Government 'to expend £400m on mental health'

The government is planning to spend a large sum of money on tackling mental health problems in the UK, aiming to get additional people back to work. The government is to spend £400 million on tackling the way mental health is treated on the NHS, according to reports. Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg is to announce the move in the new few days, which aims to end the stigma surrounding mental health, treating it as equal to physical sickness or injury.

One target is to "cure" up to one million wounded in the next four years, in an effort to get those signed off work for mental health issues back in jobs. There will also be an emphasis on ending the "Prozac nation", in which doctors apparently just prescribe pills to patients with a variety of different conditions. This comes after findings reported by the Alzheimer's Society said that a quarter of a million individuals with dementia are being let down by their home care. Fifty per cent of carers claimed the patient was not receiving sufficient care and support.

Sleeping disorders guide to Mental Health Problems

Sleep is essential to our health and to the normality of our lifestyle. Many of us love to sleep and expend a lot of time doing that. But what most people do not know is that sleep is indeed important for our mental and physical health. Most surely you have felt bad or without being able to concentrate on certain things after having lost a night’s sleep at a party or if you had been unable to fall asleep. Sleep depravation ca have serious effects on people’s mental health causing them many time to actually fall apart.

A modern report published by the Mental Health Foundation in UK emphasizes all these facts. Sleep is important in our every day life if we want to maintain a relationship, if we want to professionally handle our job or if we want to normally interact with others. Insomnia represents a major health issue affecting in time every segment of our life. The percentage of those suffering from insomnia in UK alone is of 30, which represents fairly a large one. Sleeping disorders have been linked to people’s inability to have a good relationship, to do well at their work site or to form social relationships with others. A survey taken by almost 7,000 people showed that those with sleeping problems are four times more prone to having relationship problems, three times more level to lack of concentration and depression.

Medicine helps patients with mental illness stop smoking

The medication varenicline may be of particular advantage in helping patients with mental illness to stop smoking, researchers have found. According to background information supplied by the researchers, varenicline reduces symptoms of withdrawal and also reduces the reinforcement received from nicotine while smoking. Against that background, a total of 22 patients were randomly assigned to receive either varenicline or placebo for three weeks. The patients underwent functional magnetic timbre imaging scans before and after the treatment period, during which they viewed short video-clips, which included scenes that involved smoking and scenes that did not. In scans performed before treatment, the viewing of smoking cues activated brain areas known as the ventral striatum and medial orbitofrontal cortex and also elicited reports of cravings, whereas the viewing of impartial cues did not.

After the treatment period, similar patterns persisted in patients who had taken placebo, whereas those treated with varenicline experienced a decrease in both brain activity and reported cravings in response to smoking cues. In a scan taken while the individuals were at rest before viewing the videos, participants who took varenicline showed a greater activation in the brain area known as tangential orbitofrontal cortex than did those who took placebo. Increased activation in this area predicted a blunted response in the medial orbitofrontal cortex when the smoking cues were shown. “The results of our study reveal a distinctive new action of varenicline that may contribute to its clinical efficacy,” the authors concluded. “Unsuccessful smoking cessation is more widespread in individuals with psychiatric illness, suggesting that they have greater difficulty quitting.

NAMI free course dealing with mental illness

The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) will be submission a free 12-week course for families coping with mental illness. The Family-to-Family Education program is for people who have a close family member with a serious mental illness. Sponsored by NAMI, the program is facilitated by a team of trained family members who know what it’s like to have a loved one who is afflicted. The next Family-to-Family course will be offered on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, situated at 5200 Fannin.

The program will give current information about schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder and co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders, as well as up-to-date information about medications, side effects and strategies for medication adherence. Additionally, those who attend will learn, among other things, the current research related to the biology of brain disorders, the most effective treatments to promote recovery, problem solving, listening and communication techniques, strategies for handling crises and relapse, and guidance on locating appropriate support and services within the community. All instruction and course supplies are free to class participants.

Mental health system weakening to spot danger

Our mental health system is out of order. One must commit a crime before being admitted to a jail or hospital for help. To expect a deranged person to suddenly take responsibility for his or her instruction properly is unlikely. Maybe we should expand our mental hospitals with caring supervision, and keep some of the dangerous psychotics off the streets and out of the firearm shops!

Families Dealing with Mental Illnesses look for Help

In the wake of the Tuscan shootings, mental illnesses and the laws surrounding it have taken a national focus. The illness effects millions of families including ones here in the Ark-La-Tex.
Texarkana resident Nina Fairchild says her mother Brenda Moore is bi-polar and schizophernic. Moore took a turn for the not as good as last April.

Fairchild says her mother hears voices and continually writes bizarre letters. Part of the mental disorder, especially in schizophernia, involves a lack of insight. According to law, adults can't be forced to take medication unless they are direct threat to themselves or someone else. The National Alliance on Mental Health provides maintain for patients and their families.

Doctors to assess mental health efforts

Initiatives at Barrington High School to raise awareness about teenage mental illness in the wake of a number of suicides in new years will be critiqued by doctors under a new partnership announced Wednesday. The doctors from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University will evaluate such labors as policies and procedures, programs, resources and communication surrounding mental health issues. They also will offer recommendations for improvements.

The Skokie-based Cheryl T. Herman Foundation, which supports education, diagnosis and treatment connected to depression, bipolar disorders and associated illnesses, is funding the partnership. Dr. John Zajecka, an associate professor of psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center who specializes in bipolar disorder, depressive disorders and mood disorders is one doctor and the other is psychologist Mark Reinecke, a professor and chief of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Feinberg School of Medicine. His specialty is developmental psychopathology of depression and suicide, and the treatment of teenager depression.

Image Center provides opportunities for folks with mental illness

The Image Center, located at EFK Plaza in Herkimer, is a social organization operated by Upstate Cerebral Palsy. The Image Center provides an environment for individuals with a mental illness to gather and experience leisure and entertainment opportunities with specially trained staff on site. Individuals may enjoy a variety of leisure time activities with friends such as bingo, board games, trips and parties. The center is ready with a pool table, air hockey table, Nintendo Wii, big screen television and a Karaoke machine. In order to be eligible to receive services at the center, individuals must be over the age of 18, diagnosed with a mental illness living in Herkimer County and getting mental health services.

Help mentally sick

No one chooses to have a mental illness. There are good studies to show that the vast majority of people who live with mental illness are never aggressive and that most violent people are not mentally ill. Nevertheless, with the horrendous tragedy in Tucson there are some things we as a society should face. We do not provide enough care for people with mental illness.

The Downtown Eastside has hundreds of people who do not have sufficient care plans and who, by being in that environment, are severely addicted to drugs as they self-medicate. Whatever you think about police use of force, half the people shot by police turn out to be suffering from mental disorders. I understand we have limited resources and many competing demands for tax dollars, but we need to remember to care for those who need help and are often the last ones who will be able to ask for it. We need to fund supportive housing and adequate care plans so people with mental illness can live with respect and poise.

Few youth with Mental Disorders Get Proper Care

A large percentage of young people who suffer from severe mental disorders are not receiving sufficient care, according to data from a survey of more than 10,000 teens (ages 13-18), funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The researchers tracked how often these teens reported having ever received services to treat their specific mental disorder, as well as what type of help they received and how often they received it. Specifically, only about 36 percent suffering with a lifetime mental disorder received help; only half of these teens who were considerably impaired by their mental disorder received professional mental health care.

Furthermore, 68 percent of the youth who were able to receive professional care visited a provider fewer than six times during their lifetime. Professional help was highest for teens with ADHD (60 percent), and behavior disorders such as conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder (45 percent). For those with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or depression, 38 percent received services, and 18 percent of teens with an anxiety disorder received help. Fifteen percent of teens with a matter use disorder received care, and 13 percent with an eating disorder received services.

Mental health director in bathroom camera appeal deal

A mental health agency director charged with hiding a video camera in a bathroom will beg guilty to nine misdemeanor charges under an agreement with prosecutors. An attorney for Joseph Newell, executive director of Mid-Shore Mental Health Systems Inc. in Easton, announced the plea deal agreement with prosecutors during a pretrial hearing Friday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed and a appeal hearing was scheduled for Feb. 3.Newell, who is charged with hiding a video camera in a unisex bathroom at the agency's offices, was placed on indefinite administrative leave after he was charged in June. Easton police have said the camera restricted a memory card with video of Newell installing the device.

Closure of expert unit forces mental health patients

The closure of a specialist unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary resulted in mental health patients being sent to A&E.Specialist care was previously provided for people experiencing mental health harms at the Psychiatric Emergency Assessment Referral and Liaison (PEARL) service at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester Evening News reported."Following feedback from service users and carers regarding issues of privacy and dignity in PEARL and the increasing lengths of stay of patients, the offered unit was closed," a spokesman said.

“It was replaced with immediate result by an A&E liaison service staffed by our highly qualified, experienced and professional team."Bosses have denied the move was to cut costs. It also revealed there would be no job losses. Manchester Mental Health and Social Care is planning a full review of urgent mental health care in the area. Last month, it was revealed that a quarter of all charities and voluntary groups in Greater Manchester would close due to government cuts in expenditure.

Gucci Mane Suffer From Mental Disorders

Gucci Mane has never presented himself as a well-read emcee with poetic depth. Although the majority of his rhymes are nonsensical and lack critical thinking, most of his fans would've never speculated that he is mentally incompetent. On Jan. 4, 2011, Gucci Mane avoided going to jail after he filed a plea claiming that he is "unable to go forward and/or intelligently participate in the probation revocation hearing." Gucci Mane was finally committed to a mental health treatment center where his condition is being evaluated.

Although it could be a last-minute ploy by Gucci Mane to avoid returning to jail, his willingness to admit that he suffers from mental issues should raise awareness about the troubles that many people in the hip-hop generation deal with alone. While young adults who grow up in more rich homes are likely to receive counseling or medication, there are thousands of youth who suffer from mental health issues that go untreated. Instead, these individuals are likely to deal with their issues by self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, becoming involved in crime, or falling into a deep despair. It's important to know the symptoms of mental health disorders so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated.

Symptoms of Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is a psychiatric condition. It is a mental disorder that causes a victim to experience and display depressive mood, mood swings, and excessive excitement, which are generally accompanied with distorted perceptions.

The symptoms of this disorder become obvious before the age of fifteen. They are similar to those of psychotic features of bipolar disorder, recurrent depression, and schizophrenia.

The following are the top five symptoms of schizoaffective disorder:

1) Depression symptoms: Schizoaffective disorder symptoms include depression symptoms. These symptoms vary in severity from one person to another. Some of the symptoms are poor hunger, guilt, inability to focus, loss of interest in social activities, lack of energy, restlessness, sleeplessness or excessive sleeping, and suicidal thoughts.

2) Manic symptoms: Signs of schizoaffective disorder include manic symptoms such as puffed up self-esteem, excessive distraction, little or no sleep, excessive or rapid talking, and increased activity in social or sexual areas, and dangerous or reckless behaviors. These symptoms occur in schizoaffective bipolar disorder, which is a subtype of schizoaffective disorder.

3) Schizophrenia symptoms: A major part of schizoaffective symptoms are schizophrenia symptoms. These are disorganized thinking, hallucination, unusual behavior, delusions - thought patterns have no touch with truth, imaginary beliefs, slow movements, lack of expressions in speech or action, low motivation, and disinterest in most life activities.

4) Major depressive disorder symptoms: Constant depression, fatigue, indecisiveness, frequent agitation, recurrent suicidal thoughts or attempts, extreme or almost no sleep, feelings of being worthless, and frequent self-blame.

5) Schizoaffective disorder includes most of the symptoms of schizophrenia coupled with depression symptoms or manic symptoms or major depressive disorder symptoms. When the schizophrenia disorder symptoms are joined with manic disorder symptoms or mixed symptoms, it is diagnosed as schizoaffective bipolar disorder.

Free class helps people manage with mental disorders

Everyone benefits when people learn to live well with brain disorders. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is contribution a free class to anyone with mental illness. The course, Peer-to-Peer, will cover information about PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, relapse prevention, medication, addiction, communication, relationships, coping skills, stigma, problem solving, recovery, advance information for psychiatric care, and more.

It has been shown that psycho-education is a significant reason in the number of symptom recurrences. The class is 10 weeks long, two hours per week, starting March 3 in Grass Valley, at 6:30 p.m. It will focus on establishing and maintaining wellness. Some participants have said: “I learned more in these (10) weeks than I have in the last 20 years.” “There is a magic that happens when one person recovering from mental illness shares with another.” “Participants are provoked to take the next step in their recovery.”

New kits hoist mental health awareness

A MENTAL health crusade hopes to raise awareness by sponsoring the shirts of three children’s football teams. Time to Change is backing the three under-eight sides in Colden Common, which play in the Mini Soccer League. The campaign hopes to reduce the stigma attached to mental health issues, and has provided the football kits to get its message across. The national campaign, which is backed by the Premier League and Sport Relief, is run on a provincial basis by health chiefs in Dorset.

Gail Taylor from Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust said: “The local Time to Change Dorset group decided to back the three junior teams as an ideal way to target both children and their parents. “The shirts will see 150 boys and girls benefit from the donation and, given that each team plays in a league of at least 12 other teams, 360 other boys and girls will play against them each year. “This means that the ‘Time to Change’ message will be seen by over 2,000 boys and girls and their families over the predictable five year life of the shirts.”