According to an article over on the Guardian, mental health services are being ignored by the NHS.

The Healthcare Commission reported in its annual review that the NHS is performing better than ever. However not all waiting times are measured: the report ignored the lack of access to areas of care in mental health, with some referrals for psychological ‘talking’ therapies taking up to two years.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been recommending psychological therapies for people with a range of mental illnesses for years, however according to Rethink, 68% of people with schizophrenia are not getting this treatment.

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The credit crunch is already affecting most of us, and for those in debt crisis who are struggling with debts and meeting repayments, this can be a scary time. Free, personal help is extremely important and the sooner help is sought, the better. But where do you go to get the right help?

Non-profit debt counselling with someone who is paid to help you on a one-on-one basis is often the first place to start if you’re in debt crisis. CCCS, National Debtline and Citizens Advice Bureau all offer free advice and they’ll be able to show you how to prioritise the most important debts and may even set you up on a debt management plan.

Unfortunately it can sometimes take a while to get an appointment so using the information on their website can help while you wait. There are also local debt counselling charities such as Christians Against Poverty that may be able to help.

For those who are not in debt crisis, but would like to talk to someone about their financial situation, there are debt counsellors who will charge an hourly fee to set up a debt management plan (they will also be able to deal with stress, anxiety and depression which financial problems can often cause).

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According to the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) a survey has been published saying that self-harm, anorexia, aggression and bullying are the results of increasing childhood stress. The teachers and lecturers believe that the children today are under a lot more pressure than 10 years ago. The stress that children are experiencing is caused by different issues, tests and exams, also home life and family break ups.

With the increase of young people committing suicide this has attracted media attention and is highlighting that there are issues that some children cannot deal with. There is a need for mental health care to be available in schools for the children that need it.

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The current publicity surrounding the suicide rate among young people has bought mental health issues back into the news. A recent article in the Guardian highlights the fact that data on suicides among young people is ‘unrealistic’ (due to the number of attempts that fail and the inaccurate recording of suicides by coroners due to lack of evidence) and that “Bridgend does not deserve to be demonised - just to get better counselling facilities”

Steve Walker, from Anglia Ruskin University says, “What is being obscured in the current publicity is the sheer scale of mental health problems in children and young people which is being denied, avoided and neglected by adults, leading them to feel hopeless and helpless, and left to contemplate a devastating final act of desperation”.

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As concern continues mounting about the high suicide rate in and around the Bridgend area, young people are being urged to talk about their problems with counsellors. Ms Dalgleish, manager of youth counselling for Bridgend Council’s youth services, said “counselling can offer a release to young people struggling to cope with problems, although it will not necessarily provide all the answers.” Ms Dalgleish highlighted the importance of “talking” and went on to say “we may not solve the problems but there is a release from talking to someone impartial.”

Health Charity, Mind Cymru, has announced that a suicide prevention strategy for the whole of Wales is long overdue. Health Minister, Edwina Hart, has revealed the strategy is being accelerated after the death of yet another teenager in the Bridgend area. School-based counselling services are among the recommendations and will receive £6.5m over three years.

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According to researchers, the suicide rate among young men in England and Wales is at the lowest for 30 years. Lead researcher David Gunnell believes that favourable changes in several different factors, including the levels of unemployment, substance misuse and antidepressant prescribing may have contributed to the reductions. Another key factor, according to the research, has been the cut in toxins in vehicle exhaust fumes because of catalytic converters, which makes it harder for people to commit suicide.

However, Alison Cobb from Mind believes there’s still a lot of work to be done to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems and Marjorie Wallace from Sane, said: “we must fight to raise awareness of the complex triggers to suicide, and make available treatments such as talking therapies immediately when the warning signs are identified.”

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According to recent news a commons committee has expressed that GPs have been over prescribing and not following up the length of time people should be on certain drugs such as tranquilizers. More and more of the British public are taking drugs and turning into a ‘pill-popping nation’ with a tablet for every problem. In actual fact, one reason people are taking tablets is because of the general increase in depression.

Only 42% of people visiting their doctor for depression were offered counselling according to the Mental Health Foundation. If more people were given this option and made more aware of this sort of help, perhaps less people would be prescribed drugs and may not be on anti depressants for a long period of time.

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An increase in awareness of prostate cancer has led to a “dramatic” increase in the number of screenings for it, according to an article on Net Doctor today. However, more counselling resources are needed to help men who test positive to come to terms with their diagnosis says Pete Gill, a nurse funded by Prostate Cancer Charity.

Statistics from Cancer Research UK reveal that prostate cancer causes approximately 10,000 deaths each year in Britain. Although an increase in the number of screenings is a step in the right direction, a positive diagnoses can be shattering and more resources are needed for men who find the news hard to cope with.

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