Results from an American Psychological Association survey, conducted in August by Harris Interactive, found that not only are 25% of us living on the edge of panic, but 32 percent of parents report that their stress levels are extreme. Work and responsibility were high stress points, particularly among Westerners (85%). But while stress was found across the board—in urban, suburban and rural areas—not everyone handles it the same or feels they are doing a good job of managing it. Those living in rural areas fare better than their urban counterparts in this regard. The Top 10 stress factors overall were listed as:
Money
Work
Economy
Family Responsibilities
Relationships
Personal Health Concerns
Housing Costs
Job Stability
Health Problems Affecting the Family
Personal Safety
"America is at a critical crossroads when it comes to stress and our health," said psychologist Norman B. Anderson, PhD, APA’s chief executive officer and executive vice president. "Year after year nearly three-quarters of Americans say they experience stress at levels that exceed what they define as healthy, putting themselves at risk for developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and depression. Stress is hurting our physical and emotional health and contributing to some of the leading causes of death in this country. People are also saying they have difficulty implementing the changes they know will decrease their stress and improve their health. Yet, our health care system is not adequately addressing this issue or providing the behavioral health treatments that can help Americans. All of us, including the medical community, need to take stress seriously since stress could easily become our next public health crisis."
Stress causes us to become couch potatoes, eschewing exercise for mindless television. We are more likely to have less sleep or disruptive sleep patterns, and more likely to use food, drugs, and alcohol as an escape. In fact, adults who are obese or overweight are more likely to report that they feel stress.
There is also the trickle-down issue: Parents who feel stress can pass that on to their children. Children who say their parent is always stressed are more likely to report having a great deal of stress themselves than those who say their parents are never stressed (17 percent vs. 2 percent). Tweens and teens report that they turn to sedentary behaviors to make themselves feel better when they are really worried or stressed, such as listening to music, playing video games, or watching TV, all behaviors which lead to obesity.
How are people dealing with the stress? Those living in the West get more professional advice about dealing with their stress than other parts of the country, primarily through exercise and additional sleep. Those who heed the call and actually do exercise feel the benefits, including being happier and having more energy. Health providers recommend exercising more, losing weight, eating healthier, reducing stress, getting more sleep, quitting smoking, and reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption to combat stress.