|
What about Stress?
|
- 80% of all disorders are stress related.
- At least 50% of all deaths in the US are caused by cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, in which stress plays a significant contributing role.
- 20-25 million people in the US are afflicted with hypertension (high blood pressure). Only one eighth of them are being treated effectively.
- 25% of the people in the US suffer from "stress-overload." (Manuso)
- One of the top gastrointestinal specialists in the US claims "90% of all people with chronic diarrhea (irritable bowel syndrome or colitis) have no organic basis for it - it is all caused by stress and their nerves."
- There are 50-100 million headache sufferers in the US Headache is the number one complaint seen by physicians in the US;
- 80% - Tension headaches,
- 15-18% Migraine headaches. (BSA Task Force Report)
- An estimated 24 million Americans are using drugs to cope with stress.
- Alcoholism is the third major cause of death in the US An estimated 10 million Americans are alcoholic. Relief of stress and anxiety is one of the primary motives for the use and abuse of alcohol. Repeated use for that purpose is viewed as an important factor in the development of habituation and addiction. ("Handbook of Stress and Anxiety" Kutash et. al)
- There are over 30 million Americans suffering from insomnia. Sales of sedatives are second only to aspirin.
- Chronic stress increases susceptibility to diseases, including cancer. ("Cancer and Stress," Simonton and Simonton)
- 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain resulting in a loss of 700 million work days per year, with a cost to the public of $60 billion per year. 50% of chronic pain is found in the lower back. "Emotions and stress aggravate pain and cause acute pain to develop into chronic pain." (Dr. Norman Marcus, Psychiatrist, Pain Control Center, Montefiore Hospital, NYC)
- US business claims that most industrial accidents are emotion related, accounting for 2 million disabling injuries per year -- more than 15,000 deaths and $3 billion annually in lost productivity. (High Energy Living, July, 1982)
- "$10 billion dollars a year is the cost to industry due to absenteeism from physical or mental problems of emotional origin. Data suggests that 80-90% of all business dismissals are somehow linked to tension and subsequent mental and physical problems." (Paul R. Keating, Stress Management and Control Researcher, 1982)
- An intervention program designed to reduce illness produced by stress compared 150 counseled employees and 150 uncounseled employees. The results showed that the program increased work attendance by 52%, reduced weekly indemnity costs by 75%, and cut hospital, medical and surgical claims by 55%. The programs saved the company $500,000 in return for an operating cost of $95,000. (Colin Wright, July 1979, Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center, Santa Clara, Calif.)
|
|
