The state of the nation’s mental health as a whole is in dire straits, but new research from Smart TMS show that women, in particular, are suffering when it comes to stress at work
National Stress Awareness Week and Equal Pay Day have come and gone in the past two weeks, yet the battle to raise awareness of mental health issues and advocate against social stigma continues.
The research also unveils a fascinating relationship between perceived success, money and mental health, indicating that the issue does not subside based on increased professional or financial success, and may, in fact, be exacerbated.
Key Stats:
- 1 in 5 (20%) women say they don’t have time to see a medical professional about their mental health
- 1 in 4 (25%) women say they are too busy to think about their mental health, despite having consistent symptoms of depression and anxiety
- 3 in 10 (29%) women can’t open up to friends, family or colleagues about their mental health struggles for fear of judgment or loss of reputation
- 1 in 4 (25%) women say they experience unmanageable levels of stress and anxiety as s result of their job
- Over 1 in 3 (36%) women admit to experiencing severe anxiety by comparing their success to others around them
- 18% of women feel that the higher their earning capacity, the more unmanageable their mental health issues become
- 18% of women feel that as an entrepreneur or director, they feel that they cannot take time away from work to address mental health issues as it would be a detriment to the business
- 3 in 10 (29%) women feel like they don’t have a right to be depressed because they are relatively successful and affluent
Gerard Barnes, CEO of Smart TMS, says:
“The research indicates that women across Britain are suffering from the expectations and pressures at work, and the recent arrival of Equal Pay Day only gos to highlight the added difficulties that confront women in the workplace.
“It is also particularly interesting to see that success at work, in many cases, actually exacerbates mental health issues, rather than alleviates them. Women who are especially successful at work must ensure they take the time to understand the impact that the increased stress and workloads associated with higher-profile jobs and positions can have on their health, and respond accordingly.
More needs to be done to help people recognise symptoms of mental health conditions within their own behaviours and respond accordingly. It is also vital for everybody, even those who are affluent, to understand that they are just as prone to depression, if not more so, and need to seek help and treatment.”
