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!

From the DSM-5: Binge Eating Disorder

Here's a neat article from the APA. The DSM-5 is coming out with several changes. Binge eating disorder was previously categorized as a "diagnosis for further study." Read the article to find out why this change was made!

http://apahealthyminds.blogspot.co.il/2013/02/raising-awareness-for-binge-eating.html

Mental Illnesses share common DNA roots

The biggest study yet into genetics and mental health has come up with a stunning result: The five most common mental illnesses -- autism, attention deficit disorder, bipolar disease, schizophrenia and major depression -- all have a common genetic root. Read the article for more!

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/27/17121643-mental-illnesses-share-common-dna-roots-study-finds?lite

Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body

Wonder why you can easily catch a cold after a poor sleep? Wonder why you can't recall information from a lecture after 4 hours of sleep?

A run of poor sleep can have a potentially profound effect on the internal workings of the human body, say UK researchers.

Blood samples were analyzed comparing periods of plenty of sleep versus sleep deprivation. There was a dramatic change in the function of many different kinds of genes!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21572686

No Flowers on the Psych Ward

A beautiful narrative that focuses on the hope that nature will someday play a bigger therapeutic role in the healing of psych patients, and artist Anna Schuleit's exhibit commemorating the closure of the Massachusetts Mental Health Center.

"So many items cannot come onto a locked psychiatric ward. Administration looks at everything as a possible weapon of self or mass destruction. No curtains. No jewelry. No art. No glass. And, I learn, no flowers, no plants, no nature."

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/no-flowers-on-the-psych-ward/264923/

Sharing Psychiatric Records Helps Care

Another great find by Deb!

Sharing psychiatric records with nonpsychiatric doctors has been a contentious issue. Only a fraction of hospitals in the US allow nonpsychiatric doctors access to all psychiatric records.

However, a survey of hospitals found that those with both full electronic psychiatric records and unrestricted accessibility to them had a lower rate of readmissions.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/sharing-psychiatric-records-helps-care/

 

Storm Weakened a Fragile System for Mental Care

Another great find by Deb!

The odds of securing mental health treatment in New York City have worsened significantly since Hurricane Sandy knocked out hospitals and disrupted outpatient services.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/nyregion/new-yorks-mental-health-system-thrashed-by-services-lost-to-storm.html

Mental Health Services Absent for Traumatized South Sudanese

This is a great follow up clip to Sarah's article. South Sudan was engaged in a civil war for almost 5 decades with the north, and in 2011 gained independence.

Here, you get a glimpse of the postwar situation. Because there are no psychiatrists, health professionals have to rely on sedation and imprisonment to handle mental illness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP1VCjeP1p8

PTSD and Depression in Postwar Libya

A really great illustration of the psychological pain that war and its aftermath can bring to the people who experience it firsthand. This article was just published today in BBC News Magazine, and sheds light on how the fighters and those who lost loved ones in the Libyan revolution are (barely) coping with their trauma. Of particular interest is the city of Misrata, where some of the revolution's bloodiest battles took place, and where there is a severe shortage of mental health professionals:

"Dr Khaled al Madani, head of the psychology department of Misrata University, has been trying to establish proper mental healthcare services in the city for more than a year.

He says at present there is only one part-time psychiatrist from Tripoli available to hold a regular but limited clinic in Misrata."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20629175

Dr. Robert Gupta and the "Soloist"

Also listened to a TED talk by Dr. Robert Gupta who combines his love for music and mental health (posted on 10/2/12):

https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/tedtalks-audio/id160904630?mt=2

Description: "When Robert Gupta was caught between a career as a doctor and as a violinist, he realized his place was in the middle, with a bow in his hand and a sense of social justice in his heart. He tells a moving story of society’s marginalized and the power of music therapy, which can succeed where conventional medicine fails." (c/o iTunes, TED)

Vikram Patel & Mental Health in Developing Countries

I just listened to a great TED Talk by Vikram Patel posted on iTunes on 9/11/12:

 http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=160904630

Description: "Nearly 450 million people are affected by mental illness worldwide. In wealthy nations, just half receive appropriate care, but in developing countries, close to 90 percent go untreated because psychiatrists are in such short supply. Vikram Patel outlines a highly promising approach -- training members of communities to give mental health interventions, empowering ordinary people to care for others." (c/o iTunes and TED)

medical students matching into psychiatry

There is new data from the match in recent years supporting that psychiatry is becoming a popular field especially among M.D. Ph.D. students. Indeed, there is so much to be discovered in this fascinating field. This is one of the perks among many who join the field NOW!

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2012/the-future-of-psychiatry-clinical-neuroscience.shtml

Dr. Phil - Biofeedback Appetite Control

Thought this was neat! It worked for this woman with a chocolate addiction, as you'll see in this clip. The device is approved by the FDA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8YHDMKg1wA

Sigmund Freud documentary – opening the door to the unconscious

A nice short biography about the Father of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQh9LBIhjyM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=hAo_-jcfXUk&feature=endscreen
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=eAtHpOM63ZQ&NR=1