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TOPLINE:

Nearly half of Americans reported feeling more anxious than last year, with current events and paying bills the leading causes of their anxiety, according to the May 2026 American Psychiatric Association (APA) Mental Health Survey. Concerns about emerging technologies such as AI also increased in 2026, and 42% of participants experienced loneliness at least once weekly.

METHODOLOGY:

• A mental health poll was conducted among more than 2200 adults in the US by Morning Consult on behalf of the APA in April 2026.
• Participants were questioned online about their anxiety levels regarding various issues, including current events, financial concerns, personal safety, technology, and loneliness.
• Participants also reported their experiences with mental health professionals, coping mechanisms for loneliness, and awareness of new treatment applications of medications.
• Data were weighted based on age, sex, race, education, and region.

TAKEAWAY:

• Current events and paying bills/expenses, each reported by 62% of participants, were the top sources of anxiety. Among specific events of concern, the current economy was the top source of anxiety, with 71% of participants reporting being very or somewhat anxious about it, followed by the 2026 Iran war (63%), healthcare (62%), gun violence (62%), international conflict (60%), and hate speech and hate crimes (60%).
• The proportion of participants who reported being more anxious than the previous year increased from 43% to 48%, and the proportion who reported that they were somewhat or very anxious about the impact of AI increased from 44% to 53%.
• Loneliness at least once weekly also increased from 33% in 2025 to 42% in 2026, with 16% experiencing loneliness every day. The most common coping mechanisms for loneliness included watching TV, movies, or online videos (54%) and listening to music (54%).
• Although 60% believed that less stigma existed against people with mental illness in 2026 than 10 years ago, 65% of participants said they had not spoken with a healthcare professional about their own mental health issues. Stress (48%) and sleep (38%) continued to be the most cited influencers on mental health.

IN PRACTICE:

“Americans are telling us that anxiety remains a part of daily life, coming from many directions at once, including financial pressures, safety concerns, and rapid technological change,” Marketa M. Wills, MD, CEO and Medical Director at the APA, said in a press release.

“It is important for people to recognize when anxiety is interfering with their lives and to know that help is available,” Wills added.

SOURCE:

The Annual Mental Health Survey 2026 was released by the APA on May 12 on their official website.

LIMITATIONS:

The poll had a margin of error of two percentage points, which may have affected the precision of the reported results. It also relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to recall bias.

DISCLOSURES:

The survey was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the APA. No funding information or relevant conflicts of interest were reported.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.