San Jose, California, July 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Americans are more afraid of global terrorism than being killed by a gun (68% vs. 35%). They are more stressed out by the melting ice caps than by their demanding boss (64% vs. 42%). And they are more anxious about bigotry, racism, sexism, and xenophobia than their own marriage (66% vs. 33%).
Holistic wellness service, Grokker, teamed up with SurveyMonkey to examine what most stresses Americans. Here are more surprising results from the Grokker Innovation Labs 2017 State of Stress Survey:
1. A Steep Decline in Americans’ Mental Health
A whopping 96% of Americans experienced at least one physical symptom associated with stress since the 2016 Presidential election. Over half of all respondents experienced clear signs of mental strain closely associated with stress with 53% reporting feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or nervous. More disturbingly, 45% experienced depression, a serious mental health concern.
2. Think Global, Stress Out Local
The top three concerns stressing Americans today are global stability, terrorism, and the increasingly polarized political climate. Almost three fourths of Americans (73%) are actively stressed about the fragile stability of global nations and over a third (68%) are worried about terrorism and the current political climate.
While the common prescription for combating stress is to manage personal worries such as relationship, financial, or job stress, the Grokker survey revealed that it’s really global, geo-political, and environmental issues keeping Americans up at night. Focusing on your relationship with your girlfriend isn’t going to stop the polar ice caps from melting.
3. President Trump, Political Polarization, And The Future Of The Country
No matter their gender, age, region, or political party, Americans are stressed out by the increasingly polarized political climate. In fact, almost three fourths of all Americans said they are worried about the future of the country (73%).
The constant bombardment of discouraging news out of the White House is not helping matters: 62% of all respondents say they are “somewhat or very stressed” by President Trump’s leadership. The traditionally liberal hotbeds of New England and the West Coast are the most concerned about President Trump’s leadership with a little over half reporting it makes them “very stressed” (51%).
4. Stressed-Out Millennial Selfies
Millennials reported the highest base stress levels of any age group with 80% feeling stressed and 60% saying their current stress level is negatively impacting their overall happiness. In addition to other global concerns, millennials are pointing to the environment as a top stressor on their lists of worries: 72% said it was a personal stress factor and 41% said fears of global warming make them feel “very stressed”.
For millennials, misery loves company. More than any other age group, millennials crave social interactions when they’re stressed. 40% of millennials go out with friends when stressed vs. 18% of boomers. And 68% of millennials will choose talk therapy with a friend or loved one vs. 53% of boomers.
5. Women Are More Stressed Than Men
On every single survey question, women consistently rated higher stress levels than men. Women lack confidence in their future and their health -- 60% of women are worried about their personal future compared to less than half of men (47%).
Women are not only more stressed about current health problems (53% for women vs. 41% for men), they are also more afraid of developing future health problems such as diabetes, cancer or Alzheimer’s (51% vs. 39%). In addition to higher stress levels, women are also experiencing more physical and psychological symptoms. In particular, 54% of women experienced depression in the last six months vs. 36% of men.
Finally, men and women differ in how they deal with stress: Men want to sweat it out and women want to talk it out. The most popular way for men to reduce stress is to exercise (56%) while women will choose talk therapy with a friend or loved one (68%).
6. DIY Stress Reduction
This overwhelming atmosphere is spurring Americans’ increased obsession with personal wellness care. About two-thirds of Americans (60%) reported using some type of stress management technique in the last six months and professional counseling was the least popular choice (15%). Instead, Americans turn conversations with friends and family into talk therapy sessions: At 58%, talking with loved ones was the most popular way to reduce stress. Americans also like to exercise (54%) and channel their inner zen with deep breathing (53%).
“It’s clear that Americans are taking personal responsibility for their own stress levels -- even as the issues that really concern them are out of their control,” said Grokker CEO Lorna Borenstein. “With 96% of Americans experiencing physical and psychological symptoms that are closely associated with increased stress, we’re not surprised to see that they aren’t waiting on doctors or the government for an answer: Americans are taking stress reduction into their own hands.”
Methodology
This study was fielded using SurveyMonkey Audience from June 20 - June 22, 2017 with a representative U.S. sample of 1,013 adults age 18+. The sample was balanced on age and gender according to the 2010 US Census. Respondents were sourced from SurveyMonkey’s voluntary online panel, SurveyMonkey Contribute. SurveyMonkey recruits panelists from the 30+ million people who complete SurveyMonkey surveys each month and offers charitable incentives to ensure diversity and engagement for trustworthy market insights.
About Grokker
Grokker is a holistic, global wellness program that helps, guides, and inspires busy people on their personal journey to well-being. Grokker’s expert-led video network and vibrant community of experts and enthusiasts is available anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Whether you have 5 minutes or 50, Grokker offers thousands of premium fitness, yoga, mindfulness, and healthy cooking videos at every level and duration, along with calendaring and reminders to help you form healthy habits. Loved by users in 172 countries, Grokker was named to CNBC’s 2017 Upstart 25 list for successful startups. Grokker is available on your PC, mobile device, Apple Watch, and TV through Comcast Xfinity, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast. Learn more at www.grokker.com.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20196aee-d3e7-4235-b093-1f0666d7c862
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a7a93692-7f36-4927-85e5-10b7257f1be0