The Strain of Stress
Illustration by Luke Mills
Americans are stressed. And what many people are concerned about seems to have escalated and changed. There are the usual personal stressors like money, caretaking, and jobs, but pressing social challenges like political division and the uncertain economy, are shaping life’s challenges for many people. Health experts warn that living with chronic stress doesn’t just make us feel bad in the moment. Stress can shape the brain’s neural networks. It puts many people at higher risk for mental illnesses like depression, anxiety disorders, and substance-use problems.
This Call to Mind special examines stress. We’ll hear firsthand about issues that can overwhelm us, how it impacts our mental health, and from experts about ways to manage the strain.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Angela Davis
Angela Davis has more than 30 years of experience reporting and anchoring throughout the country. She’s currently the host of the award-winning program MPR News with Angela Davis. Her weekday talk show covers a wide variety of topics, including racial disparities, mental health, education, economic issues and the climate crisis.
Jessica Bari
Call to Mind’s senior producer, is an award-winning producer and journalist. With an extensive focus in health news and programming—her work has been on national and regional public radio stations, PBS, Discovery channel, History channel and SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio channel.
Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith is Call to Mind's senior editor. He's a veteran journalist and the co-founder of APM Reports, the long-running documentary and investigative unit of American Public Media. Smith has reported on mental health, human rights, race relations, international justice and American history.