After a while, chronic anxiety can have an effect on... Your heart. Anxiety and chronic stress sufferers are more at risk for cardiovascular problems due to a constant increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure and overexposure to cortisol.
The 5 week period is usually about right for something like a federal return. A state return, on the other hand, will take about 6 to 8 weeks. The process takes a little longer when this is done by mail. A 4 week return for electronic filing may actually take closer to 6 weeks with a postal check.
Paper returns have to be manually entered into the system, and can remain in the queue for several days (or longer) before they can be processed. Of course, the complexity of your return also affects how long it takes to process your return. How long does it take to get a tax refund?