Lack of Effective Therapy for Suicidal Teenagers

As you read this article take a moment to contemplate that every 40 seconds somebody in the world has committed suicide. On average the world suicide rate makes up 10.07 per 100,000 people (CASP Blueprint for a Canadian National Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2004).

JAMA psychiatry journal published a recent study linking suicidal behavior to complex combinations of mood disorders and behavioral problems in 55% of suicidal teenagers nationwide. Although these teenagers have received therapy to debilitate these problems, they are still considering suicide. This goes against commonly held beliefs that suicide is solely due to lack of access to treatment.

Dr. David Brent concluded “we simply do not have empirically validated treatments for recurrent suicidal behavior.” Treating mood disorders is not enough to solving the underlying struggles that each individual faces in their everyday life. They also found those with behavioral problems in addition to mood disorders were more likely to enact on suicidal thoughts.

Although there are many therapies available today saving millions of lives; for many it takes more than therapy to prevent them from committing suicide.

Sources:http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/09/health/gaps-seen-in-therapy-for-suicidal-teenagers.html?_r=0

http://www.crisiscentre.bc.ca/get-help/statistics/

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“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”: A Review from the MHAC Events Team

The Mental Health Awareness Club hosted a movie night on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 showcasing the five times Oscar winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It was an enjoyable movie with some very thought-provoking scenes which generated a thoughtful discussion afterwards. Although the movie did not clearly define what constituted a mental illness, it brought up an interesting point on the use of the word “crazy”. What does this word really mean? When we say “crazy” are we referring to a mental illness, psychosis, or are we simply making a statement about something that is “cool, awesome, totally rad”? How does the usage of the word crazy impact on your attitude towards mental health and mental illness? The movie also brought up the harsh reality of mental institutions in the 1960’s and the types of treatments they had. Is surgery and electroconvulsive therapy the best way to treat mental patients or are they simply ignoring their needs and “suppressing” them with the smallest amount of effort on the doctors/nurses’ side. This movie really made us reflect on how we as a society tends to dismissive of mental illness patients and how we see them by their illness and not who they are. We should work to create a welcoming environment for those with mental health issues and to remember that people are multifaceted and should not be defined by their mental illness but by who they are as people.

– The MHAC Events Team

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Loneliness may have negative effects on immune function

New research shows that loneliness is associated with dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that it may have a negative effect on overall health.

Specifically, researchers found that people who described themselves as lonely showed signs of elevated herpes simplex virus reactivation and produced more inflammatory proteins in response to acute stress. Continuous inflammation may have problematic consequences, as it has been linked to coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and premature death.

It was shown that lonelier participants had stronger reactions to antibodies against the cytomegalovirus, a type of herpes simplex virus, and this was related to increased levels of pain, depression and fatigue symptoms. This indicates that the stress associated with loneliness is strongly reactivating the virus.

Study participants who described themselves as lonelier also had higher levels of pro-inflammatory types of cytokine proteins in response to a stressful task.

Continued research in assessing the impact of loneliness on overall health is important to heighten understanding of this relationship and perhaps intervene the negative effects.

 

 

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Suicide Rates Drastically Increasing in U.K.

The U.K. saw a drastic rise in suicide rates in 2011, reaching an all time high since 2004, according to the Office for National Statistics. This increase is thought to correlate with times of financial hardship faced by many U.K. citizens.

There were 6,045 suicides in 2011, a rise of 437 from the previous year. In particular, the number of male suicides increased significantly to a rate of 18.2 per 100,000 (a maximum in 10 years).

The suicide rate was highest among men in their late 30s and early 40s. Suicide is currently the second biggest killer among young men globally.

The U.K. government has announced an increase in spending on suicide prevention strategies to provide higher levels of support to families prone to mental health problems. Specifically, the goal is to provide better support for those most at risk and provide information for those affected by a loved one’s suicide.

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255234.php

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Father’s Mental Health may be Linked to Child’s Behaviour

Numerous research has proven in the past that a mother’s wellness and mental health during labor can have direct consequences on the health of the child. However, new research is showing that the mental health of an expectant father may also play a role.

In this study, the fathers underwent an interview when the mothers were 4-5 months pregnant, and were asked about their mental well-being. As well, the mental health of the mothers was provided, as well as the development of the children at three years of age, watching for signs of mood swings and anxiety.

It was found that the children who had the most emotional issues at age three were the one’s with highly distressed fathers, but no direct cause-and-effect association was found.

Several possible reasonings may explain these findings. First, the father may be passing on genetic risk for mood disorders. Second, the mental health of the mother could also be affected by the father’s behaviour as a result of his distress, affecting her hormone secretion, sleep, and mood.

These results show that the father’s health may represent a risk factor for childhood development, whereas traditionally, this risk was thought to largely be represented by the mother. Therefore, the father’s mental health should be addressed, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/254641.php

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