39 New Stress Statistics We Have Taken Part In

Stress Statistics

Stress statistics define stress as “any situation that causes a biological reaction”. Whenever we find ourselves in a stressful situation, our bodies get overwhelmed with hormones. After the situation is over, they go back to normal. Suffice it to say, it takes a bit longer for our mind and body to successfully cope with it, especially with coronavirus stress present.

Constant stress can leave negative effects on our bodies, which some of us know only too well. As a matter of fact, no one is immune to it. Student stress statistics are filled with reports and research. Becoming an adult and getting a job does not mean it gets any easier either.

So, what are we to do? CBD seems to be of quite some help. Keep reading to find out about the causes and effects of stress, and some practical ways to cope with stress.

But first, take a look at these:

Most Astounding Statistics & Facts About Stress

  • 60% of the US population admit they are under constant daily stress.
  • Over 20% of Americans skip or consider skipping going to the doctor because of financial stress.
  • 16% of people have developed a COVID stress syndrome (CSS).
  • One-third of Americans are struggling with anxiety, stress, and depression as a result of the global pandemic.
  • 2 in 5 high school students experienced higher levels of stress, compared to the pre-covid era.
  • Coronavirus stress has created a new disorder: post-covid stress disorder.
  • 15% of Americans want to quit their jobs due to severe stress.
  • 4 in 10 caregivers consider their job to be extremely stressful.
  • Gen Z showed the highest levels of stress due to COVID-19.
  • 49% of Americans use CBD regularly to manage their anxiety and stress levels.

When it comes to stress, you are definitely not alone. Just have a look at these statistics.

Stress Statistics for 2022 

Here are some general stats about the most notorious silent killer—stress. How many people struggle with daily stress, and how did the pandemic influence the numbers? Let’s find out.

1. 60% of the US population admit they are under constant daily stress.

(The Washington Post) (AIS

Everyone has their own definition of stress, which is usually related to work, school, family, and anything that causes negative emotions and feelings. However, not every stress has negative connotations. In fact, there can also be good stress. It’s caused by weddings, babies, graduations, promotions, and similar events, and also known as eustress.

2. One of the most interesting facts about stress says our bodies need about 90 minutes to recover from a stressful situation.

(AIS

Stress can affect our central nervous and endocrine systems, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, digestive system, muscular system, as well as our immune system.

3. Over 20% of Americans skip, or consider skipping going to the doctor because of financial stress.

(The Conversation)

Americans today are significantly poorer than they were 10 years ago, considering that 28% lost their jobs, were on unpaid leave, or had similar struggles, and let’s not forget the rise in the unemployment rate of 14.7%  in April. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that many people postpone visiting the doctor. The situation with the new virus makes things even more difficult, especially for low-income families.

4. Stress statistics have changed with 16% of the population developing a new type — a COVID stress syndrome (CSS).

(Coronaphobia) (The Conversation)

COVID stress syndrome is defined by five elements: fear and danger of getting infected, fright over socio-economic aftermath, obsessive checking and reassurance seeking, xenophobia (fear of foreigners spreading the virus), and traumatic stress. 

5. One-third of Americans are struggling with anxiety, stress, and depression as a result of the global pandemic. 

(Statista)

Stress statistics worldwide from 2020 imply that 33% of people in the US are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety, or sadness. 26% of people from the UK and Canada deal with the same issues, followed by France, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands, and Norway. 

6. More than 8.5 million Aussies experienced increased levels of depression, stress, and anxiety during the lockdown, stress statistics in Australia indicate.

(Roy Morgan)

That’s 40.5% of Australians over 14 suffering having issues with mental health. What’s more, data shows us a mild growth in the numbers, compared to the pre-covid era. While the biggest jump has been seen in anxiety (+5.4%) and depression (+2.3%) rates, the number of people dealing with stress stayed almost intact (+0.5%). 

High School Student Stress Statistics

Adolescents are known for their sudden outbursts and rebellious nature, but what kind of role does stress play in their lives and how many teens are affected by it?

7. 79% of high schoolers are worried about infectious people around them as a consequence of COVID19.

(Heidi.News)

While the global pandemic affected many people, its biggest impact was on the mental health of teenagers. As teen stress statistics show, 79% are scared of being infected by other people, 44% lack knowledge about the new virus, and 38% are scared about the future and the impact on the global economy. Overall, 40% have had mental health issues owing to the pandemic.

8. 2 in 5 of Gen Z teens experienced higher levels of stress, compared to the pre-covid era.

 (APA

The closure of schools worldwide and the switch to online classes had negative effects on 81% of high school students. What’s more 52% lack motivation, 49% are not involved in any extracurricular activities or sports, and 45% can’t stay focused while doing schoolwork.  

9. High school stress statistics report average stress levels for high school students have reached 5.8 points on the 10-point stress level scale.

(Guide2Research)

They also report that the stress levels teens experience during a school year exceed the stress levels they consider to be normal. By comparison, the normal level is 3.8 points. Despite this high impact of stress levels, the students report very little or no physical health issues. To clarify, this statistic refers to the usual state before the coronavirus pandemic.

Stress in College Students Statistics

What about the college students’ stress? How do they cope with their new responsibilities, and did the pandemic leave any trace on their mental health?  

10. 87% of college students are concerned about their academic future. 

(APA)

In other words, 8 in 10 Gen Z students are under severe stress regarding the uncertainty of their future revolving around college. In addition to that, 67%, or 2 in 3 students, believe they won’t be able to plan their life due to the global pandemic and the “new normal“ rules. 

11. Stress statistics in college students show 44% of college students experienced stress, anxiety, and loneliness during the pandemic. 

(Inside Higher Ed)

Besides loneliness and stress, 21% of students were concerned about their college future, 14% worried about college tuition, space for studying, and other cost-related problems, and 5% were distressed about internet access.

12. 1 in 5 students has suicidal thoughts.

(Verywell Mind) (Affordable Colleges Online)

9% have tried to take their own life, while roughly 20% inflicted self-injury. Reports say that up to 90% of the suicides that college students commit are related to substance abuse and mental disorders.

13. College students stress statistics warn that the second main cause of death in young people is suicide.

(Espyr) (Business Wire)

Shockingly, around 1,000 college students commit suicide each year. 23% of students reported knowing someone who committed suicide. Even worse, 5% of high school and college students tried to kill themselves on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

14. More than half of college students believe they had adequate support during the pandemic, as revealed by the latest college students and stress statistics.

(The Brink)

Almost 70% of students believe that the college administration showed big support during the global pandemic, whereas 78% received immense support from their university professors. The survey was done on 18,000 participants.

US Stress in the Workplace Statistics

Many people find work and money to be their main stress-related concerns. Let’s see what the numbers tell us about its impact on the workplace.  

15. 7 in 10 workers claim the pandemic represents the most stressful time of their careers.

(AJMC)

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 88% of employees have been through immense stress. This way, they lost an hour or two in productivity and had problems with depression and insomnia

16. 64% of the employed Americans name work as a source of stress, workplace stress statistics survey shows.  

(APA) (The Guardian)

64% also name money as one of the main stress culprits. 25.7 million workers are jobless or on reduced pay as a consequence of the pandemic.

17. 15% of Americans want to quit their jobs due to severe stress.

(Shortlister)

In addition to that, 41% of Americans blame stress for the lack of productivity, and 33% claim stress makes them less committed to working. 

18. Stats on stress indicate 40% of workers are reluctant to speak with their employers about stress.

(Business.com)

Almost half of the employees in the US are afraid to speak with their managers about their mental health situation because they believe it will get them fired. The accumulated work-related stress, and the lack of support, often lead to excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption, smoking, and prescription medication abuse.

19. Stress statistics on productivity are worrying as each week 50% of the employed lose 1-5 hours of work on account of stress.

(Colonial Life)  

In accordance with various work-related stress reports, the most common reasons for stress include long hours, deadlines, harassment, job insecurity, changes in the organization, and bad work-related relationships. 

20. Fun facts about stress and work say about 44% of employees would accept a smaller pay for remote working after the pandemic is over.

(Forbes)

Coronavirus made many small and large companies shut their doors and switch to working from home. While almost half of the workers would work for a smaller salary, in order to keep their jobs, 52% of employees would not accept this kind of arrangement. 

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Statistics

How many people suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

21. Every year, around 8 million US adults are diagnosed with PTSD.

(SingleCare)

PTSD usually happens after a person has seen or lived through a shocking or dangerous experience, also known as trauma. About 10% of women and 4% of men are affected by this mental disease. 

22. Stress during coronavirus has led to creating a new disorder: the post-covid stress disorder. 

(Psychiatric Times)

In the same fashion as PTSD, post-covid stress disorder is related to people who suffered mild or severe symptoms of the new virus, people who lost their loved ones due to coronavirus, first responders, health care workers, and hospital personnel. 

23. 1 in 13 people will experience PTSD during their lifetime.

(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) (SingleCare)

According to the post traumatic stress disorder facts, women are more likely than men to endure child sexual abuse and sexual assault. On the other hand, men are more likely to experience various accidents, combat, physical assault, disaster, or to witness death or some kind of an injury.  

24. Intensive COVID-19 care survivors are at a higher risk of getting diagnosed with PTSD.

(Smithsonian Magazine

Many coronavirus survivors showed symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), after being discharged from the hospital. Given that PTSD is usually diagnosed after PICS, there is a high possibility that some patients will develop PTSD.

Caregiver Stress Statistics

Caregivers’ job is prone to many stressful situations and somewhat traumatic scenarios. What kind of role does stress play in their line of work?

25. There are 53 million caregivers in the US.

(Torchlight)

Regarding race, 61% of caregivers are non-Hispanic White, Hispanic or Latino (17%), non-Hispanic African American or Black (14%). 5% of caregivers belong to Asian American and Pacific Islander race/ethnicity.

26. Stress statistics say 4 in 10 caregivers consider their job to be extremely stressful.

(AARP)

The numbers also show us that women are more likely to experience stress. In fact, 39% of women caregivers feel emotional stress, compared to 33% of men. Among ethnicities, Asian Americans feel emotional stress the most.

27. 38% of people who cared for their relatives say they experience high emotional stress.

(AARP)

On the other hand, about 23% of caregivers who take care of a non-relative feel the same way. Furthermore, 40% of co-resident family caregivers feel stressed out, compared to 34% of non-resident family caregivers.

28. Stats about stress show us that 1 in 3 Americans have become caregivers due to the global pandemic crisis. 

(Human Resource Executive)

Many people had to take care of their eldest and youngest family members during the coronavirus crisis, trying to balance their responsibilities as workers and caregivers. As a result of the “new normal“, 53% of the employed are changing their work routine to take care of others. 

Miscellaneous Statistics about Stress

Now, let’s see what these diverse stats can tell us about stress and its effects on everyday life. Here’s what you need to know.

29. 33% of adult Americans state discrimination is responsible for a considerable source of stress in their life.

(APA)

This is an increase of 25% compared to 2019 results. 2 in 5 Americans of color report feeling stressed due to racial discrimination. There’s a growth in numbers by 6% compared to the stress statistics worldwide from 2019. With that in mind, 48% of African Americans experience stress as a result of discrimination, followed by Hispanics (43%), Native Americans (42%), Asians (41%), and caucasian (25%).

30. 8 in 10 Americans blame the global pandemic for increased overall stress.

(APA)

78% of adults have experienced intense stress due to a coronavirus threat. Most common side effects included body tension, anger outbursts, frequent mood swings, and yelling.  

31. Louisiana is the most stressed state, as revealed by stress statistics 2020

(U.S. News)

Mississippi, New Mexico, Arkansas, and West Virginia join the most stressed bunch too. Sadly, Louisiana and Mississippi have the lowest number of psychologists per capita, as well as the poorest credit scores nationwide. 

In contrast, the states with the lowest stress rates are Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Utah.

32. Certain foods can be excellent stress reducers.

(Mind Food) (Healthline)

Dark chocolate and matcha powder can reduce stress levels and improve your mood. Other food that can help you deal with stress includes matcha, swiss chard, sweet potatoes, kimchi, and artichokes. 

33. Holiday stress statistics show that 54% of Americans reported being more financially stressed than the previous year.

(Credit Karma)

The rules of the “new normal“ caused 34% of people to feel bad during the holidays. In other words, 35% were worried they wouldn’t have enough money to provide gifts to their loved ones, and 47% were stressed about the changes in holiday celebrations. 

34. Gen Z showed the highest levels of stress due to COVID-19.

(APA)

Unlike Gen X, Boomers, and Millennials, stress statistics on Generation Z tell us 79% are under severe stress, mostly being worried about the future of the whole American nation.

35. Exercising can reduce stress.

(Mayo Clinic)

If you heard about the “flight or fight“ response, you know that’s the way our body protects us from danger. When doing exercise, the body mimics this response, helping us get rid of stress. In addition to that, exercise and stress facts show us regular activity helps our brain produce more endorphins (feel-good neurotransmitters). Some even use cannabis before/after workouts.

36. 57% of the population turns on some music for stress relief, stress in America statistics reveal.

(Statista) (Ipsos)

The second most preferable stress reliever is watching online TV and other video content. 

In fact, 48% of Americans watch funny videos to get rid of stress. In terms of movie genres, comedy takes first place with 50%, followed by action, drama, and crime. Working out is a stress reliever for 40% of Americans. Using social media platforms helps 34% of the US citizens, and gaming works for 33% of the surveyed.  

Statistics On Stress and Cannabis

Can cannabis and  CBD products reduce stress levels and how many people are using cannabidiol to help them relax? 

37. CBD directly impacts serotonin levels, which have a major role in mood disorders.

(Depression Alliance)

Around 264 million people around the world live with anxiety. Researchers are constantly working on finding new ways to manage stress levels and anxiety, and one of them is CBD oil.  

38. Stress stats confirm 49% of Americans regularly use CBD to manage their anxiety and stress levels.

(Statista)

A large number of Americans use CBD to manage their mental health problems. 64% use CBD for pain regulation, followed by insomnia and other sleep problems (42%). 26% try to deal with depression by using some form of CBD.  

39. Cannabis activates a molecule known as 2-AG, which is responsible for stress reduction.

(ScienceDaily)

This will probably disrupt the figures in stress statistics worldwide should the knowledge be implemented. The discovery has inspired scientists to look for pharmaceuticals that can have the same effect and diminish the levels of anxiety and stress.  

Bottom Line

Although not all types of stress are bad, as positive stress can influence your life in a good way, all kinds of stress should be temporary. Otherwise, severe, frequent, or prolonged stress can impact your health in major ways. 

That’s why knowing the most important stress statistics and facts is essential, so you are able to recognize disturbing symptoms and help yourself and the people you care about. We can’t eliminate stress, but we hope that this article will help you learn to avoid or at least minimize it.

FAQs

What is stress?

Any situation that creates emotional, physical, and psychological strain can be described as stress. It can be short or long term, and some of the most common symptoms involve anxiety, mood changes, headaches, trembling, the tension in the neck and shoulders, insomnia, low energy, etc. 

There are four types of stress: 

  • acute stress (short positive or negative stress), 
  • chronic (long term stress that can be a result of a trauma), 
  • episodic stress, and 
  • eustress (high adrenaline, positive stress). 

What is the number one cause of stress?

At the moment, 83% of Americans are under immense stress for being worried about the future of the nation. On that note, 70% of people worry about the impact of the global pandemic on the economy. 

Next, for 7 in 10 Americans the main source of stress was the Government’s incapability to deal with the coronavirus. 

Finally, parents report higher levels of stress than non-parents. 70% are stressed about the basic food and housing needs. 66% are worried about not being able to get health care services. The same percentage is stressed about missing main life events (weddings, graduations, etc.). 

What are the top 10 causes of stress?

According to the Holmes and Rahe scale, the top 10 stressors are the death of a spouse/child, divorce, marital separation, imprisonment, death of a family member, personal injury or illness, marriage, dismissal from work, marital reconciliation, and retirement.  

What age group has the most stress?

Young adults from 18 to 23 years old (Generation Z) are the age group with the highest levels of stress. This age group experiences stress that has a 6.1 intensity on the 10-point stress level scale. 

The next group in line are Millennials, aged 24-41 (5.6 out of 10). Generation X, aged 42-55 (5.2 out of 10) follows; Boomers, aged 56-74 (4.0 out of 10) and 75+ (3.3 out of 10) feel the least stressed.

What is the average stress level?

In the US, the average level of stress is 5.4 out of 10. In the pre-covid era, the figure was 4.9. Moreover, parents report higher numbers (6.7), compared to nonparents (5.5).

Stress can be measured by various scales; however, the most used instrument is the PSS scale (Perceived Stress Scale), which is made of numbers (1-4, 1-10), with each number presenting a statement. E.g. 1 equals little or no stress, 10 equals a great deal of stress.

How many deaths are caused by stress?

Every year, 120,000 million Americans die from stress. This figure represents the total deaths from stress-related illnesses that include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and many other disorders. Stress statistics report that chronic stress is connected to 6 main causes of death — heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.

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