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Meditation Good For Psychiatrists' Mental Health
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07/05/2008 03:00 AM
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Meditation sessions are proving a hit for members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists at their Annual Meeting at Imperial College, London - with a growing number claiming they are turning to the spiritual discipline to combat anxiety and burnout. Meditation workshops, run by the College's 2,000-strong Spirituality Special Interest Group, are overbooked.
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Personal Self-awareness Good For Mental Health, Says Friar Jamison - Royal College Of Psychiatrists Annual Meeting
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07/05/2008 03:00 AM
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Religion can provide a "cure for the soul" by educating people to be self-aware and accepting that their inner world has an impact on the world outside, Friar Christopher Jamison, abbot of Worth Abbey and star of the BBC documentary series The Monastery told the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Annual Meeting this week.
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Death Of Psychiatric Patient At New York Hospital Underscores Mental Health Care Crisis
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07/04/2008 06:00 AM
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The reported death of a woman at King's County Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., illustrates the dire need for more public services for individuals with mental illness, according to the American Psychiatric Association. According to news reports, a woman who was suffering from agitation and psychosis, was kept waiting in the emergency room for almost 24 hours because the hospital reportedly did not have a bed available for psychiatric patients.
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Mental Health Treatment: It's Commonly Accepted Yet Not So Easy To Obtain Or Understand
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07/04/2008 05:00 AM
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Seeing a psychologist or other mental health professional isn't an unusual thing; in fact it's relatively common. Nearly three in ten U.S. adults (29%) report that they have received treatment or therapy from a psychologist or other mental health professional. The survey also found that younger adults are more open to seeking mental health treatment than those over 50 and that many adults are not discouraged from seeking treatment because of stigma or fear of others finding out.
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Georgia To Offer More Community Living Alternatives For Individuals With Disabilities
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07/04/2008 04:00 AM
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More than 2,300 individuals with disabilities currently institutionalized in Georgia's eight public psychiatric hospitals and mental retardation facilities will have the opportunity to live in their communities with appropriate supports tailored to meet their individualized needs as a result of a settlement agreement between the state of Georgia and the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
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North Carolina Mental Health Parity Law Takes Effect
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07/03/2008 01:00 PM
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North Carolina health care insurers must provide the same amount of coverage for certain mental conditions as they do for physical ailments under a state law that took effect on Tuesday, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.
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People Caught Up In Terrorist Attacks More Resilient Than Previously Thought
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07/03/2008 12:00 PM
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People caught up in terrorist attacks or natural disasters are more resilient, both as individuals and in groups, than previously thought. Far from being passive "victims" they can be highly organised survivors, so much so that they should be involved in drafting mental health guidelines to deal with major disasters.
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Pilot Project To Help Service Veterans Readjust To Civilian Life
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07/03/2008 06:00 AM
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Military personnel exiting war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan could soon be helped to kick behaviour - including heavy drinking and dangerous driving - which keeps them alive in the theatre of war, but is not conducive to civilian life.
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Internet Addiction: A Novel Disease Or A Bad Habit?
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07/03/2008 06:00 AM
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It is impossible to deny the incredible significance of the internet and the effects its development has had on the world. Today the internet touches nearly every aspect of our daily lives; we shop online, we keep in touch through email, banking and credit can be taken care of through one click of a mouse, news from all over the world blinks up at us from the screen every time we log on, and communities of people from all over the planet are connected.
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Minister Moloney Confirms Disability Developments To Go Ahead, Ireland
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07/03/2008 03:00 AM
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The Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Disabilty & Mental Health, John Moloney T.D., has confirmed that new developments for disability services are to proceed as planned this year. The Minister said that he had been assured by the HSE that, while the commencement of some services had been delayed this year due to a financial review, the HSE was now in a position to roll-out the planned disability developments as outlined in its 2008 Service Plan.
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NARSAD Appoints Lou Innamorato As Acting President
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07/02/2008 06:00 PM
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NARSAD's Board of Directors announced that its President and Chief Executive Officer Geoff Birkett has resigned to pursue other opportunities. During Mr. Birkett's tenure, he ran the organization with a new energy and focus. The Chief Financial Officer, Lou Innamorato, will serve as Acting President as the Board begins the search for a new President and Chief Executive Officer. NARSAD is the world's leading charity dedicated to mental health research.
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Royal College Of Psychiatrists Launches Three-Year Campaign To Tackle Inequalities In Mental Health, UK
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07/02/2008 05:00 PM
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In a major new report launched, the Royal College of Psychiatrists calls for action to end the inequalities faced by people with mental health problems. Following consultation with psychiatrists, service users and carers across the UK, the College has drawn up its Fair Deal manifesto to highlight the problems that people with both mental health problems and learning disabilities encounter daily in terms of their health, life chances and inclusion.
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Statement On Death Of Mental Health Patient In Psychiatric Emergency Room Of Kings County Hospital
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07/02/2008 04:00 PM
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The reports of the death of a mental health patient in the Kings County Hospital psychiatric emergency room are deeply troubling and demand further investigation to determine the root cause of this incident. Given the problems that were first raised in a federal lawsuit filed a year ago, it should also spur greater scrutiny of the hospital's administration and practices.
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Study Examines Mental Health Coverage In State Health Care Initiatives
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07/02/2008 03:00 PM
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"Coverage for All: Inclusion of Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders in State Healthcare Reform Initiatives," National Alliance on Mental Illness/National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare: The study finds that more than one in four uninsured U.S.
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Mind Comments On The Darzi Review, UK
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07/01/2008 07:00 AM
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Lord Darzi has set the course for future mental health care with a review that for the first time puts mental health at the heart of the NHS. However, leading mental health charity Mind warns that there are still areas of inequality on the road ahead that must be urgently addressed. For example, the conditions of some inpatient wards where vulnerable patients are routinely accommodated on mixed sex wards are unacceptable.
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Researchers Unable To Agree On Predictors Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
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07/01/2008 05:00 AM
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Studies exploring potential predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) following major trauma have resulted in varied conclusions. While a number of risk factors such as injury severity, demographic factors and compensation-related factors have been identified, none is strong enough to reliably predict which patient will develop the disorder. PTSD is characterized by flashbacks of the event, anxiety, and social withdrawal.
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NHS Constitution Will Give People With Mental Illness Legal Right To Choose Treatments, UK
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07/01/2008 03:00 AM
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The proposed NHS Constitution will make it a legal right to receive treatments recommended by NICE. This will mark a particularly radical improvement for people affected by mental illness. Right now NICE says people with schizophrenia should be given a choice about medication but a new Rethink survey shows only 33% are actually getting that choice. The vast majority aren't offered any alternatives, and often have to put up with horrible side-effects that might be avoidable.
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European CHMP Issues Positive Opinion On Cymbalta For The Treatment Of Generalised Anxiety Disorder
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06/29/2008 03:00 AM
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Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE: LLY) and Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has issued a positive opinion supporting the approval of Cymbalta® (duloxetine hydrochloride) for the treatment of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
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New Subcommittee Of HHS' National Biodefense Science Board To Look At Mental Health Consequences Of Disasters
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06/27/2008 07:00 PM
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it is convening a group of national experts to develop recommendations on protecting, preserving and restoring individual and community mental health in catastrophic events. Studies show that mental health and substance use concerns increase during and after disasters and other public health and medical emergencies. These conditions include stress, insomnia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Despite Some Inadequate Treatment Of PTSD In VA Health Care Syst., Federal Judge Finds No 'Systemic Violations,' Overrules Court Order For Improvement
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06/27/2008 02:00 PM
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U.S. District Judge Samuel Conti on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to force changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs' health care system, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/26). The lawsuit was filed by two groups, the
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Kansas City Star Columnist Looks At Hispanic Mental Health Findings
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06/27/2008 12:00 PM
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Kansas City Star columnist Steve Penn on Monday examined a recent report that shows Hispanics "appear to be at a higher risk and may suffer disproportionately from several mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety and substance abuse" and "are the least likely to receive the treatment they need.
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UNICEF Issues Major Report On Iodine Deficiency Highlighting Principles For Success
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06/27/2008 09:00 AM
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UNICEF issued a major report on Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), the single greatest cause of preventable mental retardation, which looks at progress made in preventing the problem over the past two decades, lessons learned and guiding principles for future success.
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Psychologist's Agree Prisoners Need More Access To Therapy, UK
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06/27/2008 07:00 AM
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The British Psychological Society welcomes and supports the recent report from Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (SCMH), 'From the inside', on the urgent need to address the mental health issues of prison inmates. The report states that prisoners need access to psychological therapy to help them to overcome the trauma and abuse many of them have experienced.
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Tips To Keep Children Safe Online
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06/27/2008 06:00 AM
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The chances of being harassed or sexually solicited online increases when young people interact with others via instant messaging and chat rooms. These forums may encourage impulsive and risk-taking behavior. The July 2008 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter describes several risky electronic arenas and offers tips to help keep kids safe.
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APA Hails House Action Ending 40 Years Of Discrimination
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06/26/2008 06:00 PM
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The American Psychiatric Association (APA) applauds House passage of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, which overhauls key features in Medicare coverage of treatment for mental health, most notably by reducing the discriminatory 50 percent coinsurance patients must pay for outpatient mental health services to the same 20 percent co-payment charged for all other Medicare Part B services. The House passed H.R. 6331 by a vote of 355 to 59.
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