Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

StressHealth and safetyOccupational HealthWellbeing

Stress, and drinking to cope, on the rise in Britain

by Personnel Today 5 Feb 2013
by Personnel Today 5 Feb 2013

More than half of British adults say their life is more stressful than five years ago, with money and work topping the list of anxieties, and people are now three times more likely to turn to alcohol rather than their GP to help them deal with their stress, a charity has warned.

The research by the Mental Health Foundation found that almost half of the adults polled revealed they feel stressed every day, with nearly a quarter saying every few days.

A total of 59% of respondents said their life was generally more stressful than it was five years ago.

Money (26%) and work-related issues (28%) were cited as the main causes of stress and anxiety for more than half of those who said they felt stressed.

When asked for their top three ways to deal with their stress, 41% of respondents said they spent time alone, closely followed by talking to partners, family and friends about it and spending time on hobbies. But 18% found that drinking alcohol cut stress levels, and 10% found smoking helpful, against just 6% who said they would consider visiting a GP or medical professional for their stress-related issues.

Almost half of respondents said they found it more difficult to sleep as a result of their stress, while feeling short tempered and irritable was also common, as well as “feeling tired all the time” and “finding it hard to switch off”.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Andrew McCulloch said more non-hospital-based solutions were one answer, and this included workplace-based solutions.

“We must invest in less costly, more effective early intervention services for people experiencing this type of stress instead of waiting for people’s distress and symptoms to require a hospital admission,” he added.

Personnel Today

previous post
Local authorities to take charge of public health budgets
next post
Protecting confidential information in the digital workplace

You may also like

Slightly shorter working week could reap big benefits

11 Sep 2025

‘Troubling gap’ in confidence to discuss suicide at...

10 Sep 2025

Employers need to step up on wellbeing provision,...

10 Sep 2025

Managing risk assessments for employees who are deaf...

9 Sep 2025

Workplace health benefits need to be simplified

9 Sep 2025

Sickness absence soars to nearly two weeks per...

9 Sep 2025

Director with cancer treated unfairly over pay, rules...

5 Sep 2025

Connect to Work scheme to benefit 15 areas...

4 Sep 2025

Working with pesticides linked to higher risk of...

4 Sep 2025

Third of employees ‘anxious’ about lack of workplace...

3 Sep 2025

  • Workplace health benefits need to be simplified SPONSORED | Long-term sickness...Read more
  • Work smart – stay well: Avoid unnecessary pain with centred ergonomics SPONSORED | If you often notice...Read more
  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits Live
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise