Daily Psychology and Mental Health News Feeds: At a Glance

News From NHS Mental Health Specialist Library

• Guidelines for the psychosocially Assisted Pharmacological Treatment of Opioid Dependence PDF
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009These guidelines were developed in response to a resolution from the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which invited the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), “to develop and publish minimum requirements and international guidelines on psychosocially assisted pharmacological treatment of persons dependent on opioids”[1].
• Attitudes to mental illness 2009 Research Report
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009The latest national statistics on Attitudes to Mental Illness produced by the Department of Health were released on 12 June 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
• Guidance on IMHAs' access to records
  Fri, 29 May 2009The Department of Health has been asked for advice on whether section 130B of the Mental Health Act 1983 allows independent mental health advocates (IMHAs) to see information in patients’ records which would not be disclosed directly to the patient and, if so, whether IMHAs may share that information with patients.
• New online resource pack for commissioners of mental health services
  Mon, 11 May 2009The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency has launched a new website aimed at commissioners of mental health services. It contains practical tools, guidance, case studies, templates and links to support and useful web sites. It integrates commercial and procurement elements with clinical aspects to help PCTs to get the most from the provider market enabling quality, improved service needs and value for money in delivering improved outcomes.
• NHS Choices Behind the Headlines story on new alzheimer's drug tested
  Mon, 11 May 2009A recent drug study “offers hope for Alzheimer’s treatment” according to The Times. The newspaper reports that after three months’ treatment with a new drug called CPHPC, all of the SAP protein linked to Alzheimer’s had been cleared from the brains of patients with milder forms of the disease.
• NHS Choices Behind the Headlines story on poor sleep 'causes ADHD'
  Mon, 11 May 2009"Too little sleep 'can make children hyperactive'" according to The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper says that a new study suggests that a lack of sleep makes it more likely that children will "develop behavioural problems and become hyperactive".
• New 2009 Schizophrenia Annual Evidence Update
  Thu, 09 Apr 2009“Unable to keep up-to-date with schizophrenia guidance and research? Then look no further…” The Schizophrenia Annual Evidence Update (AEU) for 2009 has been launched today by NHS Evidence - mental health. The AEU contains the best available evidence published on schizophrenia since January 2008. NHS Evidence - mental health team have comprehensively searched and sifted evidence from a number of databases, including Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, Cinahl and the National Library for Health, to find over 100 references relating to schizophrenia.

News From Psychology Today

• Natural Element: The Extended Vacation
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009

  How to hang on to paradise.
• Being and Nothingness
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009

  There are two kinds of vacations--doing something and doing nothing.
• What's Your Vacationing Style?
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009

  Taking enough time to vacation? Take the quiz.
• July 4th: Meaningful Holiday or Excuse to Drink?
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009

  Heavy drinking during the summertime.
• Therapy Watch: Caught in the Middle
  Thu, 02 Jul 2009

  Should you share your therapist?
• Fundamentals of Therapy Part I
  Thu, 02 Jul 2009

  Who goes to therapy?
• My Therapist, My Friend
  Thu, 02 Jul 2009

  Looking for tea and empathy? 

News From Medical News Today

• FDA Adds Strong Warnings To Anti-Smoking Drug Labels
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009"The Food and Drug Administration announced (Wednesday) that it is requiring the smoking-cessation drugs Chantix and Zyban to carry the strongest type of safety warning possible to alert patients that the medications can cause serious mental health problems, including depression and suicide," the Washington Post reports (Stein, 7/1).
• What Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? What Is PTSD? What Causes PTSD?
  Fri, 03 Jul 2009PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is triggered by a traumatic event - it is a kind of anxiety. The sufferer of PTSD may have experienced or seen an event that caused extreme fear, shock and/or a feeling of helplessness. Most of us experience a brief period of difficulty adjusting and coping with traumatic events. However, we gradually get better with time and healthy coping methods.
• Mental Health America Establishes Regional Policy Council To Strengthen State Advocacy Work
  Thu, 02 Jul 2009Mental Health America announced the establishment of a Regional Policy Council made up of 10 affiliate policy leaders from around the country to strengthen its state advocacy work.
• When Husbands Work In US, Mexican Wives' Mental Health Dives
  Thu, 02 Jul 2009Selected highlights from a new study on immigration, health and gender roles: Mexican wives who stay home when their husbands immigrate to the United States for work have poorer mental health than a comparison group. Shifting gender roles seem to be equally as stressful as the husbands' absence. "Popular American psychology would suggest that their newfound independence might ease the stress of single-handedly managing the household.
• Psychiatric Facilities Encouraged To Use "Mystery-Patients" To Improve Services
  Tue, 30 Jun 2009Mental health services could be improved by planting trained consumers pretending to be patients, or "mystery patients," to identify problems, according to a commentary in the July 2009 issue of Psychiatric Services, a journal of the American Psychiatric Association. The concept is similar to the long-standing practice of using "mystery shoppers" in retail stores for market research.
• New Centre In London To Accelerate Personalized Mental Health Care
  Tue, 30 Jun 2009A powerful new research facility at the heart of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre has been launched by Professor Dame Sally C Davies, Director General of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Health. The Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Nucleus is funded by a £3M infrastructure grant from South London and Maudsley Charitable Funds (£1.8M) and Guy's and St Thomas' Charity (£1.
• RADAR Welcomes Harper's Challenge To End Stigma Surrounding Mental Health Conditions In Parliament, UK
  Tue, 30 Jun 2009The challenge to the Prime Minister by Mark Harper MP, Shadow Minister for Disabled People, to remove Section 141 of the Mental Health Act which strips an MP of their seat in Parliament if detained under the Act for more than six months, and his tabling of an amendment to the Equality Bill on this issue, are both very welcome and long overdue.