Could your depression be something else?

It is wise to ask your family doctor to check to see if your symptoms of ‘depression’ are in fact caused by a physical health issue. Thyroid and hormonal problems as well as some dietary issues can cause such symptoms. This article [here] describes them being triggered by ‘genetic heart failure’.

Are you addicted to social media?

Social media can encourage a form of app dependency which impacts a proportion of users. Social media can have a negative effect upon mental health and so this kind of dependency is likely to be unhealthy. This article [here] provides some signs and symptoms that indicate that your social media use could be dysfunctional. It also offers some ideas for alternative, healthy activities. A week long break from social media [see here] meant more free time as well as lower levels of anxiety and depression for those involved in the study.

The impact of the cost of living crisis

Rising inflation and household bills will be at the forefront of many peoples’ minds at the moment. There are some useful and practical tips here about how to manage in these challenging times.

Impact of poor sleep and the power of sleep hygiene

Sleep is involved with and can affect several common mental health problems. The charity Mind has some information about this here. Sleep hygiene consists of some basic ideas that can help people to sleep well. Some information about this approach is here.

The healing power of nature

Spending time in ‘green spaces’ has long been considered to have a positive impact on mental health. This article [here] describes how one service has harnessed this power to good effect.

Staying mentally healthy whilst working from home

Many of work practices have changed in that many people are now either working from home or are involved in some form of ‘blended’ approach (a blend of home and on-site). Working much more from home can leave us open to some forms of stress. This article [here] offers some useful ways of protecting ourselves. Working from home can offer an increased opportunity to over-indulge in social media. An article which details both how this can negatively affect upon mental health and how this impact can be reduced, is available here.

More information about sleep

There have already been a number of posts on this blog about sleep. Use the search bar at the bottom of the home page to find these. Here is another article about how to sleep well. I can’t vouch for what it says about supplements, but the psychological advice seems generally sound. For a full programme for treating insomnia, I can recommend this book [here]. The approach described in the book (CBTi) is also very briefly described in this article [here]. This other article [here] describes the sleep disorder: sleep apnoea. This is a potentially dangerous condition which can be treated.

The mind-body connection in depression and anxiety disorders

Mental health issues may be assumed to be based purely in the mind. However, the body also has a role to play in anxiety disorders and depression. As such, the body is explicitly included in psychological treatment approaches such as Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy. This article [here] talks about some aspects of this mind-body connection.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

In my own practice, I seem to be seeing more people who are wondering if their issues might be linked to them having Autism Spectrum Disorder. This article [here] has some information about the disorder and possible intervention approaches.

About agoraphobia

This article [here] describes the symptoms associated with this issue. It also details how a couple of pop stars have experienced it. A self-help book, from the series of books which I edit, which describes a treatment approach for the condition, is available here.

What is cognitive behaviour therapy?

One of the main originators of this form of therapy, Dr Aaron Beck, has recently died. This has prompted The Independent to provide a useful brief description of the therapy here. The Guardian [here] goes into more detail regarding his history and the context around the development of the approach.

Menopause and mental health

The changes in hormones resulting from the menopause can lead some to experience symptoms that are associated with mental health issues. This article [here] describes some of the possible effects.

New guidance for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

There is new national guidance for the management of this illness [here]. It appears from the news reports that this recommends less of a role for cognitive behavioural/exercise approaches. A description of the illness is available here.

Finding the right therapist

‘Clinical psychologist’ is a protected term which means that in the UK it is illegal to use this in a personal description or CV, without the individual having a recognised training from a course recognised by the British Psychological Society. However, other terms such as ‘counsellor’, ‘therapist’ or ‘psychotherapist’ are not protected. This means that it is difficult to determine the level of competence and training of such individuals. This clip [here] offers some helpful advice when it comes to choosing a therapist. Some useful links are also here.

Treatment of depression through use of brain implants

This article [here] seems to describe a possibility of radical and more experimental form of therapy for those with a ‘severe and ‘intractable’ form of depression.

More on 'chronic fatigue syndrome'

A previous post on this blog has covered this topic (see here). However, here is another useful article on the same topic. This also refers to some new guidelines associated with treatment for the condition.

Social media, mental health and Facebook products

Previous posts on this blog have noted the potential harmful effects of social media, for instance here. As we find [here] that almost 1 in 5 teens and young adults ‘often feel depressed’, a whistle blower at Facebook seems to have evidence that Facebook ignores internal research associated with its negative impact (see here). If this is the case, hopefully some positive change will result from the disclosure.

'Long Covid' and mental health

We are gradually learning more about ‘long Covid’. This article [here] details some of its possible symptoms. Individuals with long Covid are much more likely to experience common mental health problems. At the moment, the cause or effect nature of this relationship is not understood (see more here).

Eating disorders in the under-nineteen year-olds

Eating disorders are increasing in prevalence in this group of individuals. For example, in those who are vulnerable, pressures arising from social media can trigger issues. The pandemic (and linked stresses) also appears to have worsened matters. This article [here] highlights a few signs that parents can look out for that might indicate that a child or teen is at risk of developing a problem. Here, a parent and her daughter talk about their experience with this issue.

More about obsessive-compulsive disorder

There have been some previous articles about this condition in this blog. I add this one [here] to the collection. It provides brief detail about the disorder and some possible treatment options.