Modern life is causing major stress and anxiety for Brits with over half (56%) admitting to sleepless nights over issues such as terrorist threats, health risks and identity theft. Identity theft is the biggest concern in society today according to new research, followed closely by rising house prices, climate change, NHS cutbacks and terrorist attacks.
Rising house prices and climbing onto the property ladder top the list as the biggest worry for 18-35 years olds, whereas the older generation worry most about their heath - and NHS cutbacks and superbugs in particular.
The older generation are more adept at taking life in its stride. Just 9% of people aged over 54 admit to being deeply concerned about social and global problems compared to 15% of 18 to 34-year-olds according to the research by CPP, a leading life assistance business.
The younger generation are more concerned with the threat of terrorist attacks. Almost half of the 18-34 year old age group worry about terrorism compared to a third of over 54 year olds. However, all age groups agree on one thing, that rise in anxiety over terrorism is down to growing religious extremism and intolerance 36%.
Dr David Lewis, a cognitive neuropsychologist, who studied the results of the survey, said "The results of this survey, confirm that high levels of anxiety are prevalent in modern society due to a number of reasons including terrorist attacks, growing recognition of the damaging consequences of modern lifestyles on the environment and mankind etc.
In both cases we feel these events to be beyond our ability to control and this sense of helplessness in the face of danger is the third factor that serves to intensify our other concerns. Societal anxieties have risen sharply in the last 5 years and the trend looks set to continue."