Have YOU been hit by recession depression? One mental health expert reveals how to cope with the fallout

By Claire Bates


Stress in many workplaces has increased due to the recession

As antidepressant prescriptions jump 25 per cent in a year, Dr Daniel Freeman, author of 'Know Your Mind: Everyday Emotional and Psychological Problems and How to Overcome Them', speaks out about this worrying trend and how to overcome recession depression...

How is the recession affecting both our emotional and mental well-being?

'We may well be in an age of anxiety. More than ever we’re made aware of threats that exist around us.

'Crime, terrorism, disease, financial collapse or even betrayals from friends and partners are common worries.

'More and more reminders make the fears extremely vivid and lead us to overestimate the chances of them happening to us.

'The economic recession is likely to raise levels of anxiety further. It wreaks very obvious damage such as reduced paychecks; redundancies and hundreds of thousands of families restricting their spending to the bare essentials.

'Less apparent are the effects of the crisis on the nation's emotional and mental well-being.

'If there's one factor that is almost guaranteed to trigger psychological difficulties it's stress - and many people are going to find themselves under severe and sustained stress as a result of this downturn.

'It's not just those who are out of work who are going to feel the pressure. It's everyone who thinks they may be at risk of losing their job, or those having to work harder, and probably for less money.

'Becoming jobless is a hammer blow, for sure, but uncertainty can be just as stressful. In fact, how much we feel in control of our lives has long been recognized as a crucial factor in determining our emotional and mental well-being.'

Surely worrying helps prepare us during these uncertain times?

'Our common reaction to stress is to worry. Worry is the process of repeatedly asking yourself ‘What if this bad thing happens?’ It is dwelling on potential negative events occurring.

'But although worry motivates us it doesn't help to resolve problems. It can make things feel like they are spiralling out of control.

'This is because worry focuses only on the negative and in a small space of time can make us fret about implausible events, most of which never happen.'

So what can we do instead?

A better and more balanced approach to our concerns is to problem-solve:

1. Define the problem as specifically as you can.
2. Think of all the possible solutions to the problem. What’s worked for you in the past? How would you advise a friend in the same situation?
3. Write down the pros and cons of each possible solution.
4. Choose the solution you think is best and decide how you’re going to carry it out. If you think you may come up against problems decide how you can deal with them.
5. Try out the solution you’ve chosen and then have a think about how well it’s worked. If things haven’t gone to plan, try the next solution.

Another could technique is to use ‘worry periods’. You save up all your worries for a 20 minute period each day (early evening is often best).

So when you catch yourself worrying during the day, acknowledge it, write it down and then let it drift out of your mind rather than fight it.  Only engage with worries during the time allocated. In time it is even better to replace the worry period with a problem-solving period.

Cognitive behavioural therapy has been touted as a 'cure' to many emotional problems. What is it?


Sharing fears with trusted friends can help get them in perspective

'CBT is often the treatment of choice for a psychological problem, including anxiety, worry, stress, insomnia, and depression. It has proven effective in a number of clinical trials.

'At the heart of CBT is the idea that how we think and what we think are important in determining how we feel.

'Imagine a friend passes you in the street without greeting you. If you think that means they are annoyed with you then you’ll feel down and may worry about it. But if you think they were just lost in their own thoughts then you’ll feel fine. So how we interpret an event is often crucial.

'When feeling depressed we interpret many things as meaning we are a failure or unlovable. When anxious we interpret many things as threatening. When angry we interpret many things as a personal slight.

'So in CBT the idea is that we can feel better if we change our thinking. In Know Your Mind we have distilled the best psychological ideas for dealing with difficulties. 

'However if the problem is quite distressing, preoccupying and interfering in your life then it can also be a good idea to see a properly qualified CBT practitioner. Talking to your GP is often an ideal place to start this process.'

How can you use CBT to combat stress?

'Stress is what we feel when we think we cant cope with the demands facing us.

'First we need to be identify the upsetting negative thoughts, for example ‘I cant cope’ ‘I always fail and I’ll fail now’.  Write them down.

Then think of evidence both for them and against them. Think about what you would say to a friend who had them. Share your thoughts with a trusted friend to get their perspective. Are the thoughts really accurate or is there a more realistic interpretation of the situation?

Best of all, test out your negative thoughts by giving things a go rather then withdrawing or not attempting tasks that are within your abilities. Spend time visualising yourself coping. And spend time recalling the successes that you have had and the positive things in your life.

Any other tips?

When dealing with stress or any upsetting emotion it always very sensible to make sure that you have the basics right - making sure you are eating regularly and healthily; that you are taking exercise; sleeping well; and keeping the social part of your life going.

A recent report recommended a really interesting ‘five a day’ for good mental health comprising connecting with other people, being physically active, being curious, learning, and helping others.  


Drinking can increase feelings of anxiety and depression once relaxing effects have worn off

Many people unwind after work with a drink or two. Surely this is a good way to relax?

Many of us deal with stress by a drink after work. Often this is with other people and we can unburden our concerns. This can be a pretty good safety valve for many of us.

However it isn’t a good strategy to use regularly. The sensation of relaxation and well-being produced by alcohol soon wears off. It can lead to more drinking in order to try to achieve the same effects.

Also alcohol can actually increase feelings of anxiety and depression after the immediate relaxing effects have worn off.

There is a danger of drinking spiralling at times of stress and it is therefore best to set clear limits on your alcohol intake.

How has the recession affected the workplace? 

A recession is a peculiarly fertile breeding-ground for paranoia. Paranoia is excessive or unfounded thinking that others are deliberately trying to harm you in some way.

Co-workers can suddenly seem like rivals and threats. After all, if someone has to leave their job, naturally your colleagues would rather it was you, wouldn't they?

In a shrinking economy, opportunities for advancement are likely to be limited, and competition for promotions ever more intense. Moreover, there's no getting away from these fears; everyone is talking about them.

Our anxiety levels are ratcheted up; the ancient fear mechanisms of the brain are activated; and we're on the alert for danger from any quarter. 

What can we do to combat this?

Try to share your fears with trusted friends and family to get their perspective. Practice challenging your paranoid thoughts. Did your boss really intend to ignore you when you saw them in the corridor? What alternative explanations might there be? Ask yourself what you'd advise a friend with similar worries.

And remember: however distressing your thoughts may seem, they are only thoughts and not necessarily a reflection of reality.

Cultivate 'mindful' detachment: watch the thought come to you, remind yourself that it doesn't matter, and let it go off into the distance. Concentrate on your work, rather than on negative thinking.

book cover

Is there still a taboo about mental health problems?

There is still an awkwardness and stigma about mental health problems. Most people don’t feel ashamed when they come down with the flu and don’t think that these ailments are a reflection of their worth as a human being.

Unfortunately mental health problems are often viewed as a personal controllable failing and to be linked with unhelpful ideas about the person being crazy, mad or dangerous.

Of course in reality a high proportion of the general public have periods of mental ill health and whatever you are going through you can be certain that somebody you know has had exactly the same problem at some stage in their life.

For instance, depression occurs in 10-20 per cent of the population and has been called ‘the common cold of the mind’.

Your emotional and psychological well-being is just as important as your physical health (indeed, the two are often closely connected). We hope that 'Know Your Mind' will sit proudly next to the medical encyclopaedia on the bookshelf, helping people through life’s ups and downs just as its neighbour helps people through coughs and colds.

Dr Daniel Freeman is co-author of 'Know Your Mind: Everyday Emotional and Psychological Problems and How to Overcome Them', £16.99, published by Macmillan. It is the first book to be endorsed by the British Psychological Society. 


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