Beam me up, Scottie.......

editor@uticopa.com — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In days gone by, mental ‘disturbances' were considered something you should ‘snap out of' - a mere emotional phase that you should grow out of, like adolescence. Decades later and mental illness is an actual, recorded disease, warranting much-needed medical intervention. Well, yes, but how do we know we actually have it - especially in those crucial, early stages?

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's would be critical in order to stop and reverse cell death before it [...]

How to stop acting on impulse?

editor@uticopa.com — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Christmas is almost upon us. We are bombarded on all sides by lures and enticing goods on display, coupled with increasing demands for more, more, and more from our families. But, this is not the time to be weak. Some people, particularly men, will resort to things like gambling to feed their craving for money. Others, particularly women, will treat shopping as an addiction rather than a necessity.

Let's start with gambling. How to treat it?

Some new researc [...]

Xmas is a-comin' - but don't worry!

editor@uticopa.com — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

If you can't afford all the things your family wants, you just need to be strong and tell them enough's enough.

As far as your mental health is concerned, being stressed can actually be good for you, but you've got to find the right balance. There's no point in spending more and more in an effort to please everyone and end up making yourself too ill to enjoy it.

There are good and bad types of stress. The bad kind is chronic and uncontrollable, like the tension ca [...]

How much is a soldier with mental health issues worth?

editor@uticopa.com — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It's now official. Mentally-scarred veterans are being medically discharged from the British army with...wait for it....a golden handshake of £3000! Is that all they're worth? Soldiers whose lives have been shattered by the traumas of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq are being paid as little as £3000 as compensation for all they've suffered after their medical discharge.

What price bravery? What price to sacrifice your own mental health in pursuit of figh [...]

Youth crime - watch for early signs

editor@uticopa.com — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

When random surveys are taken of what worries people the most, the issue that keeps rising to the top of the pile is hooliganism and knife-wielding young people. When you look at police case-studies of the perpetrators of such youth crime, the same family scenario constantly surfaces: neglect, a missing parent or two, a family background lacking in essential ‘tough love' guidelines etc. etc. All of these things, if left unaddressed, can leave children with burgeoning m [...]

Improve your mental health - get a pet!

editor@uticopa.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It's proven! Mental health therapists have discovered that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) increases social interaction and decreases aggression in people with mental disorders. So much so, that sufferers who interact with animals on a regular basis often no longer need medication at all. It's those patients with poor communication skills who are most likely to benefit from participating in AAT programmes, since they find it easier to communicate with others in the presence of animals.

Don't be depressed: learn from your Asian neighbours

editor@uticopa.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

What's the main difference between Western societies and those from the East? Many might cite such things as skin colour, dress codes, dietary habits etc. However, there is something much more important which those of us born and brought up in the West should take heed of - especially if we want to avoid the stress of mental disorders. It is how we, as a society, deal with each other.

Western societies are generally termed ‘individualistic', which means they encourage peop [...]

Bereavement - how to deal with it

test3@uticopa.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Childhood memories: sibling bonds run deep and the trauma of losing a loved one can last a lifetime.

I lost my brother last year, aged 61. He had been diagnosed with terminal myeloma - a devastating cancer of the bone marrow - but by the time I discovered his illness, he was already in a coma. I was therefore denied the spiritual healing of a final conversation with him. Many bizarre symptoms have followed this event. Even though I now live in another country, far away fr [...]

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