Are anti-depressants the answer?

The Health and Social Care Information Centre has revealed that more than 50 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were issued last year, the highest ever number and 7.5% up on the year before.

Nice guidelines state that the first line of treatment for mild to moderate depression should be talking therapy. What is going wrong? Are there a lack of therapies availble? Are GPs too stretched to do more than offer an anti-depressants. Are we as a nation medicalising every low mood which is part of daily lfe. I have known anti-depressants prescribed when someone has a relationship break down. This is a normal part of life and we should be supporting each other to cope. Do we give enough time to our friends and do they give time to us? I seem to be asking a lot of questions but don't know the answers. Read more at:

http://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/HSCIC_reveal_more_than_50_million_antidepressant_prescriptions_issued_last_year_83288.aspx?utm_source=http%3a%2f%2fnews.pavpub.com%2folmgroup_prolz%2f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MHTnews6813&utm_term=Mental+Health+Today+news+1-6+August%3a+Dementia+risks+from+rugby+highlighted&utm_content=42775

Talk about Mental Health

Time to change has launched their 'Time to Talk' Campaign today. See how you can be involved and reduce the stigma for people with mental illness.

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/talk-about-mental-health

Volunteer at a Time to Change Village this summer

The Time to Change Village is a pop-up interactive space where the public can learn about mental health, by having conversations with people with first-hand experience of the issues. Through talking to our volunteers, they can learn more about what it’s really like to live with a mental health problem, and change some of their prejudices and preconceptions.

See more...

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/news/volunteer-time-change-village-summer

Positive blog on student mental health

Read about a student's difficult experiences and how finding the right support at university helped. If you are a university student make sure you find out about the support services at your university as they can really help.

http://www.mind.org.uk/blog/8549_lets_talk_about_student_mental_health

Psychosis is nothing like a badger.

The link below takes you to a great video from a guy who has experienced psychosis. It really helps to explain the condition in a fun way. If we are ever to end the stigma around mental illness and allow people to be open and honest about their mental health then we need to keep talking about it. A student once told me that she did not understand mental illness and it scared her because no one talked about it. We need to talk about our mental health and illness until it becomes a common topic and is no longer a mystery which we fear.

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/blog/psychosis-nothing-badger

Anxiety or depression affects nearly one in five UK adults

Information from the Office for National Statistics.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jun/19/anxiety-depression-office-national-statistics

Britons lack mental health knowledge

Most people in the UK know more about physical conditions rather than than mental health conditions and feel more confident dealing with a physical health emergency than a mental health crisis, a survey has found.

See more on this artlicle here.

 http://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/britons_lack_mental_health_knowledge_survey_finds.aspx?utm_source=http%3a%2f%2fnews.pavpub.com%2folmgroup_prolz%2f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MHTnews18613&utm_term=Mental+Health+Today+news+12-18+June%3a+perinatal+mental+health%2c+schizophrenia+re-brand+and+more&utm_content=42775

Order your free starter guide to mental illness here.

http://www.mentalhealthsos.org/