42.6% of adults 18+ years old experienced adverse health effects from stress in 1985- National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives
	Annually, over 200,000 U.S. workers suffer repetitive stress injuries from typing, lifting or assembly line work. - Occupational Safety and Health Administration
	When asked to rank the elements of life that cause them the most stress, respondents placed "excessive noise in the environment" right behind "working/raising family." - National Stress Survey, Prevention Magazine
	Dr. Herbert Benson at the Harvard Medical School has proven that the relaxation-response technique decreases heart and respiratory rate and lowers metabolism. Regular use can lessen effects of hypertension, relieve fatigue and improve coping skills.
	Massage can aid in increased blood circulation and lower blood pressure, reduction in fatigue, increased restfulness of sleep, and increased sense of well-being and elevated mood.- Physician's Guide to Therapeutic Massage
	Over half of the population (55%) feel they would rather "rest and relax" during their leisure time versus participate in "enjoyable activities" (34%).- Yankelovich Monitor
	More than half of all deaths between the ages of one and 65 result from stressful lifestyles.- U.S. Center for Disease Control
	Research shows that regular workouts lift depression, banish stress and sharpen the mind. - American Health Magazine
	Over 30% of U.S. adults experience enough daily stress to impact their performance at home or work. – National Science Foundation
	Lack of control, high demands and repetitive work lead to job stress which can lead to health problems. - Duke University
	Stress management training for heart attack patients achieved a 40% reduction in recurrence compared to patients who received only standard care. -American Heart Journal
	Job related stress creates home problems which adds to job stress affecting personal productivity. – National Study Of Changing Workforce
	Chronic pain, anxiety, chronic fatigue, addiction, and headaches are the most common problems patients take to alternative providers. Treatments most often used are chiropractic, lifestyle/diet,exercise/movement, and relaxation. Stanford University School of Medicine
	Annually, over $800 million dollars are spent on "anti-anxiety pills". The U.S. accounts for 5% of the world's population and consumes 33% of the pills.-Neurogen
	1/3 of the U.S. population makes New Year's resolutions to begin stress management programs-Prudential Healthcare Survey
	Over 20 million Americans practice or have tried Yoga-Various yoga related trade groups and publications
	In more than 22 years of research at the International Society for Music Medicine, studies of over 80,000 surgical patients have unequivocally demonstrated music's capacity to reduce anxiety and pain.
	More people visit doctors for anxiety than for colds, and anxiety is now more common than depression ( Barlow, 1988 ). Anxiety is a predisposing factor to major depression ( Bagby, Joffe, Parker, Kalemba, & Harkeness, 1995 ; Surtees & Wainwright, 1996 ) and to suicide attempts ( Coryell, Noyes, & Clancy, 1982 ; Coryell, Noyes, & House, 1986 ).
	One out of every two female deaths are from heart disease or stroke, compared with 1 in 25 who will eventually die of breast cancer. Cardiovascular disease -- which leads to heart attack and stroke -- kills more than 505,000 women a year. Cancer kills about 250,000 women each year, including 44,000 who die of breast cancer Reducing the risk for heart attack is the same for both sexes. Healthy diet, exercise, losing weight, quitting smoking, and getting diabetes and high blood pressure under control all help, as can cholesterol-lowering drugs-Wall Street Journal
	One third of business professionals in the U.S., Britain, and Asia say they have suffered from stress-related health problems brought on by too much information.-1998 Reuters Survey
	In highly stressful times, your real age can be as much as 32 years older than your calendar age. By building strong social networks and adopting stress-reduction strategies, you can reduce the aging that stress will cause by 30 of those 32 years-RealAge
	An intensive three month "mindfulness training" program resulted in a 54% reduction in psychological stress and a 46% drop in medical symptoms. The 28 hours of instruction included four methods of meditation,general yoga postures, and other stress reduction techniques. West Virginia University
	There is approximately a 50% reduction in visits to a HMO after a relaxation-response based intervention which resulted in estimated significant cost savings.-Behavioral Medicine
	One-hundred percent of insomnia patients reported improved sleep and 91% either eliminated or reduced sleeping medication using Mind-Body techniques- The American Journal of Medicine
	By using mind-body techniques,women with severe PMS have a 57% reduction in physical and psychological symptoms- Obstetrics and Gynecology.
	Open heart surgery patients have fewer post-operative complications using mind-body techniques- Behavioral Medicine
	Long-term meditators experience 80 percent less heart disease and 50 percent less cancer than nonmediators, according to a large body of studies
	98 million people have lived with an alcoholic in their home with 3.1 million people having been treated for alcoholism in 1997. 25% of all hospital admissions are related to alcohol consumption-National Institute of Alcohol Abuse.
	Approximately 97 million Americans (61 % of adults and 13% of children) are overweight and at increased risk for weight-related illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke. Health care costs associated with weight are nearly $100 billion, six per cent of the nation's health care expenses.As many as 300,000 yearly deaths are linked to excessive weight, compared to 430,000 from smoking-Weight Watchers,Surgeon General's Report.
	Substance abuse causes more deaths, illnesses, and disabilities than any other preventable health problem today. It is estimated that between 13 - 16 million people are in need of substance abuse treatment-The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
	Post traumatic stress disorder is a common psychiatric disorder, with prevalence rates higher than diabetes and asthma. In the U.S.,one out of 13 individuals will experience PTSD at some point in their lives following exposure to an extreme traumatic event.The most common traumas associated with a risk for PTSD include experiencing sexual or physical assault, a serious accident or injury, and the sudden,unexpected death of a close friend or relative. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from PTSD-Pfizer Co.
	When combined with effective medicine, psychotherapy has a role in treating headache, obesity, cigarette addiction, and even heart disease. Even more impressive are findings that group therapy can ease the burden of terminal cancer and may increase the odds of survival-American Psychological Association.
	Therapy to improve stress management works as well as taking antidepressant medicine to relieve severe headache. Combining psychological treatment with drug treatment was more effective than either treatment by itself-A study led by Lehigh University researcher Kenneth A. Holroyd, PhD
	People getting therapy to help them modify eating behavior plus taking an appetite-suppressing drug lose more weight than those getting either treatment by itself-A study by Brown University researcher Suzanne Phelan, PhD
	A number of behavioral therapies aimed at helping people quit smoking, when used in combination with nicotine patches or nicotine gum -- were twice as effective as nicotine replacement alone-Brown University researcher Raymond Niaura, PhD.
	Clinical depression is seen in 3% of the general population, 20% of terminally ill patients, and 60% of people requesting assisted suicide-Stanford University psychiatrist David Spiegel, MD.
	Approximately 50 percent of all admissions to a medical facility are the result of stress. Tranquilizers, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications account for one-fourth of all prescriptions written in the United States each year. Anxiety-related disorders account for the highest number of mental illness in this country-ediets
	Major depressive disorders, which include depression, affect an estimated 340 million people worldwide.The World Heath Organization recently concluded that depression is the world's fourth greatest public health problem.Generalized anxiety disorder affects an estimated 183 million people worldwide, the majority of whom are women-WHO.
	Insomnia is a prevalent neurological disorder in the United States, with about one-half of the adult population reporting trouble sleeping a few nights per week or more.Approximately 29% of the adult population reports that they experience insomnia every night or almost every night.National Sleep Foundation
	1.4 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year and 540,500 die or 1,500 people a day!Half of the men and 1/3 of women will develop cancer and 1/4 of all Americans will die from cancer.The death rate is as high today as 30 years ago-roughly 200 deaths per 100,000 population. It is predicted that cancer will be the leading cause of death in America, overtaking heart disease, unless a major medical breakthrough occurs.More than 12 million Americans have died from cancer and the Government has spent more than $45 billion on research.However, 8.5 million people have survived. Stress has been identified as a contributor to cancer formation-American Cancer Society
	Nearly one-third of diabetes patients who regularly practiced relaxation and breathing stress reduction techniques lowered their blood sugar levels by 1 percent or more. "The change is nearly as large as you would expect to see from some diabetes-control drugs," said medical Psychologist and Duke Medical Center team leader Richard Surwit- January 2002 Journal of Diabetes Care.
	About 60 percent of adults don't get enough physical activity, and 25 percent don't get any at all-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Atlanta
	It is estimated that 5% to 10% of the population suffers from major depression, and most people are not being helped, with depression increasing for a few decades.The breakup of the nuclear family and increased stress in the workplace are possible factors.Around the world, depression is the fourth-leading cause of disability and it is expected to become the second-leading cause by 2020. Psychotherapy, in which patients try to learn the underlying cause of their depression and develop skills to cope, is considered as effective as drug therapy for mild to moderate depression.Studies show that a combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy is more effective in treating depression than either treatment alone-National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association.
	In the largest study of its kind which compared psychotherapy and antidepressants for the treatment of chronic depression. 85% of those treated with both psychotherapy and the antidepressant Serzone for 3 months experienced remission or showed major improvement in their symptoms. Patients who received psychotherapy or medication alone didn't fare as well: 55% of those in the drug group and 52% in the psychotherapy group recovered or improved significantly-New England Journal of Medicine
	The benefits of stress management seem to exceed those of both exercise and usual heart care,in terms of both financial costs and reducing cardiac events.Average costs for patients who utilized stress management were $1,228 per patient during the first year, as compared to $2,352 per patient for those who exercised and $4,523 per patient for those who received usual care.Moreover,the financial benefit of stress management was maintained over time. Average costs rose only to $9,251 per patient during the fifth year for those who used stress management strategies, compared to $15,688 per patient for those who exercised and $14,997 per patient for those who received usual care. Average costs per patient per year during the five years were $5,998 for those who used stress management, $8,689 for those who exercised and $10,338 for those who received usual care-Duke University Medical Center,American Journal of Cardiology.
	A total of 68% of the patients who received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and 36% who received relaxation therapy for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome rated themselves as "much improved" at a 5 year follow-up. In addition, significantly more CBT patients met the criteria for complete recovery, freedom from relapse, and steadily improved symptoms, as compared to the relaxation therapy group-American Journal of Psychiatry
	The ancient Chinese practice of qigong may be more effective than traditional methods for heroin detoxification- Alternative Therapies.
	Laughing is found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, increase muscle flexion, and boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma- interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being. Laughter is infectious. Hospitals around the country are incorporating formal and informal laughter therapy programs into their therapeutic regimens. In countries such as India, laughing clubs -- in which participants gather in the early morning for the sole purpose of laughing -- are becoming as popular as Rotary Clubs in the United States. Humor is a universal language. It's a contagious emotion and a natural diversion. It brings other people in and breaks down barriers. Best of all it is free and has no known side reactions-Various Medical Journals
	10 million Americans see a psychiatrist for stress related issues each year-NIMH
	"Neurotic reaction to stress" is the 4th disabling workplace injury-US. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
	40% of employee turnover is attributable to stress-related issues-Bureau of National Affairs
	52% of the consumers who received massage therapy used it for stress relieve-The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB)
	People with high risk on the scale of overall wellness were nearly 2.4 times more likely to have health care expenses of $5,000 or more over a two year study, compared to the average of $1,878 for the group of 982 subjects. People with high stress were 1.9 times more likely-American Journal of Health Promotion.
	The antidepressant Prozac was the fifth ranked drug in 2000 with some 24.1 million prescriptions and $2.6 billion in sales. Other best-selling antidepressants include eighth ranked Zoloft, with 25.2 million prescriptions and $1.98 billion in sales, and Paxil, ranked eleventh with 24 million prescriptions generating $1.84 billion in revenue-Kaiser Family Foundation.
	Workplace fatigue costs American businesses at least $77 billion per year-National Sleep Foundation
	More than 18 million U.S. adults, or about 9.5 percent of the population, suffer a depressive disorder in a given year- National Institute of Mental Health.
	According to a 1997 international study, between one third and one half of all stress-related illness is directly attributable to bullying in the workplace.
	"The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years." - Deepak Chopra
	80% of Americans say that during the past few years they have become more aware of how their mental health and emotions can affect their physical health (APA 2005)
	93% of Americans say that perceptions, thoughts, and choices affects physical health (APA 2005)
	High levels of hostility have been found to predict heart disease more often than high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, or obesity (Health Psychology, November 2002)
	Men high in optimism were less than half as likely to develop heart disease than were the more pessimistic men (Veterans Administration Normative Aging Study)
	58% of Americans believe that one can't have good physical health without good mental health (APA 2005)
	86% of respondents to a 2005 APA survey on the mind/body connection said that a comprehensive physical exam should include some discussion of their emotional state and well-being.
	Employees receiving mental health counseling lowered the usage of medical insurance by 31%(Group Health Association)
	Research supports the idea that having a positive outlook can extend one's life ("Emotional Longevity: What Really Determines How Long You Live," Norman B. Anderson and Elizabeth P. Anderson, 2003)
	Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death – heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. ("The Stress Solution: An Active Plan to Manage the Stress in Your Life," Lyle H. Miller, Ph.D. and Alma Dell Smith, Ph.D.)
	People with high levels of anxiety can have between two to seven times the risk of heart disease. ("Emotional Longevity: What Really Determines How Long You Live," Norman B. Anderson and Elizabeth P. Anderson, 2003)
	Workplace stress causes approximately one million U.S. employees to miss work each day (American Institute of Stress)
	More than one in four workers have taken a "mental health day" off from work to cope with stress (APA 2005)
	More than a third of workers (36 percent) say physical illness and ailments are a cause of stress at work (APA 2005)
	Nearly one third of workers say that personal life interfering at work is a significant source of stress (APA 2005)
	In 1999, anxiety-related disorders cost the U.S. $42 billion a year in work-related medical losses (National Institute of Mental Health)
	Consumers report that talk therapy was reportedly more effective than drug therapy for depression and anxiety (Consumer Reports, October 2004)
	78 percent of Americans said they would go to a psychologist if he/she could help manage stress (APA 2005)
	54 percent of Americans said they would see a psychologist to prevent the day-to-day stress that can build up from becoming a problem (APA 2005)
	68 percent of Americans said they would visit a psychologist to deal with physical symptoms that are emotional in nature (APA 2005)
	Stress is a major contributor to physical and mental problems with more than 40 different medical diagnoses directly attributable to stress including hypertension, joint disorders, asthma, and colitis.
	65% of people say they are stressed at least once or more times per week
	Over one-third, or $40 billion of the $120 billion spent on prescription pharmaceuticals were spent on stress related drugs i.e.: depression, anxiety, sleep, etc
	A recent study concluded that depression and stress accounted for a 2.5-fold risk increase in a person’s risk of heart attack.
	Over 50% of the US deaths are attributable to behavior and social factors
	Recent research provides evidence that stresses that affect the brain can hurt the body at the cellular and molecular level and diminish a person’s health and quality of life (Vanderbilt Univ.)
	On average, employees with high stress have 46% higher health care costs and are twice as likely to cost employers 250% more in health care expenses than co-workers with lower stress.
	Stress is responsible for over 70% of workplace accidents, 50% of absenteeism, and over $300 billion in associated costs.
	"Stress has become one of the most serious health issues of the 20th century and a worldwide epidemic" according to the 1993 World Labor Report by the U.N.'s International Organization.
	More than 54 million Americans or 20% suffer from a mental disorder in any given year and only 8 million or 16% will seek treatment. One in eight people 18-54 years old suffers from an anxiety disorder or over 19 million people. Anxiety is considered the most common mental health issue facing adults over 65 years of age costing $47 bill. Anxiety sufferers see an average of five doctors before being successfully diagnosed.
	Over 1 million people receive care for addiction treatment on any given day.
	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CT) is considered the most effective, short-term solution for anxiety and depression and when combined with medication, generates an 85% effectiveness rate, greater than diabetes treatment!
	Nearly 25% of the population lives in rural areas with two-third’s not having access to mental health facilities. Rural access, combined with handicapped people and the embarrassment (stigma) involved with seeing a mental health practitioner, has fueled the drive for cost effective telemedicine programs through clinics and web sites.
	Nearly 70% of illness and associated costs are presently preventable according to a 1993 article in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	20% of corporate health care workers account for 80% of the medical bills/costs with significant efforts underway to identify this segment of the workforce and to work with these employees to reduce health risk factors (smoking, lack of exercise, overweight, high stress, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, dissatisfaction with life, presence of medical problems, poor perception of health, and not wearing seat belts).
	The American Association of Health Plans supports lifestyle modification (exercise, proper nutrition) to treat overweight/obesity. Lifestyle is considered a stronger link to disease than aging.
	42% of Americans currently use Integrative/Alternative medicine (IM/AM) including massage, biofeedback, aromatherapy, vitamins/herbs, mind/body techniques, relaxation programs, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, Yoga, and Tai Chi. Visits to practitioners are up 50% since 1990 which exceeds visits to primary care doctors by 243 million spending $30 billion. Nine out of 10 people are sold on the benefits. Over $27 billion was estimated to be spent in 1997 with $10 billion in out-of-pocket costs, which are more than all out-of-pocket spending for all U.S. hospitalizations.
	Currently, 75 of 117 U.S. Medical schools offer elective courses in AM and in 1994, 60% of Doctor's recommended integrative therapy to patients at least once. Over 74% of users say it helps them relieve stress and 66% say it boosts energy levels.
	Nearly 28% of households use herbal supplements to address mental health concerns.
	Mainstream medicine is being integrated with 74% using IM/AM with traditional care, 15% use as replacement and 11% use along with and as a replacement for traditional care. Some of the managed care organizations offering IM are Blue Cross/Blue Shield of California and South Carolina, Oxford Health Plan, Kaiser Permanente of California, and Group Health Plan of Puget Sound. American Wholehealth Networks is an IM Wellness company that provides discounts to 43 million healthplan patients using over 25,000 IM practitioners nationwide.
	Over 20% of the U.S. population has a diagnosable mental disorder yet only 40% seek help due to stigma, lack of insurance coverage, or they attempt to handle themselves.
	The 2000 Surgeon General's report is leading the charge to increase utilization of mental health services with the following recommendations: Overcome stigma, ensure supply of mental health providers concentrating on shortage of cognitive behavioral and interpersonal therapy, ensure state-of-the-art treatment while reducing financial barriers. Telemedicine (online counseling) is rapidly expanding supported by Government grants/loan programs and resolution of state-by-state law barriers.
	Currently, 64.5 percent of U.S. adults, age 20 years and older, are overweight and 30.5 percent are obese. Severe obesity prevalence is now 4.7 percent, up from 2.9 percent reported in the 1988 - 1994 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
	Stress in the workplace is costing American business $300 billion a year. Causes of stress, the association said, include job uncertainty, cost-cutting, a relentless demand for higher productivity and the proliferation of communications tools — e-mail, cell phones, Blackberries — that blur the boundaries between work and home. That's the figure the American Psychological Association puts on the loss of productivity, absenteeism, turnover and increased medical costs caused by stress at work. According to a poll conducted by the association, two-thirds of American employees say work has a significant impact on their stress level, and one in four has called in sick as a result of stress.
	Scientists have discovered how stress - in the form of emotional, mental or physical tension - physically reshapes the brain and causes long-lasting harm to humans and animals. "Stress causes neurons (brain cells) to shrink or grow," said Bruce McEwen, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University in New York. "The wear and tear on the body from lots of stress changes the nervous system."