According to an article on the BBC, individuals claiming incapacity benefit because of mental illness has hit an all time high of £1.1m. The government said spending on mental health had risen by 25% in five years.

Figures show that claimants are now younger and more likely to be female and that drug and alcohol problems, eating disorders, stress and depression are increasingly becoming reasons for claims.

Spending more money on early intervention in mental health services was suggested to save money spent on benefits.

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Research has found that women binge drinkers were more likely to be clinically depressed than men binge drinkers. It is not yet clear whether drinking leads to depression or depression leads to drinking, however the link between the two is significant.

The research was conducted on 6,009 men and 8,054 women by US and Canadian researchers. Moderate drinking was found not to increase the risk of depression in either sex and the difference between men and women was only noticed in those suffering from clinical depression.

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The recent court case involving Danielle Wails denying the murder of her baby son, but pleading guilty to infanticide, has once again put postnatal depression and other mental health illnesses into the spot light. According to an article on the BBC there are a number of ways women’s mental health can be affected by childbirth.

A lot of new mums suffer the “baby blues”, but this usually passes after a few days. One in ten women will suffer from postnatal depression and one in every 1000 new mothers will suffer from the rare mental health illness puerperal psychosis (also known as postpartum psychosis).

Antipsychotic drugs or antidepressants are used to help the conditions – some women recover within a few weeks, but it can take a long time for others to recover completely.

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Roaccutane, a popular treatment for severe acne, has been tested by University of Bath scientists after claims it has caused depression and suicide since 1982 when it was first introduced. The findings suggest the treatment produced depressive behaviour in mice, however, researcher Dr Sarah Bailey said, “Without more research it is difficult to say for sure whether the same link applies to people taking the drug”.

Roaccutane has been used by approximately 13 million patients world-wide, and is usually prescribed to teenagers with severe acne. There is a warning about depression in packets and drug maker, Roche, have apparently issued a statement welcoming the research.

There is some confusion as to the cause of depression felt among users; “severe acne can cause some sufferers to become depressed and can also affect their mood and self esteem”. Teenagers have been advised to not stop taking the drug, but to seek medical advice if they begin to feel depressed.

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Three brisk 30-minute walks each week could help ease depression according to researchers at America’s Duke University. The walks had greater effects on reducing depression than drugs from the same family as Prozac. A sperate study at the University of Texas showed that a 30-minute walk offered a mental “pick me up” for the moderately depressed, giving them an instant lift.

Via The Guardian

Apparently new research shows that depressed single people receive greater psychological benefits from getting married than those who are not depressed. Adrianne Frech, co-author of the study, states “Our findings question the common assumption that marriage is always a good choice for all individuals”.

Overall, the results suggest that marriage doesn’t have equal benefits for everyone.