Sunday 19 July 2009

News: New strategy to bolster mental health care - The Independent

The UK Government is set to announce a policy shake-up that emphasizes the importance of preventing mental health problems, according to this article in The Independent (19 July 2009).

The newspaper quotes Louis Appleby, the Government's 'mental health tszar': "While specialist services for people with schizophrenia, dementia and other mental health problems are, of course, vital, prevention has got to be better than cure. We know there are particular groups such as children [in care] who are particularly vulnerable but this is not just about illness. For the first time we will focus attention on improving everyone's emotional resilience as individuals, families, communities and employers can all benefit from strong mental health. Like good education, good mental health is a stepping stone for a whole range of positive outcomes in adult life which benefit individuals, the welfare system, the health service and the criminal justice system."

For more stories about psychotherapy, counselling and mental health you can visit www.therapyme.com.

Sunday 5 July 2009

News: Self-help 'makes you feel worse' - BBC News

Some self-help books can make you feel worse according to research published by the University of Waterloo and the University of New Brunswick in Canada. Repeating positive statements (or mantras) such as "I am a lovable person" made people with low self-esteem feel even worse about themselves although people with high self-esteem responded well. The study was published in the journal Psychological Science.

This BBC story (3 July 2009) takes a look at the history of the self help industry when Samuel Smiles published his book Self Help 150 years ago. It include a playful feature: Self help Victorian style.

For more news stories about counselling, psychotherapy and mental health, you can visit TherapyMe.com.

News: Divorcees and widows 'face three times the risk of Alzheimer's' - Telegraph

Research conducted by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that those people who lived alone in middle age doubled the risk of Alzeheimer's, and the risk was even higher for those who were divorced or widowed.

Reporting on the study published in the British Medical Journal, The Telegraph (3 July 2009) quotes Dr Susanne Sorensen of the Alzheimer's Society: "Evidence suggests that remaining socially active may reduce your risk of dementia and living with someone is certainly a good way of doing this.

"Other lifestyle factors associated with living together may also help reduce your risk. However, single people shouldn't worry - there are many other ways to reduce your risk of dementia. The best evidence is around eating a Mediterranean diet, exercising regularly, and getting your cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly."

You can read more stories related to counselling, psychotherapy and mental health at TherapyMe.com.