If your mental health still doesn’t feel like it bounced back after the pandemic, research suggests there is a clear reason why. Gallup data shows that fewer than 30 percent of U.S. adults rated their mental health as excellent in 2025, the lowest figure since the survey began 25 years ago. Psychologist Dr. Erica Rojas describes this not as a sudden collapse but as a slow erosion, with fewer people flourishing and more quietly languishing.
Key ideas:
- An Always-On World Is Taking a Toll: Constant notifications and digital engagement keep the mind and body in a persistent mild state of fight or flight, blocking the emotional restoration that well-being depends on.
- Young Women Are Hit Hardest: Among women aged 18 to 29, those reporting excellent mental health dropped from 48 percent between 2010 and 2014 to just 15 percent between 2020 and 2024, driven in part by social media’s relentless feedback loop around appearance and social comparison.
- Recovery Means Restoring, Not Adding: Dr. Rojas recommends intentional disengagement, such as walks without headphones and phone-free periods, alongside emotional regulation skills and systemic workplace changes that protect rest and off-time.
Live Happy’s mission is to inspire and empower people to act to make the world a happier place through inspiring stories and hands-on tips rooted in the science of positive psychology.
