Post by Admin on Feb 10, 2014 11:10:23 GMT
As psychiatrists tell, the cure to anxiety begins with us encouraging others to discuss how we feel
According to the Health and Social Care Information Centre, last year just under 762,000 people were referred for anxiety or depression treatment. Some 62% of the new referrals were women, and 71% were aged between 20 and 49. This is the first annual report of its kind, so it's hard to gauge whether mental health problems are increasing among women, or whether we're getting better at seeking diagnoses and help.
Last year, the charity Calm reported that suicide was the greatest killer of young men in Britain, and campaigners have warned that one of the greatest factors is isolation. Men aren't socialised to share their feelings, especially negative ones. They are made to feel that they need to be strong, physically and mentally – and this usually means staying silent.
By contrast, women tend to receive much more encouragement when it comes to identifying their emotions, telling people about them and seeking support. But what if women are more prone to anxious thoughts, thanks to the array of societal pressures placed on them every day? At the end of last year, it was reported that the gender pay gap had widened for the first time since 2008, meaning that women are likely to find themselves struggling to pay their bills. Evidence suggests that new mothers are under more pressure than ever, both practically and emotionally. And women in all fields report that they struggle with their body image, and feel depressed about being unable to meet an unrealistic standard. We might not be able to have it all, but we're all too capable of worrying about it all.
Continue reading in:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/16/anxious-times-talk-about-it
According to the Health and Social Care Information Centre, last year just under 762,000 people were referred for anxiety or depression treatment. Some 62% of the new referrals were women, and 71% were aged between 20 and 49. This is the first annual report of its kind, so it's hard to gauge whether mental health problems are increasing among women, or whether we're getting better at seeking diagnoses and help.
Last year, the charity Calm reported that suicide was the greatest killer of young men in Britain, and campaigners have warned that one of the greatest factors is isolation. Men aren't socialised to share their feelings, especially negative ones. They are made to feel that they need to be strong, physically and mentally – and this usually means staying silent.
By contrast, women tend to receive much more encouragement when it comes to identifying their emotions, telling people about them and seeking support. But what if women are more prone to anxious thoughts, thanks to the array of societal pressures placed on them every day? At the end of last year, it was reported that the gender pay gap had widened for the first time since 2008, meaning that women are likely to find themselves struggling to pay their bills. Evidence suggests that new mothers are under more pressure than ever, both practically and emotionally. And women in all fields report that they struggle with their body image, and feel depressed about being unable to meet an unrealistic standard. We might not be able to have it all, but we're all too capable of worrying about it all.
Continue reading in:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/16/anxious-times-talk-about-it