Stress affects all of us, and there’s no way to always avoid it. Stress can help us thrive, but it can also make us sick. The difference often rests in how we handle it.

For the sixth year, the American Psychological Association has again asked Americans about their stress for its annual Stress in America report and findings. We found out what is causing people stress, how they are managing it, and what effects stress has on their bodies and lives.

This year, we also focused our survey on caregivers and people with chronic conditions, such as depression, obesity and diabetes. We wanted to better understand what stressors they face and how they manage it.

What did we find out about stress this past year? Join on us tomorrow (Jan. 11) at 10:30 a.m. EST. We’re releasing our report at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., with an expert panel discussing the report.  You’ll be able to read our findings at www.stressinamerica.org and watch our event webcast at that time.

You can also get involved and ask questions. Here’s how:

Watch our webcast — This year, for the first time ever, we’re showing our release event on the Internet. We’re hosting a town hall, and hope you’ll participate by asking our own questions about our stress, health, and what it all means to you. You can view the webcast on our main page, www.stressinamerica.org.

Twitter – Follow @APAHelpCenter, where we’ll be live-tweeting the town hall and discussion on the report. Use the hashtag #stressAPA to make a comment, ask questions or pass along a retweet. If you ask a question, may pass it along to one of the panelists for an answer.

Facebook – “Like” the page for the American Psychological Association and follow our updates there. Post your questions for our panelists during the webcast.

This blog – We’ll be updating throughout the week, explaining more about information that’s in our report. The psychologists writing for this blog will post updates that provide more context and tips to our findings. This is your chance to ask questions in the comments.

What do you think you know about stress? Do you pay much attention to it? Do you manage it in healthy ways? We want to talk about stress with you.

Photo by TK_Presse (via Flickr).

Filed under: Lifestyle & Behaviors | 1 Comment »