Mental Health Awareness Week highlights Britain’s anxiety woes

Monday saw the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week which will run until the 18 May. Ran by the British charitable organisation Mental Health Foundation, this year’s specific theme is a problem that is spiralling all over the UK; anxiety.

Anxiety is a problem has that has got progressively worse over the last few decades and is recognised as one of the leading causes behind mental ill-health all around the world. With this week it is hoped more awareness is raised about anxiety, the leading causes of the condition and what steps you can take to live more easily with it.

The majority of us will experience some form of anxiety during the course of our lives. The stresses at work, or raising a family, trying to ride through the recession, or preparing for a job interview will all result in some degree of anxiety.

In addition, Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy have spoken to thousands of patients who are suffering with severe anxiety caused by health issues that have a huge detriment to their confidence and self-esteem. Problems such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, hair loss, acne, obesity and much more can all result in long-term anxiety without the necessary treatment(s), which can all be obtained from Medical Specialists™.

When anxiety becomes excessive, persistent and overwhelming, this is when it becomes so problematic that your daily life is effected and is also the primary symptom of a number of conditions, including phobias, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

According the Mental Health Foundation, levels of anxiety are on the rise. Currently around one in five in the UK feels anxious most or all of the time. A survey carried out by the charity also found nearly half of Brits now feel more anxiety than they did in the past. The survey defined anxious as “generally feeling worried, nervous, or uneasy”.

An estimated three-fifths of the 2,330 British adults questioned by YouGov admitted they feel anxious on a daily basis and 7% would not hesitate to see a GP due to their feelings of anxiety. Just one in 20 say they never feel anxious.

So what exactly is on the nation’s mind and causing us sleepless nights? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly given the state of the economy, money problems were cited as the main cause of anxiety.

Of those polled, 45% said money/finance/debt was the main cause, 36% said the welfare of their children and loved ones, whilst 27% said work problems – i.e. long hours – were causing the most anxiety.

Older people were found to be less worried about finance, but women and older people were more concerned for loved ones. Even though there are a large number of people battling anxiety, almost a fifth of respondents admitted to doing nothing to deal with it.

“Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK and it is increasing, yet it remains under-reported, under-diagnosed and under-treated,” said Jenny Edwards, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.

“A good ability to cope with anxiety is key to our resilience in the face of whatever life throws at us. However, experiencing it too much or too often means we risk becoming overwhelmed. Anxiety at this level can have a truly distressing and debilitating impact on our lives and impact on our physical as well as mental health. As individuals and as a society we need to be more anxiety aware. If we truly recognised the cost anxiety has on society, as well as the mounting distress it causes to individuals, communities and employers, we would act now.”

To help people understand anxiety in greater depth, the charity has compiled a new guide titled Are You Anxiety Aware?, which explains the different types of anxiety, the main reasons that can result in feelings of anxiety, in addition to the physical signs that could occur with anxiety (fast breathing, sweating, rapid and/or irregular heartbeat, etc.).

Worrying times: Are half of all Brits suffering from stress?

Children, money, work, home, health…These are just some of the demanding things we have to deal with on a daily basis. On top of this, the UK’s crippling recession and endless governmental cutbacks simply do not help matters when it comes to the everyday Brit trying to get on with their life and make ends meet.

According to new research conducted by health insurers Bupa, almost half of Britons could in fact be ‘stressed’, after the study of over 10,000 people found that in total, 44% said they were suffering from stress.

Of this group, for over a quarter, the problem of stress appeared to be a chronic issue with 28% admitted to feeling this way for over a year. Worryingly, 27% believe they are often feeling “close to breaking point”.

However, stress levels were not equal amongst the sexes, and across varying age groups. For example, it was discovered that stress levels seemed to be highest within those aged between 45 and 54.

It was found that 50% of this age group are stressed, in comparison to 38% of those aged 55 and over. Women are more likely to regard themselves as stressed – 49% say they are suffering from stress, compared to only 39% of men. Unsurprisingly, given the horrendous credit crunch in the UK, the primary cause of anxiety and stress according to the respondents was money, then work, family life and coping trying to live with a long-term health problem.

Demographically, it was revealed that people living in the Midlands are likely to be the most stress in the country – 46% saying they are stressed.

At the other end of the scale, the Welsh appear to be least stressed, with 40% saying they are suffering from stress, although this could still be considered quite high and not drastically different from the estimated proportion of those stressed in the Midlands.

Dr Martin Baggaley, medical director at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “This research shows stress is extremely common in this country. While low-level and irregular bouts of stress can be beneficial and manageable, it’s concerning to see that so many people are experiencing sustained and relentless stress. If left unchecked for a prolonged period of time, stress can cause much more serious, long-term mental and physical illnesses such as anxiety and depression, and be a contributing factor in health problems such as heart disease and even obesity.”

Alarmingly, stress seems to cause many people to turn to alcohol, with 30% of men and 22% of women admitting to drinking more during stressful times. In addition, only 61% would only seek help if they struggle to cope with daily life.

Dr Baggaley added: “There is agrowing problem of long-term stress in this country, which needs to be addressed.  It’s important that people realise that stress is not just something that you have to put up with. If you recognise that you are under unusual pressure, try self-help techniques – for example deep breathing, taking exercise and avoiding unhealthy behaviours – these can all make a real difference and help you to feel back in control. If self-help isn’t having an effect, or if you’re concerned about your stress levels or feeling very anxious, you should always talk to your GP or a healthcare professional.”

Manage daily stresses or it could impact your long-term mental health

Next time you get ‘cut-up’ in traffic, argue with your partner, or come into conflict with a work colleague – think about the way you respond to these daily challenges thrown at you. A new study published online in the journal Psychological Science, suggests that our emotional responses and reactions to the stress involved with daily life, could provide a forecast into the state of our long-term mental health.

Susan Charles, professor of psychology & social behaviour, and colleagues at the University of California, wanted to construct a study that could help to give answers to a long-standing question: Do everyday irritations add up to make the straw that breaks the camel’s back, or do they make us stronger and ‘inoculate’ us against later tribulations?

In order to try and obtain some answers to this intriguing question, the researchers extracted information from two national surveys (Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) and National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE)), analysing the possible connection between a person’s daily negative emotions and their mental health ten years later.

The study subject’s overall levels of negative emotions were able to be used to determine psychological distress; feeling worthless, hopeless, nervous, and/or restless. After ten years, researchers looked at whether a diagnosis of an emotional disorder such as anxiety or depression was made for each person.

Participants’ negative emotional responses to daily stressors — such as problems at work or home — predicted psychological distress and self-reported emotional disorder ten years later.
The results were based on data from 711 participants – both men and women – ranging from 25 to 74 in age.

Charles and her colleagues argue that their findings show that mental health outcomes are not merely restricted to major life events that happen to us, they are formed by apparently trivial/minor emotional experiences that come our way.

“It`s important not to let everyday problems ruin your moments,” Prof Charles said. “After all, moments add up to days, and days add up to years. Unfortunately, people don`t see mental health problems as such until they become so severe that they require professional attention.”