Author name: louisam

Optimism Last Sunday was World Suicide Prevention Day 2023. It is every 10th September and was started by International Association for Suicide Prevention and WHO in 2003. The aim is to focus attention on the issue, reduce stigma and raise awareness among organizations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable. […]

The benefits of maintenance With schools returning from the summer holidays this week there has been a concern over the safety of the fabric of the buildings, leading to cancellations of classes or alternative environments for teaching. Some may say that this is as a result of the reduction in the rebuilding programme that was

The benefit of exercise We all know that exercise offers benefits to our health and we need to engage in physical activity to remain well. Our physical health is improved by regular exercise by strengthening our muscles, including our heart. A healthy heart improves circulation and lowers the risk of heart disease. Improved muscle strength

Access to further education Many of you will have received your AS level, A level, T level, level 3 VTQs and BTECs results earlier this week. Further education offers new opportunities. This can lead to enhanced skills and increase knowledge and potentially better career prospects. When you are a young person it may be difficult to

Men and suicide Historically men have higher completed suicide rates and suicide is correlated with mental illness (particularly depression) so why are there fewer men seeking help for treatment of depression? From 2014 the rates of mental disorder have steadily risen in women, to one in five women compared to only one in eight in

Zuranolone approval for post-natal depression Zuranolone has been approved for treatment of postnatal depression in the USA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a once daily oral medication for a fortnight. It allegedly showed marked improvement in depressive symptoms within three days and was maintained for tour weeks after the last dose. However the

The history of the diagnosis of ADHD It is believed that Sir George Still first documented symptoms of poor attention and hyperactivity. In 1902 he gave three lectures in March, at the Royal College of Physicians in London. He referred to 43 children, describing poor attention with little inhibitory volition, although their intellect was normal.

So you think you may have….. When do you go to your GP? When you consider there is something that you need for prevention, such as antihypertensives or asthma inhalers, or when you are ill. In psychiatry often the question is does this person have… In severe disorders, involving psychosis, you do not need to

Treatment postcode lottery Tomorrow heralds an exciting day in psychiatry. In The Netherlands, donanemab clinical trial results will be published for the first time. We anticipate that they will be positive as a similar drug trial was published last year, for the trial drug lecanemab, that slowed down the cognitive decline in early Alzheimer’s disease

New social media platforms Unless you have been in a media blackout this last week you will be aware that there is a new kid on the block. Threads is a rival to Twitter and is owned by meta. Twitter has changed since its new owner last October. There have been some progressive changes halted,