A Hungarian friend who hadn't been to Manhattan in years recently came for a visit. "Such a big city," he mused, eying the massive skyscrapers around him. "Do New Yorkers have a lot of panic attacks, like we do in Budapest?" 

Not exactly, I replied. New Yorkers suffer neuroses aplenty, such as fear of being seen in last season's footwear and pathological real estate envy. But panic attacks? I couldn't think of anyone. My friend was amazed. So many Hungarians suffer from panic attacks, he said, they are the nation's number-one excuse for absenteeism at work. Employers offer on-site counseling; public billboards instruct people to relax. Panic sufferers have formed support groups and are the subject of numerous books, radio programs and talk shows.

Certainly stress is global. When problems arise, everyone feels the heat. However, stress seems to affect each individual differently. One woman flowers under pressure; another wilts. Others still develop symptoms or disorders that baffle mental health professionals. When you examine how stress affects different populations and nationalities, patterns emerge.

In Britain, for example, stress has a growing impact on the bottom line. The number of English workers losing productive days due to stress and anxiety increased from 6.5 million in 1995 to 13.4 in 2001-2002, according to the Economist. This past year, over half of English employers saw increased absenteeism due to stress. Derek Sach, president of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, blames it on the faster pace of life and innovations in communications, such as mobile phones and the Internet, which encourage people to take their jobs home with them.

"Most cases of Tourette's appear to run in families, suggesting a genetic link," says Dr. Leslie Packer, a New York clinical psychologist with a specialty in working with children and adolescents with Tourette's and related conditions. "But stressful situations set it off.  Most adults who have Tourette's cite a connection between stress and their tic symptoms."

Which begs the question: while religion offers solace to millions, do all those rituals and prohibitions also provoke anxieties? The experts say so. They call it Scrupulosity, and label it a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Certain individuals may constantly worry that they have committed a sin, or obsessively watch for violations of religious restrictions in others, seeking to inflict inappropriately harsh punishment for the slightest infractions.  Such disorders are rampant in countries that operate under theocratic rule, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan under the Taliban.  

What was behind the princess's anxiety? Some people cite the scrutiny she has been subjected to as a national figure, in combination with the pressure to produce a male heir. Two years ago, Princess Masako was hospitalized for shingles, a viral infection often associated with stress. She later released a statement saying her health problems "resulted from the accumulation of mental and physical fatigue."

Rather than respond with shock or disapproval, the Japanese were overwhelmingly sympathetic, and urged the Palace to give Princess Masako more space and private time.

Perhaps it's their way of handling stress - ignoring real-life problems and choosing instead to focus on imaginary ones with less actual potential to harm. The majority of situations that cause us stress day-to-day - misplacing important addresses, losing keys, juggling multiple demands at work, over-scheduling - are extremely mundane. Stress is simply a part of life. Most of us learn to adapt to some degree - by managing our time better, perhaps, or finding ways to blow off steam. And some people actually use stress to their advantage.

Type A personalities - that is, people who are highly effective at work - are said to be addicted to stress. They may seem impatient and touchy, but they secretly enjoy their stress-fueled lives. They view stress as a challenge, rather than a burden. When they complain about how stressed they are, they do it in a manner that suggests they are enjoying themselves. People like this exist everywhere in the world - a global culture of high achievers with an ability to thrive on stress as a cultural common denominator. One thing is certain: stress is unavoidable, so bracing for it from time to time is the best way to cope.

"If you're stressed out by family demands, make sure to spend time with family in relaxing situations," advises Morgan Hubbard, a Chicago-based psychologist. "If you're stressed out at work, look at the big picture and acknowledge all you have managed to achieve. If you feel your stress load leads to accomplishment, it's akin to a sense of control."

RELAX!

MOVE.

Perhaps no single activity has more power to take the bite out of stress than exercise. "Most of us are living sedentary lifestyles, so it's important to get back into your body," says Donna Rainone, M.P.S., a movement therapist at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. "Exercise, dance, and other forms of movement can solve specific problems including pain, poor alignment, movement restriction, and stress. They also make you feel more grounded." Rainone has a point. Scientists at the University of California at San Diego found, in a recent study, that the level of white blood cells, which rise in reaction to stress, increased after subjects were given a pressured challenge - but rose less for people who reported a regular program of exercise, showing that exercisers may be protected from health damage caused by everyday hassles. But simple exercise is not always enough. "It's not only important that you move - it's also important how you move," says Rainone. "People who are anxious and stressed often carry their tensions in their shoulders, perhaps because that's the part of the body that's closest to their brain. Through movement and touch, breathing exercises, and other disciplines such as pilates, gyrotonics, and yoga, we help them learn to let go."

BIOFEEDBACK. 

MEDITATE.

When you hear the term "meditation," what comes to mind? A close-eyed, cross-legged pose? Indecipherable mantras? Boredom? Patricia Seip Martin, who teaches meditation at Canyon Ranch and has practiced it for over 30 years, challenges the stereotypes. "There are many different ways to meditate," she says, "and they don't all involve sitting cross-legged and chanting.  I do a silent, open-eyed meditation. Sometimes I pat my cat or drink tea. Often I project  healing energy to other people or to situations."

NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY.

Everybody knows massage feels good. But whether the benefits are lasting is debatable. For people ready for stronger medicine, neuromuscular therapy may be in order. A system of soft-tissue manipulation techniques, NMT (as it is commonly known) is not for the faint of body. First, the therapist employs precise measuring tools to assess a patient's body alignment. Then, he or she uses touch procedures including craniosacral therapy, positional release, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy to guide the body back into alignment. The touch is sometimes so strong, it borders on the painful. (Though if performed correctly, it never actually crosses that border.) However the benefits are long-lasting. "By releasing the muscles that impede proper alignment of the body, you can improve postural distortions," Says Wendi Koch, C.N.M.T., a Neuromuscular Therapist with Canyon Ranch. "Homoeostasis is restored between the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. That enables the body to heal on its own."

LIFESTYLE CONSULTATIONS.

EMDR.