UK soldier and veteran suicides 'outstrip Afghan deaths'

Interesting, yet tragic article with an accompanying video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23259865


From the article: More British soldiers and veterans took their own lives in 2012 than died fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan over the same period.

The Afghanistan death toll was 44, of whom 40 died in action. Some of the soldiers' families say the men did not get enough support.

The British government, unlike its American counterpart, does not record the suicide rate among ex-soldiers.

The Bystander Effect

From Wikipedia: The bystander effect is a phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer help to a victim. The probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders. In other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help.

Here's an interesting, yet scary example of an experiment where a child is being kidnapped.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-7zcDZnWhU

Can we make ourselves happier?

Alright, I've been on an extended vacation, so I haven't kept up to date with mental health :>/ . Let's get things rolling again!

This is a neat article about happiness. Studies show that indeed we can make ourselves more happy, but happiness may not be where we are looking for it!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23097143

Inside the Teenage Brain

Great little link Helena Dayal sent me: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/

Learn about how the teenage brain is wired differently which helps explain some of the behavior patterns you see during adolescence.

Here's the link for the Online Video Program:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02p392&continuous=1

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

This is one of the better blogs I've come across. It gives you some insight into OCPD, a personality disorder. It is not the same as OCD! The writer sheds light on this commonly misunderstood personality with an interesting, yet unconventional way of looking at this condition.

giftofocpd.com

How to Avoid a Late- Life Crisis

From BBC news: 

It appears that 'mid-life' might not be the only time people suffer a crisis in their lives according to new research.

Psychologists have found that many people in their sixties also find themselves questioning their worth and place in the world, often following personal illness or the loss of friends.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22130907

An Overview of Mental Health Therapies

Here's a great clip made by Diane Bederman!
http://www.dianebederman.com/the-many-voices-of-mental-illness-podcasts/podcast-episodes/6-episode-2-mental-health-therapies

Here you learn about the different talk therapies from cognitive behaviour therapy to psychoanalysis, drug therapy, and spiritual care.

Diane has a number of great clips on her website, so check it out!