Thread: nervous in America

Originally Posted by floorpotato

"Forty-eight percent of Americans say they're more stressed now than they were five years ago, and the same percent report regularly lying awake at night because of stress, according to a new study by the American Psychological Association.

"Stress continues to escalate, and it's affecting every area of people's lives," said Russ Newman, a psychologist and executive director of the APA.

So what is it we're worrying about while we stare at the ceiling all night? Primarily two things: money and work, the main woes for nearly 75 percent of Americans. That's way up from 59 percent of us stressed out over those two things a year ago.

We're also worrying about making the rent. More than half of people polled say paying the landlord or making the monthly mortgage causes great stress.

The APA study was conducted online and involved interviews with 1,848 Americans nationwide."

I read about the current economic situation from a variety of sources. Mostly from "pro-business" sources, in all. Fixed expenses (expenses we have to pay) have taken a larger and larger portion of the net paycheck (disposable income) over the last 35 years, but more markedly during the last few years.

I see this at home, and hear it from folks in my family, and the buddies I grew up with.

It's better in for many of us in Asia to retire or to save, if we have a plan, over our working life of about 40+ years, or so.