Workers should pay more attention to the mental health of their colleagues, according to an expert in the field.

Kathleen Aitken, manager of Swin-don MIND, believes a lot of problems go undetected amid the mounting pressures of everyday life.

She said: "There is such ignorance about anxiety and depression. It can affect anyone from people in highly stressed jobs to mothers at home with young children.

"I used to be a teacher and you could see people buckling under the pressure of having so much to do.

"There's an onus on all of us to look out for other people. If someone is quieter than usual or there are changes in their personality it could signify they are not happy.''

The latest figures suggest that as many as 100 people a year commit suicide through depression and stress at work.

"Suicide is such a difficult thing to prevent because if somebody is determined to kill themselves there's not a lot you can do,'' said Mrs Aitken.

"But quite often people don't really want to die they just want to get rid of the pain of living at that moment.

"What we need to get across is that there are always choices and people you can see. It's not as bad as you think and others have gone through similar situations."

Mrs Aitken, 60, is hoping businesses will create their own training packs alerting people to signs of mental illness, and suggesting ways to aid relaxation.

She added: "There's a lot in Swindon already such as the Well Woman Centre and the Health Hydro, but it would be useful to make people more aware of ways to cope and to destigmatise mental illness."

Earlier this week the Government announced it was putting £5m into the work of the new Mental Health Research Network, which will look at areas including support for carers and trials of psychological treatments for people with schizophrenia.

Speaking at the launch of the network in central London, Health Minister Rosie Winterton said: "Funding for mental health research has not reflected the size and scale of the problem.

"Research is vital if we are to improve NHS services for mental health patients. A huge amount of good work is going on but it currently lacks co-ordination and a strategic overview."

Beware these symptoms

KEY signs of depression to look for in oneself or a colleague or loved one include:

Persistent sad, anxious or empty mood.

Increased restlessness or irritability.

Difficulty in concentrating, remembering or making decisions.

Lack of energy and perhaps a tired appearance.

Unusual loss of appetite, resulting in weight loss, or unusual overeating, resulting in weight gain.

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness and pessimism.

Loss of interest or pleasure in activities the sufferer might become withdrawn and unsociable.

Persistent headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain which do not respond to treatment.

Young also vulnerable

The body of a 16-year-old girl was recently found in the grounds of Marlborough House, a children's mental health hospital, in Old Town.

Christopher Rudman, 46, who lives opposite the hospital, said the girl was found hanging from a tree near a wall.

While the circumstances surrounding the girl's death are not yet known, Kathleen Aitken of Swindon MIND believes children feel under enormous pressure around exam periods.

She said: "We get lots of telephone enquiries from parents concerned about their children.''

Alex Emery