A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Clare can now talk with calm reflection about the moment she decided to end her life. She remembers feeling as if she were living in a sort of twilight zone where nothing made sense: she was being shunned by colleagues and faced losing her job as a teacher. Things had spiralled out of control after [...]
Have you noticed what seems like an epidemic of people who are glued to their smartphone’s soft glow? Unfortunately, you are not alone. Over 1.8 billion people own smartphones and use their devices on a daily basis. Some studies estimate that an average person checks their screen 150 times a day. This widespread use of [...]
Depression and anxiety are affecting more young people than ever before. According to a study published today by the Office for National Statistics, one in five 16- to 24-year-olds are suffering psychological problems, which is almost the rate at which these are seen in early middle age, the life-stage usually most associated with mental health issues. [...]
Despite heavily-marketed claims to the contrary, positive psychology interventions do not consistently improve mental or physical health and well-being. The myth that these interventions are efficacious is perpetuated by a mutually-admiring, self-promotional collective that protects its claims from independent peer review and scrutiny. As with the positive psychology intervention literature, it is a quick leap [...]
Photo: Anu Kumar Research published last year found that people who live in urban areas with more green space tend to report greater wellbeing - less mental distress and higher life satisfaction - than city dwellers who don't have parks, gardens or other green space nearby. A different study followed the experience of [...]
I invite you, therefore, as you enter the New Year, to spare a thought about the loved one or colleague who was surprisingly quiet at the last get-together. Has there been a change in their functioning? Are they their usual selves? If not, seek them out a second time, to see whether they may need [...]
Almost 10 million women in the UK have reported that they 'feel depressed’ because of the way they look, according to new research. The study, which coincides with the launch of Body Confidence Week, finds that one in four women feel their body image has held them back from having a fulfilling relationship. Another quarter [...]
Management of mental health often seems intuitive, so many interventions have been developed and rolled out on the basis of good intentions rather than good science eg, post-traumatic stress disorder counselling after natural disasters. We do not deny the role of clinical expertise and the art of the individual psychiatrist, but we believe that studies [...]
Ninety-seven healthy girls, ages 10 to 14, had saliva DNA samples taken. About half of them had moms with histories of depression, and about half had moms who did not. None of the girls had histories of depression. (1)The girls whose moms had suffered depression had significant reductions in the length of their telomeres. We [...]
Americans are obsessed with parenting advice. Bloggers, magazines, whole Web sites urge us to do more. Or less. Be more Chinese, they implore. Or more French. But despite this constant flow of advice, we have very little idea how to make kids happy. Quantitative measures show that American children are among the most miserable in [...]
