According to recent research carried out by the Health and Safety Executive a total of 12.8 million days were lost in the UK in 2004/05 due to illnesses brought on by work-related stress.  This is almost double the level it was in 1990.  Stress and related conditions now have now overtaken the bad back as the most commonly reported reason for being off work sick.  In a separate survey some 80% of patients being treated for alcoholism blamed their condition on work-related stress.

  "What do you mean, you have to go home now?  Now look here, laddy, I've worked 80 hours a week for years... and it's never done me any harm..."