Money may be on many people's minds this week. Not only did the Chancellor,
Alistair Darling, unveil the UK Budget, but the headlines were full of
gloomy predictions of an economic downturn. However, it's not just debt that
people have to cope with when times are hard. More and more studies are
linking recession to ill-health, particularly depression, suicide, anxiety,
cardiac disease and other medical maladies. But the good news is that
economic downturn can also lead to improvements in health. So as we begin
the new financial year, what can we do to recession-proof our mental and
physical wellbeing?
RECESSION AND HEALTH
According to Professor Harvey Brenner, of the University of North Texas, our
hearts bear the brunt. “'Three to five years after the height of
unemployment, we will begin to see an increase in illness and the number of
deaths,” he says in one of his studies. He also found that a 10 per cent
annual increase in business failures resulted in a 0.3 per cent increase in
cardiovascular illness years later. Why does the illness lag behind the
recession? Professor Brenner believes that an increase in alcohol intake,
smoking rates, and stress during a recession chip away at it our hearts.
We tend to experience the same physical symptoms of stress whatever causes it;
our bodies become charged with adrenalin, our hearts beat faster, our
muscles are ready to run. This is known as the fight-or-flight response. But
we can't flee from our bills and there is no point in fighting Darling. A
build-up of stress causes a build-up of hormones, which can affect our
immune responses, hearts, nerve tissues and may lead to depression.
Psychological distress is another side-effect of recession and, according to
one study from Stirling University, 40 per cent of unemployed people suffer
from it. Experts believe this is because work is quite good for our
wellbeing. As well as putting food on the table, it can satisfy creative
urges, promote self-esteem and provide an avenue for achievement.
Add to the risk of unemployment the threat of house repossession, and you have
a toxic combination that can seriously affect mental wellbeing. According to
recent research by Dr Mark Taylor, from the University of Essex, the
psychological impact of housing repayment problems is well above that caused
by general financial hardship. In fact, he and his team found that the
effect is similar to that shown for marital breakdown and job loss.
“The reason why failure to sustain housing repayments has such a significant
effect on people is probably due to the fact that your house is your home,
the place that you work for,” says Dr Taylor. The study also found that men
take a particularly hefty psychological blow. “This may be because the man
feels responsible for being the provider,” Dr Taylor says. “He may feel
undermined by the situation and what are perceived to be his duties.” And to
make matters worse, the effect may linger. A British study found that
prolonged unemployment early in the working life of young men can have a
persisting effect on their future health and socio-economic circumstances.
Children can suffer, too. A recent study from Finland suggested that a
reduction in family income can affect a child's mental health because of
negative changes in parental mental health, marital interaction and
parenting quality. What's more, earlier studies from Connecticut and Finland
indicate that these negative effects can last into adulthood.
Many studies have also documented the negative effect of recession on
relationships. Jacqui Jedrzejewski, from NHS Direct, says: “Stress can
change people's behaviour towards one another. We may become less sociable,
less caring, more hostile and insensitive towards others. When stress is
accompanied by anger, we may become less tolerant, fly off the handle easily
and provoke rows.” However, despite all these gloomy findings, experts
believe that you can take steps to ensure that your physical and mental
health make it through a recession relatively unscathed.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH
Take control In a study of thousands of Whitehall civil servants, researchers
found that lower-grade workers, with less control over their workload, had
higher blood pressure than high-grade civil servants who had more control.
This suggests that it may be possible to reduce the stress and undesirable
effects of financial hardships by creating coping strategies, goals and
realistic plans of action that allow us to deal with what can otherwise feel
like a helpless situation. Taking control can mean different things to
different people, but trying to keep healthy and cheerful, making a
financial plan and sharing with the family may all go a long way.
Exercise This is particularly important when our mental wellbeing is at
risk. Professor Monika Flescher, of the University of Colorado, says in one
of her studies: “Exercise can prevent the development of stress-related mood
disorders, such as depression and anxiety. This sentiment is echoed by Dr
Joan Harvey, from the School of Psychology at the University of Newcastle:
“Exercise can help to reduce a lot of the muscle tension associated with
stress, such as the sort that gives you headaches and neck-ache or even
backache. Also the endorphins released help to create that ‘feel-good'
feeling. And concentrating on the exercise you are doing helps to divert
your attention from focusing too much on whatever is causing the stress.”
Think positive According to some scientists, one method of coping with
financial upheaval is to change the way we think. In a recent study, Dr
Robert Fetsch, a professor of human development and family studies, from
Colorado State University, found that poverty and depression are not linked.
Instead, what predicted stress and depression levels was the way that
individuals viewed their situations. “There were people earning £1 million
each year who had higher stress levels than those earning £35,000, because
the millionaires were viewing their assets in a less positive light. It is
perception that is important overall,” he says.
Dr Fetsch also advises looking to the past. “Think back in time when you faced
a similar crisis and think what you did well,” he says. Using this strategy,
many families have found strength from knowing that they have already coped
successfully with similar situations. They can also re-use some of the same
strategies that they used before.
Share with the family Sharing financial problems with the family is
often thought to be one of the hardest parts of recession. However, as
studies indicate that the stress and upheaval of financial hardship can hit
children particularly hard, experts emphasise the importance of them
understanding what is going on. “Ultimately this is a good way to teach kids
healthy ways to deal with stress, depression and unemployment that in the
long term can give them a healthier way of life,” says Dr Fetsch.
And can we prevent our relationships from hitting the rocks when our solvency
is in crisis? “Its very difficult, there's no doubt about that,” says Paula
Hall, a relationship psychotherapist for the counselling service Relate. She
points out that times of crisis are a test of the stability of a
relationship.
“For some couples it can show the cracks that were already there. It depends
on the quality of the relationship before they hit the crisis,” she adds.
“See it as temporary and, if there is unemployment, as an opportunity to
spend more time together, to alter the balance of who does what in a
relationship.”
The Consumer Credit Counselling Service has advice on coping with debt; phone
0800 1381111, www.cccs.co.uk
