Thursday 5 August 2010

News: One in five Britons has consulted a counsellor or a psychotherapist - The Observer

Has there been a 'therapy revolution' in the UK? A survey conducted by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) suggests there has. Their survey, featured in an article in The Observer (1 August 2010), says one in five Britons has consulted a psychotherapist or counsellor.

The stigma of talking about problems with a therapist appears to be diminishing. The present findings of the BACP research found that 94% of people in the UK consider it acceptable to have therapy for anxiety and depression, a marked jump from 67% back in 2004. There has also been a jump in figures for the acceptability of seeking therapy for divorce and relationship breakdowns.

Cary Cooper, BACP President, comments: "This survey represents a significant shift in people's attitudes towards therapy – practically a revolution – at a time when mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are far more common than was realised. Mental health conditions currently affect one in six of the population at an annual cost to England alone of £77bn. It's no accident that the growth of the problem has encouraged mass support for more effective treatments," said Cooper.

For more stories about psychotherapy, counselling and mental health please visit the News page at www.therapyme.com.

Saturday 19 June 2010

News: Post-natal depression clues found - Telegraph

Researchers in Leipzig may have discovered why many new mothers feel down after giving birth, according to a report in the Telegraph (19 June 2010).

Oestrogen levels drop dramatically for women when they give birth, which coincides with the blocking of certain feel-good chemicals in the brain, they found.

The report from the MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences is published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Dr Julia Sacher, who led the research, comments: "Our results have the exciting potential for prevention for severe postpartum blues. This could have an impact on prevention and treatment of postpartum depression in the future."

Please visit TherapyMe.com for more about psychotherapy, counselling and psychiatry as it is reported in the media.

Sunday 30 May 2010

News: Younger people 'worry about loneliness' - The Guardian

Young people between the ages of 18-34 are particularly susceptible to worrying about loneliness, according to a report published by the Mental Health Foundation. One in 10 adults in the UK feel lonely, and four in 10 have experienced depression as a result, reports Guardian (25 May 2010).

Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, commented: "Changes to the way we live are putting an increasing number of people at risk of loneliness, which can lead to health problems if chronic. People who find themselves feeling lonely should not have to feel uncomfortable talking about it or asking for help. By raising awareness of the subject we hope to tackle the stigma attached to loneliness and help individuals who are feeling lonely to connect with others."

You can read more stories in the news about mental health, counselling and psychotherapy at TherapyMe.com.

Sunday 2 May 2010

News: 'Green' exercise quickly 'boosts mental health' - BBC News

Feeling blue? Then go green. Researchers from Essex University in the UK say enjoying some exercise in the great outdoors could perk up your mental health according to a report on BBC News (1 May 2010).

The study looked at the evidence of ten studies involving 1,250 people.

Commenting on the findings, Paul Farmer, of UK mental health charity MIND, said: "It's important that people experiencing depression can be given the option of a range of treatments, and we would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate."

For more news stories on mental health, visit www.therapyme.com.

Sunday 14 February 2010

News: Charity pushes for LSD use in medicine - Financial Times

British charity the Beckley Foundation is helping to fund medical trials using LSD, according to reports in the Financial Times (13 February 2010).

Amanda Feilding, from the Beckley Foundation which promotes psychedelic research, said: "We want to open up these incredibly valuable compounds that have been used throughout history. We know LSD is non-toxic and non-addictive. The only way to overcome the taboo is by giving scientific explanations of how to use them beneficially."

LSD has been used in the past in psychotherapy settings in the late 1940s and following the second world war. Bans were introduced following the introduction of the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances in 1971.

For more stories about mental health, counselling and psychotherapy, please visit www.therapyme.com and click on 'In the News'.

News - 'Internet addiction' linked to depression, says study - BBC News

Research published by Leeds University suggests a link between internet addiction and depression, reports BBC News (3 February 2010).

Researcher Dr Catriona Morrison comments: "The internet now plays a huge part in modern life, but its benefits are accompanied by a darker side. While many of us use the internet to pay bills, shop and send e-mails, there is a small subset of the population who find it hard to control how much time they spend online, to the point where it interferes with their daily activities. Our research indicates that excessive internet use is associated with depression, but what we don't know is which comes first - are depressed people drawn to the internet or does the internet cause depression? Now we need to investigate the nature of that relationship and consider the issue of causation."

For more news stories about mental health, counselling and psychotherapy, please visit www.therapyme.com.