Heart vs Mind: What Makes Us Human?

Really interesting programme on BBC4 last night about whether the heart is where the emotions live or whether it is just a pump. You can watch Heart vs Mind: What Makes Us Human? on BBC iPlayer

25th July Implementing Recovery Lunchtime Webinar

The Implementing Recovery through Organisational Change project supports mental health providers in focusing their services around the principles of recovery.  You can access their Recovery Colleges webinar at 12:30 on 25 July. 

Book your place here http://www.nhsconfed.org/Events/Pages/RecoveryColleges.aspx

I will be accessing the Webinar (I hope - it will be my first time trying this) along with colleagues from the North Wales and North Powys Recovery Network.  I'll let you know how it goes ...

Mood Disorder Centre

Many years ago I was a student at Exeter University down in Devon. I still receive the regular Alumnae magazine, and last week one of the main articles was all about the Mood Disorder Centre at the University. I was amazed at the amount of research currently taking place.

You can read all about the Centre here.

There are options for people to take part in numerous studies, including, for example, looking at online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for women experiencing post-natal depression; a study about the relationship between exercise and bipolar disorder; and work considering how people view depression.

You can also download a podcast from the Centre's webpages in which Professor Dave Richards talks about depression and the work of the Mood Disorder Centre.

And there is a useful page of resources for those experiencing depression here.

Mental Health: The Myth of the Chemical Cure

Last week my colleague Glynis Luke attended a really interesting event organised by Lewes Skeptics down in East Sussex. She was very lucky to get a ticket at all, as they sold out in 24 hours! Dr Joanna Moncrieff, Senior Clinical Lecturer in psychiatry at University College London, spoke to a packed audience at The Elephant & Castle pub in Lewes. As it said in the publicity blurb:

"Joanna Moncrieff challenges the view that drugs like ‘antidepressants’ and ‘anti psychotics’ remedy mental disorders in the same way that medical drugs treat asthma or diabetes. She argues that psychiatric drugs cause rather than cure chemical imbalances, and change the way we normally think and feel."

Glynis felt that Dr Moncrieff spoke with real passion and knowledge about her subject, and asked me to share a podcast of the event with a wider audience. The podcast concludes with a very robust question and answer session.

You can link to the podcast on the Lewes Skeptics blog page.

A mental health project with Mid and West Wales FRS

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service have worked with Hywel Dda Health Board on an innovative new project.

BBC Radio 4 - All in the Mind

One of my favourite radio programmes is Radio 4's All in the Mind. The programme "explores the limits and potentials of the human mind", and is usually presented by Claudia Hammond. 

The trouble is,  I'm not always in when the programmes are broadcast.... Sometimes I might even be at work for Powys Agency for Mental Health! So... the ideal solution for me is BBC iPlayer. 

Claudia Hammond

The latest programme (26 June edition) features Richard Mabey on depressive illness, ecotherapy, and the evidence for 'green therapy'. 

There are currently 96 programmes available to listen to here. The only question now is.... which one to listen to first?

Safety warning over Britain’s most common antidepressant

The Sunday Telegraph today published an article relating the results of a study into the effects of a widely prescribed antidepressant, Citalopram.
You can find out more here.