Illustration of a person wearing a green zoo uniform and cap, with long dark hair tied back. The background is a solid red color with white swirling lines around the person's head, symbolizing stress, uncertainty, and mental chaos.

Flourishing, Languishing, or Struggling? Mental Health and Wellness Continue to Flounder

By Claire Meyer

8 June 2026

It’s a rough moment for mental health. Almost half the population surveyed for the Mind Health Report 2026 by multinational insurance company AXA is not doing well, driven by financial strain, work stress, uncertainty about the future, and unhealthy digital habits.

Here are the highlights from the report, which includes input from 19,000 people across 18 countries.

Distress on the Rise

Awareness about mental health has never been higher, but 46 percent of people surveyed by AXA are languishing or struggling mentally—an increase of six points since 2022. Meanwhile there are fewer people flourishing today than in 2022.

More than a quarter of survey respondents were affected by depression, anxiety, or stress at severe or more extreme levels. Of the three, stress was the highest reported, at 22 percent. The number of people who self-report a mental health condition hit 31 percent—a four-point increase from 2022, although a one-point decrease from 2024.

People Experiencing Severe or More Extreme Levels of Mental Health Issues
Year	Stress	Depression	Anxiety
2022-2023	20 percent	11 percent	4 percent
2023-2024	19 percent	13 percent	4 percent
2024-2025	21 percent	14 percent	5 percent
2025-2026	22 percent	14 percent	5 percent

Younger people are dramatically more exposed to mental health disorders, the survey found. Among 18-34 year olds, 59 percent are struggling or languishing—13 points higher than the average population. In addition, adults under 35 years of age are 2.3 times as likely to receive a severe diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or stress.

Women’s mental health remains worse than men’s on every metric, and it’s continuing to drop—only 20 percent of women said they were flourishing in the 2026 survey, compared to 25 percent of men; 18 percent of women were struggling, compared to 13 percent of men. But the gender gap is closing—men’s mental health is decreasing as well.

The primary obstacles to better mental health—cost, time, stigma, and access to practitioners—carried across age groups and geographies, but the top barrier is lack of meaningful awareness. Attention around mental health is at an all-time high, but many individuals lack an understanding on what constitutes good mental health, the challenges that affect it, and when and where to seek professional medical help.

“Despite the increase in awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of looking after our mental health; lack of self-awareness and stigma still exist,” said AXA Health medical advisor Dr. Imren Sterno in the report. “There’s a belief that challenges to mental health don’t warrant medical attention (36 percent of respondents), even though we know that 46 percent are languishing or struggling worldwide. It’s a striking differential. Many people think that a health professional won’t be able to treat their struggles (such as anxiety, sleeping problems, mood swings, eating disorders…). However, mind health is equally as important as physical health, and the earlier an individual reaches out for support, the better the outcomes. Early treatment can avoid more complex problems, constant mental pressure and burnout. Across the globe, there has been a noticeable rise in sickness-related absence in the workplace, with employees taking longer periods of time off work with mental health disorders.”

Top Five Barriers to Seeking Help from Healthcare Professionals for Mental Health Support
Belief that their condition does not warrant medical attention	36 percent
The cost	33 percent
Time constraints	20 percent
Fear of being stigmatized or judged negatively	15 percent
Limited access to healthcare professionals	15 percent

Technology vs. Mental Health

Three-quarters of all survey respondents said that their screen time negatively affects their daily lives.

People under 34 years of age spend an average of six hours of screen time—outside of work—every day. They are twice as likely to experience loneliness as people over 55 years old, who watch screens for four hours a day on average. But the increasing availability of digital entertainment and tools makes it difficult to completely disengage with screens.

More people are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help with mental health challenges; 63 percent of survey respondents said they have already used AI for mental health matters, and 21 percent use it regularly. But 28 percent admitted that using AI led them toward harmful behavior.

If applied correctly, though, AI-based tools can break down barriers to access, support evidence-based treatments supervised by clinicians, and enable earlier intervention by fostering self-awareness and empowerment.

Companies’ Role in Improving Mental Health

More than 70 percent of survey respondents said they suffer from at least one stress-related work impact, including difficulty sleeping, increased irritability or mood swings, decreased motivation or productivity, or physical symptoms like headaches or muscle tension. Those work impacts stretch beyond the 9-5 working day; outside of work, 15 percent of respondents said they avoid social interaction and 13 percent struggle with personal relationships, the survey said.

These impacts can have serious ramifications for organizations. Nearly a quarter of survey respondents said they have been on sick leave for problems related to mental health; among 25-34 year-olds, that jumps to 32 percent. Absenteeism has increased by 41 percent in the past five years, with psychological stress cited as a primary cause for burnout and disengagement.

But employees are often unwilling to talk about mental health issues at work, despite their overwhelming desire to use psychological support tools in the workplace. For example, 48 percent said they would not discuss mental health challenges in the workplace, but 84 percent would participate in mental health or wellness programs if offered. The most popular initiative options included free or subsidized exercise classes, employee assistance programs, on-site nurses or therapists, and mental health webinars and awareness sessions.

“Beyond providing benefits, organizations can build a culture that recognizes mental health realities and actively promotes openness, understanding, and resilience through education, managerial support, and clear pathways to care,” said Karima Silvent, deputy group general and group HRD, in the report. “The urgency is amplified as AI and digital tools reshape work and daily life. The risk of loneliness and social disconnection is rising; 92 percent of young adults say excessive screen time has a negative impact on their everyday lives. And even when support services exist, stigma and uncertainty often remain. When 43 percent of employees say their company has no dedicated mental health policy—and 48 percent find it daunting to initiate such conversations at work—education, trust, and open dialogue are no longer ‘nice to have’: they are essential.”

Explore other mental health, burnout, and wellness content from Security Management at the links below.

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