A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Every evening around the world, parents put their children to bed, hoping they’ll go to sleep easily. For most parents that’s exactly what happens. But for some kids, sleep does not come easily and evenings are a battle. Children with ADHD are much more likely than other kids to struggle getting to sleep, and staying [...]
Depression is usually considered an issue parents have to watch out for starting in the turbulent teenage years. The CW channel, full of characters with existential angst about school, friends and young love, tells us so, as do the countless parenting books about the adolescent years in every guidance counselor's office. But what if by that time it's already too late? A [...]
Severe mental illness is challenging enough for adults to manage. Many spend years seeking treatment before they find something that works. For children, the picture is even grimmer. New research suggests that the rate of suicide and suicidal thoughts among children is skyrocketing. What’s behind this crisis in child mental health? Here are five key [...]
Psychologists have found that fantasizing about the future can lead to increases in depression — and a new study provides some more clues as to why that is. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Consciousness and Cognition in May, examined the role that rumination plays. “Much research on depression focuses on understanding and changing [...]
Many people have probably heard the term “positive psychology”, but know little about what it means in practice. Positive psychology aims to find ways to make life better for people, and ensure they’re the most mentally healthy person they can be. Officially established in 1998, positive psychology is a relative new field. It has quickly [...]
Lorraine Pascale, a chef and regular guest on the BBC’s cooking programme, Saturday Kitchen, recently admitted that she struggled with an eating disorder. For many, it would seem counter-intuitive that a person with an eating disorder would spend so much time around food. But an obsession with food is often linked with eating disorders, highlighting [...]
Facebook will allow users to livestream attempts to self-harm because it “doesn’t want to censor or punish people in distress who are attempting suicide”, according to leaked documents. However, the footage will be removed “once there’s no longer an opportunity to help the person” – unless the incident is particularly newsworthy. The policy was formulated [...]
New research has revealed that apps installed on smartphones can be used to significantly reduce anxiety. Published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the study is the first ever meta-analysis of all published evidence on the effect of smartphone-based therapies on anxiety in 1,837 people. The research is a collaboration between The University of Manchester, [...]
Were you one of the more than 16,000 people who completed ABC's How 'mental health smart' are you? quiz a couple of years back? If so, a team of Melbourne University researchers would like to thank you. Your answers have provided important insights that could help shape future mental health education campaigns. "We certainly have [...]
New research has revealed a link between the gut and the brain in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and established it could be triggered by a traumatic childhood. The exact cause of this common, long-term condition of the digestive system - which is often linked to diet - is not fully understood. However, it [...]
