News from: media

April 4, 2008

Headline News Highlights (28th March- 4th April 2008)

 Mental Health

One-in-three found to experience feelings of paranoia 

Irish Independent (Tue 1 Apr 2008)

A virtual reality simulation of a journey on the London Underground has shown that paranoia is much more common among people who have no history of mental health problems than scientists had thought. The research indicates that about a third of the general population often experiences an exaggerated sense or persecution or threat.  

Internet's importance in health education
Irish Health (Tue,1 Apr 2008)

More than one-in-four Irish adults have used the internet to search for information about health issues, according to new Irish research. The Health Research Board, (HRB) research shows that women who are in employment are the most likely to use the internet for health information. The findings were revealed as part of an ongoing survey by the HRB into national psychological well-being and distress. This survey showed that around one in seven people experienced mental health problems such as anxiety or depression in the previous year.  

One-in-three found to experience feelings of paranoia

Irish Independent, (01-Apr-2008)

A virtual reality simulation of a journey on the London Underground has shown that paranoia is much more common among people who have no history of mental health problems than scientists had thought. The research indicates that about a third of the general population often experiences an exaggerated sense of persecution or threat.  

Mental Health Service 

Mentally ill face 'discrimination' in accessing nursing homes
Irish Medical Times (Sat, 29 Mar 2008)

Elderly and mentally-ill patients are suffering 'petty discrimination' in getting access to nursing homes, a prominent psychiatrist has told the Irish Medical Organisation's Annual General Meeting. Dr Siobhan Barry said that while other inpatients in general hospitals can avail of delayed discharge initiatives and get into nursing homes, this is not the case for older people with mental health problems.   

Chronic shortage of beds for addicts

Irish Examiner, (31-Mar-2008)

There are no dedicated residential beds to stabilise or detoxify drug addicts or alcoholics outside Dublin, according to a report by the HSE. The report said there were no dedicated drug or alcohol residential services in nine counties, which have a combined population of more than half a million people.  

Suicide Prevention 

Suicide funding must be protected
Medicine Weekly (Tue, 1 Apr 2008)

The HSE must give an absolute guarantee that funding for suicide prevention services will be protected — anything less would be immoral, Dr Paula Gilvarry, outgoing IMO President, has said. She was speaking to a motion before the Organisation’s AGM in Killarney on Thursday last. Unanimous support was given by her colleagues in calling for the condemnation of the recent halving of funding for suicide prevention services.   

Fury at funding cuts in battle to prevent suicide

Irish Independent, (31-Mar-2008)

A National plan to tackle the high level of suicide in Ireland has been massively under funded by the Government, which has been accused of not taking the problem seriously. The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention has been left €2m short of the amount it says is needed to carry out the first phase of its strategy.  

Depression 

Asylum seekers suffering depression
Irish Medical News (Tue, 1 Apr 2008)

Up to 90 per cent of asylum seekers are depressed due to their “imposed unemployment” and poor living conditions under the current system, Dr Bernard Ruane, a Tralee-based GP told the IMO AGM. Dr Ruane proposed motions calling for the Minister for Justice to review the rights of asylum seekers to work or attend training and also the drawn out nature of the citizen application system, as both issues were the cause of “severe depression” for people seeking asylum  

Eating Disorders  

Chasing size zero leads women to famine, then feast, eating disorder

Irish Independent, (01-Apr-2008)

Chasing size zero leads women to famine, then feast, eating disorder Nigel Hawkes in London THE "size zero" obsession could be forcing women into extreme diets followed by periods of bingeing on junk food, an expert said yesterday. Janet Treasure, of the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, said animal studies showed that starvation followed by bingeing on highly palatable foods, such as burgers or chocolate, could alter the way that the brain responds to food.  

Comments

Post a comment