It’s OK to cry

According to a poll devised by Mind, the mental health charity, one in five 18 to 34 year olds admitted to having cried in the last seven days due to anxiety, whilst four in five said they would pretend everything is fine even when it isn’t.

The charity recently launched a free guide for the public, explaining how to cope with stress and anxiety. They say that crying is a useful, common reaction and you should let yourself feel your emotions.

The Populous poll looked at 2,000 adults. The results showed that women are three times more likely to have cried over the last week and are twice as likely to feel better afterwards.

It also found that one in four 18 to 34 year olds believe showing emotion is a sign of weakness, compared with one in 10 older adults. Generally, people aged over 55 years are more resilient, with nearly half believing they have not cried due to anxiety in more than a year.

A spokesperson for Mind said, “Anxiety has now become level with depression as one of the most common reasons for calls to Mind’s Infoline. In 2014/15 alone there were over 6,000 calls about anxiety and panic attacks, which accounted for nearly one in six of all calls.”

Mind were most concerned that only half of the people in the poll agreed that anxiety could be a mental health problem when around one in 20 people currently experience anxiety, and one in 10 experience anxiety and depression combined.

Symptoms of anxiety can include feeling tense, restlessness, rapid breathing, dizziness or having recurring negative thoughts. If symptoms are not addressed, they can worsen, impacting the person’s daily life.

When symptoms of anxiety are ignored, sleeping problems, a lowered immune system and depression can start to develop. The effect of these can make it difficult for the person to maintain relationships, do well in their job and enjoy life.

Chief executive at Mind, Paul Farmer said, “Many of us lead busy, stressful lives and sometimes it can feel like things are spiralling out of control. Although it may seem tempting to put on a brave face, it really is OK to cry. It’s time for us all to stop holding back the tears and reach out for support.”