The top stressor for Americans in 2017 isn't their job or their finances — it's the future of the nation, according to a new report from the American Psychological Association (APA).
For 63% of Americans, the most significant amount of stress comes from thinking about the future of the U.S. The APA survey of nearly 3,500 adults found that people from all political parties reported being stressed about the future. Democrats, at 73%, are significantly more stressed about the country's future than Republicans, at 56%. Among Independents, 59% are stressed over the future.
The APA had clues last year that political tensions were troubling many people. The 2016 presidential election was a significant stressor for 52% of Americans last year, the association found.
More than half of the adults surveyed by the APA said their stress about the future was caused by the current divided climate in the U.S. The majority of adults, 59%, said they consider this the lowest moment in U.S. history. Those who agreed with that statement include some who had lived through World War II, the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Money and work are the second and third most common sources of stress, according to the APA. Sixty-two percent of Americans said money was a significant stressor, while 61% cited work. The current political climate in the U.S. was the fourth most common cause of stress, at 57%, the APA said. The survey, conducted online by Harris Poll between Aug. 2 and Aug. 31, includes responses from 3,440 adults.