Focussing on the relationship between stress and the physiology and pathology of the major organ systems of the body, this book suggests that understanding how stress impacts on illnesses can help hold down medical costs through more accurate diagnoses and so promote improved preventative care. Following a general background on stress and the difficulties in conducting stress-related research, the text shows how stress affects specific organ systems, using scientific and clinical data. The impact of stress on important medical problems of current interest, such as AIDS, cancer, substance abuse and anxiety disorders is then discussed, followed by topics related to stress, such as stress measurement, stress in the workplace, and the psychodynamics of stress. The final section explores the major pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to the treatment of stress and anxiety disorders.