A new poll has identified trouble at work and finances as the major causes of stress among Australian men and women.
And stress is on the rise, particularly in Melbourne’s north, where job losses and family breakdowns are among the highest in the country.
Now in its seventh year, the Lifeline Stress Poll found 77 per cent of Australians reported feeling stress because of work, while 72 per cent felt stressed because of their finances.
“Lifeline is concerned about the high levels of stress in our community and it increases every year,” chairman John Brogden said last week.
Mr Brogden said it was of particular concern that 49 per cent of respondents indicated they had experienced “a lot” of stress in these areas of their lives.
The poll results were accompanied by the release of the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data on suicide.
It shows a 10-year high in deaths and an increase in demand for Lifeline crisis line 13 11 14.
The ABS data indicates there are about seven deaths by suicide in Australia each day.
Men account for three out of every five.
For those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, the suicide rate is 2.5 times higher for males and 3.4 times higher for females.
For 24-hour crisis support, call 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au/crisischat (8pm-4am AEST).
Alternatively, call Suicide Line Victoria on 1300 651 251.
