Global Stress Levels Decrease but Negative Experiences Surge in Conflict Zones
Despite ongoing global conflicts in 2023, including the protracted war between Ukraine and Russia and the outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas, the world has seen an improvement in overall emotional well-being compared to the pandemic peak. The latest Gallup Global Emotions 2024 Report reveals a decline in negative emotions for the first time in a decade, with positive emotions returning to pre-pandemic levels.
The report, based on nearly 146,000 interviews with adults in 142 countries during 2023, provides a comprehensive overview of people's daily positive and negative experiences. Gallup's Positive and Negative Experience Indexes offer insights into the emotional health of societies, beyond traditional economic indicators like GDP.
Israel's Emotional Turmoil Post-Hamas Attacks
Israel, which was surveyed two weeks after the Hamas attacks on October 7, saw a significant surge in negative experiences, ranking among the worst globally for the first time. Previously one of the lowest scorers on the Negative Experience Index, Israel's score escalated to 47, comparable to Afghanistan and Liberia. This increase was driven by record levels of worry (67%), stress (62%), and sadness (51%) among Israelis. Anger was also prevalent, with 36% of Israelis reporting high levels of this emotion.
Global Decline in Negative Experiences and Stress
The global Negative Experience Index showed improvement for the first time since 2014, with all five negative emotions measured showing a decline. Stress levels saw the most significant drop, with 37% of people worldwide reporting stress in 2023, a decrease of three percentage points from the previous year. However, stress levels remain higher than a decade ago.
Stress levels varied widely across countries, with Northern Cyprus (65%) and Israel (62%) experiencing the highest levels, while Kyrgyzstan reported the lowest (8%). Israel led the world in increased stress, with a 38-point rise to a new record high. Other countries with notable increases included Latvia, Kuwait, and Egypt.
Positive Experiences Reach Pre-Pandemic Levels
Positive experiences globally have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, completing a recovery that began in 2022. Younger people, especially those under 30, showed the most significant positivity, rebounding faster than older age groups. Most of the improvement in the Positive Experience Index in 2023 was seen among those aged 30 and older.
Lowest Positive Experiences in Afghanistan
Afghanistan continued to score the lowest on the Positive Experience Index, a trend observed in previous years. Northern Cyprus also recorded its lowest score to date. Lebanon and Türkiye remained near the bottom of the rankings, although Lebanon showed some improvement in 2023, while Türkiye's score remained stable.
Conclusion
The Gallup Global Emotions 2024 Report highlights a complex emotional landscape. While global stress levels have decreased and positive emotions have rebounded, conflict zones like Israel have seen a significant rise in negative experiences. These findings underscore the importance of considering emotional well-being alongside traditional economic measures in assessing the health of societies.
