A new survey from the American Psychiatric Association reveals that 38% of Americans plan to include a mental health-related goal in their New Year’s resolutions for 2026, a 5% increase from the previous year.
This uptick reflects growing attention to mental well-being amid persistent anxiety over finances, uncertainty, and current events—pressures that affect many Dallas-area residents as the city’s population and economic demands continue to rise, driving demand for local therapy, counseling, and wellness services.
The APA’s Healthy Minds Poll, conducted by Morning Consult from December 2–3, 2025, among 2,208 U.S. adults, shows that 82% of Americans plan at least one resolution for the new year.
Physical fitness leads at 44%, followed by financial goals at 42%.
Mental health ranks third at 38%, ahead of diet (29%), social or relationship goals (29%), and spiritual objectives (28%).
The trend is strongest among younger adults: 58% of those ages 18–34 plan a mental health resolution, compared with 32% of those 45–64 and just 11% of those 65 and older.
“It is encouraging to see more individuals planning to prioritize their mental health in 2026, particularly younger adults,” said APA President Theresa Miskimen Rivera, M.D., in an American Psychiatric Association news release.
When reflecting on 2025, 63% of respondents rated their mental health as excellent or good, while 28% rated it as fair and 8% as poor.
Looking ahead, major sources of anxiety include personal finances (59%), uncertainty about the coming year (53%), and current events (49%), according to U.S. News & World Report coverage.
Complementing the resolution trend, a Cochrane review published January 8, 2026, concluded that exercise can reduce depression symptoms about as effectively as psychological therapy. The analysis of 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 adults found moderate benefits from light to moderate activity over 13–36 sessions, with few reported side effects, according to a ScienceDaily summary of a Cochrane review.
