Holidays can be stressful. This year, nearly a third of Americans (28%) say they anticipate more holiday-related stress than last year, according to the latest APA Healthy Minds Monthly Poll. Yet the holidays also remain a season of joy for many: Nearly two-fifths (38%) of adults say the holidays positively impact them.
“Although there are several different holidays we celebrate in December, many of us share the same anxiety and excitement about preparing for them,” said APA President Ramaswamy Viswanathan, M.D., Dr.Med.Sc. “Holiday stress is normal, and as psychiatrists, we understand that the social determinants of mental health can and do influence the experience of the winter holidays.”
This poll, fielded by Morning Consult on behalf of APA, was conducted Nov. 16-17 among 2,201 adults.
When thinking about this holiday season, adults reported they are worried most about missing someone (47%), affording gifts (46%), affording meals (36%), and challenging family dynamics (35%). Smaller percentages of adults worried about loneliness during the holidays (39%) and discussing politics with loved ones (32%). Younger people and parents were more likely to have these worries.
On the positive side, 41% of adults said that being able to see family and friends was the thing they were most looking forward to this upcoming holiday season, followed by 24% of adults who were looking forward to eating good food.
Apart from the holidays, adults continue to be anxious about the economy (75%), gun violence (64%), and hate speech and hate crimes (60%). Many adults also reported feeling anxious about international conflict (57%), climate change (56%), artificial intelligence (52%), and reproductive rights (50%), but those levels have dropped a few percentage points since August 2024. Anxiety around the 2024 election has also dropped significantly now that it is over: 50% said they are anxious now compared with 72% prior to the election.
For related information, see the Psychiatric News article “Dolce-Amaro December.”
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/svetikd)
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