A new survey has found a quarter of women aged 45-54 suffered a mental disorder such as depression or anxiety in 2007.

The figure is up a fifth from 1993 highlighting an escalating problem with mental health among middle-aged women.

The rise in cases of mental disorders among this age group has been attributed to the stresses of balancing home-life and a career, giving care to ageing or sick relatives and the ‘empty nest’ syndrome as children leave home for the first time.

The added pressure is also believed to affect those who grew up in the 1960s as they are more inclined than previous generations to feel their lives have unfulfilled potential as well as feeling unhappy with they way they look.

The image factor is being blamed on a generation of 20 year-olds who have perfect bodies making those in middle-age feel unsatisfied with their own appearance. Being subjected to youthful looks on a constant basis through the media and in everyday life can lead to depression, according to experts.

Professional standards for women are now at such a level that during middle-age people begin to question what they’ve achieved in life. It’s not a question of being worse off, but not meeting the high expectations placed upon us in the modern world.

The survey conducted by the NHS classified common mental disorders as experiencing anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias or OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) in the past week.

Symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, lack of sleep and forgetfulness were also seen as evidence of mental health issues.

Married women were found to be less likely to suffer with depression or anxiety than single women or women who co-habit.

Only a quarter of people with mental health problems are receiving treatment or support.

Learn more about mental health and read articles about therapies that can help here

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