Mental Illness News

Antipsychotics In Children And Adolescents: The Risks And Benefits ( ECNP 4-Sep-08 )

Many of the psychiatric disorders observed in adults have their onset in childhood or adolescence. The presence of a major mental illness is certainly no less serious in children than in adults - in fact, childhood onset of several psychiatric disorders predicts a worse illness course.

Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis ( MNT 3-Sep-08 )

Letter to the Editor: This message will be very shortly be followed by a longer one that will further explain the very important -- but unfortunately -- also very politically incorrect psychiatric diagnosis of "Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis" (SDIP).

Mental Illness And Addiction Research Boosted By Large-Scale Investment ( CAMH 26-Aug-08 )

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is proud to announce a landmark investment of $15 million by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) into research that will propel the understanding, intervention, treatment and prevention of mental illness and addiction to the next level of excellence.

Putting The Brakes On Psychosis And Its Impact ( BIDMC 19-Aug-08 )

Like many medical conditions, early detection of psychiatric illness can be critical in stopping or slowing the disease's progression.

APA Highlights Importance Of Psychotherapy In Treatment Plans ( APA 13-Aug-08 )

Psychotherapy remains a major component in the treatment of mental illness, the American Psychiatric Association stated. Many mental health problems can be resolved with psychotherapy alone, and psychotherapy is often a crucial component in the success of treatment with medication.

Post-Partum Suicide Attempt Risks Studied ( Elsevier Health Sciences 12-Aug-08 )

Although maternal suicide after giving birth is a relatively rare occurrence, suicide attempts often have long-lasting effects on the family and the infant. Researchers compared two populations of mothers and found that a history of psychiatric disorders or substance abuse was a strong predictor of post-partum suicide attempts.

Psychiatrists Shift Away From Providing Psychotherapy ( JAMA 7-Aug-08 )

A declining number of office-based psychiatrists appear to be providing psychotherapy to their patients, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Improving Traditional Psychiatric Diagnoses With Genetics ( Elsevier 1-Aug-08 )

Psychiatry has begun the laborious effort of preparing the DSM-V, the new iteration of its diagnostic manual. In so doing, it once again wrestles with the task set by Carl Linnaeus, to "cleave nature at its joints." However, these "joints," the boundaries between psychiatric disorders, such as that between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are far from clear.

Mental Health Implications For Girls Experiencing Serious School Failure ( UW 31-Jul-08 )

Adolescent girls who had a serious school failure by the 12th grade - being expelled, suspended or dropping out - were significantly more likely to have suffered a serious bout of depression at the age of 21 than girls who did not have these problems.

Deaths From Combining Drugs And/or Alcohol Skyrocket ( UCSD 31-Jul-08 )

Asking patients to monitor their own medications can be fatal, as exemplified by the recent death of actor Heath Ledger. In the first large-scale study of home medication consumption, sociologists at the UCSD have found a 3,196 percent increase in fatal domestic medication errors involving alcohol and/or street drugs.

Long Waiting Times For Psychological Therapies Harmful ( MIND 30-Jul-08 )

A group of leading mental health charities has published a report which says that the lives of those stuck on long NHS waiting lists for psychological treatments are being damaged as a result.

RCP Responds To Review Of NHS Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services ( RCP 29-Jul-08 )

The Royal College of Psychiatrists welcomes this detailed review of NHS acute inpatient mental health services by the Healthcare Commission. It is encouraging to see that two-fifths of trusts exceeded the minimum level of service provision. However, it is disappointing that no trusts were scored excellent on all four of the key criteria.

Defining Health Care Needs for Chronic Illness ( MJA 21-Jul-08 )

A research paper in the latest issue of Medical Journal of Australia has provided the first insight into the prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity in Australia. About three in 10 people who saw a GP in 2005, and one in four Australians have multimorbidity (two or more types of chronic conditions).

One In Five UK MPs Suffers From Stress-Related Mental Illness ( Independent 17-Jul-08 )

A confidential survey of MPs and peers suggests that one in five parliamentarians suffers from mental illness caused by the stress of their public lives. Those questioned said they feared disclosing their struggles because of stigma and discrimination.

Studying How Food Affects The Brain ( UCLA 16-Jul-08 )

In addition to helping protect us from heart disease and cancer, a balanced diet and regular exercise can also protect the brain and ward off mental disorders.

OptumHealth Introduces New "Brain Health" Capabilities ( BRL 16-Jul-08 )

Workers Have High Rates of Psychological Distress ( Newswise 15-Jul-08 )

Memory Loss Linked to Poor Diet ( MUSC 20-Jun-08 )

Teenage Pot Smokers Face Bigger Risk Of Mental Illness ( CHC 17-Jun-08 )

Female Sex Offenders Often Have Mental Problems ( KI 23-May-08 )

Not In My Back Garden - Mental Health Stigma Still Rife ( Rethink 23-May-08 )

Mental Disorders Cost Society Billions In Unearned Income ( NIH/NMIH 23-May-08 )

Return Of The Great Depression Causing Great Depression ( MIND 20-May-08 )

Cannabis Use Associated With Depression in the Top End ( MJA 19-May-08 )

Iemma Government Increasing Mental Health Bed Numbers ( NSWHealth 15-May-08 )

Ibuprofen Linked To Reduced Alzheimer's Risk ( MNT 9-May-08 )

Elderly in Long-term Care More Depressed than Those Cared for at Home ( Newswise 9-May-08 )