The Samaritans’ Stressed Out Survey shows that more Britons than ever are turning to the bottle to relieve stress. They also say that half the nation isn’t sleeping or is grumpy due to stress.
These survey is supported by Medicash and has been released for Samaritans’ Stress Down Day on 1 February 2007.
A total of 32 percent of people questioned said they have a drink to feel less stressed, while in 2003 the figure was just 23 percent. This is a rise from almost a quarter in 2003 to nearly a third now and in some regions it’s even higher. In Northern Ireland 45 percent of those asked said they drink to relieve stress.
Sixty-eight percent of people said they are irritable through stress – while 56 percent said their sleep patterns are disturbed.
The Stressed Out survey also shows that:- Half of Britons say there are more stressed now than they were five years ago. Almost a fifth of the nation (17 percent) – are stressed out every single day. One in four (27 percent) – say stress causes them to argue with their partners and 18 percent find their sex life suffers because of stress. 25-34 year olds drink more often – than other age groups – to relieve stress – at 41 percent. More men than women drink when stressed – 35 percent against 29 percent.
The survey also showed that the issues which most affected people most were the same as when Samaritans last carried out the survey in 2003 – although money is now the top reason people give (51 percent) and work has dropped to second (38 percent) and family issues are third (27 percent).
Issues which feature in world affairs rate very low as a cause for people’s stress in their day to day life. Climate change and global warming rated at 3 percent. The continuing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan totaled 1 percent and the issues of racial tension, where I live, or religious tension where I live, were given as the biggest source for stress by just four people – less than 1 percent of people questioned.
“The results of the survey are worrying -not only because we’re getting more stressed but because it seems we’re getting worse at dealing with that stress,” says Joe Ferns, the Director of Service Support with Samaritans. “There can be little doubt that for many people life is more hectic and complicated than it would have been 54 years ago when Samaritans was first set up but we still need to find a way of looking after our emotional health better.”