Stress in the United States In the United States today, psychological stress rules over the nation. Generally the stress-inducing episodes involve life transitions, for example marriage, having children, changing jobs, retiring, or suffering the death of a family member. But as a nation the two most important causes of psychological stress for Americans today are the deteriorating national economy because of global recession and the threat of terrorism, including the involvement of the US in wars in difference parts of the world. It would not be wrong to say that the most important problem and major cause of stress among in the US today is unemployment. T