Women are more prone to panic attacks and depression than men, new research indicates. In a study by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), it was found that around three-quarters of women have experienced mental health problems at some point during their lives, with 70 per cent reporting issues compared to 60 per cent of men.
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Over 2,000 people in England, Scotland and Wales took part in the survey, conducted with the help of research institute NatCen, and it was found that almost a third of women have suffered a panic attack compared to 19 per cent of men. Furthermore, 45 per cent of women were depressed, compared to 40 per cent of men, with almost one in seven having faced post-natal depression. While eight per cent have been through post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to five per cent of men.
Women are more likely to suffer from depression according to new research
Experts from the MHF noted women feel more pressure to look after extended family members and organise childcare, all the while trying to balance their appearance and mood. "Women have much the same worries as men, when it comes to money, careers and relationships, but they also tend to have the emotional burden of worrying more about the relationships in their lives," Jenny Edwards, MHF chief executive, explained.
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It was also discovered that two out of five women cope with their troubles by comfort eating, which in turn can make them put on weight and feel worse, and that many ladies simply don't get enough sleep. "Some suggest the increase in PTSD might be due to the sexual expectations being put on young women by young men who have seen online pornography," Edwards added. "We do believe that female anxiety is getting worse, because of the pressure on how they look and live their lives." The full results have been published in the report Surviving or Thriving?
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