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Argentina ranked as country where their citizens have the most stress and anxiety in the world
earlyretirement
Moderator
This is definitely true. Nothing works too well here. It is the reason why there are so many therapists in Buenos Aires. The fact that everything is so painful and there is so much red tape, friction and corruption puts everyone on edge and makes them stressed.
Wally
Well-known member
Correct. It is the reason why we all go to therapists here. Just dealing with the backwardness and inefficiencies in Argentina can drive a person crazy.
Blockchain
Well-known member
My girlfriend in Buenos Aires just sent me this. (of course she was asking me to send her money for her weekly sessions). 🤣
Interesting. I’ve also read that Argentina has one of the highest numbers of psychiatrists per capita in the world, which says something about how seriously mental health is taken here.
Speaking only as a participatory observer of life—having spent decades living in or traveling through the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, and parts of Asia—I’ve often wondered how different societies handle stress, particularly during childhood and adolescence.
Back in the 1970s in the United States there was a period when significant numbers of students were prescribed medications such as Ritalin and Cylert for hyperactivity and attention issues. Later there was a lot of debate and regulatory scrutiny about how widely those drugs were being used with young people.
I’m not a physician, and I’m certainly not opposed to modern medicine. Antibiotics, vaccines, and many medical treatments have saved millions of lives. But from a purely observational standpoint, I sometimes wonder if part of the stress people experience later in life could relate to how children learn—or don’t learn—to develop coping mechanisms during their formative years.
My personal thought has always been that childhood and adolescence are also the time when people gradually learn how to handle social pressures, frustration, competition, and everyday stress. If those stressors are muted too early through psychoactive medications, it raises an interesting question—again just my personal observation—about whether that might affect how people deal with stress later on.
There are obviously many perspectives on this. Some research points toward neurological or genetic explanations for conditions like ADHD, while other discussions include diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The reality is probably complex and still evolving.
In any case, stress seems to be a global phenomenon—from North and South America to Europe and Asia—so Argentina certainly isn’t alone. One thing I do appreciate here is that people seem very open to discussing mental health and seeking professional help when they need it.
Just a few reflections from someone who has watched cultural differences around the world for many years.
I saw Argentines ranking second globally in family ties.
Probably helps a lot as well.
Your comment about stress actually reminded me of something from my childhood.
When I was about 13 my father, a U.S. Air Force officer, was stationed in Tokyo. We lived off base and I ended up joining a Japanese Boy Scout troop, which turned out to be one of the best cultural educations a young American kid could have.
Through the Scouts I became friends with a group of neighborhood boys who trained at a Japan Karate Association (JKA) dojo. One afternoon they invited me along.
Walking into that dojo as a skinny American kid was a little intimidating. Everything was formal, disciplined, and very quiet compared with what I was used to. The sensei spoke almost no English, and my Japanese vocabulary at the time consisted mostly of Boy Scout phrases and the names of food.
But karate has a universal language. You bow, you line up, and you try not to embarrass yourself doing the basics. The training was very traditional Shotokan—lots of kihon, kata, and what felt like endless repetition of stances.
Looking back on it now, I realize that those classes were probably teaching something beyond just punching and kicking. They were teaching young people how to deal with pressure, frustration, and stress in a controlled environment. You got corrected, you tried again, and gradually you improved.
That experience has stayed with me for decades. In fact Elisa and I are still exploring similar disciplines today. We have a Qigong and Tai Chi instructor who comes to our house once a week, and in just a few months we’ve seen remarkable benefits. I feel lighter and more flexible, and Elisa—who has dealt with long-term neck pain—has had noticeable improvement.
So when discussions about stress come up, I sometimes think back to that dojo in Tokyo. For many young people, learning structured ways to handle pressure—whether through sports, martial arts, music, or other disciplines—can be just as important as anything else in their development.
Just another observation from someone who has spent a lifetime watching how different cultures deal with stress.
When I was about 13 my father, a U.S. Air Force officer, was stationed in Tokyo. We lived off base and I ended up joining a Japanese Boy Scout troop, which turned out to be one of the best cultural educations a young American kid could have.
Through the Scouts I became friends with a group of neighborhood boys who trained at a Japan Karate Association (JKA) dojo. One afternoon they invited me along.
Walking into that dojo as a skinny American kid was a little intimidating. Everything was formal, disciplined, and very quiet compared with what I was used to. The sensei spoke almost no English, and my Japanese vocabulary at the time consisted mostly of Boy Scout phrases and the names of food.
But karate has a universal language. You bow, you line up, and you try not to embarrass yourself doing the basics. The training was very traditional Shotokan—lots of kihon, kata, and what felt like endless repetition of stances.
Looking back on it now, I realize that those classes were probably teaching something beyond just punching and kicking. They were teaching young people how to deal with pressure, frustration, and stress in a controlled environment. You got corrected, you tried again, and gradually you improved.
That experience has stayed with me for decades. In fact Elisa and I are still exploring similar disciplines today. We have a Qigong and Tai Chi instructor who comes to our house once a week, and in just a few months we’ve seen remarkable benefits. I feel lighter and more flexible, and Elisa—who has dealt with long-term neck pain—has had noticeable improvement.
So when discussions about stress come up, I sometimes think back to that dojo in Tokyo. For many young people, learning structured ways to handle pressure—whether through sports, martial arts, music, or other disciplines—can be just as important as anything else in their development.
Just another observation from someone who has spent a lifetime watching how different cultures deal with stress.
Betsy Ross
Well-known member
People here do have great relationships with family. It means a lot to them. But I still agree there are so many therapists here because nothing is efficient and a lot of red tape. Going to a therapist here is accepted and there is really no reason not to. I didn't until I moved here. It is very affordable. About $35 per session which is less than a co-pay back home.
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