Have you ever wondered how your experience of stress compares to those around you? If so, you may be interested in reading the annual “Stress in America” report by the American Psychological Association (APA), in which more than 3000 Americans were surveyed about their recent experience of stress and coping.
The 2023 report shows important group differences in how people experience stress, and whether they feel supported in their communities.
Read on to learn more about the report, summarized below by our team members. We’ve added links throughout the post for further reading and for stress management practices that you may find helpful.
The lasting impact of collective trauma
The APA’s 2023 report on stress in America emphasizes the impact of experiencing multiple crises at once. APA psychologists explain the effect of widespread trauma related to the pandemic, global conflicts, racism/racial injustice, inflation, and climate-related disasters as monumental and compounding stressors affecting Americans.
Despite the evidence showing mounting levels of stress, data showed a pattern of respondents downplaying their stress, keeping their emotional experience of stress to themselves, and believing their circumstances are not “bad enough” to warrant stress. Perhaps surprisingly, 81% of respondents described both their physical and mental health as “good” or better, despite the fact that 66% of them had been diagnosed with a chronic medical illness and 37% reported having a diagnosed mental health condition, like depression or anxiety.
A further look at the data suggests that many people do not feel comfortable discussing their experience of stress. Over half of the respondents indicated that people around them expect them to “get over” their stress on their own. Unsurprisingly, about half of the respondents endorsed wishing they had someone to turn to for support.
Although we’ve all faced these stressful events together, we often confront their effects alone. This solitude can magnify the impact of these events on our mental health.
Psychological impacts of pandemic-era stress felt across age cohorts and lifestyles
The APA report summarizes impacts of pandemic-era stress across age groups and lifestyles. Some of the key findings from the report are outlined below:
Wide-ranging Effects: The psychological impacts of pandemic-era stress, such as health concerns, economic instability, and social isolation, impact individuals of all ages and backgrounds., though different age groups have different primary concerns:
Youth and Adolescents: The findings suggest that young people, including adolescents and college students, experience unique stressors related to disruptions in education, socialization, and uncertainty about the future. Young adults in Gen Z and Millenial cohorts were more likely than other age groups to describe their stress as “completely overwhelming.”
Middle-aged Adults: Middle-aged adults face stressors related to caregiving responsibilities, financial strain, and balancing work and family obligations.
Older Adults: Adults aged 65+ may experience stress related to health concerns, isolation, and worries about the well-being of loved ones, particularly if they are more vulnerable to the effects of the virus. Interestingly though, those 65 and older reported the lowest increases in stress levels in 2023. Some researchers theorize that older adults are buffered by life experience and by the opportunities they have to contribute to their communities.
Lifestyle Factors: Lifestyle factors, such as socioeconomic status, employment status, and access to resources, intersect with stress levels during the pandemic, which highlights the disparities in access, coping mechanisms and resilience.
Understanding the impact of stress
Researchers now have a much better understanding of how stress can impact both your physical and mental health. Six key things to know are:
Stress can manifest in the body
Have you ever noticed experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, headache, muscle tension, body aches, stomach issues, GI distress (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome), physical pain, or frequent colds/illnesses when you are chronically stressed? This is a common experience. Given that our brains are constantly in communication with other organs in our body, when we experience psychological stress it can have an impact on our whole bodies, not just our brains.
Stress can have a physical impact even when you appear "fine" on the outside
Research shows that stress can affect our bodies all the way down to the cellular level, and you may not see the impact of those effects for many years. For example, studies show that chronic stress can cause "biological aging" – essentially, the cells of your body are aging more rapidly than what is typical for your age. In turn, faster biological aging is associated with poor health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. So even if you're not actively experiencing negative symptoms currently, it is still helpful to reduce high levels of stress for your long-term health.
The effects of stress don't end when the stressful experience ends
It makes sense that you don't immediately feel better when a stressful situation ends. Your body takes time to recover from the stress. Have you ever gotten sick after a stressful period, such as college finals? This is a good example of how the effects of stress can impact us for days or weeks after the event. Be gentle with yourself and allow yourself time to recover.
Social support is protective against stress
Do you notice that having friends, family, and/or community support during difficult times is helpful, rather than trying to navigate everything alone? This makes sense – the positive effects of social support are backed by a ton of research. Keep this in mind next time you're going through a stressful time and feel pulled to isolate yourself or "not bother anyone" – reaching out for support is not only hugely helpful for coping with stress, but it can also leave you feeling more connected, which has been shown to boost well-being.
Coping skills aren't always effective in severely stressful situations
There are a lot of coping skills we can use during stressful situations: grounding, mindfulness, deep breathing, cognitive reframing, identifying actionable steps, seeking social support… the list goes on. However, there are also intensely stressful or traumatic situations that can profoundly impact you even when you're using all the effective coping skills. When this occurs, start by giving yourself grace – you are not alone in this experience. Next, it may be helpful to reach out to a trained provider for additional support.
Stress isn't entirely bad -- we often benefit and grow from stress
The word "stress" has a negative connotation. However, it is actually possible to have too little stress. Research shows that there is a happy medium – moderate levels of stress are actually motivating and helps us grow. Think about college finals again; do you remember feeling more motivated to study hard during the stress of finals than you did during the middle of the semester when it was less stressful? Or, as another example, think of a time you went through a big change. Research shows that change is stressful for most, if not all, humans. However, change also leads to growth. So don't shy away from healthy levels of stress – the key is to notice when your stress gets so high that it's holding you back rather than driving you forward.
Stress disparities
Not everyone experiences the same stressors or the same level of exposure to stress. Women report higher experiences of stress than men, citing financial concerns and a burden of managing both home and professional responsibilities. And research shows that minoritized groups (such as people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people with disabilities) experience unique stressors such as discrimination and threats to personal safety.
39% of Americans report that personal safety is a significant stressor in their lives.
27% of Americans report that discrimination is also a major stressor
Many of these individuals also report feeling stressed that they will not be accepted by their community and/or cannot voice their experiences around others for fear of how others will react.
Individuals with intersecting identities (e.g., a Black transgender person with a disability) often feel even higher levels of stress due to the compounding effects of how American society responds to their marginalized identities.
For decades, research has shown that individuals with marginalized identities suffer from health issues more often and earlier in life. New research is showing that this is, in part, due to greater experiences of chronic stress.
If you are a person of color, immigrant, LGBTQIA+ individual, and/or person with a disability, we are here to validate your experience. It is also important to know that these statistics are not deterministic – there are many ways to combat the negative impacts of stress disparities, including finding communities that celebrate those identities and support you and working with culturally sensitive mental healthcare providers.
One important finding of the APA report is that stress is felt differently across groups (age, gender, minority status), so coping responses and interventions should be tailored to a person’s needs. In other words, one size doesn't fit all when it comes to stress management. We encourage you to try a variety of coping strategies to find the blend that best fits you. Here are some additional TIPS YOU CAN USE.
