APA Poll Finds U.S. Adults Worried About Costs Associated With Holidays

Nearly one-third of U.S. adults anticipate that this holiday season will be more stressful than last year, with costs associated with holiday gifts and meals possibly contributing to this stress. This was one of several findings of APA’s latest Healthy Minds Poll.

The poll—which was fielded from November 9 through 11—asked 2,210 adults living in the United States to rank their anxiety about current events (for example, international conflict and inflation) as well as holiday activities/obligations. APA has polled about holiday mental health for the past three years.

Of the holiday stressors respondents were asked to assess, 51% expressed at least some worry about their ability to afford holiday gifts, and 23% reported being very worried about affording gifts. Similarly, 40% reported worry about finding and securing gifts, and 39% expressed worry about affording holiday meals.

“Economic burdens have run high in our polling for the past few years as a source of concern, and that makes sense given the challenges we’ve all shared,” said APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., in a news release. “Connecting with supportive family and friends is more meaningful to our mental health than the commercial aspects of the season. The kindness with which you treat yourself and those you love during the holiday season is the very best gift you can give.”

U.S. adults appear to recognize the importance of connection during the holidays. When asked about what they are most looking forward to this holiday season, 44% ranked seeing friends and family at the top of their list.

“Tis the season to keep our mental and physical health in mind as we enjoy the festivities,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “It’s tempting to want to do everything, to travel to see everyone, to shop for that very special gift, and to compare ourselves to that very perfect staged family picture we see on social media. But in January, when the holidays come to an end, what will be most important is that you are feeling well, and that will come when you take the occasional breath and have some perspective.”

As has been the case for much of 2023, anxiety about inflation, a recession, and gun violence dominated the top worries listed by U.S. adults. In contrast, worries about the COVID-19 pandemic remained consistently low in comparison with other current events.

For related information, see the Psychiatric News Alert “Practicing Kindness Has Positive Impact on Mental Health, APA Poll Finds.”

(Image: Getty Images/iStock/njgphoto)

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Practicing Kindness Has Positive Impact on Mental Health, APA Poll Finds

In a world where much feels outside of our control, U.S. adults largely recognize the positive feelings that stem from practicing small acts of kindness.

This was one of the major takeaways from APA’s most recent Healthy Minds Poll, which asked 2,210 adults living in the United States about the ways in which they practice kindness, most often see others practicing acts of kindness, and more. According to the survey, 89% said that showing others kindness made them feel better, and 90% said receiving an act of kindness made them feel better.

Those polled were also asked to reflect on their feelings of anxiety over current events. (The survey took place October 16 to 19—less than two weeks after the attack by Hamas on Israel.) Two-thirds of respondents (67%) reported feeling anxious about international conflict—up 12% from last month’s poll.

“When we are feeling stressed or sad, doing something for others, no matter how small, boosts our mood,” said APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., in a news release. “Whether it is an innate response that rewards altruistic behavior or a mental reframing that puts positivity in the world, doing something for someone else makes us feel better.”

In the past three months, 93% of respondents did something kind, including 69% who had greeted a stranger, 68% who reported holding a door open for someone, and 65% who had given someone a compliment. Other ways that respondents reported practicing kindness included the following:

• 39% had checked in on someone who seemed down or depressed.
• 33% had donated goods to a charitable cause.
• 24% had donated money to a charitable cause.
• 19% had given up their seat for someone.
• 17% had paid for someone else’s tab.
• 11% had volunteered or participated in a charity event.

Those surveyed also reported on how they have felt in the past when others showed them an act of kindness. Some of the most common feelings included happiness (56%), gratitude (51%), and hope (29%).

“The next time you are in line to pay for food, tell the cashier to take care of the next person’s bill—say ‘I am paying it forward for the person behind me’ and leave. Then, consider what you have just done to make that person’s day and the smile it will bring them,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “Especially now as we enter the holiday season, and especially as we encounter so many disturbing horrific events in the news, little gestures become meaningful in bolstering us in the day-to-day.”

The poll also asked respondents to reflect on what they are most grateful about as another holiday season begins. Most answered their family (70%), their partner (33%), their home (32%), and their physical health (31%).

(Image: iStock/melitas)

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Americans Feel Worried About Their Safety, APA Poll Finds

Seven in ten American adults reported that they felt anxious or extremely anxious about keeping themselves or their families safe, according to a recent APA Healthy Minds Poll.

While this is an improvement over the 80% of adults who expressed anxiety over their safety and that of their loved ones in 2020 (during the early days of the pandemic), the percentage reporting anxiety about keeping safe has increased since 2022.

Regarding specific areas of concern, 78% of adults surveyed said they were anxious about inflation, and 70% were anxious about the possibility of a recession. Anxiety about gun violence also stood out among the poll findings: 67% of those surveyed said they felt anxious about gun violence, including 42% who said they were “very anxious” about gun violence—an increase of 5% over the previous month.

“Ongoing stress about our basic needs can lead to other negative mental health effects,” said APA President Rebecca Brendel, M.D., J.D. “The impact of this stress means that psychiatrists will need to continue work with the communities they serve, the larger mental health field, and policymakers to ensure those who need care can access it.”

A sample 2,201 adults completed the online poll by Morning Consult between April 20 and 22. The data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on gender, educational attainment, age, race, and region. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Overall, 37% said they felt more anxious this year than at this time last year—a jump of 5%; 30% said they had talked about mental health issues with a mental health professional in the past few years—an increase of 4% from 2022.

The following are other findings from the poll:

• 78% agreed that a person’s mental health has an impact on his or her physical health.
• 78% agreed that untreated mental illness has a significant negative impact on families.
• 64% agreed that untreated mental illness has a significant negative impact on the economy.

“The majority of the public understands something we’ve been saying for a long time: Your mental health is about your health,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “It’s contingent upon us as a field to continue to spread that message” along with the messages ”that those who are experiencing mental health concerns aren’t alone and that there are ways to receive help.”

More information about the poll can be found in the APA release “Americans Express Worry Over Personal Safety in Annual Anxiety and Mental Health Poll.”

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