Fears of inflation, nuclear war have Americans feeling more stressed out than ever

It’s no secret that the last two years have been a rollercoaster and Americans are, understandably, on edge. From prolonged pandemic lockdowns the country slipped into an unprecedented financial crisis … and now, it seems, the world is on the verge of war. Oy vey!

By the way, did I mention prices at the pump are at a historic high?

It should, therefore, come as no surprise that a new report published on Thursday by the American Psychological Association (APA) shows that stress levels amongst U.S. adults is at an all-time high and Americans now appear to be overwhelmingly troubled by two issues in particular: historically high levels of inflation and the prospect of a global war starting in Europe.

According to the association's annual "Stress in America" poll, 87% of those surveyed reported that rising consumer prices constitute a significant source of stress and money is a constant concern– followed closely by supply-chain issues and growing global uncertainty.

Similarly, 87% of respondents said their mental health was greatly affected by what has felt like a "constant stream of crises without a break over the last two years” and most reported feeling concerned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could lead to World War III or even a global nuclear war. In fact, 84% said Russian President’s bloody invasion of Ukraine has been “terrifying to watch.”

The APA's Associate Chief for Practice Transformation Lynn Bufka admitted that she found the growing mutual feeling of stress among so many Americans "startling," but explained that although many people can feel stress, they often cite different reasons as the source, NBC News reported.

"We don't usually see 80 percent of people telling us that a particular stressor is stressful for that many individuals," Bufka said.

Although Americans have in recent months reported that finances and inflation are their primary stressors, Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine on February 24 changed everything.

Americans were "already in an overwhelmed and depleted place," said Lindsey McKernan, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The invasion, she said, was a "new threat to our safety."