City doctors reporting increase in patients stressed about economy
THE CREDIT Crunch is taking its health toll on Brummies with doctors reporting a 30 per cent increase in patients suffering with depression or stress since the beginning of the year.
Along with referrals to psychiatrists at local hospitals and clinics, the private Woodbourne Priory Hospital is also noticing a surge in people suffering effects from a climate of job losses and a growing cost of bills across the region.
Experts have urged anyone who is feeling depressed or suffering stress from their situation to seek help from their local GP or other medical specialists as soon as possible before it spirals out of control.
Dr Simone England, consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital, in Edgbaston, said: “Over the past six months I have seen an increase in the number of people who have work-related stress, anxiety or depression. The most common causes are long and inflexible working hours, lack of job security and relationships with colleagues.”
Advice to reduce stress includes doing more exercise, cutting back on alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine, and talking about worries to friends.
A national survey has showed 71.4 per cent of people say they felt more stressed now than they did six months ago.
