What a sweet month this has been!! Filled with grandchildren and wedding plans… Valentine’s Day and Bridal Showers. So much to do in 28 short days… now where’d I put that “to-do” list??? Oh yeah, I left it in front of the TV while watching the Olympics….
“GO WORLD” =]

Do you think today’s stress statistics make a comfortable reading? Well, not at all. If anything, they are mind-boggling. As stress takes hold of us in our modern lives, we seem to carry on relentlessly until signs of burn out peer us in the face. Only then do we take notice.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here are some stress statistics to give you a reality check:

Stress and anxiety is estimated to affect well over 19 million Americans and growing.

33% of Americans suffer job burn out and is thought to be due to stress at the work place.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in giving their stress statistics is predicting depression (which is one the many effects of stress) to be a leading cause of absenteeism from the work place.

About 70% of workers are unhappy in their current employment due to work related stress.

Accidents in the work place that are directly related to stress are exponentially increasing every year.

Over $290 Billion dollars is spent in the US economy every year relating to compensation claims from on-the-job stress, health insurance, low-productivity and disability.

The American Institute of Stress and The American Psychological Association also show some other related stress statistics. For instance:

Stress levels are deeply affected by work in 62% of Americans.

Money is thought to contribute significantly to the stress experienced by 73% of Americans.

66% of Americans would seriously welcome help in dealing with stress in their lives.

Stress is not confined to adults only. More and more children and teenagers are becoming affected by stress every year.

One factor contributing to increasing levels of substance abuse amongst teenagers is related to their perception of their level of stress.

Although the stress statistics speak volumes for themselves, we also need to know the effects of stress on us as individuals.

There are many consequences of stress but the most important ones to remember are:

Your relationships will suffer.

Hypertension is more likely to develop if you suffer chronic stress

You could end up with a heart attack.

Stroke is another major hazard.

Stressed people are more likely to suffer from mental health problems like anxiety and depression.

It is easy to play the ostrich and bury your head in the sand, hoping the problem will go away. No, it won’t!

Stress will only go away if you do something about it. Don’t become another statistic. Those stress statistics mentioned above are way too worrying enough.

Act today, so we can improve our health and the overall health of the nation.

References:

1. Stress constipation relief - http://www.stresstips.com/can-stress-cause-constipation/
2. Physical effects of stress on the body - http://www.stresstips.com/physical-effects-of-stress-on-the-body/
3. Stress statistics - http://ezinearticles.com/?Stress-Statistics—Will-You-Be-Another-Stress-Statistic?&id=2049516
4. Cortisol stress - http://www.stresstips.com/cortisol-stress-and-eustress-how-to-harness-the-power-of-your-stress-for-good/