Portsmouth named in top 10 most stressed UK cities in study by CBD Oil King

New research has identified areas in the UK where stress management is crucial, with Portsmouth being the tenth most challenging area for residents grappling with it.

The study, conducted by CBD retailers CBD Oil King, assessed the number of monthly Google searches for 233 search terms related to stress and anxiety across cities and towns in the UK, assessed using Google Keyword Planner. The total monthly amount was then scaled against the population of each city to give a total number of searches per 100,000 residents. The study revealed that Preston is the most stressed area of the UK, citing 2,006 monthly searches per 100,000 people in the city for search terms relating to stress.

These are the UK’s most stressed cities, accrording to CBD Oil King

1. Preston  - 2,006 searches per 100,000 
2. Blackburn - 1,979 searches per 100,000 
3. Liverpool - 1,968 searches per 100,000 
4. Burnley - 1,864 searches per 100,000 
5. East Kilbride - 1,752 searches per 100,000 
6. Bristol - 1,668 searches per 100,000 
7. Manchester - 1,665 searches per 100,000 
8. Newcastle - 1,576 searches per 100,000 
9. Reading - 1,535 searches per 100,000 
10. Portsmouth - 1,493 searches per 100,000 

Portsmouth rounds off the list ranking as tenth most stressed with a rate of 1,493 searches per 100,000. According to the city council, the area is the most densely populated area outside of London, with crime rates significantly higher than the UK average, and ranks 63rd out of 326 local authorities for most deprived regions.  

Dr Mansoor Siddique, director of CBD Oil King, said: “Stress can be caused by a multitude of factors including work, unemployment, disability, mental health issues, crime rates, poverty and so on. It is shocking to note that the Mental Health Foundation’s most recent study found that 74 percent of Brits have felt an overwhelming amount of stress across the previous year, with a further third saying they had experienced suicidal thoughts because of it. We must do more to help those around us in such situations and we can also help ourselves by having healthy coping mechanisms ahead of time that we can put to use. 

“Various factors, whether socioeconomic or genetic, influence individuals' ability to cope with stress and anxiety and it is key people have support systems in place that can help them manage any worries they may be having. This is why it is imperative for local authorities, employers, and society as a whole to create places where free and open discussion on mental health takes place. Doing so will hopefully decrease the burden many feel weighed down by.”