Almost eight out of ten Danes have symptoms that indicate they may be suffering from stress, according to a new Megafon survey compiled on behalf of TV2.

The survey showed that over the past month, 78 percent of Danes have, to a pronounced degree, experienced problems sleeping, muscle tension, palpitations and other typical symptoms of stress.

”If you are walking around with pain in your stomach because things aren't working out for you at the moment, then it's not necessarily down to stress,” Bo Netterstrøm, a stress researcher who is the owner of the Kalmia stress clinic, told TV2 News.

"But if the symptoms affect your daily ability to function and if you can feel it at work, then it is a stress symptom.”

READ MORE: Copenhagen opens five stress clinics

Gateway illness
Treating stress-related symptoms can include everything from seeing a psychologist or group therapy to medicinal treatment. Meditation and mindfulness are also used.

But while treating the symptoms is deemed important, very few choose to do so. According to the survey, just 14 percent have received treatment for stress over the past five years.

”It's important to seek treatment because it is uncomfortable to remain in that 'place',” Christian Gaden Jensen, a neuro-psychologist and stress therapist at Copenhagen Municipality, told TV2 News.

”The quality of life is lowered in many areas and there is also a risk of developing other illnesses from stress. Depression is often caused by stress and lifestyle illnesses such as alcoholism are also brought on by stress as a way of relief.”

And while Copenhagen opened five stress clinics last year, Jensen argued that the low number of people seeking stress treatment is down to few treatment possibilities being available. He estimates that about 35,000 Danes miss work every day due to stress.

---

Fact box

Stress symptoms include:

– Concentration problems, dizziness, headaches and memory issues

– Fatigue and sleeping troubles

– Sweating without physical activity

– Loss of appetite

– Often ill due to low immune system

– Tense muscles, particularly in shoulders and neck

– Feeling sad and depressed

– Palpitations

– Stomach problems, such as pain, diarrhoea and constipation

– Diminished sexual appetite, while men can experience impotency

– A lack of motivation and interest