A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
On first impression bipolar disorder is easy to understand. It’s a disorder where a person experiences extreme mood changes, highs and lows, with periods of normality in between. But, when we look further into the disorder, or we hear people talk about their experiences, it starts to get a little more complex, and the terms [...]
When children are chronically anxious, even the most well-meaning parents can fall into a negative cycle and, not wanting a child to suffer, actually exacerbate the youngster’s anxiety. It happens when parents, anticipating a child’s fears, try to protect her from them. Here are pointers for helping children escape the cycle of anxiety. 1. The [...]
While being diagnosed with a serious mental health condition like schizophrenia can have devastating consequences for patients, many don’t realise how much their physical health may suffer too. The life expectancy for people with schizophrenia is around 10 – 25 years less than the general population. They also have two to three times the risk [...]
Data from nearly 14,000 men shows those who strongly identify as self-reliant are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. For the first time large-scale empirical research has linked notions of what it is to be a man with suicidal thoughts, which the researchers argue puts a spotlight on the societal attitudes that may be putting [...]
Jane* has lived with severe depression and anxiety for the last 15 years outside a small town in rural Victoria. For much of that time, she's felt isolated and alone in her struggle with her mental illness. "I've had several attempted suicides," she said. Jane has no doubt where she'd be if she wasn't getting [...]
Why are we so shocked when we, or someone we know, becomes ill? Why are many people scared of illness and unable to support their loved ones when illness strikes? And why do so many people still think “it won’t happen to me”? These questions strike at the heart of our relationship between sickness and [...]
A device which sends tiny electric shocks to the brain to stimulate neurons could one day be at least as useful to people with anxiety and depression as antidepressants, Curtin University researchers hope. The university's Patrick Clarke said small electrical currents were being used to directly stimulate underperforming parts of the depressive brain and numb [...]
When you think of paranormal experiences it often conjures images of ghosts, aliens or witchcraft. But it can also include hearing voices, out-of-body experiences, or even strong spiritual or superstitious beliefs. Such experiences are quite common – 75% of people in Britain have said that they have had one or more paranormal experiences in their [...]
Citizen panels and juries around the world are having their say about how health funding is prioritised and allocated. It’s time this happened in Australia, particularly when it comes to deciding how best to carve up Australia’s limited resources for tackling mental health. This is because constructively engaging with the community this way is fundamentally [...]
To its critics, it is dangerous pseudoscience. To its supporters, it offers unique insights. What is the future of this controversial psychological test? Victor Norris had reached the final round in his application for a job working with young children, but he still had to undergo a psychological evaluation. Over two long November afternoons, he [...]
