Work and financial obligations are the biggest causes of stress for Australian men and women, according to a new poll.
Lifeline’s seventh annual Stress Poll, released last week, showed that 77 per cent of Australians blame work for their feelings of stress.
This was followed by 72 per cent who blamed managing their finances.
Older respondents stress more about their health, a finding of particular concern for the telephone crisis service.
“Lifeline is concerned about the high levels of stress in our community and it increases every year,” chairman John Brogden said.
“If stress lasts a long time or overwhelms our ability to cope, it can have a detrimental effect on our health, well-being and general enjoyment of life.”
Calls to the crisis line surged to 77,107 in June, compared to 75,209 in May.
A Lifeline spokeswoman said suicide was specifically mentioned in 21,847 of the calls made in June, compared to 21,058 in May.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics releases its annual data on suicide deaths every March.
An analysis of the most recent figures, those for 2011, show there were 158 suicides in the Medicare Local Area of Macedon Ranges and north-west Melbourne, which includes Brimbank. The figure was above the state average.
