We measured politicians’ mental wellbeing and think 2024 is the time to act.

By Kimberly McArthur and Rebekah Ison

Violence, long work hours, and constant scrutiny: would you want to be a politician? Would you want a loved one to go into politics? For many of us, the answer is no—and that's a problem.

This pivotal year— the biggest electoral year in history— presents an opportunity to shine a light on an overlooked yet critical issue in our political systems: politicians' mental wellbeing. Our research, published in “Mere Mortals: The State of Politicians’ Mental Wellbeing and Why it Matters", involved interviews and surveys with more than 120 politicians, academics and practitioners. It revealed the significant personal burden hidden behind the public face of politics. As co-authors, we see an urgent need to better understand and address this.

What We’ve Found

Empathizing with political leaders can be difficult; many are among the most privileged in our societies on many measures. However, 41% of politicians surveyed for Mere Mortals reported low or very low mental wellbeing, a worse result than studied ambulance and police employees. As one of our interviewees, Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change in the Welsh Senedd, told us “Everyone is pretty miserable most of the time.”

“Everyone is pretty miserable most of the time.”

A rising number of high-profile resignations around the world have illustrated the severe personal toll of the political arena—a lonely and isolating environment usually lacking the protections, rules, human resources, and job security normal in many other jobs.

21st Century Politicians

Being a politician is a unique job presenting a unique combination of stressors. The weight of decision-making; constant public scrutiny of the politician and their family; social media hate, which is expected to reach new forms with AI; and the perpetual cycle of crisis can strain even the most resilient people. Political leaders additionally face:

• frightening rates of violence (80% of women politicians in African countries have been the victims of psychological violence and 60% of women politicians in Australia have been victims of sexual harassment);
• long work hours (Members of the UK House of Commons and the German Bundestag work on average 70 hours per week); and
• low pay in some contexts at the same time as a perception that all politicians are highly paid and only do the job for the money (State legislators in New Mexico in the U.S. are not paid anything).

We know the impact of lowered mental wellbeing and heightened stress on our capacity to make complex decisions, think long-term, be creative and, in some cases, be empathetic. All traits we need in our political leaders. The mental wellbeing of politicians is a personal issue that should be of public concern.

The Leaders We Need, or Just Those with the Thickest Skin?

“I don’t know if it’s just me protecting my mental health…but anytime I get a death threat…I just laugh it off.”

When looking at the above, is it any surprise that the job of being a politician in the 21st century has become so unattractive and unsustainable to so many? The under-representation of women, LGBTQI+ people, youth, people living with a disability, and other politically underrepresented groups is usually considered within the context of access to funds and networks. But what if the personal psychological cost of running is just too high for these people?

Mere Mortals interviewee and advisor Christina Haswood told us about receiving violent threats as a First Nations State legislator in Kansas. “I don’t know if it’s just me protecting my mental health…but anytime I get a death threat…I just laugh it off,” she said.

The leaders we choose in 2024 will shape our future at a crucial juncture. Their mental acuity and wellbeing are paramount in navigating complex global challenges, from climate change to geopolitical tensions. As we think of the future, we must also be concerned about representation in politics and the people who are putting up their hand to be leaders. Are we getting the representative political leaders we need and deserve, or simply those with the thickest skin?

Time for Action

“When people make decisions from a place of health, you end up with better decisions.”

Politicians are no more important than the rest of us but their decisions have far-reaching impacts. As one of our advisors, Dr. Ashley Weinberg, has written: “The mental health of a lawmaker is as important as a pilot’s or a surgeon’s; democracies depend on it.”

There is hope. Despite the challenges, almost all of the politicians we spoke to described their difficult job as an honor or a privilege. Charishma Kaliyanda MP, State member for Liverpool in New South Wales, Australia told us. “You have people who are not just catering to the squeakiest wheel, you have people who have the skills and capacities to look at things from a number of different perspectives and to balance people’s immediate concerns with the need to look at the big picture and long-term consequences. Fundamentally, that’s why we elect our political leaders, and that’s what our political leaders should be doing.”

Opportunities for Change

“Democracy gives us a right to dissent, but also the responsibility to support those who serve us well.”

We advocate for systemic changes to the job of being a politician, from implementing support structures within political parties to changes to legislative bodies as workplaces. Training, support and resources for politicians, especially those who are newly elected is also key. At a societal level, online hate must be addressed, especially of women leaders. The social norm of threatening elected officials with death because they have different opinions or aren’t on your “side” needs to be tackled. It’s relatively easy to start this culture shift by encouraging and thanking politicians when you feel like they’ve made a good decision. Write a letter, post on their social media, or make a call to their office. As our CEO Lisa Witter says, “Democracy gives us a right to dissent, but also the responsibility to support those who serve us well.” Finally, the stigma surrounding mental wellbeing in politics must be dismantled. It's time for mental wellbeing to be part of the political discourse, not as a sign of weakness but as a hallmark of responsible and empathetic leadership.

We hope our report is a wake-up call. As voters, we must recognize the humanity of our politicians and demand a system that supports their mental wellbeing—ultimately for our own benefit. As political leaders, the responsibility lies in acknowledging the need for help and creating an environment where seeking it is not a political liability but a strength. In 2024, we are working with partners to take our learnings and develop a mental wellbeing support program in the U.S. and pending additional funding, beyond. Please reach out to us if you are interested in partnering on programs in your context. We know there are organizations already doing this important work. Many of them have been featured in our Trailblazing Organizations Supporting Politicians’ Mental Wellbeing.

In 2024, let's vote not only for policies and values but also for leaders who are supported and mentally prepared to steer our societies. The future of our democracies depends on the mental wellbeing of those at the helm. Now is the time to act.