Category: Depression

A lecturer at Plymouth University has set up a pilot scheme for treating those with mild to moderate depression that does not involve antidepressants. Patients on the scheme will be prescribed with a self-help book from the local library instead of mood regulating drugs.

Paul Farrand, lecturer in health psychology, argues that an actual prescription for a book will encourage the patient to obtain and read the book. The most obvious advantage of this scheme is that it allows the patient to take control of their future. In psychological research it is the control factor that is often closely associated with changes in behaviour.

> From BBC News

One reason that depression is so difficult to treat is that it can have a wide range of causes. If, as in most cases, an anti-depressant is prescribed, it is hard to predict exactly how a patient’s condition will interact with the drug.

Recently Seroxat’s developers GlaxoSmithKline have received considerable bad publicity about the drug’s dangerous side effects. The evidence is mounting that it may not be suitable for treating children. Research has found that after taking Seroxat, children can experience an increase in suicidal thoughts.

There is a growing awareness that psychoactive treatments do not make the best default option for treating depression. Unfortunately they represent the easy option and of course make huge profits for the pharmaceutical industry.

> From The Guardian

> From The Observer

Almost every day I read a story from a different country describing the worsening state of mental health there. It’s difficult to tell whether this is a result of a genuine trend or simply a greater awareness of mental health problems. Either way I tend not to link to these stories because of their sad monotony. Instead I think I will add them to a roll call.

The first two countries are China and India. The report from China says that over a fifth of children suffer some emotional problems.

> From BBC News

“…the chances that 15-year-olds will have behavioural problems such as lying, stealing and being disobedient, have more than doubled. The rate of emotional problems such as anxiety and depression has increased by 70% among adolescents, according to the biggest time trend study conducted in Britain.”

> From The Guardian

> From The Guardian (Comment)