Surveys fielded in 2021 and 2022 in 122 countries around the world found that the countries in which people were most likely to state that they experienced stress in the previous day were Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Sierra Leone. In Afghanistan, around 68 percent of respondents reported feeling stressed in the day prior to being surveyed.
Stress is a major health problem around the world
In 2022, a survey of adults from 34 countries asked what the biggest health problems facing their country were, and stress was the fourth most common response, behind COVID-19, mental health, and cancer. The countries most likely to report stress as the biggest health problem in their country were Argentina, Switzerland, and South Korea. At that time, around 39 percent of people in Argentina and Switzerland felt stress was their country’s biggest health problem, compared to just 14 percent of people in Canada and Germany. Young people worldwide are more likely to report moderate to severe symptoms of stress, but still, a quarter of those aged 65 years and older reported having moderate to severe symptoms of stress in 2022.
Causes of stress and its impact
Although stress is a global problem, the causes of stress can vary from country to country. In the United States, some common sources of stress include personal finances, politics and current events, relationships with family and friends, and work. How stress manifests itself also differs, but common symptoms of stress include headache, fatigue, feeling nervous or anxious, feeling sad or depressed, and a loss of interest, motivation, and energy. A recent survey of U.S. adults found that around 36 percent stated that their mental health is negatively impacted when they feel stressed, while 32 percent said stress impacts their physical health. Some healthy ways to cope with stress include avoiding possible stress triggers like reading the news too often, exercising, eating healthy, talking to others, and avoiding drugs and alcohol.
