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There have been several notes about PD and stress, some of them in response to my query about causes of early PD. Here's what I can say about this from my own experience. I don't doubt that stress or other emotional/psychological experiences can affect a person physically. In fact, when I first experienced what I now know are symptoms of PD I assumed that the difficulty I was having moving my left arm and leg was caused by stress -- I assumed that for some emotional reason I was "holding something in," and this manifested itself physically in the "holding in," the rigidness, in my left side. I didn't know what I was holding in, but at first it didn't occur to me that there could actually be anything physically wrong with me. On the other hand, once I was diagnosed with PD I assumed it was simply and entirely physical and had nothing to do with stress. But who knows? I do know that when I'm feeling stressed my symptoms seem to be worse. So staying relaxed certainly helps. By the way, today was Town Meeting day here in Vermont. I've been moderator of my town's meeting for 16 years and find it relaxing, especially for someone who's opinionated, like myself. I don't often allow myself not to have an opinion about somsething; today I had to stay neutral. I find I get into a relaxed, detached "zone;" I doubt anyone can do this all the time, but it does help reduce stress. Charlie Barasch