Study: Mild levels of stress can still cause long-term problems

By Staff Writer

A new study reveals that mild forms of stress can lead to long-term disabilities that can prevent people from doing their jobs.

The report, which appears in the online version of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, is based on a study of more than 17,000 working adults up to the age of 64. In 2002, participants completed a questionnaire that measured their mental health and stress levels.

Over the next six years, 649 started receiving disability benefits - 203 for a mental health condition and the remainder for physical ailments. Individuals who reported mild stress at the beginning of the study were 70 percent more likely to receive disability benefits by the end of the six-year period.

One in four physical ailments were related to stress, such as high blood pressure, angina and stroke. Approximately two-thirds of the people who received benefits for mental health issues suffered from disorders related to stress.

Researchers concluded that while patients who experience mild stress should not be over-medicated, this study indicates that their conditions should be taken seriously.

Adolescents who suffer from stress or anxiety disorders may benefit from wilderness therapy programs, which are designed to provide help for troubled teens.