Majority of the Filipino youth or 76 percent said they experience mild depression or anxiety due to financial instability and job insecurity, surpassing the 53 percent of global respondents who share the same sentiment, a study by insurance firm AXA revealed.
AXA's Mind Health Report for 2025 includes responses from Filipinos aged 18 to 34. The report said most of them described their mental states as hovering between languishing and struggling.
"If you are languishing, you may feel unmotivated and struggle to focus. Those who are languishing are at an increased risk of developing mental illness," the report said.
"Struggling is associated with psychosocial impairment," AXA added.
A substantial number, 70 percent, of Filipino Gen Z and millennials also feel anxious due to the uncertainty of the future. On a global scale, 53 percent echoed this sentiment.
Another factor causing mild depression among the Filipino youth include social isolation, which is being experienced by 58 percent of the local respondents. Globally, this condition is faced by a smaller group or 42 percent.
More Filipinos also feel anxious due to climate change, as said by 58 percent of local respondents compared to the global rate of 38 percent.
Lastly, 55 percent of Filipinos feel mildly depressed from exposure to negative news. Globally, 45 percent attributed the same emotion to that factor.
France-based AXA said a higher number of young Filipinos or 39 percent versus the global rate of 28 percent are now turning to artificial intelligence-powered tools to cope with mental distress.
The firm added that content in websites, blogs, forums, and social media serve as mental health support to 50 percent of Filipinos.
To help manage mental health, AXA created the online Mind Health Self-Check which guides people in determining their mental state and provides personalized tips on keeping their mental conditions stable.
AXA also introduced several insurance products that cover mental conditions, which the firm said has become a trend in the insurance industry.
"Because mental health is not just a personal issue—it’s a public one. And tackling it requires shared understanding, accessible tools, and sustained support," said AXA Philippines chief executive officer Ayman Kandil.
AXA's Mind Health Report for 2025 is the fifth edition from the global insurer.