Studies show liberals are more mentally ill than conservatives
Multiple studies in psychology and epidemiology suggest that self-identified liberals report higher rates of depression, anxiety, and lower life satisfaction than conservatives. For instance, a Columbia University study examining more than 86,000 U.S. high-school seniors over 13 years found that depression rates have been increasing for all adolescents, but the increase is sharpest among liberal-identifying students, particularly liberal girls (magazine.columbia.edu, 2024). Likewise, research in Social Psychological and Personality Science demonstrates that conservatives report a higher sense of meaning and purpose in life than liberals—even after controlling for religious belief (dornsife.usc.edu, 2019).
A large comparative study across 92 countries and 200,000 respondents showed that conservatives generally rate their life satisfaction more positively than liberals, particularly when living in societies with more conservative cultural norms (phys.org, 2016). In “Conservatives Are Happier than Liberals: The Mediating Role of Perceived Goal Progress and Flow Experience,” a U.S. sample study revealed that conservatives tend to feel greater subjective well-being, in part because they perceive more goal progress and experience flow, especially under stressful or threatening conditions (link.springer.com, 2020).
Real life examples also illustrate the pattern. Many liberal activists and thinkers are deeply attuned to generate chronic stress, moral distress, and rumination. By contrast, conservative individuals often draw strength from more stable institutions—religion, family, traditions—and tend to find meaning in continuity, order, and communal belonging.
Of course, these findings do not imply that all or most liberals suffer mental illness, nor that conservatives are immune; there are many countervailing factors. But the data supports the claim that, on average, liberals have more mental health challenges and lower subjective well-being compared to conservatives.
A large comparative study across 92 countries and 200,000 respondents showed that conservatives generally rate their life satisfaction more positively than liberals, particularly when living in societies with more conservative cultural norms (phys.org, 2016). In “Conservatives Are Happier than Liberals: The Mediating Role of Perceived Goal Progress and Flow Experience,” a U.S. sample study revealed that conservatives tend to feel greater subjective well-being, in part because they perceive more goal progress and experience flow, especially under stressful or threatening conditions (link.springer.com, 2020).
Real life examples also illustrate the pattern. Many liberal activists and thinkers are deeply attuned to generate chronic stress, moral distress, and rumination. By contrast, conservative individuals often draw strength from more stable institutions—religion, family, traditions—and tend to find meaning in continuity, order, and communal belonging.
Of course, these findings do not imply that all or most liberals suffer mental illness, nor that conservatives are immune; there are many countervailing factors. But the data supports the claim that, on average, liberals have more mental health challenges and lower subjective well-being compared to conservatives.
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