Mental health problems have replaced back pain as the main reason why people claim incapacity benefit and do not work. Not only are anxiety and stress responsible for 45 million lost working days a year, but they reduce the effectiveness of many who do not take sickness leave, Mind said.

The charity’s report distinguished between stress, which can lead to a downward spiral of physical and mental ill health, and positive pressure at work, which can motivate.

Among the causes of workplace stress are poor working conditions, personality clashes and employers’ failure to take stress seriously. Early warning signs include insomnia, fatigue, muscle tension, palpitations, breathlessness without exertion and headaches.

Psychological warning signs included an inability to concentrate, sense of humour failure, high levels of anxiety, constant irritability or withdrawal from social contact.

If left untreated, excessive stress could eventually lead to a suppression of the immune system. If severe, it could lead to a range of medical, psychological or behavioural disorders.

Research by the Health and Safety Executive suggests that 20 per cent of employees suffer from stress levels described as “very” or “extremely” stressful. The TUC reported that 58 per cent of workers complained of stress because of their jobs.

Richard Brook, the chief executive of Mind, called for more openness about stress and mental health problems in the workplace. “The Government should take a lead in tackling the stigma that is attached to mental ill health,” he said.

The charity called for changes in working practices to give employees genuine control over their work and an appropriate degree of self-management of workload. It said that roles should be clearly demarcated, with defined responsibilities and expectations.

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