On July 22, 2011, Norwegian Anders Breivik killed 75 people, as a statement against Norway’s liberal immigration policies. He was a member of an extreme right wing group and a product of a dysfunctional…
Children of fathers who show signs of depression in the year after birth have more than three times the rate of behavioural problems by the time they reach school.
Mark Menzies
The idea that mental illness can harm family relationships is not new. But it’s usually the mother’s parenting that has been the centre of attention.
So an article I co-wrote in today’s issue of the Medical…
Using lab rats allows us to experiment in ways that would not be acceptable in humans.
ressaure
Many forms of mental illness can affect our moods. But that isn’t all they do: they can also damage our willpower. Problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity…
Suicide barriers can save lives and are worth the investment.
Ground Zero
There has been widespread media coverage over over the past ten days about the tragic deaths of a man and his son at the Story Bridge in Brisbane. The Brisbane Council was quick to announce it would fund…
Genetic variants that contribute to the risk of schizophrenia are present in everyone.
Flickr/Akelei van Dam
A quarter of the risk for developing schizophrenia can be traced to genetic variations that are common in the general population, a study by Queensland researchers has found.
A new method of genetic analysis…
For long term refom, education and child development sectors must be involved.
wakingphotolife
As the Commonwealth Government’s community consultation period for mental health reform comes to an end this week, health bureaucrats will begin finalising Australia’s Ten year roadmap for national mental…
Long-term meditators have larger sections of the brain responsible for regulating emotion.
Tezatrataz/Phra Ajan Jerapunyo Abbot of Watkungtaphao
Meditation has traditionally been associated with Eastern mysticism but science is beginning to show that cultivating a “heightened” state of consciousness can have a major impact on our brain, the way…
Police and other community members need mental health training to respond to individuals in crisis.
AAP
The Coronial Inquest into the police shooting of Melbourne teenager Tyler Cassidy concluded this week, with Coroner Jennifer Coate ruling there was “an urgent need for training to focus on how to deal…
New guidelines for ADHD emphasise comprehensive assessments before a diagnosis is made.
Flickr/Woodlywonderworks
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is seeking feedback on new clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and…
ECT is the most rapid and effective treatment for depression but it's still plagued with stigma.
Irina Souiki
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has come a long way since earlier, darker days when it was known as electric shock therapy and conjured images from One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest.
But just when it seems…
Antidepressants lift the mood but we don't know exactly how they work.
obumu.com
Voltaire was right when he said “doctors prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less". Almost 300 years later, this still rings true for depression.
Antidepressants…
Grape growers are already suffering emotional stress because of climate change.
ryanovineyards/Flickr
Mental health has been an issue in rural areas for the past few decades. Climate change will only add more stress to the lives of rural people.
While a report by the Climate Institute shows broad scale…
Emotional disorders are often relegated to second place in considerations of mental health.
Lauren Garza
A few weeks ago, my children came home from school to announce they were raising money for World Vision’s 40-hour famine.
Naturally, I applauded them and we hopped on the internet to learn about the tragedy…
Oxytocin can actually decrease trust and enhance negative emotions.
MichaelKuhn
Imagine for a moment that you could gain everyone’s trust in an instant – you could sell more, love more and accomplish more than you ever imagined. Or so says the online marketing spiel for the drug oxytocin…
Children of separated parents have higher rates of emotional problems but it doesn't mean these families are bad for kids.
By George Patton, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
The mental health and well-being of Australian children is deteriorating and this is caused by a breakdown of two parent families, according to a report released today by University of Sydney Law Professor…
Letting go of prolonged negative feelings is likely to improve happiness and well-being.
Chapendra
Maxims like turn that frown upside down may annoy you when ill-timed but it seems they have some evidence-based science behind them. A growing body of research shows that your state of mind may have a…
A long-term threat of natural disaster is likely to increase rates of anxiety among young people.
AAP
In September 2010, BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers proposed Australia take action on climate change before the rest of the world to maintain its international economic competitiveness.
A report released…
Depression and anxiety are separate disorders despite their frequent co-occurrence.
fancylittleme.com.au
Mental health disorders have a major impact on our ability to function in the home and at work. A third of the population will experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime, and a fifth will experience…
Facing up to our carbon responsibilities might make Australians happier.
the waving cat/Flickr
Let’s face it; we just don’t like the word “tax”, do we? Such a brouhaha, such a fuss. But let’s just take a break from the group hysteria to look at the carbon tax from a few different points of view…
Better understanding of sibling risk will lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Flickr/kmakice
A study published overnight in the journal Paediatrics shows the siblings of autistic children have a much higher risk of autism than previously thought. Nicole Rinehart, clinical psychologist and Associate…
Since the 1960s, the number of hospital beds for treating people with mental illnesses has declined dramatically in most OECD countries.
Australia has been among the most assiduous in implementing reform…
Mentally ill detainees should be placed in the community for treatment and support.
AAP
The Commonwealth Ombudsman yesterday launched an investigation into rising rates of self-harm among detainees of Australia’s immigration detention centres, after it emerged that 50 instances of cutting…
Trauma and adversity during early development can embed neuro-vulnerability in children.
apdk/Flickr
The last Federal Government budget announcement revealed funds dedicated to “early intervention” mental health services for youth. But whether this intervention takes place in a timely manner for optimal…
Convicted killer Arthur Freeman is led away from the Supreme Court in Melbourne.
AAP
Arthur Freeman’s involvement in an altercation in Victoria’s Barwon prison this week has again highlighted the fraught issue of how we deal with offenders who commit crimes that many of us assume could…
Almost a third of professional musicians regularly take medication to manage their performance anxiety.
Flickr/kronik
“One of the most exhilarating experiences I know of is performing in public, especially when there is a magnificent piano under my fingers, great music in my head, and the feeling that there are no technical…
Sadly, there's no magic button to stop excessive gambling.
Mick Tsikas/AAPimage
GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA – Why do some people develop gambling addictions while others can dabble for years at the pokies or the track without issue?
The Productivity Commission’s 2010 report on gambling…
Australia needs to reassess where it stands on mental health.
Flickr/knicolai
Even a cursory glance at Australia’s mental health system indicates shortcomings in the provision of a range of services to people with mental impairments.
Since 1993, when the Human Rights and Equal…
Are we treating normal sadness as a clinical disorder?
Gatis Gribusts
It’s normal to feel down in the dumps from time to time, so drawing a line between low moods and mental illness is understandably fraught.
But are health professionals treating normal sadness as a clinical…
US psychiatrist Allen Frances is confusing the issues.
Julie70/Flickr
A controversy is brewing on the website Psychology Today and subsequently in The Australian newspaper. At the heart of the issue is US psychiatrist Dr Allen Frances' comments on the Australian Federal…
Mentally ill Australians have a life expectancy 25 years lower than the rest of the population.
AAP
Almost half of all cigarettes smoked in Australia, the US and the UK are smoked by people with a mental illness. It’s a startling statistic and it paints a grim picture for the physical health of the one…
People with depression are less able to cope with stress.
OliviaGR
Having a “broken” or a “heavy” heart is a description often used by people who are feeling down or depressed. It turns out they’re not that far off the mark.
People with depression are three to four times…
Keeping a journal or confiding in a friend can help overcome emotional issues.
“When people get sick or injured or want advice about their health, they want to see a doctor” Dr Andrew Pesce, AMA President.
As a child psychiatrist, I work with general practitioners to enhance the…
A DNA test can detect fragile X syndrome with 99% accuracy.
AAP
Most people are not aware of fragile X syndrome but they may well be affected by it or know someone who is. Commonly under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed the condition is often mistaken for Attention Deficit…
