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New psychological treatment for chronic depression trialled

Researchers from the University of Southampton are testing whether a version of dialectical behaviour therapy is effective in treating refractive, or treatment-resistant, depression. The approach is based on the idea that "depression is not the primary...

Published 10 Jan 2012 4:02 PM by Mad World

Filed under: depression, dialectic behavioural therapy, Mental Health

Music, black dogs and better mental health

Three things I've noticed: 1. Ruby Wax has launched Black Dog Tribe , a new site for people with depression - it's currently in beta and focuses on ways people can support each other. It features lots of interaction and multimedia stuff. 2. Social...

Published 6 Dec 2011 3:40 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, big society, depression, Mental Health, music

Mental illness and creativity link

People with bipolar disorder and healthy siblings of those with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are overrepresented among creative professions, a large-scale study has found . The study is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, which also points...

Published 2 Nov 2011 4:11 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, bipoloar disorder, Mental Health, schizophrenia

Mental illness is a symptom of society's problems

The following is a guest post by Michael Richmond, who has just published his first novel, Sisyphusa , an allegory of the mental health system. If there's one conclusion I've come to after five years of suffering from it, it is that mental illness...

Published 29 Sep 2011 1:04 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, arts, fiction, Mental Health, Politics

Laughter yoga for social workers

Will you be incorporating this into your social work practice in the UK? I would be interested to hear from anyone who tries it out. Read More...

Published 27 Sep 2011 3:58 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, mindfulness, social work, workforce, yoga

Action for Happiness and meditation

There was an interesting piece in the Guardian earlier this week about a reporter who spent a week trying to integrate into their lives some of the tips for happier living produced by Action for Happiness. The experiment was apparently not without success...

Published 22 Sep 2011 5:49 PM by Mad World

Filed under: action for happiness, meditation, Mental Health, social care, social work, workforce

It's the year of the black dog

Mental health charity Sane has launched a nationwide Black Dog campaign to raise awareness of depression. Winston Churchill famously referred to his depression as the "black dog" and Sane plans to install at least 40 black dog sculptures around...

Published 21 Sep 2011 1:02 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, children, Mental Health, sane

Ruby Wax - Losing It: a mini review

I went to see the show Ruby Wax - Losing It at the Duchess Theatre in London this week. It's a performance of two halves, the first involves Wax telling the story of her own breakdown and admission to The Priory and railing against the artificiality...

Published 16 Sep 2011 5:24 PM by Mad World

Filed under: arts, Mental Health, stigma, theatre

Ruby Wax brings show and free mental health forums to West End

Comedienne Ruby Wax has recently started a five week run of her show Ruby Wax-Losing It at London's Duchess Theatre. Accompanied by singer/pianist Judith Owen, Wax reflects on her own breakdown before engaging in a conversation with the audience about...

Published 9 Sep 2011 3:17 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, entertainment, Mental Health, ruby wax

Tax, reading and aerobic exercise

People living in countries with a more progressive tax system are generally happier than those in countries with a flatter tax system, a study suggests . Someone should tell UK chancellor George Osborne, who has been urged by certain economists to remove...

Published 8 Sep 2011 1:36 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, exercise, Mental Health, Politics, reading, tax

Massive scale of mental health problems in EU

More than a third of EU citizens suffer from mental health problems, new research suggests . While the figure has increased since the last survey in 2005, that is accounted for by the inclusion of a number of previously excluded conditions. The researchers...

Published 5 Sep 2011 1:41 PM by Mad World

Filed under: anxiety, depression, europe, Mental Health

Cigarettes, zinc and men in sheds

I'm very excited to be once again writing about sheds. I wrote back in January about an Australian project to help men "interact and unburden" in the familiar and comforting surroundings of a shed. But it seems the Aussie shed movement has...

Published 31 Aug 2011 6:01 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, Mental Health, older people, sheds, smoking, social care

Probiotics and positive psychology in practice

Two quick nuggets today: (can you have a "quick nugget"? Anyway...) Probiotic bacteria may help ease depression and anxiety, research suggests . And, here are some tips for incorporating positive psychology in your practice. Read More...

Published 30 Aug 2011 5:18 PM by Mad World

Filed under: anxiety, depression, Mental Health, positive psychology, probiotic

Poverty and decision fatigue and biscuits

Fascinating article in the New York Times suggesting we have only a finite amount of mental energy available to make difficult decisions or exert willpower. This issue may be particularly relevant to those living in poverty as they have to devote a lot...

Published 23 Aug 2011 4:55 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Human Brain, Mental Health, poverty, workforce

Happiness, crime and the "architecture of fear"

Young people who are happy are less likely to be involved in crime, a new report suggests . "Our results suggest that the emphasis placed on happiness and well-being by positive psychologists and others is warranted," McCarthy said. "In...

Published 22 Aug 2011 5:12 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, children, crime, happiness, Mental Health, urban design

Gail Porter on being sectioned: 'There was no treatment programme and nothing to do'

TV presenter Gail Porter has spoken to the Daily Mail about her experience of being sectioned and being an involuntary in-patient earlier in the year. And it's hardly an encouraging but sadly not surprising account of life in a psychiatric ward. 'The...

Published 15 Aug 2011 1:14 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, media, Mental Health

Living with schizophrenia and award for campaigning student

There is a very readable piece in the New York Times about how a man learned to cope with his schizophrenia. Also, worth a look is the commentary by Shrink Rap , which I think may prompt a debate about diagnosis and recovery. Meanwhile, here in the UK...

Published 8 Aug 2011 5:04 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, recovery, schizophrenia, students

What does a mental health social worker do?

If you ever wondered then head down to Fighting Monsters who breaks it down in a very informative way. I'll certainly never complain of being busy again! (Actually, I'm sure I will but not for the next couple of hours anyway). Read More...

Published 2 Aug 2011 12:19 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, social work, workforce

The benefits of distraction and learning to forget

We can train ourselves to repress memories, new research suggests . And that may turn out to be useful for people with depression or post traumatic stress disorder, who are troubled by repetitive thoughts. Meanwhile, choosing when to think over negative...

Published 6 Jul 2011 4:29 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, anxiety, depression, Human Brain, memory, Mental Health

Too much sleep might be bad for you

Most people know that too little sleep can affect your wellbeing, but apparently more than nine hours a day can also cause problems . Researchers found links to depression and similar falls in quality of life as those associated with too little sleep...

Published 5 Jul 2011 1:38 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, Mental Health, sleep

In-patient care crisis and new standards

The Guardian has gone big today on an interview with the outgoing president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in which he says psychiatric wards are overcrowded and understaffed. Professor Dinesh Bhugra said problems were partly down to the unwillingness...

Published 21 Jun 2011 3:25 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, inpatient wards, Mental Health, psychiatry

Mindfulness, reacting to traumatic events and what carers want

Psyhcology Today has assembled a whole series of articles on how to move on from traumatic events, in terms of developing resilience, what moving on actually means and whether opening up after a disaster is always a good thing. Meanwhile, PsychCentral...

Published 14 Jun 2011 2:58 PM by Mad World

Filed under: carers, carers week, Mental Health, mindfulness, resilience

Depression, public opinions on mental health and being careful on Twitter

There's a thought-provoking piece on Psychology Today about depression and why some people just don't feel like geting out of bed. The obvious response would be to suggest that they have a problem with motivation. But the author suggests that...

Published 8 Jun 2011 5:02 PM by Mad World

Filed under: depression, Mental Health, stigma, twitter

OCD, eating disorders and CBT

A couple of items today: Research suggests childhood OCD is a risk factor for developing an eating disorder in later life Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may benefit patients in residential substance misuse programmes Read More...

Published 7 Jun 2011 3:41 PM by Mad World

Filed under: cbt, eating disorders, Mental Health, ocd

Finding a work-life balance and why everything isn't getting worse

For those who work in social work or or other care-related professions, finding a work-life balance can be difficult. Which is why it's worth checking out this nice selection of tips . I particularly like the idea of challenging society's work...

Published 3 Jun 2011 12:36 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, workforce

Bipolar disorder, fish oil and video games

I haven't had much time for this blog recently, being pulled in various other directions including Community Care's new podcast , various videos , and looking after CareSpace . However, having had a little look around this morning I've found...

Published 26 May 2011 1:32 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, bipolar disorder, fish oil, Mental Health, omega 3, video games

Workplace mental health: the elephant in the room

You only need to take a quick look at CareSpace to find out that social work offices are perhaps not the most stress-free environment you could find. Social workers might therefore want to take a look at these five tips to make their office a mentally...

Published 16 May 2011 5:47 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, mind, workforce

Social work: the novel, and new approach to bipolar

A US social worker has written a novel about a social worker and called it The Social Worker. You don't get much more social worky than that. The author hopes the book -- "which focuses on an abused child named Joey who eventually becomes a social...

Published 20 Apr 2011 3:36 PM by Mad World

Filed under: bipolar disorder, Mental Health, social work, US, workforce

Personality traits, income loss and the benefit of books

Firstly, not-at-all-surprising research finding of the week: income loss linked to risk of mental health problems . Secondly, and possibly more controversially, teenagers who listen to music are more likely to suffer from major depression than those who...

Published 5 Apr 2011 12:54 PM by Mad World

Filed under: books, income, Mental Health, music, personality disorders

Justice, delays, diversion and seclusion: a mental health roundup

My Community Care colleagues have written some excellent mental health articles over the past day or so: Detained patients could be denied access to justice under government plans to axe a key watchdog There are too many delays when patients appeal to...

Published 30 Mar 2011 6:03 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, detention, Mental Health

March 26, social workers and defence mechanisms

It seems lots of social workers joined their public sector colleagues, unionists and other on the 26 March demo. You can see a few pics here . And now for something completely different - a quiz to test your knowledge of psychologicial defence mechanisms...

Published 28 Mar 2011 5:16 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, social care, social work, workforce

Welfare reform, mental health and miserable jobs

Research suggests poor quality jobs can be worse for your mental health than no job at all. This quote from the story in Wales Online is particularly significant: The authors of the research said: "Work-first policies are based on the notion that...

Published 22 Mar 2011 1:59 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, employment, Mental Health, work

A different way to look at vulnerability

US social work academic Brene Brown argues that accepting vulnerability is an important personal step in becoming "wholehearted" and therefore more at ease with ourselves. Check out the video below. Read More...

Published 21 Mar 2011 3:34 PM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health, social work

Scotland's mental health manifesto and the afternoon nap

If you're reading this in the afternoon, unplug your computer straight away and go to sleep. For scientists have found that an afternoon nap is linked with a decrease in negative emotions and an increase in positive ones. Ok, it was a tiny study Read...

Published 21 Mar 2011 2:58 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, Mental Health, Politics, scotland, sleep

Melancholia and World Social Work Day

Ok, these two topics aren't really connected, well, hopefully not anyway. Firstly Providentia has a fascinating look at an 1861 guide to melancholy. And of course don't forget that it's World Social Work Day tomorrow - surely an excuse for...

Published 14 Mar 2011 3:11 PM by Mad World

Filed under: depression, Mental Health, social work

Tackling insomnia and improving your work-life balance

If you're suffering from a bout of insomnia don't be tempted to change your sleep routine - this slightly counterintuitive message is part of a useful guide to getting a better night's sleep on Psychology Today. On a related note, pressures...

Published 28 Feb 2011 4:43 PM by Mad World

Filed under: insomnia, Mental Health, sleep, workforce, work-life balance

Mental health: here come the cuts

It seems like the coalition's public service cuts are really starting to hit home now. My colleague's at Community Care reported this week that some mental health trusts are planning to cut 15% of staff . The cuts come despite government pledges...

Published 24 Feb 2011 2:26 PM by Mad World

Filed under: adults, cuts, Mental Health, mental health trusts, Politics

Peer support, group living and using non-specialists to deliver therapy

World of Psychology has an account of how living in a shared house helped improve one person's mental health. Shared living, the author says, helps tackle isolation and excessive rumination. Got to get the right flat mates of course - the Young Ones...

Published 16 Feb 2011 3:51 PM by Mad World

Filed under: behavioural activation therapy, depression, flatsharing, Mental Health, peer support, shared living

Attachment, meditation and brain chemistry

I don't meditate but I'm really starting to think I ought to start. The latest prompt comes in the form of a story in the Washington Post , which reports on the latest small-scale study to suggest some real benefits. The research suggests meditation...

Published 15 Feb 2011 4:02 PM by Mad World

Filed under: attachment, meditation, Mental Health, talking therapy

Useful mental health links

CareSpace blogger Ladybird has collected some useful mental health links . Read More...

Published 14 Feb 2011 11:53 AM by Mad World

Filed under: Mental Health

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