Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Do clinicians and clinical researchers do enough to foster social inclusion?
- Author:
- HOLTTUM Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 19(1), 2015, pp.5-11.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to raise questions about the social issues involved in mental and physical health. It highlights how, even where social issues are evident, clinicians and clinical researchers often focus mainly on individual people and what has gone wrong with them. This has the effect of making it less likely that social exclusion and adversity will be taken into account or that clinicians will help to change these. Design/methodology/approach: Three journal papers are summarised. The first one reports an attempt to test whether depression is a result of people feeling defeated and trapped. The second paper reports the results of analysing medical writing about domestic abuse. The third paper discusses the need for trainee clinicians to be made more aware of social conditions that affect people's lives. Findings: It does appear that people who feel defeated and trapped are more likely to become depressed. However, the life circumstances that lead to feeling trapped need more attention. Medical writing about domestic abuse may need to incorporate the broader context so that it is not just seen as a “women's problem”. It may be worth training clinicians about social conditions and how they might help to change them. Originality/value: These papers highlight important links between social exclusion and mental and physical health. There is a key role for clinicians and clinical researchers to be more part of the solution where they sometimes unwittingly help maintain the problems. (Publisher abstract)
Mental health recovery is social
- Author:
- HOLTTUM Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 18(3), 2014, pp.110-115.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to summarise two 2014 research papers that highlight the role of social interactions and the social world in recovery in the context of mental distress. Design/methodology/approach: The author summarise two papers: one is about two theories from social psychology that help us understand social identity – our sense of who we are. The other brings together and looks at the similarities and differences between ten different therapies that can be called resource-oriented – that is, they focus on people's strengths and resources rather than what is wrong with them. Findings: The paper on social identity gives a convincing case for incorporating teaching about social identity – and the social groups to which people belong – into the training of mental health professionals. The paper on resource-oriented therapies suggests that social relationships are a main component of all ten therapies examined. This second paper suggested a need for more research and theory relating to resource-oriented therapies. Social identity theory could help address this issue. Mental health services may be able to help people more by focusing on their established and desired social identities and group-belonging, and their strengths, than is usual. Originality/value: These two papers seem timely given the growing recognition of the role of social factors in the development and maintenance of mental distress. More attention to social factors in recovery could help make it more self-sustaining. (Publisher abstract)
Research Watch: talking therapy for anxiety and social difficulties may improve social inclusion after diagnosis with schizophrenia
- Author:
- HOLTTUM Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 18(1), 2014, pp.7-12.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to summarize two 2013 papers on psychological therapies for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Design/methodology/approach: The first paper is a report of a small study of cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia attending an early intervention service. The second paper is a review of several studies looking at therapies to help people understand what others are feeling and thinking, and so cope better in social situations. Findings: Out of 11 people referred to the anxiety group, seven stayed until the end. Their self-rated anxiety and depression decreased significantly. The review of therapies for social situations suggests that there is a need for more than just training in understanding other people. It is probably necessary to offer a package of therapy that involves role-play and practising skills in actual situations, and possibly involving friends or family members. Originality/value: These papers report on therapies that have only recently begun to be considered for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. It seems much more attention needs to be paid to helping people with anxiety when they have this diagnosis, and also to helping people cope in social situations so that they can participate in important social activities and work. (Publisher abstract)
Improving social inclusion for young people diagnosed with “first episode psychosis”: employment, education and online support
- Author:
- HOLTTUM Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 17(3), 2013, pp.112-117.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose – This article aims to summarise two papers from Australia on supporting young people in early intervention for psychosis. Both have implications for young people's social inclusion and the design of early intervention services. Design/methodology/approach – The first paper reports a new analysis of a trial of specialist employment and education support in an early intervention service. It used a statistical method called logistic regression to test whether only employment support predicted 41 participants’ success in getting into employment and education, or whether things like condition severity also mattered. The second paper reports on a new online support package for young people with “first episode psychosis” and how acceptable it was. The authors looked at 20 participants’ use of the package, and examined their well-being before and after using it. Findings – The first paper reported that nothing except getting specialist employment and education support predicted young people's entry to work or education. They recommend that young people in early intervention should not be denied vocational support because of things like “psychiatric symptoms”. In the second paper, young people in early intervention who used the online package reacted positively. The authors recommend a full controlled trial of the package. It could help young people when leaving the service to maintain their gains. Originality/value – These papers advance research on early intervention psychosis services regarding young people's social inclusion needs. Specialist vocational support could prevent life-long social exclusion. An innovative online support package has not yet been proven, but with fast-evolving technology, it might help future service users stay well when leaving the service. (Publisher abstract)
Social exclusion prevents us understanding the role of sleep in psychosis and “schizophrenia”
- Author:
- HOLTTUM Sue
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 21(5), 2017, pp.252-258.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss recent papers on trauma, sleep and psychotic experiences to highlight the lack of attention given to sleep. Design/methodology/approach: A search was carried out to find recent papers on psychosis or schizophrenia, trauma and sleep. Findings: Papers tended to focus on trauma and psychosis, or on sleep and psychosis, but not on trauma, sleep and psychosis. The two papers discussed in most detail here focused on sleep difficulties from either a service user or professional perspective. Both concluded that sleep difficulties need more attention. The author also discussed evidence suggesting that stress and trauma cause sleep difficulties and that these, in turn, are an important cause of psychotic experiences. Severe or prolonged stress may also directly cause some psychotic experiences. Originality/value: The two main papers highlight for the first time in detail service users’ own experiences of sleep difficulties, and how mental health professionals view them, suggesting more help is needed. Other papers suggest that sleep is overlooked in research into the causes of psychosis. There is growing evidence that people have sleep problems before psychotic experiences, and that many have experienced severe or prolonged stress due to life events and circumstances, often in childhood. Given that stress can interfere with sleep, it is time to investigate further the role of stress and sleep in the development and maintenance of psychosis. (Publisher abstract)