Carrying the Burden of Stress

Nearly half of us suffer through one major stressful event every year, and the weight of that stress can be heavy indeed. Take, for example, trouble at work, problems in a personal relationship, or the death of someone close to you.

At the top of the list: health issues—either yours, or those of a loved one. In fact, a health concern is the leading cause of stress for 43 percent of us. And all of that emotional turmoil can have a ripple effect, extending out into the realm of our overall well-being.

An NPR/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health poll analyzes the role of stress in our daily lives, its impact on our health, and how we deal with it. In connection with the poll, we convened a webcast with experts to talk about stress and health and good ways to manage stress in different settings.

Moderated by Joe Neel, Deputy Senior Supervising Editor of NPR, the event featured:

• Kristin Schubert, director, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis, Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School
• Joshua Riff, medical director and director of health and well-being, Target Corporation
• Gregory Fricchione, director of the Division of Psychiatry and Medicine and the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
  

As Schubert noted, if we are going to build a Culture of Health in America, "it is critical that we begin to recognize the role that stress plays in our own lives as well as those around us, because we know that too much stress can really impact a person's ability to make healthy choices for themselves and their families."

We think this conversation is a good start. We’ve also put together a list of resources to help you deal with the issues that cause stress in your life. We hope you find them helpful.

• CDC Advice on Coping with Stress, Including Tips for Parents
• Coping With Stress at Work, from the American Psychological Association
• WebMD Resources on Managing Job Stress
• American Heart Association: To Stress or Not to Stress
• Stress Resource Center: Harvard Health Publications
• Stress Basics: Mayo Clinic

Help for Caregivers

• AARP Caregiving Resource Center
• The Caregiver Action Network
• Caregiver Stress: Tips for Taking Care of Yourself
• Caregiver Health and Wellness: American Academy of Family Physicians
  
• Family Caregiver Alliance