“`html
Global Emotional Health Declines: Worry, Stress, and Pain on the Rise
Table of Contents
A new report reveals a notable increase in negative emotions worldwide, wiht nearly four in ten adults reporting high levels of worry or stress.
Globally, a concerning trend is emerging: people are feeling worse. Despite the continued presence of laughter, a complete analysis of emotional well-being across 144 countries and regions reveals a marked increase in worry, stress, and pain over the past decade.The findings, released in the “State of the World’s Emotional Health 2025” report, underscore a growing crisis in global emotional health that leaders have largely overlooked.
A Decade of Rising Negative Emotions
The data, compiled by the Gallup Institute from surveys of individuals aged 15 and over, paints a stark picture. In 2024, 39% of adults worldwide reported experiencing a lot of worry the day before, while 37% reported feeling significant stress. While worry levels saw a slight decrease in 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels, they remain 5 percentage points higher than in 2014.
The increase in negative feelings isn’t limited to worry and stress. Physical pain is also on the rise, increasing by two percentage points compared to the previous year, reaching 32% of the global adult population. Sadness (26%) and anger (22%) have remained relatively stable, but all negative emotion scores are demonstrably higher than they were a decade ago.
Gender Disparities in Emotional Health
The report also highlights a significant gender gap in emotional well-being. Globally, women consistently report higher levels of sadness, worry, and physical pain than men. This disparity warrants further investigation to understand the underlying factors contributing to this difference.
The Cost of Ignoring Emotional Well-being
The authors of the report argue that the consistent rise in global dissatisfaction has been “well documented, yet many leaders have overlooked this because they rely on economic indicators and ignore day-to-day emotional health.” This oversight, they contend, is deeply problematic.
Negative emotions, the report explains, can narrow an individual’s attention and reduce thier capacity to effectively address challenges. This can ultimately make societies more vulnerable to instability.As Ilana Ron Levey, managing director at Gallup, explains, “Emotional health is not just a private experience – it is an endowment that shapes societies as much as economic or political forces.”
A World Increasingly Marked by Unrest
The deteriorating emotional landscape coincides with a period of increasing global instability. The report notes a rise in political unrest,conflict,and associated death tolls. Data from the Global Peace Index, which tracks violence and conflict across 163 countries, reveals a staggering 244% increase in unrest, strikes, and anti-government demonstrations between 2011 and 2019 – a trend that emerged before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Germany, recent surveys indicate that the fear of rising living costs is a primary concern for citizens, alongside broader political concerns. These localized anxieties contribute to the overall global trend of heightened negative emotions.
Addressing the global decline in emotional health requires a fundamental shift in how leaders approach well-being,moving beyond purely economic metrics
Related reading
