THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!
Feeling stressed? Stressed financially, I mean. If you are - and many, human and dog alike, are - you're definitely not alone. And if you're not careful, stress can really hurt you!
When stressed, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol, the hormone scientists have proven is tied to stress. These chemicals can be a good thing when they provide the ability to react quickly in an emergency situation. But if you're under stress two long, actual physiological problems could follow.
Edward Driscoll is a 38-year-old executive from the Boston Suburb of Braintree MA. He has accumulated over $10,000 in revolving debt. Every month, at bill paying time, he often worries about where the money to pay the bills will come from. He has developed stomach ulcers - his wife, Kimberly, often experiences panic attacks.
Other stress-related health issues can include lost sleep, muscle and back aches, and sudden migrane headaches.
Most humans, and virtually all Little Dogs, handle their debt OK, according to a recent survey by the Associated Press, in conjunction with AOL. But others are "suffering terribly due to their high debts, and their health is likely to be negatively impacted by them," per Research Psychologist Paul J. Lararakas.
Lararakas's findings are supported by medical research, who link higher levels of certain illnesses to today's stressful economic times, and higher costs of paying daily living expenses. The AP/AOL Poll indicates stress over debt is 14% higher among those surveyed than it was four years ago, in 2004.
The Poll indicates 27% of those indicating financial stress had ulcers or other digestive disorders, compared with 8% of survey respondents reporting lower stress over their outstanding debts. Migraines or other headaches were suffered by 44% of the high-debt-stress group,
Roughly 29% suffered severe anxiety or panic attacks, and 23% experienced moderate to severe depression, compared to only 4% of those with less debt stress. Six percent reported having heart attacks, chest pains, or other cardiac disorders.
And greater than half of those most stressed about their debt experienced muscle tension, or chronic back pain. Less than one-third of the group reporting low stress over debt experienced the same medical issues.
Today, most in the U.S. are taking on increased levels of debt. A tougher economic climate, fueled by the slowing economy, thousands of lost jobs, skyrocketing prices for gasoline and food, and the national dip in home market values, create considerable financial strain.
Debt on Revolving Credit Cards is up nearly 20% since 2004. The average auto loan - $27,397 today, versus $24,888 four years ago. Home mortgages, in aggregate - up nearly 35% during the same time period - to $10.5 Trillion!
In total, the share of take-home pay that goes to serving financial obligations was 20% of the average American human's paycheck in 2007, versus 18.5% three years earlier - an increase of eight percent!
Which demographic groups experience the highest level of debt-related stress? The survey found that upwardly-mobile,"striving," middle-class families had the greatest levels of stress over their debts. Other high-stress demographics: women, couples with young children, working families with low household incomes, those who graduated high school but did not attend college, and Democrats.
Those less likely to be impacted by debt stress - Republicans, retirees, men, empty nester families, and those with a college degree.
Thankfully, we Little White Dogs are not included in the high-stress group!
But, sometimes, the human members of Dean's Team Chicago are feeling the pinch a bit.
What about you? Please share!
See our post today @ BlogChicagoHomes.com, along with a link to a story in Wednesday's Chicago Tribune by Jeannine Aversa.
YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,
BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
The only thing that stresses me is hearing the news about some idiodic program, spending, or other ignorant, self serving decisions some politician or group of politicians proposed, passed or made comments about.
The stress is not because of what they say or do, bad as that may be, but because of the frustration of not being able to punch them in the mouth.