Talk to someone and give them a hug when you feel low or have the blues

Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 14 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PDT


According to the Mental Health Foundation, our favourite thing to do when we feel down, have the blues, is to talk to someone and to give them a hug. (The Mental Health Foundation is in the UK).

This is what 83% of women do (talk). The number for men is somewhat lower at 68%. Men prefer to have sex when they feel down (twice as many as women). When women feel low, they prefer to spend time with their family.

45% of men and 57% of women chose hugging as their second choice (talking is number one).

According to Dr. Andre McCulloch, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, their aim in this project was to remind people not to neglect their mental well-being. He said that although the project is light-hearted, it has a serious message.

Dr. McCulloch said "The very commonness of mental illness is one of the most powerful messages we have when we are trying to fight stigma."

People in London and the Midlands are more likely to talk about their gripes than people from the North West, Wales and Scotland (all regions in the UK). 83% of Londoners, 84% of the Midlands prefer to talk when they feel down.

Physical exercise, as an answer to coping with sadness was chosen by 54% of Londoners, 37% of people in Northern Ireland and 20% of those in the South East and South West.

North Westerners prefer spending time with the family. Scots and those from North East England like spending time with their pet (46%). Only 16% of people in the Midlands resort to their pets when they get the blues.

Sex is most popular in the North East. Alcohol was the highest in the Midlands and Scotland.

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