Is stress the reason behind angy New Yorkers?

Could stress be behind the stereotype of the angry New Yorker? According to a recent survey from the American Psychological Association (APA), New Yorkers are more stressed out than other Americans. More importantly, the results reflect disappointment when it comes to how New Yorkers feel about their mental health care.

The online survey questioned over 2,000 American adults in August 2012. An additional 200 New York City residents were interviewed.       Here’s a breakdown of how New Yorkers fared in the way of stress management:

• 36 percent of New Yorkers gave their physical health care an “A” grade, but only 31 percent gave the same grade regarding their mental health care.
• Some New Yorkers were either recommended to make a lifestyle change or decided to do so on their own. Of these people, 27 percent said lack of time was a barrier to reaching their goals.
• When compared to other Americans, New Yorkers felt less supported by their health care provider when it comes to managing their stress and making healthy lifestyle changes.
• Stress was reported at a higher rate than what New York City residents consider healthy. When asked what was a healthy level of stress on a 10-point scale, most New Yorkers said four. However, New Yorkers reported an average stress level of 5.2.
• The most common stress sources were cited more frequently by New Yorkers than by other Americans. For example, money, work and the economy stressed out New Yorkers more than other Americans.
• 35 percent of New Yorkers reported that their stress increased in the past year.