INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION
It seems like you hear it all the time from nearly every
one you know – “I’m SO stressed out!” Pressures abound in
this world today. Those pressures cause stress and anxiety,
and often we are ill-equipped to deal with those stressors
that trigger anxiety and other feelings that can make us
sick. Literally, sick.
The statistics are staggering. One in every eight
Americans age 18-54 suffers from an anxiety disorder. This
totals over 19 million people! Research conducted by the
National Institute of Mental Health has shown that anxiety
disorders are the number one mental health problem among
American women and are second only to alcohol and drug
abuse by men.
Women suffer from anxiety and stress almost twice as
much as men. Anxiety disorders are the most common
mental illness in America, surpassing even depression in
numbers. Anxiety is the most common mental health issue
facing adults over 65 years of age. Anxiety disorders cost
the U.S. $46.6 billion annually. Anxiety sufferers see an
average of five doctors before being successfully diagnosed.
Unfortunately, stress and anxiety go hand in hand. In
fact, one of the major symptoms of stress is anxiety. And
stress accounts for 80 percent of all illnesses either directly
or indirectly.