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Americans are becoming more and more anxious each year, according to a poll by the American Psychiatric Association.

What You Need To Know

  •  A poll by the American Psychiatric Association found 43% of 2,200 respondents feel more anxious than last year

  • 77% are anxious about the economy

  • 73% are anxious about the U.S. presidential election

  • 69% are anxious about gun violence

Whether that is because of the constant access to global news or a heightened awareness of mental health, researchers are not sure. One positive takeaway from the poll is that people seem to be more willing to admit they feel anxious and sometimes seek professional help.

The poll found:

  • 43% of respondents said they are more anxious than last year
  • 77% are anxious about the economy
  • 73% are anxious about the U.S. Presidential election
  • 69% are anxious about gun violence

This widespread state of anxiety is an issue that Dr. Petros Levounis, immediate past president at the American Psychiatric Association, said he has seen before after major events like 9/11.

“We call that hyper-arousal, meaning that anything that would happen would get us up in arms. So, we may be seeing something similar going on right now,” said Levounis. “It can be debilitating, so depending on how significant it is and if you find that you cannot function the way that you used to, you may very well seek some professional help.”

Generally speaking, if you believe constant access to headlines is bringing you down, he recommends disengaging from screens or media sources and getting outside or connecting with loved ones.