In a monthly poll taken by the American Psychiatric Association, 31 percent of adults reported feeling more stressed this holiday season than last, citing finances as their top concern. This was an increase of nine percentage points over 2021. Younger adults and those making less than $50,000 a year were the most likely to express stress related to affordability this holiday season. Shopping, and the strain on finances, can increase stress and affect mental health, according to Dr. Ghinassi, SVP of the Behavioral Health and Addiction Service Line at RWJBarnabas Health.
Mental health issues have hit the young especially hard recently, as they navigate the lasting effects of the pandemic as well as mounting troubles from finances, school, social media and/or personal pressures. In the attached Context Update, we examine how the widespread challenge and devastating effects are forcing society to respond in new ways to this front burner issue. Not only are governments getting involved with new investigations and laws, but the scientific community is shifting its focus and expanding research into novel approaches to tackle mental illness.