Many Americans struggling with election stress

ATLANTA - With just one week to go in the heated 2016 Presidential race, polls show Americans are feeling stressed.

You could call it Election Overload.

The American Psychological Association, which recently found more than half of Americans are feeling stressed about the election, coined the term "Election Stress Disorder."

WebMD medical editor Dr. Hansa Bhargava says many people she's talked to are feeling fatigued.

"And I think election cycles can really not only cause stress and anxiety," Dr. Bhargava says. "But it's almost chronic stress, and chronic anxiety, and chronic fatigue."

With a week to go, and no one certain whether Clinton or Trump will come out on top, Bhargava says now is a good time to practice a little self-preservation.

"I'm think it's important to pay attention to the news and to pay attention to the headlines," she says. "But, I think it's really important to stop yourself from getting obsessed about it. The more you feed into it, the more hours you'll spend on it."

And Bhargava, a pediatrician, says kids are tapping into their parents' stress, and they're asking sometimes uncomfortable questions about the campaign.

"So it's good to talk to your kids and give them information that is developmentally appropriate," Bhargava says. "You're not going to tell a 5-year old about locker room talk. You're not going to tell an 8-year old, necessarily, about WikiLeaks. But do talk about how important the election is, and how important it is to know about the issues."

If you're not already doing so, Bhargava says screen how much coverage your kids are seeing.

"Secondly, if something does come up on TV that was unexpected, take that opportunity to talk to your kids about it," she says.

And remember, for better or for worse it will all be over in a week.

So, Bhargava says, do the one thing you can. Vote.

"Because not only is that good for our country, it's good for yourself," she says. "Because you'll be part of the decision that happens."