The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) is the latest edition of the influential ‘dictionary of psychiatry’ developed in the U.S., which lists all known psychiatric disorders. Some latest additions to the list of mental health disorders include shyness in children, depression after bereavement and Internet addiction – all controversial topics now fuelling a debate over read more »

Police have resorted to using Taser guns to subdue mentally ill patients in care homes and hospitals. Freedom of Information requests have revealed an alarming amount of Taser use on patients with mental health issues over the last three years. Charities have expressed their concerns over these statistics, warning that Tasering patients could aggravate the read more »

‘Green space’ including parks, copses and gardens can profoundly impact the emotional well-being of urban dwellers, a University of Exeter study has found. Researchers used data taken from 5,000 UK households over a period of 17 years to see what effect living in a greener area had on people’s happiness levels. Dr Matthew White and read more »

A controversial method of treating patients with mental health issues within the community has been criticised by one of its strongest supporters. Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) are popularly known as ‘psychiatric asbos’ and give doctors a legal authority over their patients. Doctors are able to impose certain conditions on their patients with a CTO including read more »

A serving police officer has blogged three ideas for policy improvements designed to support people with mental health problems. The anonymous police officer, who blogs under the pseudonym Nathan Constable, believes mental health patients are locked up for the ‘crime’ of being ill, when what they really need is greater support. He says there is read more »

A report put together by the Royal College of Psychiatrists reveals mental health patients are twice as likely to smoke as healthy people. Now an influential group of doctors is urging the NHS to put more resources into helping them quit. Figures show that one third of cigarettes in England are smoked by people suffering read more »

This weekend London will host Stereo-Hype, a festival celebrating the strengths and achievements of African and Caribbean people who suffer from mental health problems. Stereo-Hype 2013 is free and open to everyone. It will be held between Friday 25 and Saturday 26 January at Stratford Circus, London. A programme of music, film, comedy, drama, art read more »

One in five people who seek help for mental health problems are inspired to do so by celebrities who go public about their own experiences, according to statistics released today by charity Mind. Despite critics blasting millionaire celebrities for painting a warped view of life with mental illness, new research suggests these public figures do read more »

Despite being the biggest cause of disability in the Western world, mental ill health is still so highly stigmatised that millions of sufferers report being taunted, abused and shunned by society for their illness. In an international study of over 1,000 sufferers living across 35 different countries, three quarters reported feeling ostracised by society. They read more »

In 2004 depression was ranked third in a list of leading causes of global burdens, after heart attack. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that by 2030, depression will be leading in first place. Wednesday October 10 was World Mental Health Day, dedicated to ‘Depression: A Global Crisis’. Depression is a major cause of low read more »