Economic and Emotional Depression

Economic and Emotional Depression by Jennifer Gleeson

 - An insight into how the economic decline has impacted on our mental health.

In modern day Britain, our downward spiralling economy is the subject matter of most conversations, the focus of the evening news, and the focal point of parliamentary debate.  The negative statistics on unemployment, tanking investments, housing costs and shattered consumer confidence is swelling each day leaving people petrified to spend money, incredibly stressed and ultimately emotionally exhausted.

Statistics revealed in recent research at Roehampton University have brought to light the startling rise in mental health illness among workers in the UK directly attributed to worries related to the economic downturn. The study highlights that a shocking 47% of people have experienced depressive symptoms during the recession which is 4-5 times higher than levels recorded amongst the general population prior to the recession. The research shows that the number of people struggling with mental illness in the UK, directly related to the recession, is 20-30 times higher than the level of depressive symptoms found in individuals suffering from chronic disease.

It is thought that the individuals most at risk are small business owners, many of whom are worried about their survival in a harsh economic climate.  What is in jeopardy is not only their own economic livelihood, but that of their employees and their employees’ families who depend on the business to stay afloat. This realisation puts enormous pressure on business owners to fight the increasingly tight grasp the current merciless depression has over  our economy.

Those who are employed are not exempt from the mental strain caused by the economic crisis either. Those who have jobs are increasingly worried about job security and for many,this worry develops into severe anxiety. Psychiatrist Dr. Hunter McQuistion summed it up well when he said “with everybody sitting on the edge of their seats, it is (often) manifested clinically”.

Those who have actually lost their jobs due to the current economic situation are considered one of the most psychologically vulnerable groups in our society at present. It is these individuals who are at risk of being engulfed by a vicious cycle of unemployment and mental health problems. This cycle is set in motion when someone loses their job. While disheartening in itself, it is the string of potential rejection letters for subsequent job applications, due to the vast numbers applying, that may trigger low self-esteem and lack of motivation. Lack of daily structure and dwindling finances may result in diminishing social activities and interaction with others and it is this pattern of events where people ultimately, and inevitably, begin to develop depressive symptoms.

“Times of economic stress lead to increased rates of depression,” according to Dr. Christopher Palmer, of McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. “It exacerbates illness in people who have been chronically depressed. But it also causes new cases of depression”. In the process, it can affect all aspects of our lives starting with our sleep, physical heath, general mood, relationships, eating habits and ending with our willingness to do the things we enjoy doing the most.

Moving Minds can help tackle this vicious cycle.      We seek to challenge the issue at the root of long periods of absence from the work place and formulate focused targets for treatment with an aim of integrating the individual back into employment. We encourage the person to identify with their work role and remain in contact with their work place enabling the possibility of a graduated return to work or a regained confidence to seek alternative employment. Along with organising appropriate psychological treatment for people who fall into the unemployment web, we also provide a psychological telephone triage service which provides additional support to those who need it during this economically challenging and psychologically draining time. The triage is conducted by an experienced psychological clinician to establish whether psychological problems are present and whether the severity of these problems warrants a face to face assessment, telephone support and relevant educational material, or no intervention whatsoever. In Britain today, our niche service is necessary if we are to challenge the psychological aftermath caused by the global recession.

Our modern day concern should extend beyond the impact the recession has had on our wallets and focus on the detrimental impact it can have on our mental well being. At the end of the day, to quote an underused proverb, “your health is your wealth”.

Useful information to add: source: ‘mental health and the economic downturn’  – LSE November 2009.

• Emphasis on the economic cost of mental health problems – overall UK cost = more than £110 billion a year. (Friedli & parsonage 2007). (McCrone et al 2008) – the costs of mental illness are currently greater than the costs of crime and are projected to double over the next 20 years.
• Many studies have linked unemployment and other economic circumstances with poor mental health (Dorling 2009) – as more people find themselves out of work, greater demand for mental health services. At the same time UK government suffers to reduce public spending.

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