Stress poses a profound difficulty for everyone. But more black men die from heart attacks associated with stress than any other ethnic group in the United States.

?50% of African Americans who suffer from the ?blues? or depression do not seek help

?88% of women and 69% of men will get headaches and stress is the number one cause

?Stress is the number one health problem facing African Americans. 35% of African American men compared to 25% of other ethnic groups are affected by hypertension (high blood pressure)

?1 out of every 9 women who seek care in the emergency rooms is there because of injuries resulting from domestic violence. There is evidence to support that neighborhood crime is rooted in unhealthy stress

?Stoke is identified as being 67% higher in African American men than other ethnic groups and 88% more blacks are more likely to die from a stroke than whites

The everyday struggle of dealing with prejudice also contributes to the high and potentially deadly levels of stress in the African American community. With the challenges of poverty, discrimination, injustice, poor choices, etc., the quality of life for African Americans both male and female encourages an ongoing and constant schizophrenic mind set of anger and assimilation that many experts believe is a primary reason for the increased death rates among the African Americans.

Suggested Stress Checklist for African Americans

?Being out of work for a month or longer

?Having a serious illness or accident

?Not having enough money for food, clothing, housing, or other necessities of life

?Being concerned with getting credit

?Having a problem with getting things repaired around the house

?Having a check arrive late or lost in the mail

?Having something stolen or having the house or car broken into

?Having a violent argument with a friend or relative

?Having some other kind of trouble with family members

?Being concerned about living in an unsafe area

?Living with racism (Patrick Romano, 1990)

Daily Devotion

Sunday: Read and meditate on Matthew 11:28

Monday: Learn to realize that all stress is not bad. Read John 16: 19-28 and Isaiah 55:1-3

Tuesday: Strive to be patient with yourself. Read Romans 12:12 and II Timothy

Wednesday: Change your faulty beliefs. Read Matthew 6: 25-34. Remember 40% of the

things people worry about never happen

Thursday: Learn to relax. Read Psalms 23&123 and Hebrews 4:4 over and over again

while listening to Christian/Gospel music at least 15-20 minutes a day

Friday: Take a grace inventory. Remind yourself of what God has done in your life.

Read Philippians 1:6, 4:4; 4:6 and 4:19

Saturday: Develop a sense of humor. Learn to control what you can and what you cannot. Read Proverbs 31:25; Psalms 37:13 and II Corinthians 7:4