A Buffalo, New York newspaper has questioned whether the stress some Americans feel from the current state of the economy is so significant that it could lead to mental illness.

The Buffalo News spoke with Thomas P McNulty, president and CEO of the Mental Health Association of Erie County, who said the feelings of despair and stress is "the modern face of mental illness."

"It’s an entirely different emotional situation. The modern-day things we can face can turn into a severe emotional disturbance," McNulty said.

The winter weather in some areas may be a factor as well and could produce a feeling in people that "there is no end in sight," McNulty told the news provider.

"You may slip on the sidewalk, or sidewalks that aren’t cleared block your way. It just adds to the aggravations," McNutly said.

However, even with spring around the corner, the country’s financial situation may not do much to improve people’s mental state, especially with more reports of job losses.

Some people have turned to the herbal supplement St John’s Wort to treat depression, anxiety and stress.