Overview
- A majority of adults identified societal division as a significant stressor, and those who did were more likely to feel isolated (61% vs. 43% among those who did not) and to report lost patience with family, canceled plans, and difficulty planning for the future.
- Fifty-four percent said they felt isolated, half felt left out or lacked companionship, and 69% needed more emotional support than they received, up from 65% in 2024.
- High loneliness correlated with worse symptoms, including feeling depressed or sad (65% vs. 15% among the least lonely), nervous or anxious (60% vs. 24%), fatigue (53% vs. 24%), and headaches (48% vs. 25%).
- Stress over broader trends increased, with 69% citing the spread of misleading information as a source of stress and 57% citing the rise of AI, both up notably from last year.
- The Harris Poll surveyed 3,199 U.S. adults online Aug. 4–24, 2025, and respondents still pointed to relationships as core sources of meaning, with 84% saying they can build a good life.