Are we too stressed?

[bethbuchall]

I think it's the Barney syndrome. "You are special. You're the only one, the only one like you." I think that the original thought was to produce a self-confident generation but it's turned into entitlement. And it certainly hasn't been limited to the children of the 80's and 90's. The parents and the grandparents of those children certainly seem to be buying into it, too.

 

[rie'smom]

I would think the end of the holidays had something to do with the outburst. This time of year is particularly stressful and it's been made worse because so many are struggling financially. Today, I am exhausted and have been resting because when I'm tired and really run down, I know I get cranky.

 

[ChrisFL]

We all know people who call back wrong numbers, but I was once called by a lady DEMANDING to know why I had called her. I simply hit a 4 insted of a 9 by accident ('cause my keypad is small and my fingers are big) and hung up when I realized what I had done, but obviously my number was on her caller ID and she was certain I had called her on purpose. It was like she'd never heard of a wrong number. She went on and on about why did I call her, ho dare I call her. How many times did I need to say, "I'm sorry, I dialed a wrong number. It was just an accident." Umm, lady I did not call YOU. I just have fat fingers! Sheesh! It was a simple mistake, not something aimed at you personally.

Wow, I had the same exact thing happen to me! I somehow mixed up the first 3 digits of my work phone number with another 4 digits of a friend, and called, got a wrong number, hung up as soon as I figured out what happened, and she called back demanding to know what reason I called her, etc.

As far as whether we are more stressed, I don't know.

I do think that at least here in the U.S., people just don't respect others as I've seen in other countries.

I also think that we are currently in a situation where we are constantly bombarded by things, the internet, mass media, smartphones, commercials, tv's everywhere, things always trying to get your attention. For better or for worse we are a completely plugged in society now and I often think to myself how interesting it would be to go somewhere without any of that for a while.

 

[cm8]

Absolutely I think we're too stressed, and it gets worse in difficult economic times. Businesses cut back so fewer people are divvying up the same amount of work, no one feels secure, we're all paying more and more every year for essentials like food and health care while our wages stay flat or fall, and increasingly perks like vacation time and personal days are paper-only with the unspoken knowledge that to use these things is to put yourself at the top of the list for the next round of staffing cuts.

Plus we're increasingly a 24/7 society that is so overstimulated that millions are chronically sleep deprived, our nutrition on whole pretty much sucks, and we lack the interpersonal connections that are proven to reduce stress and improve coping mechanisms. It is no wonder more people are "on the edge" than before.

very well stated I agree