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Getting a promotion at work can increase stress and have a negative impact on mental health, according to new research.

Economists and psychologists at the University of Warwick found that promotion on average causes ten per cent more mental strain for workers, leaving them with 20 per cent less time to visit their GP.

Previously it was believed that improved job status leads to better health through an increased sense of life control and self-worth.

Researcher Chris Boyce said: "When it came to mental health we found that promotions actually make people feel more stressed – meaning promotions may not actually be good for your health."

The increased strain may result from heavier workload, more responsibility and reduced leisure time.

One in four people will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives and stress is the underlying cause for most cases of anxiety and depression – the most common mental health conditions in the UK.

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A leading charity has launched a new tool to help GPs diagnose depression in older people.

‘Take the Challenge’ is an interactive programme designed by Age Concern, in collaboration with the Royal College of GPs, which aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of depression in older patients.

Depression is very common in later life according to Gordon Lishman‚ director general of Age Concern.

He said: "Older people with depression often don’t see it as a real illness that is worth bothering their doctor about and are usually reluctant to talk about their feelings."

Episodes of depression can be triggered by stressful events such as loss, which older people are quite likely to suffer from.

The programme follows a fictional 84-year-old patient who visits his GP with leg pain and participants are asked to look for clues that he may be depressed and barriers that may stand in the way of his diagnosis.

It is hoped that GPs across the country will use the tool to test their current knowledge and assumptions about depression in later life.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression.

Depression during pregnancy can significantly increase the risk of preterm birth, a new study has suggested.

According to research conducted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, women receiving SSRI treatment for the condition during pregnancy had an increased risk of giving birth prematurely of between 21 per cent and 23 per cent.

Commenting on the findings, researcher Dr Katherine L Wisner said: "It is well-known that the prevalence of depression in women is highest during the childbearing years, and treating the symptoms with SSRIs is a common medical therapy.

"However, given the similarity in outcomes we found for continuous SSRI treatment and continuous depression, it is possible that underlying depressive disorder is a factor in preterm birth among women taking SSRIs."

In related news, a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that women with severe depression are at increased risk of cardiac events.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

People who undergo the non-surgical cosmetic treatment Botox may experience relief from the symptoms of depression, new research has suggested.

A recent study which was presented at the annual conference of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors indicated that the procedure can promote a positive mood as a result of the relaxation of the frown muscles.

Dr Patrick Bowler, medical director of Court House Clinics, claimed to have already noted the uplifting effects of Botox on clients suffering from mild depression.

"We now have proof that alongside the ‘feel good’ factor that a cosmetic treatment can provide, there are also psychological mechanisms at work that show treatments such as Botox that prevent frowning correlate with a more positive mood," he remarked.

Meanwhile, recent research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that anger and depression can have detrimental effects on the hearts of men and women.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Anger and depression can have detrimental effects of the hearts of men and women, a new study has suggested.

Recent research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that women with severe depression are at increased risk of cardiac events.

Furthermore, anger and hostility are shown to significantly increase the risk of heart disease, especially in men.

William Whang, from Columbia University Medical Centre, said: "It’s important for women with depression to be aware of the possible association between depression and heart disease, and work with their health care providers to manage their risk for coronary heart disease."

Yoichi Chida from the University College noted that the link between anger and coronary heart disease is greater in men than women.

"This suggests that the accumulation of stress responses in daily life might have a greater impact on future CHD in men," he said.

A recent German study suggested that psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression can be a factor in persistent neck pain.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Sleep-related problems could lead to psychiatric illnesses such as depression, it has been suggested.

Traditionally, it has been assumed that problems such as insomnia in people with a psychiatric disorder are a result of their illness, but this theory is now being turned around.

Some scientists now believe that sleep disorders may lead people to behave in ways that doctors mistake as sleep problems.

Robert Stickgold, a sleep researcher at Harvard University, said: "It was just so easy to say about a patient, well, he’s depressed or schizophrenic, of course he’s not sleeping well – and never to ask whether there could be a causal relationship the other way."

Psychologist Matt Walker, of the University of California, described the theory as "very frightening".

He suggested that it was vital to know whether three per cent, five per cent or 50 per cent of people diagnosed with psychiatric problems could be simply suffering from sleep disorders.

According to NHS statistics, around 15 per cent of people will suffer a period of severe depression at some point in their lives.

Psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression can be a factor in persistent neck pain, it has been claimed.

Recent research examined 448 patients in Germany who had suffered at least one episode of neck pain.

According to Dr Martin Scherer and his colleagues, individuals with depressive mood or anxiety were likely to suffer from such a complaint.

The researchers noted that attention should be paid to a patient’s psychosocial distress in accordance with the level of pain they are experiencing.

Dr Scherer said the findings "underline that neck pain therapies are more likely to be (effective) if care for chronic patients is not only symptom-oriented but focuses on psychosocial factors that have been proved to be central for development and prognosis of neck pain".

Recent research published in the journal Sleep suggested that young people who suffer from sleep disorders are at an increased risk of developing depression in later life.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

when they return to work after sick leave, it has been claimed.

According to a new report, many people struggle with the condition upon returning to work after a prolonged absence.

The Mental Health Foundation stressed that ‘return to work’ schemes – which can flag up any such problems – should not be abandoned on financial grounds.

A study conducted at Loughborough University indicated that around three-quarters of people who had been on sick leave due to a mental health problem reported symptoms of continuing depression.

Rowan Myron, associate head of research at the Mental Health Foundation, said: "It’s understandable that people still feel more comfortable talking to an employee about cancer than they do about mental health - the stigma has yet to be properly addressed."

A recent study in the journal Sleep suggested that young people who suffer from sleep disorders are at an increased risk of developing depression in later life.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Young people who suffer from sleep disorders are at an increased risk of developing depression in later life, according to new research.

Published in the journal Sleep, the study examined 300 twin pairs born in England and Wales between 1994 and 1996.

It discovered that 46 per cent of genetic influences on sleep were the same at age ten as at age eight.

Senior lecturer at Goldsmiths College in London’s department of psychology, Alice Gregory, said the study suggested genes were less important in explaining the association between sleep patterns and depression and that environmental influences were increasingly relevant.

"This could be because environmental experiences are becoming more relevant as children grow older and could therefore play a role in both sleep problems and depression," Ms Gregory explained.

According to figures from the NHS, around 15 per cent of people will experience severe depression at some point in their lives.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Symptoms of anxiety and depression do not have an adverse affect on fertility treatment, it has been claimed.

A new study of 783 women by Dutch researchers examined the link between such treatment and mental health.

It found that, for 421 women, depression levels were not a factor in their chances of becoming pregnant.

Dr Bea Lintsen from Radboud University, Nijmegen, said: "We showed that psychological factors were not associated with the cancellation rate.

"In daily practice, the most important reason for cancellation will be medical: imminent ovarian hyperstimulation, or in contrast, poor ovarian response."

She also noted that biological factors such as pregnancy history, cause and duration of subfertility did not have an affect on pregnancy rate.

Meanwhile, a recent study conducted by union Unite in conjunction with the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association claimed that there are not enough health visitors to deal with new mothers suffering from postnatal depression.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression