Politics could be bad for your health.
Politics is a severe source of stress in our everyday lives, a growing number of Americans say. A new study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found 38% of adults admitted politics caused stress, 29% said it caused fatigue, and 26.4% said they’ve suffered from depression after watching their favorite political candidate lose.
Politics is taking a toll on personal relationships as well. The study found more than a quarter of adults said they hate some people on the other side of the political spectrum, and 20% admitted differences in political views had damaged valued friendships. Home lives were less pleasant, and immediate family members have suffered as a result, according to 1 in 6 adults surveyed.
More than 10% said that when a major election or political event concluded, there seemed to be a void in their lives.
Young men are suffering from politics the most. Older adults and women reported lower rates of politics’ adverse effects.
Also, it’s a liberal thing. “Those on the political Right report fewer negative impacts than those on the political Left. Democrats, self-identified liberals, those who are socially and economically liberal, and people who disapprove of President Trump are, across the board, more likely to report negative health impacts from politics,” the study stated.
We can only guess why the anxiety is distributed unevenly politically. Maybe it’s being out of power in the White House that’s driving the Left mad. Maybe politics matters more to people who value government more.
Whatever the cause, it seems all of us need to cut back a little on the politics.
