Andrew Solomon: Depression, the secret we share

I Recommend this TED talk on depression 

http://on.ted.com/ASolomonhttp://on.ted.com/ASolomon

Online interventions for anxiety disorders.

Abstract

Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014 Jan;27(1):7-13. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000019.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

The present article updates knowledge regarding the evidence base for online interventions for anxiety disorders, and provides an overview of recent advances in online interventions for anxiety over the past 18 months.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Computerized self-help is an effective strategy for providing evidence-based treatments for symptoms of anxiety and depression. Online delivery has numerous advantages for clinicians and patients, including greater accessibility, anonymity, convenience and cost-effectiveness. These may be particularly important for populations experiencing anxiety, which may face more pronounced barriers to accessing care. Recent meta-analyses have confirmed that computerized cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for anxiety demonstrates comparable clinical outcomes as face-to-face psychotherapy for individuals with anxiety. This review updates the status of current knowledge by providing a focused review of randomized controlled trials of computerized (including Internet and portable device-delivered) treatments for anxiety.

SUMMARY:

Recent studies have confirmed the utility of computerized psychotherapy for anxiety. Future trials are required to elucidate the active constituents of effective programs, evaluate targeted approaches for specific groups, and to ascertain the optimal degree of guidance required. Clarification of these issues will assist in refining effective online programs operating within standalone virtual clinics or incorporated into clinician-supported stepped care approaches.

PMID:

24257123

[PubMed - in process]

Call for parents to get automatic bereavement leave on death of child

Something I feel very strongly about:Let's hope this bill is passed......

Labour MP Tom Harris has launched a private members' bill in the House of Commons to try and give parents the legal right to time off work if one of their children dies. He wants the law to change so that people are given statutory bereavement leave, rather than leaving it to the employer's discretion. The bill follows months of campaigning by Lucy Herd following the death of her son Jack. 

Read more on the following BBC news link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23963866

Sharing, With a Safety Net

SAN FRANCISCO — Kids......

The reckless rants and pictures they post online can often get them in trouble, by compromising their chances of getting into a good college or even landing them in jail. What to do about such lapses vexes parents, school officials, the Internet companies that host their words and images — and the law.  

Now California legislators are trying to solve the problem with the first measure in the country to give minors the legal right to scrub away their online indiscretions.

“Kids and teenagers often self-reveal before they self-reflect,” said James Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based advocacy group that pushed for the law

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/technology/bill-provides-reset-button-for-youngsters-online-posts.html?smid=tw-share

Call for mental health checks on all school pupils from age of seven

"Every child should undergo mental health checks at school from the age of seven to identify anxiety disorders, anger problems and other mental health conditions, experts have said". 

 .............But charities were cautious about the idea - with some saying that seven was too young to identify serious mental health problems, while others said it was no use diagnosing such illness unless more services were set up to help young people. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/laura-donnelly/10330960/Call-for-mental-health-checks-on-all-school-pupils-from-age-of-seven.html

A new quality standard on self-harm

NICE have produced a new quality standard on self-harm to drive treatment improvements. 

"The number of people who self-harm has risen steadily over the past two decades, meaning the UK now has one of the highest rates in Europe". 

"As a result, hospitals are increasingly likely to treat patients who have deliberately injured or poisoned themselves, with around 220,000 people who have self-harmed presenting to A&E wards each year"
"The risk of a person who self-harms undergoing a repeat incident is high. People who self-harm are also at greater risk of suicide than those from the rest of the population".

http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/features/MeasuresImproveCarePeopleSelfHarm.jsp

'Keep it Tame' campaign to promote online safety and measure behaviour change in young people

'Keep it Tame' campaign to promote online safety and measure behaviour change in young people

Beyond the beat-em-up: video games are good for young people

Young and Well Update - 12th September 2013

Now, there’s an emerging body of research focusing on the potential positive influences of video games.

Associate Professor Jane Burns and researchers Daniel Johnson (Queensland University of Technology) and Christian Jones (University of the SunshineCoast) From the "The Young and Well CRC" team, wrote on videogames and wellbeing for "The Conversation"

Here are some key findings:

• moderate (non-excessive) levels of playing are associated with positive emotions and improved mood, improved emotion regulation and emotional stability and the reduction of emotional disturbances;
• playing video games is a healthy means of relaxation, stress reduction and socialising; and
• people who play video games in moderation have significantly less depressed mood and higher self-esteem (compared to those who don’t play or who play excessively).

NCVYS Exchange Magazine - July 2013

This is Exchange Issue 16. Featuring articles from Youth Access, Mental Health Foundation/Paul Hamlyn Foundation, We Have A Voice, YoungMinds, The Cabinet as well as news on NCVYS and ENVOY events

http://issuu.com/ncvys/docs/ncvys_exchange_16_webv2

Key Data On Adolescence  - 2013

 

From the "Association For Young People's Health"

 

The latest information and statistics about young people today. 

 

http://www.ayph.org.uk/publications/457_AYPH_KeyData2013_WebVersion.pdf

"Opening the door to better healthcare: Ensuring general practice is working for children and young people" - NCB report

May 2013 - A report published by the NCB (National Children's Bureau)

"This report examines the available evidence on how well general practice is delivering for children and young people, including the evidence on their experiences of the services and the particular challenges they face in accessing them. Key challenge areas such as access, expertise, communication and incentives for service improvement are considered. It also examines some of the approaches to addressing those challenges, and in some areas pursued in practice."

http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/972611/130603_ncb_opening_the_door_to_better_healthcare_final.pdf

"A Need to Belong" - What leads girls to join gangs....

http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/A_need_to_belong.pdf

Risk factors for gang affiliation

Existing literature highlights a wide range of risk factors for females to become members of gangs. These include:

•severe childhood behavioural problems and mental ill health

•poor maternal mental health, exposure to violence in the home and experience of

trauma

•low academic aspiration and disengagement with school

•association with antisocial or gang-involved peers and peer rejection or victimisation

•feeling unsafe or marginalised in their neighbourhood

•high income inequalities and social influences that devalue female roles

"Online social networking increases social connectedness"

Australian press release: - 

" - Australian Psychological Society (APS) researcher Dr Rebecca Mathews said that despite earlier studies suggesting online social networking reduced social skills and increased people’s sense of isolation, the APS found the social networking phenomenon had the opposite effect.
Our respondents said rather than replacing their ‘offline’ gatherings, Facebook actually increased the amount of time they spent socialising with friends and family,” she said.
“These findings are significant because we know strong social connections enhance people’s self-esteem and mental health while providing support and a sense of belonging,” Dr Mathews said.
The survey of 1834 respondents also found more than half of 18 to 30 year olds felt they would lose contact with many of their friends if they stopped using social networking sites - "


http://www.psychology.org.au/news/media_releases/15nov2010/

What is self-talk? | ReachOut.com Australia

What is self-talk? | ReachOut.com Australia

Self-Harm Story on ITV

Self-Harm Story on ITV

Tackling Teen Depression on ITV

Tackling Teen Depression on ITV

Join us in Brighton, UK for the 2nd International Youth Mental Health Conference

Join us in Brighton, UK for the 2nd International Youth Mental Health Conference

The Adolescent Brain

Inspirational speaker and researcher, Sarah Jayne Blakemore, talks about the Adolescent Brain in this  "TED" video

"Young Minds" presents an interesting article about Borderline Personality Disorder

http://www.youngminds.org.uk/news/blog/1465_why_me_experiencing_borderline_personality_disorder

Guest blogger Helen aged 24-years-old talks about being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and says:
"I hope that by sharing my story I can reach out to people who like me have questioned why they were dealt such a bad hand. As well as telling myself that things could always be worse, I'm living proof that it is possible to come back from the darkest of places."