Health
Election strain pushes 1 of 3 Americans to limit time with family, friends
The presidential election is already stressful for most Americans – and these stressors can trickle down into relationships.
A new poll from the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 77% of Americans believe the future of our nation is a “significant source of stress,” along with the economy (73%) and the upcoming election (69%).
The “Stress in America” online survey, which polled 3,000 U.S. adults of different political affiliations in August 2024, analyzed potential fallout from election results, including in people’s relationships.
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About one-third (32%) of adults said the political climate has caused a strain between themselves and family members — while 30% have limited their time spent with family members who don’t share the same values.
Half of U.S. adults admitted that tensions around social and political topics make them want to connect less with others, and 28% claimed they have “nothing in common” with people who have different political opinions.
Seventy-seven percent of Americans believe the future of the nation is a “significant source of stress,” the APA poll found. (iStock)
Another August 2024 survey by LifeStance Health – a mental health care network headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona – found that 44% of Americans have experienced conflicts in their personal lives due to political or election-related discussions.
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Almost a quarter of the 1,052 surveyed adults had considered ending a friendship due to opposing political views, while 18% had done so.
‘Political compatibility’
Political affiliation can also come into play when it comes to dating.
The APA found that 46% of adults would not date someone with different political opinions, split almost evenly between men and women.
Half of Gen Z consider “political compatibility” to be an important factor in dating, the LifeStance survey found. (iStock)
Half of Gen Z respondents in LifeStance’s survey said they consider “political compatibility” to be an important factor in dating, compared to 42% of millennials, 31% of Gen X and 29% of baby boomers.
One-third (33%) of all respondents claimed they would not date someone who disagreed with their political views, while 28% would consider it a “deal-breaker.”
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Almost a quarter of Gen Z and millennials have ended a romantic relationship due to at least one political disagreement.
Setting boundaries
MK Clarkin, a licensed clinical social worker and executive clinical director at LifeStance Health in St. Louis, Missouri, said she finds it “interesting” that younger Americans such as Gen Z prioritize political like-mindedness in their relationships above other generations.
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“These generations share the highest likelihood of experiencing moderate to significant distress around the election cycle, so it stands to reason that they align their relationships with their values and political views,” she told Fox News Digital.
Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former President Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 10, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
For those who are anxious about engaging in political discussions with friends or family members who have different opinions, Clarkin recommends setting “clear and kind boundaries.”
“That could sound like, ‘I am so glad to see you, let’s talk about something else. I want to hear about how your new job is going,’” she suggested as an example.
“Isolating ourselves from our communities is a recipe for adding more stress to our lives.”
“Or, ‘I get the sense you have a lot to say about the election. I’m going to excuse myself from this conversation, but I’d love to connect with you later and catch up about other parts of life.’”
Clarkin also encouraged the use of “I feel” statements to “express your views without escalating tension.”
An expert encourages Americans to “set clear and kind boundaries” when engaging in political discussions. (iStock)
“Regardless of what side of the political aisle someone stands on, election seasons tend to be tough on mental health,” she said.
“It’s hard to find an area of our personal lives not directly impacted by who wins an election — personal finance, access to health care, childcare and education, to name a few.”
‘Listen to understand’
Americans have faced a “highly charged” political climate, which has led to the “erosion of civil discourse and strained our relationships with our friends and families,” APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, noted in a press release.
“But isolating ourselves from our communities is a recipe for adding more stress to our lives,” he said.
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“We must remember that the most extreme voices are often the loudest, and that the majority of adults share similar values and concerns.”
Despite these tensions, healthy social connections are “important for managing stress and overall health,” Dr. Lynn Bufka, APA’s deputy chief of professional practice and a licensed psychologist in Maryland, told Fox News Digital.
“We do not have to agree on everything.”
Bufka noted that Americans have more in common than they might think, as 82% of U.S. adults believe it’s important to have conversations with people who don’t share the same values.
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“Try to understand the person you’re speaking with and help them feel safe and understood,” she suggested.
Eighty-two percent of U.S. adults believe it’s important to have conversations with people who don’t share the same values, an expert said. (iStock)
“Listen to understand, not to defend your point of view,” Bufka went on. “We do not have to agree on everything.”
People should look for broader qualities in others beyond politics, such as shared values in areas like kindness, respect and support, she advised.
Added Bufka, “Encouraging open dialogue and empathy, even amid disagreement, can enrich relationships and foster resilience against the stressors that come from political division.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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