The festive season is well and truly upon us which means that there are Christmas parties, boozy lunches, family get-togethers and gatherings aplenty. It’s hard not to get caught up in the spirit of things which means that one drink can easily lead to two, three, four or even more.

Whilst the effects of a particularly sociable couple weeks is unlikely to have any serious or long-term health implications, this could be a completely different story if you decide to get in a car and drive yourself home.

A poll carried out by The Huffington Post UK has revealed that nearly half (42%) of men living in Britain have suffered from depression and anxiety at some point in their life.

This was found to be more common amongst those aged 40 and over but despite the alarmingly high rate of sufferers, the poll also suggests that men continue to suffer in silence. Almost a quarter (24%) said that they wouldn’t open up to anyone when experiencing the feelings of depression or anxiety.

A new study which was funded by the Cabinet Office has revealed that one in four areas across England have unacceptably high rates of early deaths amongst people who are suffering from mental health problems.

More than 200 local areas were analysed by independent experts who were looking at deaths which occurred before the age of 75. In every area, the premature mortality rate was higher amongst those with mental health problems but in 51 of the areas, it was found to be particularly worrying.

As last week was Alcohol Awareness Week, we take a look at the drinking behaviours of the British public and why health professionals are urging people to cut back on dangerous habits that have become everyday practices for so many.

It is recommended that men drink no more than four units of alcohol per day and women no more than three yet 34% of men and 28% of women drink more than this at least once a week. If you exclude the people who didn’t drink at all in the previous week, the figure rises to 52% for men and 53% for women.

We all know that drinking too much alcohol can be incredibly damaging to our health. Sadly, too many people ignore this fact until it’s too late because we convince ourselves we’ll be ok as we can’t see what’s going on inside our bodies.

Alcohol can have a huge effect on our appearance as well which is a clear sign that it might be time to cut back. If you look in the mirror and recognise any of these symptoms, consider reducing your intake, the number of days per week you consume alcohol or even try cutting it out completely for a while.

A poll which was carried out by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has revealed that two in five new parents experience a mental health issue during or after pregnancy with their first child.

Despite this, less than half (46%) considered seeking help with a quarter of respondents saying it’s because they were too scared to do so. Worryingly, these findings confirm that there is still a stigma attached to mental health and it’s preventing people from seeking out potentially life-saving support.

For most of us, it’s unlikely that a day goes by where we don’t check our social media pages. Although this seems like a perfectly harmless way to pass the time, researchers are now warning that social media distorts our perception of reality and that we’d actually be much happier without it.

As the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are increasingly being blamed for the rising rates of depression, anxiety and eating disorders amongst it’s audiences, more research is being done to determine whether or not social media can really be blamed for this.

Data obtained by the charity, Mind has revealed that councils in England are spending on average, just 1% of their public health budgets on tacking mental health problems. More worryingly, some have even suggested that they don’t intend on spending any money on mental health whatsoever.

Following the results of the survey, Mind has estimated that just under £40 million will be spent by local authorities on mental health in 2015-16. Although this may sound like a lot of money, when compared to funding on other health issues, it’s miniscule.

Researchers at the University of Toledo have found that binge-watching television is linked with higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress.

For the duration of the study, participants were asked to make a note of how much television they watched each night and how they felt afterwards. Just under 80% admitted to watching two or more hours of television per night and after spending a couple of hours in front of the box, the subjects reported lower mood, anxiety and stress.

An independent report has claimed that the four-year responsibility deal between the government and the drinks industry has not only failed, but it has actually harmed public health as well. It also states that promises have been broken and that too little is being done to reduce serious problems such as underage drinking.

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK and following the publication of new research, Alcohol Concern has reinforced the complex relationship between the condition and excessive alcohol consumption.

A number of clinical research studies have showed that over a long period of time, excessive alcohol consumption can cause depressive symptoms. Regular drinking disrupts the brain’s chemical responses which alters the way it operates due to lower levels of serotonin being produced.

As the cost of alcohol on society reaches a whopping £21billion, this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week is aiming to get people thinking about how it affects individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. Here we highlight some of the most shocking statistics about how alcohol abuse is affecting the UK.

A study has found that under-18s are an incredible five times more likely to buy alcohol after seeing it advertised on television and 36% more likely to drink it after reading about it in a magazine.

The results of the Boston University study have caused health professionals to speak out about this ‘major health problem’ and urge that it needs to be addressed once and for all. With Britain experiencing one of the highest rates of underage drinking in Europe, the researchers confirmed:

Head teachers across the UK have revealed that thanks to service shortages they are being forced to call 999 to get treatment for pupils who are suffering from mental health problems. As well as this, some schools are even being asked to pay for services for troubled pupils that should be provided by the NHS or social services.

Teachers, heads and bodies representing counsellors and therapists have all complained of significant problems when it comes to securing support for pupils’ mental health problems and special education needs.

Research carried out by the Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) has found that an unbelievable 40% of British men aged between 18 and 45 have considered taking their own lives at some point.

Of those, a similar proportion said that they did not discuss these thoughts with anyone else which confirms concerns that men feel that they can’t open up about how they’re feeling to others. The most common reasons men give for not discussing their problems reinforce the norms of what society thinks it is to be a man - they’re not to talk about their feelings or make those around them worry.

A study has suggested that differences in brain activity may be an underlying cause of some of the unhealthy eating patterns that people with anorexia nervosa develop.

The study, which took place in New York found that those who had been hospitalised for the disorder activated unique areas of their brains when making decisions between various foods. In order to test this, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which tracks blood flow in the brain. They did this on a group of women who had recently been hospitalised for anorexia and compared it to another group of healthy women.

Earlier this week it was announced that Ireland is set to decriminalise small amounts of drugs which are intended for personal use. Heroin, cocaine and cannabis are all included and from next year, drug users will also be able to inject themselves in specially designated rooms in Dublin.

It has been made clear that it will still be a crime to profit from either the sale or distribution of illegal drugs but that drug takers will no longer be criminalised for their actions.

Former mental health minister, Norman Lamb, Conservative MP, Andrew Mitchell and former Labour spin doctor, Alistair Campbell have launched a new campaign which is calling for an increase in funding for mental health services in England.

The campaign also highlights the lack of access to treatment that many face, with an incredible three out of four mentally ill children receiving no treatment at all. Highlighting the seriousness of this issue, currently, life expectancy for people with mental health problems is 20 years lower than that of the general population.

Whether you’re being over-worked, have strict deadlines to meet or have a difficult boss, it’s not unusual to feel under pressure at work. In fact, nearly 40% of all work-related illnesses in the UK stem from stress.

New, more worrying figures published last week reveal that this very stress could be shaving more than three decades off our life expectancy as well. The American study also suggests that the amount of life lost due to stress varies significantly for people of different races, education levels and genders.

Depression has become a huge issue in the UK. In fact, along with mixed anxiety, it’s the most common mental disorder in Britain. It’s therefore hardly surprising that in recent years, a huge amount of time, effort and funding has gone into raising awareness about it and making people more aware of the symptoms.

Despite this, it can still be difficult to tell the difference between general sadness and depression which can create huge problems. Some people think they’re just a bit down in the dumps and end up neglecting a serious condition that requires medical attention whereas others are seeking treatment for what is actually a normal emotional state.