More evidence has emerged of the severe effect the stresses and strains of the recession are having on the mental health of the working population.
A study by mental health charity Mind found that nearly four out of 10 men are feeling low or worried because of the economic downturn, with middle-aged men seven times more likely than women to have suicidal thoughts.
Barely a quarter of men would see their GP about the issue, even if they had been feeling down for more than a fortnight. And they were half as likely to get things off their chests by talking to friends than women, with nearly a third being embarrassed about seeking help for mental distress.
The research has tallied with a survey by employee assistance programme (EAP) provider Vielife, which concluded there has been a sharp increase in demand for EAP services to counsel workers through the recession.
And a study by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health has suggested that with the recession putting children and families as well as working adults under greater mental stress, we could be storing up problems for the future.
Its research, conducted with the Medical Research Council, the Smith Institute and union Unison, found that children and adolescents with conduct problems have relatively worse prospects throughout their adult life.
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