Holiday anxiety is back in force this year, according to the latest APA Healthy Minds Poll. Overall, 41% of adults said they anticipate more or much more stress related to the holidays this year than last year, a significant increase over 2024’s survey.
At the same time, more people (44%) said the holidays have a positive impact on their mental health compared to the past couple of years. Only one in five (21%) said the holidays have a negative impact on mental health.
By the Numbers
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Younger adults ages 18 to 34 (49%) and 35 to 44 (48%) were much more likely to anticipate heightened stress this year than those 65 and over (27%).
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The most common source of anxiety among survey respondents was grief over a loved one (48%), followed by affording or finding holiday gifts (46%), dealing with challenging family dynamics (32%), and being lonely (31%).
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On the positive side, seeing family and friends topped the list (61%) of activities respondents were looking forward to, followed by eating good food (53%) and giving and receiving gifts (30%).
- The poll was conducted online by Morning Consult from November 4-5, 2025, among a sample of 2,203 adults.
An Emotional Time
“While many enjoy the holidays, this is a time of year that can be loaded with emotions and stress for some, and those emotions can be driven by finances, family relations, and grief,” said APA President Theresa M. Miskimen Rivera, M.D. “In stressful times, we give ourselves and our friends and family the best gifts by being there for them.”
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(Image: Getty Images/iStock/Tero Vesalainen)