Unemployment and poor mental health

One of the stated costs of unemployment is that the unemployed become depressed and suffer more physical illness.

The cause of the physical illness is usually put down to poorer diet and also stress. Of course worrying about the future in a recession is easily understood.

There is evidence that the UK is taking more anti-depressants. The article below makes a real meal of it but it is clear that this provides casual empirical evidence to support this particular cost of unemployment.

The BBC article is here