Home Search
mental health - search results
Search results are sorted by relevance, please use the links in the sidebar to filter your search.
Free your mind
[…] understand how researchers are currently treading carefully and are reticent to include people on other currently-contraindicated drugs, the potential danger being serotonin syndrome. If a person’s primary mental health challenge were only suicidal ideation, you might be lucky and find yourself on a psychedelic research protocol. But if you’ve ever been diagnosed with bipolar or […]
A dangerous game
[…] try to mitigate some of Max’s symptoms, a nurse prescribed cyclizine and chlordiazepoxide. A day later she returned to find Max alone in a room on the mental health ward, experiencing further seizures, delusions, vomiting and bowel incontinence. The medications had never actually been administered. ‘This is not patient care,’ the nurse remarked. On the […]
Room for manoeuvre
[…] using stimulants, for example, rather than solely catering for people injecting opioids, and some were also integrating drug checking and sexual health services. Others were housed within mental health services, while the Woodstock facility in The Hague was located in a care home to provide services for older drug users. The NHS enhanced drug treatment […]
Out onto the streets
[…] to repeated offending, but these people are not the monsters of popular imagination. They are people who are struggling in life – with poverty, alienation, addiction and mental health problems. All too often, their behaviour is rooted in difficult childhoods involving abuse, neglect and trauma. All too often custodial sentences are applied because of the […]
A place of safety
[…] non-judgmental space for the women to meet with the brilliant Dr Beesley and her team to access a range of services to support their sexual, physical and mental health. It was important to build rapport to get the women on board and trust us. The things they experience on a regular basis are horrendous, and […]
Meet the runners: Harry’s marathon journey with WithYou
[…] city of London on Sunday 21 April. Harry has taken on multiple marathons to raise money for WithYou’s services, supporting people experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol and mental health on their recovery journeys. Feeling lost amongst the social drinking environment at university, Harry wanted to break away from the drinking culture and aim for bigger […]
Before it’s too late
[…] that nitazenes won’t show up on an OPI screen. There is a colossal training need – for drugs services, wider healthcare and other related services including housing, mental health and criminal justice. 8: Widening the message – as novel opioids are being found in a growing range of substances – benzos, fake Oxys and vapes, […]
Number of people sleeping rough up by a quarter
[…] statistics are truly shameful. A range of long-term factors are behind this steep increase, including a severe shortage of affordable homes, a punitive welfare system and insufficient mental health support. We urge the chancellor to use the spring budget to safeguard essential homelessness support by announcing an emergency backdated inflationary uplift to homelessness funding.’ Report at […]
Female Focus
[…] that even where there is good support available in the local area, drug services often still don’t have those links with other organisations like women’s centres and mental health charities, again something that can come down to commissioning pathways and funding streams. And while it’s not the case across the board, for many services it’s […]
Free learning event on criminal prosecution diversion for young people
[…] Eventbrite now. For further information contact Jo Hamilton, Head of Communications at WithYou on jo.hamilton@wearewithyou.org.uk or 07974883432. About WithYou WithYou is a leading UK drug, alcohol and mental health charity. Each year it works with more than 100,000 people in over 120 locations across Scotland and England, providing a free and confidential service without judgement […]
In-cell videos to inform and inspire prison clients
[…] who prison viewers can relate to (e.g. pictured below). We also use subtitles and graphics to emphasise key information and make it easy to understand and remember. Mental health Most recently, we have worked with HMPPS to produce ‘audio workbooks’ to help prisoners manage stress, anxiety and other mental health problems. These feature exercises and […]
With You: Building brighter futures for children in East Dunbartonshire
[…] numb painful feelings. Others have started using substances because they want to have a good time and it gets out of hand. “I really worry about the mental health of the younger generation. We meet so many young people who have anxiety, they feel like they don’t fit in. So they turn to substances for […]
Preventing the harms of intergenerational drug use through the delivery of whole family interventions
[…] Specialist Family Service in Scotland and our Sheffield-based Specialist Family Service supporting England and Wales. Both services work to prevent the harms of intergenerational substance use, poor mental health and improve wellbeing. The programme in our family services bring together three main elements of support. Therapeutic intervention for parents to address their addiction, mental health […]
Change of scene
[…] death”.’ The whole debate around drugs has moved on significantly, with a growing recognition that many people with a drug problem will have underlying trauma or other mental health issues. ‘We’ve obviously still got a huge way to go, but we have made progress. Incremental change is mostly the way things happen, particularly in controversial […]
Marcus Roberts takes the helm at DrugScope
[…] DDN columnist Roberts is currently DrugScope’s director of policy and has worked in the voluntary and community sector since the late 1990s, including senior policy roles at mental health organisation Mind and crime reduction charity Nacro. ‘It is a great privilege and responsibility to be taking over as chief executive at what is such a […]
A Different Key
[…] but if any of them were missing there was little hope. A change of direction for Pete came at the age of 42, when he ‘changed his mentality’ by focusing on restorative justice. Mike Trace believed that restorative justice was key – particularly when people were past their mid-20s, as it could be difficult […]
Learn about The Forward Trust’s Reach Out Online Chat
[…] is The Forward Trust’s online web-chat service, offering free, confidential support to anyone aged 16 and above who may feel isolated or overwhelmed by struggles with addiction, mental health and/or other challenges. Our volunteer agents freely offer their time to help encourage individuals in accessing support, often signposting people to Forward’s community services. Our volunteers […]
Marcus Roberts takes the helm at DrugScope
[…] DDN columnist Roberts is currently DrugScope’s director of policy and has worked in the voluntary and community sector since the late 1990s, including senior policy roles at mental health organisation Mind and crime reduction charity Nacro. ‘It is a great privilege and responsibility to be taking over as chief executive at what is such a […]
Government confirms £421m treatment funding for next two years
[…] plan for the future and focus on ensuring that services are accessible to anyone who needs support, building on the progress already made in joint working across mental health, criminal justice and treatment agencies and creating safer communities for us all.’ Clare Taylor, chief operating officer, Turning Point ‘Following the launch of the ten-year drug […]
Government bans 11 synthetic opioids
[…] on their supply.’ Meanwhile, the Australian Government has announced that it is changing the classification of MDMA and psilocybin to allow prescribing by authorised psychiatrists for certain mental health conditions. Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will permit prescribing of MDMA for the treatment of PTSD and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression from 1 July. The decision […]
Solace’s silent disco
[…] of the centre who attended the event said: “Solace was rocking around the Christmas Tree having fun – thank you, this makes such a difference to my mental health.” – JK “Fantastic. What a night. Good music, company and festive cheer.” SG “Fun, lively, really boosted my mental health before Christmas.” – MW “Good music, […]
DDN November 2022
[…] about those who are dying, the more we can be equipped to support instead of punishing. Underlying factors are complex including trauma, stigma and lack of opportunity. Mental health issues have been a huge piece of the jigsaw, particularly during lockdown. Fastest rising substances in the league table include an anti-depressant – how could this […]
The Key to Success
[…] been a fantastic and insightful learning experience. When I applied for the job, I was equipped with my GCSEs, less than 12 months of experience working in mental health care, and zero experience working in a substance use setting. Within a matter of months training with Cranstoun I felt confident and knowledgeable in the field, […]
Taking Pride
[…] My experience of this institutionalised homophobia is something I would later realise had a hugely negative impact on so many elements in my life – from my mental health to my sense of identity and belonging, and ultimately contributing to my experience of addiction and eventual recovery. On 18 February this year I celebrated three […]
A step ahead
[…] completed treatment at Broadway Lodge and went on to the Turning Point programme is still clean after six months. What a change of investment, from an NHS mental health ward to a totally joined-up way of working.’ Other plans for joined-up work include partnering with a housing organisation to provide longer-term accommodation, as all but […]
British Columbia launches ‘healthcare over handcuffs’ decriminalisation experiment
[…] proud of the leadership shown here by the governments of Canada and British Columbia.’ ‘Substance use is a public health issue, not a criminal one,’ added B.C.’s mental health and addictions minister, Sheila Malcolmson. ‘By decriminalising people who use drugs, we will break down the stigma that stops people from accessing life-saving support and services.’ […]
“This place has saved my life and given me a new direction”
[…] a peer mentor – someone who is receiving support from the service while also using their own experiences to support others. The second documentary – ‘Addiction: A Mental Health Crisis?’ – follows Tony’s journey to recovery, and the support he receives at the new Compañeros café, which is run by the Spider Project. Tony is […]
Pushed to the Brink
[…] at all. ‘We were stressed out, really worried about it for weeks and weeks before,’ says Jill. ‘I can’t stress enough how negative this was for everybody’s mental health and the duty of care,’ says Robbins. ‘The patients were expected to go through this whole process, which was really intimidating.’ Second opinion With no resolution […]
The Losing Hand
[…] gambling’. Just seven years later he took his own life, with his parents arguing that he was addicted to ‘products licensed by the start’. Last month NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch wrote to GambleAware confirming that the NHS will fully fund its own gambling services from April onwards, following unease among clinicians and patients […]
Bridging the Gap
A systems-wide pledge is transforming working practices for service users with complex substance misuse and mental health needs.
Drugs of choice
[…] think well. In one phone call with this doctor, I said, ‘Hey, you should research open “addiction” self-help groups. We’re all like “that” in there,’ meaning that mental health was an issue for almost half of us – hardly surprising as those rooms are full of people in early addiction-healing, not to mention hepatitis C, […]
Black History Month at SIG
[…] of those Black individuals who are significant around the world such as, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, James Brown, Carter G. Woodson. Black celebrities with mental health issues such as Kanye West were discussed to encourage Service Users that they too can live full lives. They were reminded that having mental health issues […]
Celebrating Black History Month
[…] efforts. Although I think we have a long way to go to end racism, if we stay united we will make a difference. I work in youth mental health. I’d like to see us reach more Black communities in our work, build trust and educate all to break stereotypes and reduce stigma. Everyone should feel […]
Addiction Awareness Week
[…] speech by The Duchess of Cambridge. ‘Addiction is not a choice,’ she told the event. ‘None of us are immune, yet it’s rarely discussed as a serious mental health condition and seldom do we take the time to uncover and fully understand the root causes.’ Duchess of Cambridge: ‘Addiction is not a choice.’ Photography by […]
No place for a child
[…] low-level. In some cases, their offending could have been prevented by addressing their vulnerabilities at an earlier stage. Many women offenders experience chaotic lifestyles involving substance misuse, mental health problems, and homelessness – these are often a product of a life of abuse and trauma. Often these offenders will have repeated demands on services and […]
A war with no winners
[…] was doing, but even then I used that information to fire myself up – “well, then it’s even more important to catch the gangsters exploiting them”.’ This mental struggle and ‘denying the evidence’ he saw around him eventually helped to bring on a crisis, he says. He’d gone back into conventional detective work and […]
For recovery week we asked what keeps you on track?
[…] for some – demonstrating that nurture has a bigger part than nature. People who are already unwell are presenting at services’ front doors with increasing levels of mental health issues and distress. If there was ever a stark reminder of where addiction can take you, the last 18 months are it. ‘Everyone becomes part of […]
The Black Review: A shared mission for transformational change
[…] focus on the inter-connected systems which support people with drug and alcohol problems. Efforts to address ‘addiction’ without work with partners in criminal justice, health, homelessness and mental and physical health fields are futile. The recommendation of increased funding for young people’s services is welcome, however we do believe there should be wider recognition […]
Force of nature
[…] people. She already has a client base for when she accomplishes her yoga instructor training and is beyond excited to be able to help people with both mental health and overall wellbeing. Kelly’s unique blend of skills in peer mentoring as well as in outdoor leadership has given her the confidence to speak up in […]
With You nature mental health
Photo by Dimitry Anikin on Unsplash
A sporting chance
[…] Now that we are (hopefully) coming out of the worst of COVID, there is going to be an even greater call for activity community groups, and improving mental health is also going to fall within this remit. I was so pleased in my latter days with Change Grow Live that I saw them recognise the […]
Change Grow Live launches country-wide homeless outreach initiative
[…] staff, have been launched across England by Change Grow Live. Alongside access to drug and alcohol treatment, the specialist teams will offer wraparound holistic support including wider mental and physical health, as well as help with housing and benefits. The teams will provide street interventions for people sleeping rough – with no requirements to attend […]
Magic mushrooms may be as effective as antidepressants
[…] side effects such as anxiety, dry mouth, drowsiness or sexual dysfunction. The study is the ‘most rigorous trial to date’ assessing the potential of psychedelic compounds in mental health treatment, says Imperial College’s Centre for Psychedelic Research. Volunteers either received a high dose of psilocybin and a placebo, or a very low, ‘non-active’ dose of […]
Building resilience in tough times – Turning Point launch new personality disorder pilot...
[…] can lead to individuals engaging in unhealthy and often risky behaviours with sometimes devastating results. Rates of personality disorder diagnosis are increasing and more people are requiring mental health services. As a result of pressure on the mental health system, people are waiting up to 2 years to receive treatment and the pandemic has only […]
Another record high for Scots drug deaths
[…] widespread local support. ‘Finally, we need to recognise that problematic drug use is often a reaction to people’s surroundings,’ he stated. ‘Issues such as rising homelessness, poor mental health and a lack of economic opportunities in some areas all lead to people using drugs. It’s therefore no surprise that drug-related deaths are highest in Scotland’s […]
Getting Engaged
[…] criminal justice system (DDN, March, page 8). One major benefit of the scheme has been to enable these clients to engage with other services, such as BBV, mental health or housing teams. A number of trials are also taking place to provide long-acting buprenorphine to chaotic clients, which means people no longer need to make […]
Blocking the path
[…] a diminishing caseload would still have been of concern. Hospital Admissions Another statistic used to indicate need for treatment is hospital admissions of patients diagnosed with mental or behavioural disorders due to drinking (Fig 2). As with the alcohol-dependent population, the treatment caseload as a proportion of admissions has fallen each year since […]
Charity warns of a surge of harmful illicit benzodiazepines
A surge in illicit prescription drugs has been linked to a number of overdoses in the UK, warns drug, alcohol and mental health charity We Are With You. The drugs are made to look like benzodiazepines such as Xanax and diazepam and often come as coloured tablets in blister packs or labelled pharmacy pots. A […]
Big strides made in elimination of hepatitis C, but still a long way to...
In the past five years the number of people thought to have hepatitis C in the UK has reduced dramatically.But, on World Hepatitis Day, drug, alcohol and mental health charity We Are With You in Lanarkshire says more needs to be done to meet the UK’s target of eliminating the virus by 2025. Hepatitis C […]
Government launches second phase of Carol Black review
[…] provision, recovery services and prevention. Prof Carol Black: An opportunity to correct ‘a decade-long erosion’. The review will look at how drug treatment interacts with housing, employment, mental health and criminal justice services, with the overarching aim of ensuring that vulnerable people get the right support to ‘recover and turn their lives around in the […]
Counsellor Acorn House 2 days
[…] Service 1.1 To provide a range of care -planned counselling interventions for service users with a range of complex issues in addition to their substance misuse, including mental health, child protection, homelessness, abuse, etc. using a range of c ounselling models 1.2 Providing counselling/support on specific substance use issues including harm reduction relapse prevention and […]