USA Today is reporting that as the economy unravels, so is the mental health of U.S. citizens. "I've never seen this level of anxiety and depression in 22 years of practice," says Nancy Molitor, a psychologist in Wilmette, Ill. "The mental health fallout has been far worse than after 9/11." The article reports a staggering 40% jump in the demand for therapists from June to December. So what are we supposed to do? Unfortunately there are no easy answers and if professional help may be the best option. Psychologist Salvatore Maddi of University of California, Irvine suggests there are three qualities of those who are able to maintain their emotional health in these tough times. Maddi says these "hardy people" stayed committed to what they were doing; they didn't back off or become alienated. They also sought control, trying to influence what happened to them, looking at every avenue for solutions. They saw stressful changes as inevitable and took them as a challenge, an opportunity to grow.

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