WASHINGTON — The American Psychological Association (APA) has released its annual Stress in America survey, finding that the cost of living, the future of the nation, and the economy are among the leading sources of stress for adults in the United States.
This year’s report, “The Stress of Uncertainty,” does not provide findings specific to Pagans. Nevertheless, its portrait of financial pressure, social withdrawal, and uncertainty is relevant to communities across the country, including our own.
The Greek capital letter psi is often used to represent the word, or study of, Psychology.
The findings, released October 22, suggest that stress and uncertainty are influencing how people participate in their communities, make plans, and seek support. Nearly half of respondents said they had pulled back from at least one form of social participation over the previous year because of stress, uncertainty, or feeling overwhelmed.
The report found that 77% of adults identified the cost of living as a significant source of stress, while 74% cited the future of the nation and the same percentage cited the economy.
The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of the APA between July 29 and August 24, 2026. Its national sample included 3,132 adults living in the United States. Additional respondents were recruited to support analysis of Black, Latino, and Asian adults. The results were weighted to reflect characteristics of the U.S. population.
The APA said the findings suggest that many adults have grown accustomed to living with persistent stress. Rather than expecting a return to stability, the report says, many appear to be adjusting to continued uncertainty.
The cost of living was the most frequently cited significant stressor in the survey. The category included necessary daily expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, groceries, transportation, and child or family care.
Money was also a significant source of stress for 71% of adults, up from 63% in 2023. Concern about the economy rose from 64% to 74% over the same period.
Health care remained another prominent concern. Six in 10 adults said issues such as access, affordability, and finding time for appointments were significant sources of stress.
The APA said concern about the nation’s future provides context for the issues adults are carrying into the 2026 elections.
The survey examined how stress, uncertainty, and feeling overwhelmed have influenced people’s participation in everyday life.
Nearly half of adults, 47%, said they had pulled back from at least one form of social participation during the previous year for those reasons.
More than one-third, 37%, reported disengaging from the broader world around them. Among adults surveyed, 28% said they had avoided watching or reading the news, while 21% said they had avoided engagement with political or societal issues.
At the same time, many respondents expressed both a desire to remain involved and difficulty finding the emotional capacity to do so. Fifty-one percent said they felt too emotionally drained to stay engaged with everything happening in the world.
Nearly two-thirds of adults, 63%, nevertheless believed that getting involved in their community, social issues, or politics could make a meaningful difference in their future.
Many respondents also reported feelings of isolation. About half said they at least sometimes felt isolated from others, 51%; left out, 49%; or lacking companionship, 48%.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
The report also examined how adults are using artificial intelligence for information, decision-making, and support.
Seven in 10 adults said they had intentionally used AI, up from 62% in 2025.
Among people who had used AI, 65% said they had used it to help make day-to-day decisions, while 63% said they had used it to organize their thoughts. Others reported seeking health-related information: 62% said they had used AI to get input on treatments, 60% for self-diagnosis, and 59% to discuss their physical health.
Some AI users also reported turning to it for social and emotional purposes. Forty-nine percent said they had engaged in conversations with AI as a friend, and the same percentage said they had discussed their relationships with it.
Another 47% of AI users said they had used it in a role comparable to a mental health professional, such as obtaining a second opinion on a therapist’s suggestions or practicing therapeutic exercises. One in 10 AI users said they relied on AI more than friends and family for advice.
Those percentages describe respondents who had used AI, rather than all adults surveyed. The findings report how people said they used the technology; they do not measure the quality or effectiveness of the advice they received.
The APA said AI may supplement other sources of advice and support for some people, while its growing role also raises questions about dependence, social disconnection, and the safety of relying on it in place of professional guidance.
Uncertainty also appeared in respondents’ views of their ability to make plans.
More than one in four adults, 28%, said they had little or no control over their future, up from 23% in 2025.
Twenty-six percent said they had put their futures on hold during the previous year, including 17% who said they had stopped planning for the future and 16% who said they had delayed major decisions, such as changing careers, buying a home, or having a child, because of stress, uncertainty, or feeling overwhelmed.
Younger adults were more likely to report delaying future planning. About one-third of adults ages 18 to 29 and 30 to 45 reported doing so, compared with 24% of those ages 46 to 61 and 13% of those ages 62 to 80.
Four in five adults identified at least one obstacle preventing them from achieving their dreams or future goals. Economic challenges were the most frequently reported, cited by 53%.
Health was also a concern. The report said 23% identified physical health concerns and 23% identified mental health concerns as barriers to their goals. Another 13% cited access to necessary health care for themselves or their families.
Despite those obstacles, 72% of adults said they felt they had at least some control over their future.
There was also an encouraging finding: 80% of adults said they believed they had healthy ways to manage stress. At the same time, 72% agreed that stress was something they had to live with, suggesting that confidence in coping exists alongside a sense of ongoing pressure.
The APA survey did not examine spirituality, but evidence suggests some spiritual practices can mitigate the impacts of uncertainty and stress. As The Wild Hunt has reported, practices found in many of our traditions can offer connection, reflection, or grounding and take many forms, including spending time in nature, breathwork, ritual, prayer, and meditation or mindful attention. For many Pagans, these practices are also part of our spiritual lives.
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