Repossessions Cause Increase in Stress, Depression and Anxiety

Thu, 01 Apr 2010

The study shows that those suffering from stress, depression and anxiety due to redundancies, pay cuts and job insecurity as a result of the recession is soaring.

Concerns about the downturn in the economy have given rise to more people experiencing symptoms of common mental health conditions, so says the report published today, by Roehampton University academics and the children's charity Elizabeth Finn Care.

Depression has multiplied between four and five-fold as unemployment, reductions in working hours and concerns about job security are now common, so the report found.

Among those who lost their jobs in the last 12 months, 71% have suffered symptoms of depression, 55% stress symptoms and 52% anxiety symptoms.

The middle class socio economic group is likely to experience depression (59.8%) than lower socio economic groups (44.9%) or higher socio economic groups (46.7%).

Of those who had a decrease in salary in the last 40 days or had had their hours or days cut, 51% stated they had experienced depression symptoms, 48% anxiety symptoms and and 45% stress symptoms.

Those within the 18-30 age group are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms than any other age group.

Should mental health not be treated effectively it can eventually lead to the inability and the lack of desire to work.

A recent Royal College of Psychiatrists report stated that mental health problems cost the UK around £110bn a year.

Psychiatrists found that demand for mental health treatment increased during 2009 as levels of debt, unemployment, home repossessions and threats of redundancies increased.

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