A mental health trust in Sussex has today released advice for those struggling to cope with the start of the new year.

2011 was a difficult year for Britain, with widespread financial instability, redundancies, service cuts, mounting debts, fee increases and riots.

Lisa Rodrigues, chief executive of the Sussex Partnership HNS Trust, has recognised that life is tough for everyone, but especially for those suffering hardship.

Rodrigues said: “mental health services can’t make people’s lives easier, but they can help people to cope with what life brings, however hard it may be.”

Her tips for people who want to improve their mental health in these troubling times are as follows:

1. Keep active – exercise really does noticeably change the way you feel by releasing certain feel-good hormones. Not only does it make you happier, it keeps your body looking healthy and working properly. It can also help people suffering from serious mental illnesses such as psychosis.

2. Eat well – research has revealed significant links between eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and protein, with an improvement in mental health. Diet is important – you will notice that if you eat junk food, you feel worse even if you enjoyed it at the time.

3. Sleep well – try to go to bed at a reasonable time, allowing you to have 6-8 hours of sleep at night. Relax before bed – don’t work at the computer, play games, watch TV or drink caffeine before sleeping as these activities act as stimulants and will keep your brain awake.

4. Don’t drink too much – we all enjoy a drink every now and then, but moderation is essential. If you are feeling low, alcohol will act as a depressant and make you feel even worse. Find another way to distract yourself, like immersing yourself in a book or a film.

5. Keep a social life – sometimes it is an effort to socialise when you don’t feel like it. Forcing yourself to get out and keep in touch with family and friends is important and will make you feel better.

6. Talk about it – if you think you might need professional help, don’t be afraid to seek it. Admitting to a problem is the first step towards fighting it. We all feel sad sometimes, but if the feeling won’t go then you may benefit from some external advice or treatment.

7. Go outside – fresh air really is medicine. Going for a walk in the park or by the sea can do wonders for your mind. It will replenish your oxygen supplies, heighten your senses and maybe even take your mind off things.

8. Think of 3 good things – when things are particularly tough and you struggle to find any positive aspects to your life, force yourself to write 3 good things down. This can involve even the smallest achievement or event – from getting out of bed, to someone smiling at you in the street. Reading back at the end of the week will make you realise that not all is bad.

9. Help someone – sometimes all we need is to feel a little compassion. Doing something good for someone not only spreads goodwill, it also makes you feel better. Human beings are social creatures – it makes sense that helping each other makes us happy.

To find out more about how talking to a counsellor could help you,  please browse our Types of Distress section, or find a counsellor using our search tool. 

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Macau, one of two special administrative regions of the PR of China, along with Hong Kong is in the midst of a gambling craze, which has raised fears among some people about the problem of addiction there.

Gambling has been legal in Macau for more then 150 years, but in the last decade it has expanded its gambling industry, increasing the number of gambling licences from one to six. This growth is set to earn the former Portuguese colony five times more than Las Vegas this year.

It is the only place in the whole of China where it is legal to gamble in a casino, welcoming the majority of its guests from the mainland, with an estimated 10 million entering through its border this year alone.

Seiko Lee who runs the SKH Gambling Counselling and Family Wellness Centre, which was set up last year to offer help and support to people with betting problems has said that some individuals such as young people working in the casinos are particularly vulnerable to gambling when they see just how much money can be won.

One young gambler, who wanted to remain anonymous, admitted to visiting casinos almost every day, betting away more than half of his wages at the height of his problem.

He said, “When I was not at the casino I used to do sports betting on the internet from home.”

Seiko Lee revealed they had even taken a call at their counselling centre from a secondary school that had uncovered a well-established gambling ring and wanted help.

With China’s continuing growth, Macau will be supplied with even more keen gamblers who are willing to spend their money. As gaming revenue makes up nearly half of the regions income and provides jobs in casinos for one in five workers, this is something Macau cannot afford to welcome with open arms.

View the original BBC News article here.

According to government figures, more than 80,000 people in Britain claim incapacity benefits because they are obese, drug addicts or alcoholics.

The Department for Work and Pensions has said that over one quarter of those 80,000 had not been in employment for an entire decade and campaigners have estimated that less than 10 per cent of problem drinkers are receiving any form of help.

There have been various pilot schemes which endeavoured to determine whether individuals were capable of going back to work, but none have been a full proof success and campaigners expressed concerns over whether there was enough support to help people back into work.

As part of overhauling the process, the government has released details of 81,670 people who are claiming incapacity benefit as a result of alcohol, drug and obesity issues.

The figures show that as of last August, 42,360 claimants has an alcohol addiction, 37,480 were drug dependant and 1,800 were obese.

When further broken down the figures revealed that 12,800 alcoholics, 9,200 drug addicts and 600 obese people have been claiming the benefit for over ten years.

Employment minister Chris Grayling has said the problem needs to be addressed.

“It is not fair on anyone for this situation to continue,” he said. “Far from being the safety net it should be, the benefits system has trapped thousands of people in a cycle of addiction and welfare dependency with no prospect of getting back to work.

“All of those are conditions which are treatable, which are able to be overcome if we give people the right support.” He said.

Mr Grayling said that various voluntary and private organisations had agreed to invest £580m in helping to treat addicts and prepare them for employment.

If you are struggling with alcohol addiction or drug abuse , please visit our fact-sheets for further information about how counselling could help.

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A recent study has revealed that young people who smoke cannabis stand an increased risk of developing psychosis.

A study conducted by a research team from Germany, the Institute of Psychiatry London and the Netherlands has investigated the effects of smoking cannabis on 1,900 volunteers in Germany aged between 14 to 24, before following up the group after both three and eight years.

The results of the study found a link between psychosis and the early stages of cannabis use in young people who had previously not experienced any such symptoms (which included hallucinations, bizarre behaviour and hearing voices).

The team also found that mental health problems persisted in those who continued to use the drug  as opposed to those whose stopped, and furthermore, it may also increase the risk of lasting harm to mental health by making symptoms such as the above persist with continued use.

Despite arguments to the contrary this study has added weight to a growing body of research which suggests cannabis can cause symptoms of mental illness.

Professor of psychiatric research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Sir Robin Murray, has said that it is just one of many studies which are all coming forward and pointing in the same direction.

‘It adds new information by showing that it is those who show psychotic symptoms within a few years of initiating cannabis use who are especially likely to develop persistent psychotic symptoms if they persist in their use of cannabis.’ He said.

If you are addicted to drugs and are concerned about the impact it could be having on both your physical and mental health, you may find that counselling could be of benefit to you. View our fact-sheet on Drug Abuse for further information or alternatively, if you wish to discuss the matter with a counsellor directly then please visit the homepage and use the search tool to locate a qualified professional in your local area.

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The new project see’s the Footballer’s union PFS Scotland work alongside counselling group RCA who plan to begin the pilot scheme by giving information on gambling issues to a few of the country’s senior clubs.

Kevin Kyle is a striker for Hearts and as a player who has previously been struck with a gambling addiction, has welcomed the move to fully educate players about the risks of gambling.

Kyle also said that had there been a scheme such as this around when he was struggling with his gambling addiction, it might have helped him to avoid some of the problems he encountered.

The scheme not only hopes to help players understand the problems which come with excessive gambling, but also to educate the players about maintaining the integrity of the game.

If you are struggling to cope with a gambling addiction and you would like information about how counselling could help then please visit our fact-sheet on gambling addiction. Alternatively, if you would prefer to discuss this matter with a counsellor directly you can contact a qualified professional using the search tool located on the homepage.

According to a report compiled by the charity the number of individuals being treated in hospital for alcohol misuse has doubled between 2002-3 and 2009-10 and will continue to rise if there is no new investment in alcohol services to stop the rise.

The report includes recommendations for the introduction of specialist health workers across the health services and claims that it could save the NHS £3 for every £1 spent.

Alcohol Concern chief executive, Don Shenker said: “With the prime minister saying that NHS is becoming ‘increasingly unaffordable’, we can show how billions can be saved simply by introducing alcohol health workers in hospitals to help patients reduce their drinking”.

Shenker suggests that a modern investment in supporting those who do have drinking problems could lead to huge savings in the future.

If you are struggling to come to terms with a drinking problem and would like information about how counselling could help you then please visit our Alcohol Dependence fact-sheet. Alternatively if you would like to contact a qualified counsellor in your local area to discuss this matter or any other then you can use the search tool located on the homepage.

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Each year the Office for National Statistics publishes the Lifestyle Survey, a report which details the habits of adults in the UK.

After analysing the 2009 survey, researchers found that the average weekly consumption for managers was 13.5 units compared with 10.7 units for those in manual jobs.

Though current recommendations state that men should not exceed three to four units and women should not exceed two to three, around 41 per cent of male managers and 35 per cent of females managers exceeded these recommendations on at least one day in the week before taking part in the survey.

Individuals were also asked about heavy drinking (more than eight units for men and six for women), and found that 23 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women in managerial households had consumed this amount of alcohol on at least one day in the week before the survey.

Chief Executive of the charity Drinkaware, Chris Sorek has said that heavy drinking among professionals has now become a cultural problem. “While there continues to be a strong culture of drinking as part of professional roles it’s not surprising to see managers drinking more than manual workers. Meetings and get-togethers are all situations where professionals may feel under pressure to drink. We also know many de-stress with a drink at home after a long working day.” He said.

If you are concerned about the level of alcohol you are consuming on a regular basis than it is important you visit your GP who will be able to provide you with professional advice. An avenue which is recommended to many is that of counselling, which has been used as a method of dealing with alcohol dependency for many years. If you would like to find out more about how how counselling for alcohol dependency could benefit you then please refer to our online fact-sheet.

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The study in question involved rats feeding themselves by pressing a lever and encouraging them to repeat their behaviour by rewarding them at random.

Nowadays similar techniques are being used in the gaming industry such as players being randomly rewarded with extra lives or extra in-game features. These kinds of rewards form the basis of an addictive loop which works to keep gamers interested in playing.

Interactive Entertainment, the UK industry body is now calling for further research looking into the issue and are set to publish advice for parents detailing how to look out for excessive gaming traits in their children.

The BBC Panorama programme ‘Addicted to Games’ spoke to award winning computer games designer Adrian Hon, chief creative officer of SixToStart, who spoke about how the technique used on the rats back in the fifties was now commonplace in numerous computer games.

‘People have discovered that this works on humans as well. If you give people a lever or a button to press and give them random rewards, they will press it all the time’. He said.

The technique itself is actually known as the variable ratio of reinforcement and it is also thought to be one of the reasons many people become so addicted to slot machines.

As it stands addiction to computer games is not a recognised medical condition but many medical professionals such as Professor Mark Griffiths from Nottingham Trent University’s International Gaming Research Unit has advised that more research needs to be carried out on the issue.

‘People put money into alcohol and tobacco addiction maybe even gambling addiction but in gaming addiction it’s kind of so new people don’t see it as an important research area to look into.’He said.

If you are concerned that either yourself or someone you know are suffering from an addiction to computer games and would like to talk to a counsellor in complete confidence then please visit the homepage of this site to contact a qualified professional in your local area.

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Charities believe the best way to treat addiction is to attack the problem before it emerges, therefor educating adolescents about the dangers of alcohol before they encounter it.

One way of implementing such an idea is to use teacher therapists to identify problem personality traits in teenagers, helping them to understand their behaviour which could be key in preventing alcohol and drug abuse.

Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London, conducted a study which involved asking more than 1,000 13 year-olds at secondary schools in London to answer a variety of questions about their personalities.

Researchers were trying to spot pupils with four personality traits: negative thinking, anxiety, impulsiveness and sensation seeking.

Of the students they believed possessed these traits, half were given two tailored therapy sessions, one 90 minutes in length and the second an hour. The sessions were carried out in small groups and teenagers with particular personality traits were encouraged to explore their personalities including any strengths and difficulties.

The idea of the sessions was to help the students understand and think about alternative ways of dealing with the risks associated with that behaviour and to learn certain techniques that could help them to cope with their first drink/drugs encounter.

The results of the study were extremely positive with the 13 – 16 year olds involved standing a 40% reduced risk of binge drinking and an 80% reduced risk of taking cocaine.

When asked to give feedback the participants told the researchers that the sessions seemed to help them control and handle their anger and negative thinking.

The researchers who conducted the study have said they believe this system could be implemented quite easily and could be successfully delivered using just two counsellors per borough who would teach and advise the school staff on how to lead sessions.

Though it will cost money the long term investment can’t be ignored and could save the NHS billions in the future.

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The study found the services had ”little relevance” to minority groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups as well as disabled servicemen and those from mixed ethnic backgrounds.

All of the above minority groups are growing areas for concern and it is these communities that are most at risk of misusing drugs including steroids, viagra, heroin and cocaine.

The report found that overall drug use was most common in those from mixed ethnic backgrounds, with high levels of cannabis use, however drug services are unlikely to be sustainable in these types of communities.

Suggested measures from the report included ”appropriate data-gathering and intelligence sharing mechanisms” to flag up emerging drugs, as well as asking GP’s and religious leaders to use their positions to reinforce important messages about health risks.

If you feel like you may have a problem with drugs then it is important you consult your GP who will be able to provide you with professional advice. You may also find it useful to discuss your issues with a counsellor and if you would like to do so then please visit the homepage of this site to contact a counsellor in your local area. For more information on drug abuse please click here.

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