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Welcome to Overcoming
The monthly newsletter for mental health workers everywhere
As publishers of the Overcoming series - a range of self-help guides and assisted self-help courses based on CBT techniques - we hope to help broaden access to assisted self-help by providing excellent resources and supporting those of you working on the front line.
In this month's newsletter, we bring you news of the latest developments in mental health - from research to service provision. Don't forget you can also get in touch if there's a particular topic you'd like us to cover in a future newsletter, just drop us a line at fritha@overcoming.co.uk
A Generation Under Stress
A new report from Girlguiding UK and the Mental Health Foundation - A Generation Under Stress - uncovers the hidden toll of today's pressures on the mental health of young girls.
Key findings from the report include:
- Self-harm perceived as "normal" teenage behaviour in girls
- New sexual and material "ideals" exacerbate female bullying
- Girls link boredom with aggression and anti-social behaviour among their peers
- Supportive and non-judgemental families and friends are the most important factor in helping girls become resilient to mental health problems
Girls aged between 10 and 14 reported feeling pressured to grow up before they felt ready. Worryingly, two fifths experienced low self-esteem after looking at pictures of models, pop stars or actresses.
Chief Guide Liz Burnley said:
'Young girls today face a new generation of pressures that leave too many suffering stress, anxiety and unhappiness. All of us who care about young women have a part to play in helping them find a way through these conflicting demands to build the confidence they need to be themselves. That is why Girlguiding UK continues to provide a safe space for girls - where no-one is trying to sell them anything or pressurise them to be someone they are not - and where they can form the friendships that we know are so important.'
To download a free copy of the report and its recommendations go to www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/?Entryld5=62067
Evening the Odds
A new paper by Patience Seebohm of the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, argues that black people are particularly disadvantaged in getting good mental health and employment services. Evening the Odds proposes services develop to offer targeted support for black and minority ethnic people to achieve their hopes and fulfil their potential.
Evening the Odds calls on services to:
- put a greater focus on helping all people with mental health problems to make their own recovery as they define it for themselves;
- support employment workers to increase their skills and confidence in dealing with racism;
- give service users a say in how services are developed and in monitoring how well they are doing.
The paper also provides two case studies to show how it can be done.
Dr Bob Grove, Sainsbury Centre Director of Employment, said 'Most people with mental health problems can work and want to work. But they face major barriers to getting and keeping jobs. For black people these barriers can be especially hard to overcome. Mental health and employment services need to be able to respond positively to this challenge and offer targeted support where it is needed.'
The author, an independent researcher, said 'Where mental health and employment services work closely with community groups and really understand and respect what people want to achieve, they can make a real difference. Evening the Odds offers practical advice about how this can be achieved on the ground.'
To read the report visit www.scmh.org.uk/news/2008_targeted_approach_needed_to_help_black_people_with_mental_health.aspx
Schizophrenia Breakthrough
Three major international studies provide strong evidence that genes are the major factor in developing schizophrenia.
The studies of more than 60,000 people found that those with random DNA faults are at a higher risk of developing the disease. Other experts believe that genes are only part of the story and that environmental factors like drug use or trauma can trigger schizophrenia.
The researchers believe the risk genes may offer advantages in the brain function of unaffected people, which is why they can be found in the population at large.
Professor O'Donovan said 'Finding out which ones are regulated should tell us a lot about what biochemical disturbances result in disease, and provide further vital clues into the origins of schizophrenia and hopefully, new ways of treating it.'
The study, which was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust and involved researchers across the world, also found that the same gene influences the risk of bipolar disorder.
Modernisation of Day Services
In line with the government's modernisation agenda for mental health services, you may have started noticing some changes in the way day services operate. In many areas, providers are trying to move away from building-based services and work with mainstream community organisations to ensure that the needs of a diverse population are met.
In many areas, workers are available to offer one-to-one person-centred planning sessions which are designed to complement the Care Pathways Approach (CPA) and really get clients working towards a new future with hope.
So, if you aren't currently referring certain clients to day services, why not invite a representative to your next team meeting for an update about the services they are currently providing. You may be surprised!
Want to be the first to read Overcoming Body Image Problems?
In September we're publishing our new book Overcoming Body Image Problems including Body Dysmorphic Disorder. As a new generation grows up with even more pressures to look a certain way, mental health problems associated with body image are on the increase. This new book uses a CBT approach and is written by David Veale and Rob Willson, authors of Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Manage Your Mood, and Alex Clarke, a consultant clinical psychologist in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
We're giving away ten copies of the book - just tell us the name of the UK's Chief Guide and if you're one of the first ten respondents to answer correctly, we'll send you a copy of the book. Email your answer to fritha@overcoming.co.uk - the winner will be announced in next month's newsletter.
Congratulations to...
Victoria Summerfield from North Manchester Primary Care Mental Health Team who won a copy of The Happiness Trap last month!
Pilot Scheme
In an effort to make self-help materials easier to access, Constable & Robinson, publishers of the Overcoming series, are setting up a pilot scheme whereby Primary Care Mental Health Workers can buy and sell books from the series. If anyone is interested in finding out more about the scheme, please contact chris@constablerobinson.com with 'Pilot Scheme' in the subject field.
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