A growing number of Americans say they are struggling under the weight of fear, division, and uncertainty about the nation’s future, and many are searching for meaning and connection in the midst of it all.
According to the American Psychological Association’s “Stress in America 2025” survey, three in four adults (75%) say they are more stressed about the country’s future than before, a level of collective anxiety that has remained high since the 2024 election (StudyFinds). The findings reveal that “political tensions show no signs of letting up,” with 76% of adults calling the future of the nation a significant source of stress.
A Nation Struggling With Division and Isolation
The survey paints a picture of Americans not only anxious about politics but also increasingly isolated. Half of all adults report signs of loneliness, and 69% said they needed more emotional support this year than they received, up from 65% last year. Among those who say societal division is a major stressor, the need for support jumps to 75%, according to the report.
The data shows that 62% of Americans cite social division as a significant stressor, and those who do are far more likely to feel isolated; 61% compared to 43% among those less troubled by division. The same group also reports feeling left out or lacking companionship at much higher rates.
As the report puts it, “Americans seem caught between competing views of progress,” with most agreeing they have more opportunities than previous generations but also believing they’ve had to make greater sacrifices.
Technology and the Rise of “AI Anxiety”
The stress isn’t only political or social. Technology, particularly artificial intelligence, is adding a new layer of concern. StudyFinds notes that AI-related anxiety has surged from 49% in 2024 to 57% in 2025, with students experiencing the sharpest rise: 78% said AI stresses them out, compared to 45% just a year earlier.
Parents are also reporting more fear about how technology is shaping the world their children are growing up in. For example, 70% of parents with children ages 5 to 7 now say AI is a major source of stress, a dramatic jump from 49% in 2024.
Finding Meaning Amid the Noise
Despite the weight of loneliness, misinformation, and economic worry, StudyFinds reports that most people still believe in their ability to live meaningful lives. Ninety-two percent of adults said relationships give their lives purpose, with family, friendships, and health topping the list.
That longing for connection resonates deeply with Catholic social teaching, which affirms that human beings are made for communion, with God and with one another. As the Catechism reminds us, “The human person needs to live in society… for it is in society that the human person attains the full meaning of life” (CCC 1879).
For Catholics, the growing “crisis of connection” that StudyFinds describes, half of Americans feeling isolated or left out, is a call to witness the Gospel through community, compassion, and hope.
Faith as the Antidote to Fear
Even as 63% of young adults say they’ve considered leaving the U.S. due to the nation’s state, and political stress shows up in physical symptoms like fatigue and anxiety, the survey also reveals resilience. Seventy-four percent of adults believe their personal dreams and goals are still within reach, and 84% say they can create a good life for themselves, even if it looks different from generations before.
That quiet optimism mirrors the Christian understanding of hope, not as denial of hardship, but as trust that light can break through darkness.
As Pope Leo XIV recently said in a different address, “We can be His witnesses even where human history does not see light on the horizon.” In a weary and divided nation, that message of faith, that God can bring peace where there is anxiety, may be exactly what America needs most.
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