MONEY WORRIES LEADING TO STRESS ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH
12/3/10
Money worries are the biggest cause of stress in modern life, according to a new survey carried out by ICM Research on behalf of the Priory Group.
Almost a third of respondents cited their finances as being the cause of the most stress in their lives. Women worried more about money with 32% admitting to being stressed due to financial concerns as opposed to 26% of men questioned.
Those aged between 25 years and 44 years are most likely to worry about money with almost half of those questioned suffering stress due to money worries.
Family life and relationships also cause more stress to women than men. 20% of women questioned were suffering stress due to partners, children or parents compared to only 14% of men.
Even those necessities of modern life the computer and the mobile phone were responsible for stress in 2% of people questioned.
Over 77% of respondents agreed that stress was a genuine illness. However, only 23% had sought professional help to manage stress. This is despite stress being the second biggest occupational health issue in the UK after back problems.
It is estimated* that 11.4 million working days were lost in 2008/9 through stress-related illnesses. In the UK, anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems, and the majority of cases are caused by stress.
When asked how they did deal with stress 21% of respondents said they shouted and lost their temper, 19% turned to food for comfort and 8% resorted to alcohol or drugs.
Dr Richard Bowskill, consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Group said: “Stress is the way that a person feels when pressure is put on them.
“It is disappointing that so few people are seeking professional help to deal with stress, particularly given the number of people who are so stressed they are missing work.
“Everyone reacts differently to stress, and some people may have a higher threshold than others. There is no doubt that too much stress can lead to serious physical, mental and emotional problems
“A small amount of pressure can be productive, give motivation, and enhance performance. However, too much pressure or prolonged pressure can lead to stress, which is unhealthy for the mind and body.
“The secret of managing stress is to look after yourself and, where possible, to remove some of the causes of stress.
“However, it can all become too much to cope with and that is a clear indication that the time has come to ask for help. The GP is the first port of call but in serious cases a doctor may refer the patient to a hospital such as The Priory for specialist treatment.”
For a link to download 4 x radio audio clips of Dr Bowskill talking about stress or to download the whole survey* please email caroline.walker@recognitionpr.co.uk
*Please credit Priory Group research if using any of the data
ENDS
CONTACT: Caroline Walker on 01325 383886
Notes to editors:
*HSE figures
2039 people were surveyed between February 12th and February 14th 2010. The full survey is available from (link here). Please ensure Priory Group is credited when using any of the figures from the survey.
Consultants are available for interview.
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