We all feel anxious at times.  Whether that’s when going to see your team in a cup final, preparing for an exam, or getting ready to give a wedding speech. But when do feelings of anxiety become a problem?

If your feelings of anxiety are overwhelming, stopping you from doing things you want or need to do, or persistent over a long period of time, they may develop into a more serious mental health problem. 

Recent polling* we carried out found that, in Scotland in the last two weeks, 58 per cent of adults experienced feelings of anxiety that interfered with their lives and more than one in four (27%) of those with anxiety experienced it to the extent that it stopped them from doing the things they needed or wanted to do. What’s more, of those who were experiencing anxiety, 30% said they were not coping well and 44% said they kept it a secret.

That’s why, this Mental Health Awareness Week, the Mental Health Foundation has chosen to focus on anxiety. We’re encouraging people to speak out about how they feel, get involved in the online conversation with hashtags #ToHelpMyAnxiety and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, and use and share our free resources including evidence-backed guidance to help manage anxiety. 

However, giving people the tools to manage feelings of anxiety and prevent them from becoming a mental health problem is only part of what we need to do. We must look at some of the root causes of anxiety and poor mental health, and how we can address this.

Financial strain and poverty are among the key drivers of poor mental health. We know that the cost of living crisis is exacerbating this with anxiety around finances prevalent across Scotland. Worry about paying the bills was the most common cause of people’s anxiety in our survey with one-third of people with anxiety (33%) selecting this option, while a quarter (24%) identified debt as the cause. When asked about what would help, 42% cent of people with anxiety chose financial security. 

The financial support provided in the past few months has not been enough to ensure that people can meet essential living costs of housing, heating, and food. We urge the UK and Scottish governments to take further action to mitigate the negative impact on people’s mental health by the introduction of debt relief schemes for those who need them, ensuring people receiving benefits have enough to cover essential costs, and investing in community organisations that provide support.

In the coming weeks, the Scottish Government is set to unveil its new mental health strategy. We have urged the Government to ensure that there is a focus on prevention of poor mental health with action across all government departments. To stem the tide of a mental health crisis, every government decision should take into account the impact on people’s mental health, especially if we are to deliver the wellbeing economy outlined by First Minister Humza Yousaf. 

There can be no prosperity for Scotland if we do not secure good mental health for all.   

*Polling of 1000 adults aged 18+ in Scotland was conducted by Opinium between 24 March and 2 April 2023.  Figures are weighted to be nationally representative.

 

Julie Cameron is Associate Director for Scotland at Mental Health Foundation