycles tend to be provocative, but we have this incredible, unprecedented divisiveness that's taking its toll on many of us," Marshall said. "And while some of us can compartmentalize better than others, some can’t put the brakes on that fear and worry."

Overall, 43% of Americans in that poll said they were generally anxious, compared with 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.

The election is bringing a lot of unease about where the country is headed, Brendel said.

"Especially when we’re in a setting when the political rhetoric is extremely divisive, and the rhetoric is saying your vote matters,” Brendel said. “And so, it’s not surprising that people are very focused on it and concerned and really feeling a time of uncertainty as these decisions are perhaps more important than ever.”

First-time voter scared by election

Kara Coulter, 18, has everything going for her. But just weeks from the start of her first semester at UCLA, her top college choice, the first-time voter and Los Angeles native is already worried about the outcome of this fall's election.

"Oh my God, it scares me so much. I wonder what will my adulthood look like: What will it look like if Trump wins? What will it be if Biden wins?" Coulter said. " A lot is going on in my head. Everything is so unpredictable right now. We don’t know what this country is going to look like even a year from now?"

She's worried that if Trump wins, the country could be in for some harsh changes, spurred by conservative think tank Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, which has been described as "authoritarian" and calls for rolling back health care reform deporting undocumented immigrants, ending the Department of Education and making medication abortion unavailable.

But, Coulter, who plans to study sociology and entrepreneurship, said her "voter fright" won't stop her from the polls. And she plans to tell anybody who will listen, especially her fellow Generation Zers how important this election is.

"It’s better to be educated walking into something new than essentially removing yourself from the process because you’re scared," Coulter said. "I'm going to exercise my right to vote because I know what all it took for us to do so. It's my hope and prayer that we turn out to vote."

Some Americans are 'freaking out'

Dale Stenbroten, 62, of Saukville, Wisconsin, who didn't participate in any of the polls but identifies with their findings, believes there's widespread frustration nationwide. Stenbroten said his anxiety comes from the "uncertain direction" the nation has been taking.

"I think the majority of this country is freaking out," said Stenbroten who owns a farm resort that caters to large events like weddings. "You want to think of it as just like a joke, but it's a sad, sick joke because people in this country are hurting and they are mad and sad."

Stenbroten said while he's lucky enough to have his own business and not be too bad shape, "others aren't as fortunate and their situations affect all of us."

Stenbroten, who describes himself as a reformed news junkie and "a moderate who tends to vote conservative," said while he backed Trump in 2020, he is now planning to vote for independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy had support from 8% of voters, in the latest USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, which was conducted between June 28 and 30.

Stenbroten thought Trump did well with the economy as president, but now has some very "serious issues" ranging from his legal problems to his divisive nature.

Stenbroten also doesn't care for Biden. He said the president "doesn't have the mental capacity" to remain in office and he dislikes the administration's involvement with Russia's war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

"We need somebody in the White House with a brain and the intelligence to help heal this divide," Stenbroten said. "This country doesn't need any more wars."

Kreck, also a Kennedy supporter, shares a similar view.

"There's so many of us in the middle who work, pay taxes, have families, and try to buy groceries just to make ends meet," Kreck said. "And we feel like we’re watching this horror show play out on this political stage."

Coping with 'election anxiety'

In addition to possibly seeking professional help, Marshall said those Americans having election anxiety should try to create some boundaries, including not always watching and consuming politics or not talking as much to family and friends about it.

For those who want to be more politically engaged, Marshall said they can get involved by supporting candidates of their choice, by volunteering or by participating in get-out-the-vote drives.

Kreck said she feels for Americans who have "checked out" because of election anxiety, "which in itself is a dangerous place for America to be if they somehow don’t believe in the Democratic process."

For herself, Kreck said she is doing her best to escape the "digital bombardment" of the election and the worries that come with it.

She's made an effort to put down her phone, turn off the TV and spend more time outdoors with her children and lobsterman husband.

She's also trying to take more deep breaths.

"It sounds more simple than it really is," Kreck said, because politics are "everywhere."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Election anxiety' is spiking. And there's still 4 months to go.