(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
I don't suppose this will come as a huge surprise: Money is the biggest source of stress in most countries. A Reader's Digest survey asked people from 16 countries "What stresses you the most?"… and gave the options of money, family, health or the state of the world.
Money topped the list in 10 of these countries... not surprising since we've been going through the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression.
The nations that worry the most about money include Malaysia, China, Singapore and the U.S. The countries who care the least about money are Russia, France and Italy. In these three countries people were more worried about their family.
This poll finds the second biggest source of stress is the state of the world. People in most nations, with the exception of Italy, aren't too stressed about their health. But in Italy, health was the top issue for men - number two for women.
The poll results also show that men and women often worry about different things.
A senior editor with Reader's Digest says it's not surprising that people in a lot of these countries agree that money is their biggest worry. She says: "We have more in common across national borders than we might realize."
Here’s my question to you: What's your biggest cause of stress and why?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Arlene from Atlanta writes:
Jack, My constant worry is the possibility of losing my job. Many companies are still sending jobs offshore. There's no media attention but it's still happening every day.
Rue from Los Angeles writes:
Jack, I am certainly more concerned with the state of the world than I am about my own personal net worth, but mostly the "world" being primarily US-based politics. Every decade, regardless of which political party is in power, Americans’ taxes go up. Since the creation of the IRS and the Federal Reserve (neither federal, nor any kind of reserve) in 1913, tax rates have gone up and continue to go up. At some point, it has to stop and the government needs to rein in spending, or eventually my children will be slaves.
James writes:
My greatest concern is being homeless. I am in commercial construction, which has been hit hard and I’ve been short on work for several years now. When this mess began, I had close to $80k in savings, but with rent, taxes, and all costs in general rising, I am close to the end. I am 55 and finding other employment is impossible.
Hugh writes:
Managing type 1 diabetes for a 6-year-old. It's a lot more complicated than "just give her insulin." First, how much insulin and when? The formulas don't always work correctly. Exercise is a wild card (but important). Sometimes I have to leave work at a minute's notice. (Glad my boss understands). Sometimes I'm up middle of the night because the medical equipment failed. It goes on and on.
George from New York writes:
My biggest concern is the scarcity of reasons for hope. It’s not that I see the glass half-empty but the fact that I just haven’t received any piece of good news in such a long time.
Bob writes:
I have no job, twins in college, and my nation's Congress is awash in corporate cash so I won't be getting a check-up anytime soon. So of course I'm worried: will Brad and Angelina break up?