‘Project Healthy Minds 2024 State of Mental Health’ Survey, Conducted by The Harris Poll, Reveals Election Anxiety, Finances, Mass Shootings Negatively Impacting Americans’ Mental Health

New data from Project Healthy Minds highlights the mounting pressures Americans face, from election stress to financial worries

New York, October 10, 2024 — On World Mental Health Day, Project Healthy Minds is unveiling the results of its Project Healthy Minds 2024 State of Mental Health Survey, commissioned by Project Healthy Minds and conducted by The Harris Poll among over 2,000 U.S. adults, which reveals that while the upcoming election has been having a negative impact on Americans’ mental health, other factors such as financial strain, recent mass shootings, and extreme weather events have also been impacting Americans' mental well-being over the past year.

According to the survey from the Millennial/Gen Z-driven mental health tech nonprofit, nearly three in five Americans (58%) report the 2024 election has negatively impacted their mental health over the past year, but election anxiety is just one of many issues weighing on the nation. A staggering 66% of Americans say finances, including inflation and the rising cost of living, have also had a negative impact on their mental health. Other issues negatively impacting Americans’ mental health include recent mass shootings (60%), and extreme weather events (53%).

Nearly all who have struggled with their mental health (95%) have experienced a situation where they have needed mental health support, and 77% say they did not always seek mental health services when they did need it because of perceived barriers to support (more details below).

“Americans are facing a perfect storm of stressors, and while election anxiety is dominating headlines, it’s clear that financial pressures and safety concerns are equally overwhelming for many,” said Phillip Schermer, Founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds. “This data paints a picture of a country grappling with multiple, overlapping mental health challenges.”

Key Findings:

Election Anxiety: More than 3-in-4 Americans (77%) report experiencing anxiety about the 2024 election with nearly 3 in 5 Americans (58%) saying the 2024 election has had a negative impact on their mental health over the past year. 18% say it has had a significant negative impact.
- As election day looms, the poll shows nearly 1 in 3 Americans (32%) feel anxious about potential post-election fallout, regardless of the result.
- The poll also reveals the coping strategies Americans are using to manage election anxiety, with many turning to exercise (36%), extra sleep (25%), or meditation (21%) as ways to alleviate stress. Additionally, some Americans turn to drinking alcohol (12%) and binge eating (11%) to deal with their elevated election anxiety.
Political Division: A whopping 85% of Americans believe political division within the US is harming the country’s collective mental health.
Finances: 66% say financial issues have hurt their mental health in the past year, with women (69%) more likely to be affected than men (62%).
Mass Shootings: 60% say recent mass shootings have had a negative impact on their mental health in the past year, with women (67%) more likely to feel this way than men (53%).
Extreme Weather Events: 53% report that wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters have negatively impacted their mental health in the past year.
- The poll also highlights how different demographics experience these challenges. For example, Gen Z (ages 18-27) and Millennials (ages 28-43) are more likely than Boomers (ages 60-78) to say recent mass shootings (65% and 63% vs. 54%) and finances (76% and 72% vs. 52%) have negatively impacted their mental health this past year. Meanwhile, women are more likely than men to report negative mental health impacts across multiple categories, including finances (69% vs. 62%), mass shootings (67% vs. 53%) and extreme weather events (58% vs. 47%).
Social Media:
- More than 2 in 5 Americans (41%) say social media has had a negative impact on their mental health over the past year, and 11% say it has had a significant negative impact.
- Women are more likely than men to say social media has had a significant negative impact on their mental health over the past year (13% vs. 10%).
- Negative impacts of social media are more prevalent among the youngest generation. Gen Z are more likely than Millennials, Gen X and Boomers to say social media has had a negative impact on their mental health over the past year (62% vs. 53%, 40% and 21%); and to say it has had a significant negative impact (22% vs. 13%, 9% and 5%).
Need for Support: Nearly all who have struggled with their mental health (95%) have experienced a situation where they have needed mental health support, and 77% say they did not always seek mental health support when they did need it.
- Among those who needed mental health support and did not always seek it, more than 2 in 5 (41%) say it was because it was too expensive; about 1 in 5 because their health care provider didn't take them seriously when they mentioned they needed support before (20%); or the stigma associated with getting help (18%).
- Access to mental health support was a barrier for many who have struggled with their mental health and did not always seek support. About 1 in 5 say they did not always seek mental health support because the process was too complicated (24%), it took too much time (22%), there was a lack of available covered providers in their area (21%), they were not able to find a healthcare provider (20%) or they just didn’t know where to find help (20%).

“We are releasing this data on World Mental Health Day to underscore how vital it is to address these intersecting issues before they take a deeper toll on our nation’s mental health,” Schermer added. “Now is the time for innovative solutions and expanded access to mental health services.”

ABOUT PROJECT HEALTHY MINDS

Project Healthy Minds is a Millennial and Gen Z-driven mental health tech non-profit startup that is democratizing access to mental health services by building the world’s first digital mental health marketplace, destigmatizing mental health by partnering with culture-makers, and improving access and affordability by advocating for innovative workplace investments in employee mental health. The non-profit is focused on closing the treatment gap in America by attacking these primary barriers to care: stigma, discoverability, and affordability. Project Healthy Minds’ programmatic initiatives have served more than 400,000 Americans. For more information on how to find support, please visit https://www.projecthealthyminds.com/guide.

ABOUT THE HARRIS POLL

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. To learn more, please visit www.theharrispoll.com.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Project Healthy Minds from October 1-3, 2024, among 2,090 adults ages 18+. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact TeamPHM@ferencomm.com.

PRESS CONTACT

FerenComm on behalf of Project Healthy Minds

TeamPHM@ferencomm.com