home

Depression as bad as smoking, study says

18 November 2009: Depression can be as harmful to your health as smoking, but a little anxiety could be good for you, according to research.

 

The study, published this week in the British Journal of Psychiatry, investigated whether people with depression or anxiety were more likely to die within a three to six year period than those who did not have either condition. More than 60,000 men and women took part in the research carried out in Norway.

The researchers found that those who were depressed were one and a half times more likely to die from any cause than those who were not depressed.

This increased risk is similar to the risk seen in smokers.

People with moderate levels of anxiety did not have an increased risk of death. However, people with very high levels of anxiety were more likely to die, as were people with very low levels of anxiety.

The researchers explain these inconsistent findings by suggesting that people with very high anxiety are more prone to stress, but people with very low level anxiety may be less inclined to seek help for health conditions.

Also, people who were both depressed and anxious were at a lower risk of death than those who had depression alone.

At the beginning of the study, each person was asked to complete a questionnaire about their mood and how they had been feeling during the previous two weeks. The questionnaire focused on the psychological symptoms of depression and anxiety such as irritability or a lack of confidence, rather than physical symptoms like trouble sleeping. From this, the researchers were able to determine if the person was depressed or anxious.

The researchers also asked each participant about their health and lifestyle, for example if they had any health conditions, how much exercise they did, if they smoked and their level of education. This information was taken into account when analysing the results.

Each person was followed-up by the researchers on average four years later by looking at national death registries to see who had died.

Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director at Bupa International, said: “This study highlights a very real problem within our society. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are often stigmatised and not given the importance they deserve. There is a very real health risk for people with depression and some levels of anxiety that must be taken seriously and not simply swept under the carpet because it is an embarrassing subject to talk about.

“What is also interesting about this study is the relationship between anxiety and death. The results suggest that a little anxiety can be good for you, but that if this anxiety increases it can negatively affect your health.

“If you are depressed or very anxious, get help and advice from your doctor. You may want to try relaxation techniques, exercise or counselling; sometimes just talking to your friends and family can help.”

Key facts

  • Depression is a condition in which you may have low mood, a loss of interest in everyday activities, feelings of low self-worth, a lack of energy and poor concentration over a long period of time.
  • Worldwide, around 121 million people are depressed.
  • Anxiety is a feeling of unease. It is normal to feel anxious when you face something difficult or dangerous, but high levels of anxiety can affect your daily life.
  • In the USA almost one in five people have an anxiety disorder. In Australia this figure is one in seven people. For one in 10 people in the UK, anxiety interferes with their normal life.

Contact us

  • Telephone

    To discuss your needs, please call us on:

    +44 (0) 1273 718 306

Health factsheets

Depression

Mental health conditions are often stigmatised and not given the importance they deserve

Dr Sneh Khemka

Read the study

Levels of anxiety and depression as predictors of mortality

Upcoming treatment?

Please call our Medical Centre on:

+44 (0) 1273 333 911

We will check your cover and talk through any concerns you have

About Bupa

Award-winning health insurance provider

Our history and vision