One in five ‘Israelis’ struggle "severely" with daily functioning, study finds

One in five ‘Israelis’ continues to report severe impairment in daily functioning linked to mental health three years after the events of October 7, 2023, according to the latest study by the ‘Israeli’ Mental Health Barometer.

The ongoing survey draws on a representative sample updated through May 2026.

Researchers note that while overall symptom levels have declined modestly for much of the population, the rate of functional impairment has shown no corresponding drop since late 2024.

Women face higher rates of distress than men.

Among women aged 18 to 35, 32 percent reported impaired functioning, compared with roughly 20 percent in the overall sample, 26 percent among women over 35, and 19 percent among men.

About half of those who earlier reported significant symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress continue to experience substantial distress.

More than 60 percent of those who crossed the clinical threshold for post-traumatic stress still report ongoing symptoms.

Exposure to trauma was described by researchers as “dramatic and unprecedented” by international standards.

Prof. Ran Balicer, deputy director general of Clalit Health Services, stated: “The findings show that alongside a steady increase in the proportion of people receiving mental health treatment, psychological distress is becoming chronic for a significant part of the population and is accompanied by deep functional impairment.”

Hadar Samuel of the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute added that “most of the population is recovering,” yet “there is a substantial core of people who continue to struggle,” noting particular effects on leisure activities (reported by 50 percent) and the ability to form or maintain close relationships (35 percent).

Roughly one-third of the population reported a need for mental health treatment.

Of those, about half did not seek care; among the non-seekers, 23 percent said they preferred to cope alone and 17 percent expressed lack of interest in available services.

The study examined functioning across work, household, leisure, and relationships, finding work and household tasks relatively stable while social domains showed clearer disruption.

In contrast, mental health indicators in Gaza remain markedly higher amid prolonged attacks and displacement.

Recent reports from the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza indicate that 56 percent of young people meet criteria for post-traumatic stress, 57 percent experience moderate-to-severe depression, and 62 percent report feelings of misery, exhaustion, and helplessness; 98 percent express continuous anxiety about personal safety.

Independent studies published in 2025–2026 have found rates of moderate-to-severe depression among adults ranging from 73 percent to over 80 percent, anxiety around 65 percent, and probable PTSD exceeding 80 percent in sampled groups.

Longitudinal data show high psychological distress rising from roughly 20 percent in 2020–2023 to 67 percent by early 2025 among tracked adults.