Problems at work (office style job)?

For the last six months we have had a ton or work added to our department including several huge projects. This is making things very stressful in general but here is the true issue.

My boss has been taking our all his stress on his underlings. I know we all have bad days but months upon months of bad days is ridiculous. We have gotten to the point that we have key words that we say to each other so we know not to talk to him. I might be crazy but I thought a manager and his team were supposed to talk to one another but we are so sick of getting snapped at that we avoid him most of the time.

You can’t talk to him about it, it really just makes things worse. Our HR department is horrible about saying whom the complaint came from which would obviously make things worse if he knew the entire team is sick of it. I have one team member that would already be gone if she thought she could get another job but with the economy the way it is that could be financial suicide. And I am right behind her, and I have worked her almost 10 years and I am at my breaking point. (For instance I over heard a conversation that he was having with another employee and I had valuable information to add to it. Before I went to tell them my stomach went to my foot and I got nervous jitters just thinking about getting my butt handed back to me for trying to help and of course he jumped at me right away with attitude but after a few minutes of feeling like a piece of crap I was able to prove that my information was valuable and helpful but again I had to talk to the other employee to make it happen because my boss won’t listen anymore) It can’t stay this way. What can me or the team do to make this situation better? Also we already know that the next six months will make the last six months look like a cake walk with all the new processes that we will be getting.

You know its bad when the entire team wants a Valium just to approach the boss.