Mental Health in the News

The new anti-obesity drug rimonabant (brand name Acomplia) is associated with increasing the chances of depression and suicidal thoughts, reported the Daily Mail. The drug was launched in the UK 18 months ago and is currently taken by tens of thousands of people to help weight loss; but "evidence suggests that one in 10 of those using Acomplia may develop side effects such as low mood anxiety, irritability, nervousness and sleep disorders", the newspaper said. The Daily Telegraph said that patients taking the drug "are 2.5 times more likely to stop taking the medication because they become depressed and three times more likely to stop because of anxiety".

"The return to GMT this Sunday may help us get back in tune with the natural rhythm of night and day," reported The Guardian today. The newspaper reports that the switch to daylight saving in the summer time may have "adverse effects" as it "interrupts people's natural sleep cycle".

What were the results of the study?

Depression is more debilitating and harmful to a person's health than asthma, angina, arthritis and diabetes, several news sources reported. In particular, those people with depression in addition to another medical condition suffer the most.

A Food Standards Agency (FSA) study has provided new evidence of a link between food additives and hyperactivity. The Daily Mail reports that "children's foods can make them behave badly" and The Independent states that additives "cause hyperactivity among normal infants".

People with depression do not recover as well from heart attacks, reported The Daily Telegraph. These people "may be at increased risk of having a second, and possibly, fatal attack" said the newspaper. It went on the explain that "it was unclear why, but that depression is known to have an effect on hormone levels, heart rate and inflammation responses".