Anxiety affects one in six adults in the United States at any given time. According to the Department of Health and Human Services one fourth of all spending for mental health is related to anxiety. In this book, the author describes his efforts including drugs, therapy and alcohol to try to control his anxiety. Stossel shares that he is an individual that is high functioning and he has not suffered employment or legal consequences as a result of his illness.The ritual that he describes to prepare for a public speaking is a testament to how potentially disabling anxiety can be. His life long struggle with anxiety reminds of how mental illness does not discriminate on the basis of age socio- economic group. The author is fortunate to have been able to receive mental health treatment and medication and to be able to maintain employment. His description of his use of benzodiazepines such as Xanax at the same time as alcohol is risky. The author describes the risk he is taking by describing his illness to the public. Individuals with mental illness still suffer stigma. For some anxiety prevents work.  For more information about Social Security disability based on anxiety contact Cuddigan Law at (402) 933 -5400

Sean D. Cuddigan
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SSA and VA Disability Attorney in Omaha, Nebraska
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