As part of its ongoing Healthy Minds Monthly series, the American Psychiatric Association fielded poll questions Nov. 16-17 on Americans’ anxiety regarding nine topics in current events, and compared those results to a prior poll fielded Aug. 16-17, 2024.

Among the key findings:

• In August, 72% of Americans said they were anxious about the 2024 elections.
• In November, just after the election, 50% of Americans said they were anxious about its results.
• 57% of Americans in November indicated they were somewhat or very anxious about international conflict (e.g., Russia-Ukraine War, Israel-Hamas War), down 8 percentage points from August, when 65% said so.

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In the polls, both fielded by Morning Consult, Americans indicated that their levels of anxiety around issues such as the economy, climate change, gun violence, hate crimes, AI, and the future of reproductive rights remained relatively unchanged since August.

APA CEO and Medical Director Marketa M. Wills, M.D., M.B.A., commented: “While we like to stay informed, the news can also impact our mental health, and being mindful of that impact is important. As always, our mental health is bolstered by the connections we build with others, and how we care for ourselves. If current events seem overwhelming it may be time to limit your news consumption. Volunteering, spending time in nature, or getting involved in the community can also be helpful to anyone’s mood.”

On certain issues, polling results differed based on political party affiliation, with significant changes since August.

• On international conflict, the percentage of Republicans reporting anxiety dropped from 67% in August to 56% in November. A similar trend emerged in Independents (57% in August to 50% in November). Democrats stayed consistent at 68% in August and 66% in November.
• When asked about the economy, 85% of Republicans had indicated anxiety in August, which dropped to 74% in November. Overall, this figure remained somewhat consistent, with 77% of Americans worried about the topic in August and 75% in November.

The poll is part of APA’s Healthy Minds Monthly series. Both polls were fielded among 2,201 adults, although not the same group of adults. Full results are available by contacting [email protected].