`Good Times' Can Ease Stress of City Living

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:34:33 GMT

By Kayla Morgan

Simple challenges of everyday life can cause massive stress that results in health complications later in life. In order to alleviate stress, people participate in such measures as yoga, television entertainment, and even indulging in their favorite foods. According to recent studies, however, there is nothing you can do to escape stress depending on where you live. Stress is high especially in the African-American community where high blood pressure and heart disease run rampant. In recent years, the typical African-American diet, consisting of foods of high fat concentration, has been blamed for many ailments. According to recent studies, however, living in cities with high unemployment and even heavy traffic that breed high stress levels can contribute. Atlanta, where traffic is among the worse in the country, for instance, would be considered a stressful city to live in. The idea of Southern Hospitality is more an idea today than the reality that it used to be. Though Atlanta is part of a southern state, the attributes of its city life make it a more hostile environment. Even at school, students show signs that they are under elevated amounts of stress. Besides constant peer pressure and the burden of numerous high school assignments, students seem to be affected by life in the big city. Many students come to school and are groggy and irritable. Not only does stress weigh heavily on the body, but just as much on the mind. Stress that comes with living in large, stressful cities has been brought to the forefront with lighter, more humorous spins on television sitcoms through the years such as “Good Times.” “Good Times” was a sitcom the aired from 1974 to 1979. The material in the show was easily relatable to its audiences due to its truthfulness. While the characters encountered their everyday trials, which all sitcoms have, the main focus of the show was to educate people about the challenges of living in a stressful city and not having the means to provide for a family. The show’s catchy theme song said so much: “Temporary layoffs…easy credit rip offs.” People of large cities all over could relate to the idea of “scratchin’ and survivin’” as so many of them were doing just the same. Another example includes “Everybody Hates Chris.” The show features a family living in Brooklyn in the 1980s. The family’s patriarch, Julius, played by actor Terry Cruise, suffers from gout as a result of stressful conditions. Included in the causes of his stress was the pressure of supporting a family of five on a budget for three. Besides having financial hardships, characters of both of these shows have another thing in common-living in stressful cities; Chicago, Ill and Brooklyn, NY. Though it may not be possible for people to just pack their things and relocate to another city, it can be easy for them to relieve stress by simple things such as making time for themselves. At the end of a stressful day, it is always nice to just enjoy a little time alone, or do what you love to do.

The Summit

`Good Times' Can Ease Stress of City Living