Mental health issues common after cardiac arrest

A quarter of cardiac arrest survivors suffer long-term psychological problems such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, a new review of research estimates.This additional stress on recovering patients is under-diagnosed, researchers say, and doctors have few standard methods for identifying who is at risk.

"Anxiety, depression and PTSD are major concerns after cardiac arrest," said lead author Kathryn Wilder Schaaf, a postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University. "We have the tools to treat this, so it's important to make sure that it's identified," she added.

Wilder Schaaf and colleagues found that months to years after surviving cardiac arrest, about one-third of patients were depressed and nearly two-thirds were experiencing anxiety. Even PTSD symptoms were surprisingly common, afflicting 19 percent to 27 percent of survivors, the medical literature showed.

Read the full article via Reuters Health here.

PsychologyOnline provides professional confidential support for those struggling with mental health issues including anxiety, PTSD and depression. For more details, see our website.

If 'drugs don’t work' for depression, CBT may.

“Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can reduce symptoms of depression in people who fail to respond to drug treatment" BBC News has reported. CBT is already an established ‘talking therapy’ for depression and takes a more pragmatic and problem solving approach than more traditional forms of psychotherapy.

The study found that people who received CBT in addition to antidepressants, rather than continuing to receive antidepressants alone, had around a three-fold increased chance of responding to treatment and having a reduction in their depression symptoms over the following 12 months.The study provides further evidence on the effectiveness of CBT to treat depression, particularly in those who have not responded to antidepressants alone.

Paul Farmer, chief executive at the mental health charity Mind "We welcome this research because it recognises that patients should have the right to a wide range of treatment options based on individual needs".

To read the full article via NHS Mental Health, click here.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

64% of students with mental health issues drop out

Mental health may be a larger factor in college student success than previously thought. A majority of former students with mental illnesses dropped out for a mental-health related reason, according to a survey by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

"For some, the stigma associated with mental illnesses keeps them from seeking the help on campus that may allow them to suitably deal with their issues and stay in college", said Christopher Scott, associate clinical director of the UH Counseling and Psychological Services.

“There is evidence that some students are reluctant to seek help for mental health concerns. This often varies depending on the students cultural background or gender,” Scott said. “Anecdotal evidence suggests that students are increasingly willing to seek assistance with mental health needs.”

To read the full version of this story via The Daily Cougar click here.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

1 in 3 employees face excessive pressures at work

A survey by Towers Watson has suggested that one in three employees faces excessive pressure at work due to long hours and pressure brought on by the economic downturn. The firm’s Global Workforce Study, which surveyed 32,000 employees worldwide, found 34% are often affected by excessive work pressures.

The HR Review said that the research "raises huge concerns over our country’s health and well being at work. Several years of economic uncertainty have led to increased anxiety around job security with workers putting in longer hours than ever, raising concerns of ‘burn-out’ among British workers. Businesses should act now to avoid a ‘work until you drop’ culture turning into the norm with workers becoming increasingly unproductive, something our economy can ill-afford at the moment."

To read more on the story, click here.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

NHS shakeup tackles disparity between mental and physical health services

NHS patients should wait no longer for mental health therapies than they do for treatments for their physical conditions, the government will announce.With more than 6 million people suffering from depression or crippling anxiety but only 75% receiving any medical help, the government is to propose that NHS mental health patients have a "parity of esteem" in doctors' surgeries.

The policy will be formally announced on Tuesday as part of the mandate for the NHS commissioning board, the means by which the health service will be held accountable to parliament under its reforms. The contract with the NHS will specify that mental healthcare should be on a par with physical care –  that it "values mental and physical health equally".

Read more via The Guardian here.

Depression in pregnancy 'risk to future mental health'

More than a third of women who become depressed during their pregnancy have suicidal thoughts, suggests a snapshot survey carried out by the Royal College of Midwives and Netmums. The poll of 260 mothers with antenatal depression found they were at greater risk of worsening mental health problems then women with postnatal depression.Only 22% sought help from their GP. Experts say women with the condition need more support.

The Department of Health has announced that £25m will be made available to improve maternity facilities for mothers and babies, and an NHS information service for parents is to include videos on how to spot signs of postnatal depression. Antenatal depression, which occurs during pregnancy, is less known and talked about than postnatal depression, which happens after the birth of a baby.

Read the full article via BBC News here.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues, including antenatal or postnatal depression. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

8 in 10 people with depression suffer discrimination

Discrimination is a common occurrence in both the private and working lives of those suffering from depression, a new study claims.The international study, published in The Lancet, involved more than 1,000 sufferers of depression in 35 countries across the world. It found that almost eight out of ten (79 per cent) reported experiencing discrimination in at least one life domain. The findings suggested that in many cases this experience of discrimination is preventing those with depression from enjoying full educational, social and workplace inclusion.

More than a third (37 per cent) of participants said they had stopped themselves from initiating a close personal relationship because of their fear of discrimination, a quarter said it had prevented them from applying for work, and 20 per cent said discrimination had stopped them from applying for education or training.The study also found that those who were less willing to disclose their depression to others were more likely to experience discrimination.

Read more via the HR Review here.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

Men bearing brunt of worsening mental health in England since start of 2008 recession

Men have borne the brunt of worsening mental health across the population of England since the start of the economic downturn in 2008, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open. But unemployment and a falling household income don’t seem to be the culprits, prompting the authors to suggest that it is the threat of losing their jobs that has affected men’s mental health.

“The finding that mental health across the general population has deteriorated following the recession’s onset, and that this association does not appear to be limited to those out of employment nor those whose household income has declined, has important implications,” say the authors.

They suggest that the reason for the gender differences in the impact of recession could be that men’s mental health is more vulnerable to the fear of job loss. “One potential explanation for our results would be that job insecurity during the current recession is responsible for the deterioration in mental health, with men’s psychological health remaining more affected by economic fluctuations despite greater female labour market participation,” they conclude.

Read more here via Rochdale News.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

Threefold risk of dementia with anxiety

Patients diagnosed with anxiety have an almost three times greater risk of developing dementia and it is a stronger risk factor than both depression and cerebrovascular disease, according to a UK primary care study.

The study’s authors suggest older patients could be presenting with anxiety which is caused by their first experiences of cognitive impairment.

Primary care researchers at Keele University in Staffordshire used the Consultations in Primary Care Archive to identify 400 cases of dementia and matched them to 1,353 controls without dementia.

Read the full article via Pulse here.

PsychologyOnline offers professional support for those struggling with mental health issues. Our service is professional and confidential. For more details, see our website.

Stalking your ex on Facebook is bad for your mental health

New research shows that obsessing over your ex on Facebook might seem like it helps ease the pain of breaking up, but it's potentially harmful for your mental health.

Facebook Surveillance of Former Romantic Partners: Associations with PostBreakup Recovery and Personal Growth by Dr. Tara C. Marshall, Ph.D., tells us that online post-breakup fixation on your ex is really not a good idea if you want to get over it, heal your heart, or get back into personal growth patterns.

And even though "all the kids are doing it" - it's not going to be helping out anyone's mental health anytime soon. 

The paper explains, "Not only do people use Facebook to monitor the activities of current romantic partners, but as many as one-third use Facebook to keep tabs on former romantic partners.While Facebook surveillance of ex-partners has been linked to negative outcomes such as online and offline relational intrusion, the potential for Facebook contact and surveillance to disrupt emotional recovery and growth following a breakup has received little research attention."

Read more via ZDNet here.

Depression in the workplace increasing in the UK

A new survey from the European Depression Association has revealed that one in ten working people surveyed in Europe have taken time off work due to depression.

The IDEA survey questioned over 7,000 people across Europe and discovered that 20% of the respondents had received a diagnosis of depression at some point. Great Britain had the highest percentage recorded (26%), and of those experiencing depression, it suggested that 58% were likely to take time off work because of it.

Read more via the HR Review here.

PsychologyOnline provides professional support for those suffering from mental health illnesses such as depression. For more information about our online therapy service, see details on our website. 

Cricketers urged to complete online depression tutorials

All county cricketers are being encouraged to complete a series of online tutorials in a move aimed at raising awareness of depression.

Created by the Professional Cricketers' Association, the tutorials aim to help players identify key warning signs.

High-profile England internationals who have experienced depression, including Marcus Trescothick, present segments of the video.

The PCA says it will help affected players gain any support they need.

The initiative's launch has been deliberately timed to coincide with the end of the domestic season.

This time of the year is considered a ''risk period'' as players adapt to life outside the daily routine and environment of their county clubs.

Read more here.

18th September 2012

One in four HR Execs have no formal policy to manage stress

More than one in four (28%) HR directors admit that they have no formal process in place to deal with stress and anxiety for employees, according to a recent survey by OfficeTeam.

The study surveyed 200 HR directors across the UK, with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic location. Formal policies for employee stress could include processes for reporting anxiety, training programmes to teach resilience, or access to professional counsellors as part of private medical health schemes.

200 UK HR directors were asked, What policies have you implemented to help employees deal with stress and anxiety?’ Their responses were as follows:

* Stress management training for all employees: 33%.
* Access to counselling services through private medical insurance: 32%.
* Individual programmes as needed: 31%.
* No formal policy: 28%.
* Formal policy for senior management only: 7%.
* Don’t know: 3%.

Employees in the private sector appear to be most at risk of being overlooked, with one in three (33%) HR directors revealing that they are without a formal stress and anxiety policy. However, this figure falls to 28% for publicly listed companies, and 20% for the public sector, states HR Review.

12th September 2012

Suicide prevention strategy backed by £1.5m

The government has promised to put £1.5m into research exploring how to prevent suicides among those most at risk of taking their own lives.

The pledge comes as ministers unveiled a suicide prevention strategy that aims to cut the suicide rate and provide more support to bereaved families

Funding will be used to look at how the number of suicides can be reduced among people with a history of self-harm.

Researchers will also focus on cutting suicides among children and young people and exploring how and why suicidal people use the internet.

Launching the strategy to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, the care services minister, Norman Lamb, said: "One death to suicide is one too many – we want to make suicide prevention everyone's business.

"Over the last 10 years there has been real progress in reducing the suicide rate, but it is still the case that someone takes their own life every two hours in England.

"We want to reduce suicides by better supporting those most at risk and providing information for those affected by a loved one's suicide."

Read more with the Guardian. 

11th September 2012

Survey finds mental health still carries stigma

Stigma around mental health issues is still stopping people in need from accessing support, medics have warned.

A survey to mark World Suicide Day found almost a third of people would not willingly accept someone with a mental health problem as a close friend.

And 62% admitted they would discriminate against hiring someone with a history of mental illness on the grounds they may be unreliable.

St Patrick’s University Hospital in Dublin warned it is crucial vulnerable people can get high quality care from a service they trust.

Some 525 people died from suicide in Ireland last year, up from 486 in 2010.

Paul Gilligan, chief executive of the mental health and addiction facility, said: “Data from the World Health Organisation indicate that approximately one million people worldwide die by suicide each year.

“This translates to one death by suicide every 40 seconds.”

Read more of the Irish report here. 

10th September 2012

"A golden age discovery in neuroscience"

Developments in imaging technology, genetics, brain chemistry and computing are promising fresh insights into the workings of the mind and mental illness.


Dr Belinda Lewis is using fMRI to study bipolar disorder at Cambridge University's Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre.

As her patients lie in the scanner they are shown a series of images conveying a range of human emotions - from fear and sadness, to joy and laughter.

The study shows both that the brains of those suffering from bipolar disorder are excessively stimulated by these images, and that they are less able to process, or interpret, that information accurately.

But perhaps the important aspect of the research, Dr Lennox claims, has been to demonstrate the presence of bipolar disorder in the brain.

"Fundamentally it shows that bipolar disorder, and in fact all mental illnesses, are brain disorders of a biological nature that warrant proper investigation including scanning. And that that will be of clinical utility in the near future."

Read the whole article (writen by Tom Feilden) here.

6th September 2012

48% of young people do not feel comfortable talking to their GP about their emotional or mental health

A study in Brighton and Hove has found that only 52% of young people aged 16–25 would feel comfortable talking to their GP about their emotional or mental health.

The survey of 172 16–25 year olds also found that 36% do not feel comfortable addressing mental health issues with their doctor.

The research was carried out between October and December 2011 by theRight Here project in Brighton and Hove, one of four Right Here projects around the UK working with young people to develop new ways to deliver mental health services.

The study assessed young people’s experiences of visiting their GP, to identify improvements that could be made to their emotional and mental health services. The Brighton and Hove GP-led Clinical Commissioning Group is now working in partnership with Right Here to encourage changes to how GPs respond to young people’s emotional and mental health, based on the report’s findings.

Read more of the findings here.

5th September 2012

Changing attitudes to mental health

With the abundance of guidance and research available, OH practitioners should now be well placed to help ease the stigma of mental ill health, says Jane Downey.

According to recent research, six employees out of 10 with diabetes keep their condition secret for fear of discrimination and bullying (Paton, 2011). If employees with diabetes fear discrimination, how much greater must the fear be for employees with mental health conditions, described as the "number one" stigma by Corrigan (2005)?

This is echoed in the statistics, which reveal that only 21% of people with long-term mental health conditions are in employment; this reduces to between 4% and 8% for those who have a "severe mental health condition" (Rinaldi and Perkins, 2002). This is despite the fact that research on the "Individual Placement and Support" (IPS) model of vocational rehabilitation clearly demonstrates that a large proportion of people with severe mental health conditions can attain and retain jobs as long as they are provided with appropriate support (Becker et al, 1994; Burns et al, 2007). So, why in these supposed enlightened times is this problem so difficult to resolve? And what can OH practitioners do to alleviate the effects of mental health stigma in their workplaces?

Read more here.

3rd September 2012

More young seek mental health aid

There has been a 30% increase in the number of children seeking treatment for mental health issues in the last two years, experts said.

Organisers of this year's National Mental Healthcare Conference said some frontline clinics see the recession has caused a surge in children suffering from social dysfunction, withdrawal, and depression.

Chairman Dr Ian Gargan said the economic collapse has considerably increased stress in the home, impacting on parental relationships and in turn on their children.

"In a recession, the stress experienced by children tends to increase significantly and we're certainly now seeing a corresponding escalation in those experiencing stress and mental health issues and coming in to avail of services," he said. "At our clinics the numbers of children and young people being treated has increased by around 30% since 2010."

Dr Gargan said the big challenge is to respond to the different treatment that children need, according to the Independent.

28th August 2012

Psychopaths Tweet Differently: Twitter Exposes Your Mental Health

While psychopaths, often described as people who are superficially charming and extremely intelligent, are very hard to spot in the real world, they are easily exposed virtually on Twitter, scientists claim.

Researchers found that a person's tweets can reveal whether they are a psychopath, especially if they often use words like "die", "kill" and "bury."

A person who frequently swears may also be a psychopath, according to computer science researchers at the London's Online Privacy Foundation.

The scientists claim that word choice can indicate personality traits and that the latest findings could be used by authorities to identify potential threats or by employers to make hiring decisions, according to Medical Daily.

28th August 2012

HIW: Some mental health patients in Wales coerced

A watchdog body has criticised the support offered to mental health patients in Wales, claiming some feel coerced into treatment. Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) also found outdated consent forms, security breaches and patients not being made aware of their rights, according to the BBC website.

24th August 2012

Major steps made in understanding the genetic architecture of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Two papers that will appear in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, both receiving advance online release, may help identify gene variants that contribute to the risks of developing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or Tourette syndrome (TS). Both multi-institutional studies were led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators, and both are the first genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in the largest groups of individuals affected by the conditions.

"Previous studies of these disorders have demonstrated that both TS and OCD are strongly heritable and may have shared genetic risk factors, but identification of specific genes has been a huge challenge," says Jeremiah Scharf, MD, PhD, of the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit (PNGU) in the MGH Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, a co-lead author of both papers and co-chair of the Tourette Syndrome Association International Consortium for Genetics. "These new studies represent major steps towards understanding the underlying genetic architecture of these disorders."

Read more at Medical News Today.

15th August 2012

NHS watchdog claimed that whistleblower Kay Sheldon was 'mentally ill'

When CQC board member Kay Sheldon spoke out against the health watchdog, it immediately began a concerted campaign to discredit her, she tells Nina Lakhani.

The head of the health watchdog, Dame Jo Williams, cast doubt about the mental stability of a high-profile whistleblower who she wanted the Health Secretary to remove from the board,The Independent can reveal.

Kay Sheldon, a non-executive director of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), was subject to ‘priority monitoring' and declared a ‘risk’ to the regulator after she had raised concerns that public safety was being compromised by poor leadership and performance.

Internal documents show the plan to unseat Mrs Sheldon began as soon as she spoke out at the public inquiry into the scandal at Mid Staffordshire hospital last November.

15th August 2012

Discrimination payouts hit record high in 2011

Workplace discrimination not only causes detriment to the victim, it can also prove expensive for employers, as new figures revealing that total compensation awarded in discrimination cases reached a record high in 2011 demonstrate.

A total of £8,774,403 was awarded to victims of discrimination in the workplace last year – £3.5 million more than in 2010, according to a survey by the Equal Opportunities Review (EOR).


The data is based on cases at the Bury St Edmunds employment tribunal as well as those sent to the EOR and incorporates two particularly large payouts made by the NHS last year, writes HR Review.

14th August 2012

Mental health and well-being strategy for Scotland launched

A strategy which aims to improve the mental health and well-being of people in Scotland has begun.

The Scottish Government said the issue was one of the top public health challenges in Europe.

In the new review the government has underlined 36 commitments, including providing faster access to mental health services for young people.

Mental disorders are estimated to affect more than one-third of the population every year, the review said.

The most common of these being depression and anxiety, according to the Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015.

Read more on the BBC website.

13th August 2012

Chronic fatigue syndrome: Brain training is most cost-effective treatment

Exercise and behavioural therapies are the most cost-effective and successful ways to treat Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME, an analysis shows.

A study of 640 patients showed these treatments had the potential to save the economy millions of pounds if they were widely adopted.

The findings were published in the journal PLoS ONE.

However, another treatment favoured by patients' groups was shown to offer little value.

Nobody knows what causes the condition, yet a quarter of a million people in the UK are thought to have it.

The symptoms include severe tiredness, poor concentration and memory as well as muscle and joint pain and disturbed sleep.

An earlier version of this research, published last year, showed that cognitive behavioural therapy (changing how people think about their symptoms) and graded exercise therapy (gradually increasing the amount of exercise) were the most effective treatments.

Read more on the BBC website.

8th August 2012

Mental health spending falls for first time in 10 years

Total government expenditure on services down by £150m, the first reduction since 2001, says Department of Health report.

Although one of the coalition's first big policy announcements was to declare that mental health ought to have "parity with physical health in the NHS", investment in mental health for working-age adults dropped by 1%, once inflation is taken into account, to £6.63bn. For the elderly the recorded fall in real terms spending was 3.1% to £2.83bn.

In total, spending on mental health services in England dropped by £150m, the first fall since 2001. However this drop comes after a decade of rising investment: in 2001 just £4.1bn was spent on working-age adults mental health.

Read more about the report here with The Guardian. 

8th July 2012

Mild mental illness 'raises risk of premature death'

People with mild mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression are more likely to die early, say researchers.

They looked at the premature deaths from conditions such as heart disease and cancer of 68,000 people in England.

The research suggested low level distress raised the risk by 16%, once lifestyle factors such as drinking and smoking were taken into account.

More serious problems increased it by 67%, the University College London and Edinburgh University team said.

The risk among those with severe mental health problems is already well documented. Read more about this story here.

6th August 2012

National framework to improve mental health and wellbeing published

The government has published the Mental health implementation framework, which sets out what organisations can do to make the 6 high-level objectives of the mental health strategy No Health without Mental Health a reality.

The framework has been coproduced with 5 leading mental health organisations, Centre for Mental Health, Mind, NHS Confederation Mental Health Network, Rethink Mental Illness and Turning Point. It highlights useful guidance and sources of information to help local organisations use their existing powers and resources to improve mental health and wellbeing.

See the full statement from the Department of Health here. 

24th July 2012

Awe therapy could 'improve our mental health and make us nicer'

A jaw-dropping moment really can make time appear to stand still - or at least slow down, new research suggests.

Regular "awesome" experiences may also improve our mental health and make us nicer people, claim psychologists.

The findings raise the prospect of "awe therapy" to overcome the stressful effects of fast-paced modern life, writes John Von Radowitz with The Independent.

23rd July 2012

Mental ill-health costs in England alone cost £105.2 billion annually, reports London Mental Health and Employment Partnership

Health experts in London have warned people suffering with mental illness are in danger of moving out of the world of work forever, unless organisations recognise the business benefits of supporting their workers going through tough times.

It is estimated that mental ill-health in England costs the economy over £105.2 billion a year, with lost economic output costing £30.3 billion and health and social care costs £21.3 billion. With 900,000 working-age Londoners (one in six of the current 18-64 year old population of 5.4 million) experiencing mental health problems every year, according to London Health Programmes, investment in health and support services is "more crucial than ever"

At a House of Lords event hosted by Baroness Julia Cumberledge this week, the London Mental Health and Employment Partnership launched Work, Mental Health and Welfare, which sets out the case for coordinated action between the NHS, councils, work programme providers and private business – of all sizes, says David Woods

19th July 2012

New Ofcom study supports PsychologyOnline's text based CBT

As the Ofcom study today announced, people in the UK are using text based communication increasingly. This shift, according to the Ofcom, is partly down to the rising ownership of internet connected devices.

This increase in text communication is easy to see in most peoples day-to-day life and supports the evidence behind PsychologyOnline's online CBT - text can be just as good as talking. Unlike face-to-face and telephone, communication by text removes pressure from conversations, giving the respondent time to reflect on the question posed and formulate an answer in their own time. The act of writing an answer also forces a structure into the process, ensuring that thoughts are developed before they are communicated.

See more on the Ofcom study here (links to a BBC website).

18th July 2012

New Children and Young People's IAPT sites announced

Health Minister Paul Burstow announced today that the ambitious Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (CYP IAPT) programme will extend to a further two new Learning Collaboratives and announced further sites to join the existing three Learning Collaboratives.

The Children and Young People's IAPT project will extend the geographical reach achieved in year one by offering the service transformation, parenting for 3 - 10 year olds and CBT training and support package through two new CYP IAPT Learning Collaboratives.

The new sites are:
North East, Yorkshire and Humber. The University providing the training is Northumbria University working with CAMHS partnerships in Tees, County Durham, North Yorkshire , Darlington, Rotherham, Doncaster and North Lincolnshire.
South West. The University providing the training is Exeter, working with CAMHS partnerships in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

The CAMHS Partnerships joining the three existing collaboratives for 2012-13 are:
London and the South East: Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington,Camden, Bromley, Croydon, Richmond
Oxford/Reading: Berkshire, Kensington and Chelsea, Bedfordshire and Luton
Salford: Central Lancashire, North Lancashire and Bolton

Read more here.

16th July 2012

Depression rates fall among silver surfers as research shows internet use could beat the blues in the over-50s

Internet use has been blamed for mental health problems and social isolation among young people – but new research suggests that ‘silver surfers’ are less likely to suffer depression.

The study, based on a survey of almost 8,000 men and women aged over 50, shows that regular users of social-networking sites are almost a third less likely to be diagnosed with depression compared with non-users.

It is known that rates of depression increase with age. Research from the University of Illinois found the incidence of depression was at its lowest around the age of 45, and highest among the over-80s.

To read more click here.

16th July 2012

"PsychologyOnline: Using the Technology to Tackle Depression and Anxiety"

George Freeman recently featured PsychologyOnline in a blog aiming to provide information on innovative use of science and technology. Freeman says "[PsychologyOnline] is a truly fabulous example of how we can use the power of technology to tackle deep social and healthcare problems".

See the rest of the blog here.
12th July 2012

Mental health concern over crime victims

More should be done to support the mental health needs of victims of violence, new guidance by a health expert has said.

Professor Jonathan Shepherd from Cardiff University said victims of crime are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and substance misuse.

The guidance was published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists on Wednesday.

It has been backed by the Victim Support charity, according to BBC News.

11th July 2012

Loneliness is 'major health issue' associated with poor mental health

Some people seek isolation, but few choose to be lonely, primarily because it isn't good for us.

Loneliness doesn't just make people unhappy, research shows that it has an effect on mortality too.

It is also associated with poor mental health and, more surprisingly, with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and dementia - writes BBC Health reporter Philippa Roxby

10th July 2012

Infertility may increase risk of mental disorders

Not being able to have children when you desperately want them can be understandably stressful. It is known that this experience can lead to anxiety and depression. Yet we may only be beginning to understand the magnitude of the problem for women who struggle with infertility but never go on to have children, according to Tiffany O'Callaghan at New Scientist

6th July 2012

'Cat ladies' more likely to commit suicide, scientists claim

Women who own cats are more likely to have mental health problems and commit suicide because they can be infected by a common parasite that can be caught from cat litter, a study has found. Researchers found women infected with the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasite, which is spread through contact with cat faeces or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, are at increased risk of attempting suicide, according to The Telegraph.

4th July 2012

A chance for the Welsh Government to adopt a joined-up approach to mental health issues

Over the past few months we have seen the Welsh Government begin to deliver on its legislative agenda, with the publication of white papers and the formal introduction of a number of bills, according to the Western Mail.

2nd July 2012

Jogging in forest twice as good as trip to gym for mental health

A jog through a forest can cut the risk of suffering from mental health problems and is twice as good for you as working out in the gym, according to a survey. Researchers found that anything from a stroll in the park to a run through woodland can have a positive effect on people suffering from depression and anxiety. The study also showed that the positive effect on people's mental health was 50 per cent more than they might expect from going to the gym, writes Auslan Cramb in The Telegraph

22nd June 2012

'Shocking discrimination' in mental health services

NHS managers in England have been accused of "shocking discrimination" in commissioning mental health services. The Mental Health Policy Group from the London School of Economics said three-quarters of people with depression or anxiety got no treatment, according to an article on BBC website.

18th June 2012

PsychologyOnline Provides KCA Clients with Rapid Access CBT

A highly effective therapy service that improves mental health is to be adopted by KCA, a charity delivering NHS mental health services in the South East of England. Following the agreement with PsychologyOnline, service users in Surrey will be able to gain convenient, flexible access to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered one-to-one by a live therapist in a secure online meeting room. Clients will be able to choose this option in addition to the face-to-face, group and telephone therapies already offered within the service.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is used widely in NHS mental health services as it is extremely effective for people suffering from anxiety and depression. The therapy aims to help people manage their problems by changing the way they think and feel about certain situations or events.

KCA has an established network of service centres in London and the South East providing mental health, adult substance misuse, and young person's services.

PsychologyOnline complements the mental health services, as Sam Downie, KCA Director of Mental Health Services explains:

“KCA’s adoption of PsychologyOnline allows our clients to access therapy over the internet at a time and place that suits them. All clients need is a quiet place and access to a computer. Therapy is available out of office hours and there’s no need to travel to appointments, causing minimum disruption to daily life. We are pleased to be able to offer this additional choice of therapy delivery to our clients”.

PsychologyOnline Chief Executive, Barnaby Perks, continues:

“Our agreement with KCA means that mental health patients in Surrey can benefit from our fast, effective and convenient way of delivering psychological therapy.

“PsychologyOnline can significantly reduce waiting times for NHS patients. We use our nationwide network of psychologists and psychotherapists to deliver sessions at any time of day, including evenings and weekends. We also support a number of languages.”

CBT is usually described as a ‘talking therapy’; however PsychologyOnline uses text-based conversation, similar to instant messaging.

Sue Wright, PsychologyOnline’s Director of Psychology, explains how, for many people, text-based therapy can be more effective than traditional face-to-face therapy:

“Using text takes the pressure out of conversations. Clients can take time to reflect on the question they have been asked and answer when they feel ready. The act of ordering and writing down thoughts becomes part of the therapy. It also appears to reduce inhibition which enables people to open up more quickly and get to the focus of therapy in a reduced time. This is why our approach seems to help people more quickly than traditional face-to-face CBT.”

The effectiveness of PsychologyOnline was demonstrated in a clinical trial of 300 depressed patients, published in The Lancet in 2009. An average of just six sessions of online therapy was needed for recovery. Follow up client assessments at four and eight months confirmed that the benefits were maintained.

Other attempts to use the internet to deliver CBT involve the patient interacting with a computer programme providing automated responses. PsychologyOnline is unique in that it provides one-to-one online sessions with a live therapist in real time.

15th June 2012

MPs discuss mental health problems in emotional Commons debate

A Tory MP disclosed she suffered suicidal feelings after having a baby as a series of MPs spoke today of their personal battles with mental illness in an emotional Commons debate, writes Nigel Morris in The Independent.

15th June 2012

Brain training 'helps treat depression'

A brain training technique which helps people control activity in a specific part of the brain could help treat depression, a study suggests, according to an article on the BBC Website.

8th June 2012

Premature babies twice as prone to mental disorders

Premature babies are twice as likely to suffer from severe mental conditions like depression and bipolar disorder in adulthood as those born on schedule, a study has found, writes Nick Collins in The Telegraph.

1st June 2012

With friends like these…

Therapists fear that social networking is changing the way we relate to each other, writes April Dembosky in the FT Magazine.

25th May 2012

Recession prompts rise in calls to mental health lines

Mental health charity Mind says there has been a surge in calls to its helplines since the start of the recession, according to an article on the BBC website.

22nd May 2012

Simple blood test could show which women are at risk of postnatal depression

One in seven women will experience postnatal depression after the birth of their baby - now scientists think they could spot those most at risk with a simple, accurate blood test, writes a Daily Mail reporter.

Anxiety: The Hidden Disability That Affects One in Eight Children

The Anxiety Disorders Association of America reports one in eight children suffer from anxiety disorders. Without intervention, they're at risk for poor performance, diminished learning and social/behavior problems in school. Writes Jessica Minahan in the Huffington Post.

4th May 2012

Fathers 'just as likely to suffer postnatal depression'

The study, published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, found 9.7 per cent of fathers suffer postnatal depression in the first year of their child's life compared with 9.4 per cent for mothers.Younger fathers are particularly vulnerable, with those aged under 30 facing a 40 per cent increased likelihood of developing depression,  writes Jonathan Pearlman in The Telegraph.

27th April 2012

Being an optimist 'may protect against heart problems'

Being cheerful may protect against heart problems, say US experts. Happy, optimistic people have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, a Harvard School of Public Health review of more than 200 studies - reported in Psychological Bulletin writes Michelle Roberts on the BBC website. 

20th April 2012

Newer antidepressants ‘raise bleeding risk’

US researchers say GPs should consider carefully the increased risk of bleeding and stroke with newer antidepressants before prescribing them in a PULSE article.

Dying 20 Years Too Soon

People with mental illness die 20 years younger than average, often from preventable physical conditions - but it doesn't have be that way. Writes Mark Davies, Director of Communications for the charity Rethink Mental Illness in The Huffington Post.

Red meat halves risk of depression

Women who reduce lamb and beef in their diets are more likely to suffer depression, according to the new study. Experts admitted surprise at the findings because so many other studies have linked red meat to physical health risks. The team made the link after a study of 1000 Australian women, according to a Daily Telegraph news story.

Exercise programme ‘fails to improve depression’

'A major NHS study into whether exercise can improve depression has failed to show any clinical benefit at all from increasing activity levels, UK researchers claim,' writes Rhiannon Smith in PULSE.

Child mental health: Government invests £22m

The government in England has said it will invest £22m in child mental health services to help deliver more counselling and talking therapies, according to a BBC news story.