The Psychological Impact of a Divisive Election

Before 2016, the American Psychological Association’s (APA) annual Stress in America surveys showed money, work and the economy were the biggest sources of stress in people’s lives.1 During the 2016 presidential campaign season, however, doctors began reporting patients were increasingly anxious due to issues candidates highlighted in speeches and interviews. 2

The APA’s most recent survey discovered top stressors now include personal safety and the threat of terrorism. The survey also found more than half of Americans reported the presidential election itself was a significant source of stress.3

This is hardly welcome news, considering all the other things we have to be concerned about in life, such as health care, career and finances — and often, those three are intertwined. Many people choose their jobs based on benefits like health insurance, and salary and personal financial confidence are almost always correlated.

The link between health and finances can be challenging during retirement. If you’re having trouble figuring out how to plan for retirement income, including the possibility of increased health care expenses — just give us a call. Some insurance products, such as life insurance and annuities, provide various options you may want to consider. We would be happy to discuss your options based on your unique situation.

Last year’s election even put pressure on some relationships and marriages, particularly when one spouse supported Donald Trump and the other didn’t.4 These types of rifts also were evident on social media sites, with lifelong buddies “unfriending” each other on Facebook when learning the other’s political viewpoints.5 Interestingly, it turns out that getting annoyed and stressed about political posts on social media is a bipartisan issue, equally shared by both Democrats and Republicans.6

One way to stay up to date on current events without the associated political stress is to spend time with people who are disinterested about who lives in the White House. To help retirees figure out where those types of people reside, Bankrate.com conducted an analysis of the most appealing places to live in the U.S. if you’re tired of hearing about politics. The most politics-free states lie in the Great Plains region, ranging from Kansas (lowest cost of living among choices) to North Dakota (lowest per-capita contributions to political campaigns).7

Bankrate.com’s No. 1 pick for a politics-free retirement was Wyoming. In addition to boasting a high degree of overall well-being, the state carries only three electoral votes in presidential elections. That means residents are spared the usual campaign ad blitz that battleground states face.8


Content prepared by Kara Stefan Communications.

1 American Psychological Association. Feb. 15, 2017. “Stress in America 2017 Snapshot:
Coping with Change.” http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2016/coping-with-change.pdf. Accessed April. 26, 2017.
2 Carey Goldberg. WBUR. Nov. 18, 2016. “Mass. Doctors Are Seeing the Effects of the Election in the Exam Room.” http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2016/11/18/mass-doctors-election-effects. Accessed May 17, 2017.
3 American Psychological Association. Feb. 15, 2017. “Stress in America 2017 Snapshot:
Coping with Change.” http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2016/coping-with-change.pdf. Accessed April. 26, 2017.
4 Sridhar Pappu. New York Times. Aug. 13, 2016. “He Likes Trump. She Doesn’t. Can This Marriage Be Saved?” https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/fashion/marriage-politics-donald-trump-hillary-clinton.html. Accessed April 26, 2017.
5 Matt Lindner. Chicago Tribune. Nov. 9, 2016. “Block. Mute. Unfriend. Tensions rise on Facebook After Election Results.” http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-facebook-election-reaction-family-1109-20161109-story.html. Accessed April 26, 2017.
6 Maeve Duggan and Aaron Smith. Pew Research Center. Oct. 25, 2016. “The Political Environment on Social Media.” http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-on-social-media/. Accessed April 26, 2017.
7 Jill Cornfield. March 20, 2017. “10 Best States to Retire in if You’re Sick of Politics.” http://www.bankrate.com/retirement/10-best-states-to-retire-in-if-youre-sick-of-politics/#slide=1. Accessed April 26, 2017.
8 Ibid.

We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic retirement income strategies and should not be construed as financial advice.


The information contained in this material is believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions. If you are unable to access any of the news articles and sources through the links provided in this text, please contact us to request a copy of the desired reference.

 

AE05175059B