Daily Psychology and Mental Health News Feeds: At a Glance

News From NHS Mental Health Specialist Library

• Evidencebased guidelines for treating depressive disorders with antidepressants A revision of the 2000 BAP guidelines
  Wed, 27 Aug 2008A revision of the 2000 British Association for Psychopharmacology evidence based guidelines for treating depressive disorders with antidepressants was undertaken to incorporate new evidence and to update the recommendations where appropriate. A consensus meeting involving experts in depressive disorders and their management was held in May 2006. Key areas in treating depression were reviewed, and the strength of evidence and clinical implications were considered. The guidelines were drawn up after extensive feedback from participants and interested parties. A literature review is provided, which identifies the quality of evidence to inform the recommendations, the strength of which are based on the level of evidence.
• Statistics on Drug Misuse for England 2008
  Fri, 22 Aug 2008This annual statistical report presents information on drug misuse among both adults and children. It includes a focus on young adults.
• NHS Choices Behind the Headlines story on Mental health after abortion
  Fri, 22 Aug 2008“Abortion does not harm mental health” is the headline in The Times, following a recent US report of psychiatric problems that occur after abortions. The newspaper suggests that the report’s findings will hinder the latest efforts of a group of anti-abortion MPs to “make it harder for British women to obtain terminations”. These MPs have tabled an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that would require all women to be counselled about psychiatric risks before they can be cleared to have a termination. This bill is to be debated by the House of Commons in October.
• NHS Choices Behind the Headlines story on Hormone patch for schizophrenia
  Fri, 22 Aug 2008“A hormone patch may protect women with schizophrenia or other severe mental illnesses from psychotic feelings”, BBC News reported. It said that scientists had found that giving women oestrogen made them less likely to report suffering hallucinations or delusions.
• Implementation of the Mental Health Act 2007 transitional arrangements
  Tue, 05 Aug 2008From 3 November 2008, major changes are being made to the Mental Health Act 1983 as a result of amendments made to it by the Mental Health Act 2007. This guidance explains the transitional provisions associated with those changes.
• Suicide Prevention Strategy annual report
  Tue, 05 Aug 2008The Suicide Prevention Strategy annual Report for 2007 has been published. The report outlines progress in 2007 (as well as the early part of 2008) and activity planned for 2008.
• Out of Sight Out of Mind
  Fri, 01 Aug 2008A report on the state of mental healthcare in prisons.

News From Psychology Today

• Illena Douglas on Getting Fired
  Thu, 28 Aug 2008The candid comedienne talks about rejection.
• Maxine Swann on Fact and Fiction
  Thu, 28 Aug 2008Weaving rich worlds with simple language.
• Kiki Smith and Creative Struggle
  Thu, 28 Aug 2008Letting creativity go where it needs to go.
• The Emotionally Ignorant
  Tue, 26 Aug 2008Emotional intelligence is woefully misinterpreted.
• An Aspie in the City
  Tue, 26 Aug 2008The paradoxes of a woman with Asperger's.
• It's Geek to Me
  Tue, 26 Aug 2008Field guide to the nerd.
• Media: Happily Ever After
  Tue, 26 Aug 2008Fictional tales boost fantasies about reality.

News From Medical News Today

• Potential New Targets For Antidepressant Medications
  Thu, 28 Aug 2008The news about antidepressant medications over the past several years has been mixed. The bad news from large multicenter studies such as STAR*D is that current antidepressant medications are effective, but not as effective as one might hope. Thus, there is a significant need for new treatment mechanisms for depression. On that front, there has been mixed news as well.
• NARSAD Introduces "Healthy Minds Across America," An International Event Recognizing The Toll Of Mental Illness In Our Communities, Sept. 14
  Wed, 27 Aug 2008People concerned about the toll that mental health disorders are taking on their families and communities will have a unique opportunity to hear from world-class experts on what is known to-date about the causes, symptoms and progression of such illnesses as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and autism, and learn about current and potential treatments.
• Massachusetts Gov. Patrick Signs Bill To Help State Identify, Treat Children With Mental Illnesses
  Tue, 26 Aug 2008Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) on Thursday signed into law a bill that will help the state identify and treat children with mental illnesses, the AP/Boston Globe reports.
• Grading The States: Mental Health Services Survey
  Tue, 26 Aug 2008The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is preparing to grade each of the 50 states on mental health services and invites the public to help by taking an online survey-and forwarding it to others. The survey is available here and includes a version in Spanish.
• EU Approval For Cymbalta In Generalised Anxiety Disorder
  Sun, 24 Aug 2008The European Commission has approved the use of Cymbalta (duloxetine) in treating generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), paving the way for the drug to be launched in all 27 member-states of the European Union. The verdict will also allow Cymbalta to be marketed in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Jointly produced by Eli Lilly (U.S.) and Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), Cymbalta is already approved for treating GAD in the United States and Mexico.
• SAMHSA Awards More Than $16 Million To Tribes/Tribal Organizations For Youth Suicide Prevention And Early Intervention Programs
  Sun, 24 Aug 2008The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the award of 12 grants totaling more than $16 million over three years to support suicide prevention efforts undertaken by tribes/tribal organizations. This grant program is authorized under the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which provides funding for programs to combat suicide. SAMHSA Deputy Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H.
• Mental Illness And Addiction Research Boosted By Large-Scale Investment
  Fri, 22 Aug 2008The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is proud to announce a landmark investment of $15 million by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) into research that will propel the understanding, intervention, treatment and prevention of mental illness and addiction to the next level of excellence.