From Obama calling the nation’s 9.6% unemployment rate the “new normal,” to continued economic uncertainty, there are plenty of reasons for Americans to be on edge. But the 2010 Stress in America Survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) reveals it’s even worse than we thought. 1 in 4 Americans report extremely high stress levels – with Angelenos topping the national average. All this anxiety is bad for our health too. The numbers indicate an accompanying rise in serious health diagnoses, including chronic asthma and arthritis. Is stress the new public health crisis? What – if anything -- can we do to better manage our increasingly stressful lives?
Guest:
Dr. Michi Fu PhD, Rosemead-based psychologist, who works with the American Psychological Association’s public education committee for the California Psychological Association