August 2010 - Mad World

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Why don't you switch off your television set and go for a walk instead?

This post is a homage to 70s and 80s kids TV programme Why Don't You , which exhorted viewers to "switch off their television sets and do something less boring instead" (after the programme had finished obviously). I mention it because the...

Published 31 Aug 2010 4:06 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, media, Human Brain, children, older people
The role of serotonin, psychodynamic therapy and mind-melding

Well, it turns out that the role played by serotonin in the brain is not as simple as was first supposed. Researchers have now discovered that depression and anxiety are associated with high levels of serotonin in certain parts of the brain. It had been...

Published 23 Aug 2010 2:32 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, psychotherapy, antidepressants, Human Brain, serotonin, yoga, armed forces, adults
Making the budget cuts - some social work ideas

The good people of Britain have been happily contributing to the government's spending cuts challenge, posting 44,000 suggestions so far, which we can now all vote on. But are there any suggestions which relate to social care? There certainly are...

Published 19 Aug 2010 5:39 PM by Mad World

Filed under: social work, children, Politics, adults, workforce
Mapping happiness on iPhone and quitting your job

If you happen to be one of those iPhone owners you might want to check out a new app by the London School of Economics which helps measure your happiness on a daily basis. The free mappiness app will anonymously collate all the information to build a...

Published 17 Aug 2010 12:58 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, psychosis, social work, dementia, older people, iphone, adults, workforce
Superheroes and a new borderline personality disorder blog

Today's superheroes are not presenting a very useful role model for boys, US psychologists have argued . They are essentially gun-toting thugs who don't have the more rounded personalities of the superheroes of old. I'm not sure about that...

Published 16 Aug 2010 1:02 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, media, borderline personality disorder, adults, superheroes
Sex and disability, positive practice and social work gifts

There's some great stuff on our social work forum CareSpace at the moment. Here are some examples: Is it right for a service user to spend their personal budget on a sex worker? I'm not so sure but there is a lively discussion going on about all...

Published 13 Aug 2010 6:09 PM by Mad World

Filed under: sex, social work, practice, adults, disabilities
Cuts begin to bite as care home recruits donkey

Faced with a dramatic cut in funding, one care home has resorted to hiring a donkey to provide support for residents. I'm only joking of course. What's really happening here is the result of savage cuts at the Care Quality Commission which has...

Published 12 Aug 2010 1:23 PM by Mad World

Filed under: social care, animals, older people, adults, care
Five destructive mind habits

I forgot to include this in the morning's round-up but I thought it was quite interesting. Psych Central examines our destructive mind habits . Read More...

Published 10 Aug 2010 2:48 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health
Alzheimer's test, an ageing population and The Word

Scientists have developed a spinal-fluid test which could prove very accurate in predicting Alzheimer's disease, according to the New York Times. It also says the field of Alzheimer's research has suddenly woken up, which has to be good news....

Published 10 Aug 2010 12:25 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, media, social care, dementia, Alzheimer's, adults, ageing
Amusing social work job advert

Check out this social work job advert posted on CareSpace. Read More...

Published 9 Aug 2010 4:14 PM by Mad World

Filed under: carespace, social work
The paradox of choice, new early years blogs and autism

I really like this photo - it's from Dominic's Pics on Flickr and I'm using it to represent "choice". I chose to do that. Anyway, perhaps I should just get on with some interesting links: Choice has been a big idea in public services...

Published 9 Aug 2010 1:15 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, autism, antidepressants, children, Politics, choice, foster carers
The evolution of depression, a life in therapy and thought-controlled prosthetics

Scientists have come up with theories about the evolutionary purpose of depression, some suggesting it was useful as a means for some people to withdraw from society and ruminate on difficult problems. However, an article in the Psychiatric Times questions...

Published 6 Aug 2010 3:32 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, depression, psychotherapy, disability, evolution
YoungMinds' new mental health comic strips

Charity YoungMinds has combined two of things closest to my heart: mental health and comics in a new set of online comic strips designed to help parents deal with their children's behaviour over the summer. Check them out - they're good. Read...

Published 6 Aug 2010 2:44 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, children, comics, YoungMinds
Why swimming is good and gum disease is bad

World of Psychology today considers how swimming reduces depression. As well as the endorphins created by the exercise, the breathing patters apparently have a yoga-like relaxation effect. If only they didn't put so much chlorine in the pool... Meanwhile...

Published 5 Aug 2010 5:19 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, depression, Alzheimer's, swimming
Interactive guide to mental capacity assessments

I must urge you to check out our interactive guide to mental capacity assessments. It's a kind of flow chart and is a most pleasing way of working your way round this potentially tricky topic. Read More...

Published 4 Aug 2010 5:00 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, adults, capacity
Flower arranging, video games and Twitter

Here's today's round-up of mental health items and other assorted stuff: Research Digest Blog reports on a very small-scale study which found possible benefits in the use of flower arranging to help with the cognitive deficits associated with...

Published 4 Aug 2010 3:00 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, Human Brain, video games, brain, culture
Obsessive internet use, what you say about others and knitting

Four things I've noticed today: Obsessive internet use linked to depression , but is there a causal link? Researchers investigate. What you say about others is apparently a reflection of your mental health . Why it's getting more difficult to...

Published 3 Aug 2010 1:18 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, depression, internet, adults, knitting
Fed up of social work? Why not become an astronaut?

Case load getting you down? Taking too much work home? Why not leave all the stress behind and opt for a simpler career - as an astronaut? New Scientist has a handy guide to getting your foot on the galactic career ladder. I mean, how hard can it be?...

Published 3 Aug 2010 12:33 PM by Mad World

Filed under: social work, children, adults, workforce, space
Trainers and mini skirts banned for children's services staff

Which of these pairs of shoes, so artfully modelled by my colleagues, is more suitable for a social workers? According to the Mail , Southampton City Council believes it certainly isn't the pair on the right. It has apparently sent out a memo to workers...

Published 2 Aug 2010 12:20 PM by Mad World

Filed under: social work, children, young people, children's services, workforce, clothing

August 2010 - Mad World

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Archives

Why don't you switch off your television set and go for a walk instead?

The role of serotonin, psychodynamic therapy and mind-melding

Making the budget cuts - some social work ideas

Mapping happiness on iPhone and quitting your job

Superheroes and a new borderline personality disorder blog

Sex and disability, positive practice and social work gifts

Cuts begin to bite as care home recruits donkey

Five destructive mind habits

Alzheimer's test, an ageing population and The Word

Amusing social work job advert

The paradox of choice, new early years blogs and autism

The evolution of depression, a life in therapy and thought-controlled prosthetics

YoungMinds' new mental health comic strips

Why swimming is good and gum disease is bad

Interactive guide to mental capacity assessments

Flower arranging, video games and Twitter

Obsessive internet use, what you say about others and knitting

Fed up of social work? Why not become an astronaut?

Trainers and mini skirts banned for children's services staff