--- title: "Psych News Alert: More Than 1 in 4 U.S. Adults Plans to Make Mental Health a Priority in 2024" description: Over 75% of U.S. adults plan to start 2024 with a New Year’s resolution—including 28% who are resolving to work on improving their mental h... image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/New-years-resolution-iStock-1427720072-Jun-24-2025-06-15-59-9893-PM.jpg --- 12/19/23 12:00 AM # More Than 1 in 4 U.S. Adults Plans to Make Mental Health a Priority in 2024 ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/12/more-than-1-in-4-us-adults-plans-to.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/12/more-than-1-in-4-us-adults-plans-to.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/12/more-than-1-in-4-us-adults-plans-to.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/12/more-than-1-in-4-us-adults-plans-to.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/12/more-than-1-in-4-us-adults-plans-to.html) ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/New-years-resolution-iStock-1427720072-Jun-24-2025-06-15-57-8840-PM.jpg?width=200&height=133&name=New-years-resolution-iStock-1427720072-Jun-24-2025-06-15-57-8840-PM.jpg) Over 75% of U.S. adults plan to start 2024 with a New Year’s resolution—including 28% who are resolving to work on improving their mental health, according to APA’s latest Healthy Minds monthly poll. The poll was conducted online from December 2 to 4 among 2,202 adults. Of those who want to work on improving their mental health, the most common steps they plan to take toward this goal include exercising more (67%) or meditation (49%). Other actions included seeing a therapist or psychiatrist (35% and 21%, respectively) and journaling (26%). “Many see the new year as a time for a new chance, or to try something different, which is great,” APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., said in a [news release](https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/Making-a-Mental-Health-New-Year%E2%80%99s-Resolution-One-i). “At the same time, in mental health—just like physical health—maintenance and care matter. Preserve your healthy routines, maintain your relationships with loved ones, and take good care of yourself, as well as the people around you.” Other mental health–related resolutions include focusing more on spirituality (40%), cutting back on social media (31%), and using a mental health app (21%). Additionally, 6% chose “[forest bathing](https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.11.11.17)”—a still relatively unknown practice of immersing oneself in natural green spaces—as their mental health resolution. Other popular resolutions identified by those polled included the following: - Physical fitness (39%) - Finances (34% - Diet (26%) - Social/relationships (22%) - Traveling (21%) - Hobbies/skill-based (18%) - Organization/decluttering (15%) - Professional/career (13%) - Giving/volunteering (12%) “Taking care of your mental health doesn’t need to be tied to a holiday—any of us can take any of these steps any time,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “That said, the change in year is a terrific excuse to try something new to care for your mental health.” For related information, see the *Psychiatric News* article “[Experts are Positive That Positive Psychiatry Works](https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.08.8.19).” (Image: Getty Images/iStock/FreshSplash) --- **Don't miss out!** To learn about newly posted articles in *Psychiatric News,* please sign up [here](https://appi.org/pnpubalert). [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Twitter_Bird-Jun-24-2025-06-18-52-7041-PM.png)](https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Twitter_Bird-Jun-24-2025-06-18-52-7041-PM.png) **[Follow *Psychiatric News* on Twitter!](https://twitter.com/PsychiatricNews)** [exercise](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/exercise), [mental health](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health), [APA poll](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apa-poll), [meditation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/meditation), [psychiatrist](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatrist), [therapist](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/therapist), [diet](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/diet) ## Related posts [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/AVvXsEh1C9-DlLXlbGcSQpc3Jgl1HtwMhi6BCmEUIMsAqjiQ0l3nJoaLNEdI5eK9hopLsKNeElHQZAO9Q7B8-ztbks_iNRyOAgxbzN_ME34PcR2-chOoYSQcl3FYcy1mlMJyidy4j4u_spK-OgiDj-Jun-24-2025-04-41-33-4541-PM.jpg?height=200&name=AVvXsEh1C9-DlLXlbGcSQpc3Jgl1HtwMhi6BCmEUIMsAqjiQ0l3nJoaLNEdI5eK9hopLsKNeElHQZAO9Q7B8-ztbks_iNRyOAgxbzN_ME34PcR2-chOoYSQcl3FYcy1mlMJyidy4j4u_spK-OgiDj-Jun-24-2025-04-41-33-4541-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2021/12/1-in-4-americans-wants-to-improve-their.html) [therapy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/therapy), [mental health](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health), [COVID-19](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/covid-19), [APA poll](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apa-poll), [APA’s Healthy Minds Monthly](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apas-healthy-minds-monthly), [resolutions](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/resolutions), [journaling](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/journaling), [finances](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/finances), [meditate](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/meditate) ## [1 in 4 Americans Wants to Improve Their Mental Health in 2022](https://alert.psychnews.org/2021/12/1-in-4-americans-wants-to-improve-their.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 12/22/21 12:00 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2021/12/1-in-4-americans-wants-to-improve-their.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/capitol_david_20190312-Advocacy-2001-Jun-24-2025-07-34-59-3917-PM.jpg?height=200&name=capitol_david_20190312-Advocacy-2001-Jun-24-2025-07-34-59-3917-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2022/12/apa-applauds-mental-health-provisions.html) [Medicare](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/medicare), [samhsa](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/samhsa), [mental health parity](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health-parity), [telehealth](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/telehealth), [collaborative care model](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/collaborative-care-model), [Minority Fellowship Program](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/minority-fellowship-program), [health equity](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/health-equity) ## [APA Applauds Mental Health Provisions in Federal End-of-Year Spending Package](https://alert.psychnews.org/2022/12/apa-applauds-mental-health-provisions.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 12/23/22 12:00 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2022/12/apa-applauds-mental-health-provisions.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/2025_resolutions_iStock-2161806388-4.jpg?height=200&name=2025_resolutions_iStock-2161806388-4.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/12/more-americans-are-making-mental-health.html) [exercise](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/exercise), [Healthy Minds](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/healthy-minds), [mental health](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health), [meditation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/meditation), [poll](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/poll), [resolutions](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/resolutions) ## [More Americans Are Making Mental Health Resolutions for 2025](https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/12/more-americans-are-making-mental-health.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 12/31/24 12:00 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2024/12/more-americans-are-making-mental-health.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T18:20:00.844Z", "datePublished" : "2023-12-19T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Psych News Alert: More Than 1 in 4 U.S. Adults Plans to Make Mental Health a Priority in 2024", "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/New-years-resolution-iStock-1427720072-Jun-24-2025-06-15-59-9893-PM.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2023/12/more-than-1-in-4-us-adults-plans-to.html", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg" } } } ```