Election anxiety has been rife among Americans this year, according to a recent survey carried out in its aftermath.
YouGov's poll, conducted the day after Election Day, among 2422 U.S. adults, found that compared to other events in their lives over the past 12 months, 26 percent of Americans said the 2024 election was the most stressful.
Polls throughout summer pointed to a nail-bitingly close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, though in the end Trump won by a comfortable margin, securing a second non-consecutive term in the White House.
Both the Republican and Democratic Parties put forward stark messages to voters, suggesting that both the economic health of the country and American democracy were at stake.
Thirty-eight percent of YouGov respondents said this year's race to the White House was "one of" the most stressful events of their year. Just nine percent said it was not at all stressful, and 17 percent said it was "not very" stressful. Ten percent were unsure.
The survey's findings reinforce data from similar polls which show the election has taken a toll on mental health.
For example, a poll published in May by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that 73 percent were feeling anxious about the election.
Social media site X, formerly Twitter, was awash with posts from users about their own experiences with election-related stress, with some joking they would be "stress-eating" their way through Election Day and night. Others said they were channeling their stress in healthier ways, such as running or spending time with their pets.
Mental health experts and organizations say that feeling stressed or anxious during an election cycle is completely normal.
"While individuals who supported winning candidates are celebrating the outcomes, it is important to recognize that many of our friends, family members, and colleagues are experiencing a genuine sense of loss and disappointment," said Mental Health America in a statement on the election shared with Newsweek.
"It is normal to feel anxious and a variety of other emotions during this time and beyond," it added.
Speaking to Newsweek prior to election night, Vaile Wright, a psychologist and APA's senior director urged stressed or worried Americans to focus on what they can control, such as avoiding social media, having a healthy routine and coping mechanisms, and not to overindulge in election-related coverage.
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