Latest news with #psychosis
Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Times
NHS opens first 24/7 mental health hub to help get people into work
Patients with psychosis and schizophrenia will be given help finding jobs at NHS walk-in centres to ensure they are no longer 'condemned to a life of worklessness'. The new 'one-stop shops' for people with severe mental illness will be open 24/7 and aim to stop patients 'bouncing around' between different services such as hospital wards, A&E and the police. As well as providing routine appointments and specialist NHS psychiatric care, the centres will have employment advisors and partner with local organisations to offer help with housing, debt and domestic violence. Stephen Kinnock, the minister for care, said the clinics aim to 'catch people before they fall', providing wraparound care for hundreds of NHS patients already known to local services and helping to prevent hospital stays. About one in 110 people in England have a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychotic disorder. NHS figures show that less than one in ten of such patients are in paid employment, despite 80 per cent wanting to work. The hubs will open on high streets and are designed for people with long-term serious mental health problems, as part of a 'neighbourhood care' model unveiled by Labour's ten-year NHS Plan. The first centre — Barnsley Street Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre — opened last week in Bethnal Green, east London, and has a team of 40 staff offering drop-in sessions with psychiatrists, nurses and social workers. It will also have six beds for those who need to stay overnight. A further five clinics will launch this year. Trained employment advisers will also be embedded in the hubs to help patients find a job or volunteering opportunities. Kinnock said: 'People have been badly let down by the mental health system for far too long. This is a supportive and welcoming environment to demonstrate to people that they're not being shunned by society. They are being brought into the community.' • After my father died I was sectioned with severe psychosis Helping patients with mental health problems find work was a 'key priority', he said, adding: 'The vast majority of psychiatrists and psychologists will tell you that human interaction, social interaction, is vitally important for people with mental health conditions, and work is one of the best ways of having that interaction. 'Many patients have a huge amount to offer. They may well be facing mental health challenges, but they're also extremely creative and very bright people, so they can bring a lot to a work environment.' Kinnock added that ministers were 'pretty convinced' the centres would help reduce the number of people ending up in hospital wards or A&Es, saving the NHS money. 'Often, going on to the hospital ward is not the right way for somebody to be treated. It can actually be very counterproductive and worsen the state of distress, trauma.' One patient at the London centre, Moynah Miah, 47, has paranoid schizophrenia and has been in the care of mental health services for most of his adult life. He has started coming every day. 'I come here and have a cup of tea. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They helped me with my housing when the council wanted to evict me,' he said. Claire Murdoch, the national mental health director for the NHS, said that most severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are lifelong conditions. The centres will enable patients to 'dip in and out' whenever they need support, providing continuity of care, whereas patients are currently 'bounced around between teams' and can end up in police cells. She said: 'This is a one-stop shop that you can come to again and again, that might help you with housing, debt, employment, relationships.' • Bella Mackie: What doctors never told me about quitting antidepressants Murdoch said many people never work again after being severely mentally unwell, which is 'devastating'. Patients 'don't want to be held back by their diagnosis', she said, 'they want to be a volunteer, to have a meaningful day, to make a contribution, to go back into education … why should we condemn somebody to a life of worklessness?' Only six to eight per cent of people with severe mental illness are in paid employment, compared to 75 per cent of the general population. Dr Sheraz Ahmad, a consultant psychiatrist and clinical lead at the Tower Hamlets service, said the centre will be a base for about 600 local patients who are currently under the care of community mental health services, and provide a better alternative to hospitals. He said: 'I've worked on [psychiatric] wards for years. I don't think anybody would argue that wards are good, yet they often seem to be the only option.' Ahmad said NHS staff are partnering with organisations specialising in areas such as domestic violence and asylum seekers, to build trust with patients and reach 'communities that often run away from us'.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Psychiatrists call for ban of psychoactive substance that ‘has done major damage' to teens' mental health
In recent years, there are increasing concerns about the impact of Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) on people's mental health, particularly among children and adolescents. What is HHC? HHC is a legally available, semi-synthetic cannabinoid. Chemically, it is like THIC, which is the main psychoactive substance found in cannabis that produces a 'high'. And where can you get it? As it is legal, it is actually quite widely available. It has been on the Irish market since 2022 and is available to purchase in shops and online. It comes in a number of forms, including vapes and edibles. Why are health professionals concerned? The HSE and the Irish College of Psychiatrists have raised concerns in recent years about the impact this has on people's mental health. This was confirmed in recent days after a new study by researchers in University Hospital Galway found HHC was the second most common drug used by patients presenting with psychosis over a 21-month period. Cannabis was used the most, the study found. [ Cannabis-like drug causing severe psychosis in young men, College of Psychiatrists warn Opens in new window ] What were the findings of the study? Research published in the BJPsych Bulletin examined medical records of patients admitted for psychotic illness into University Hospital Galway to assess the use HHC or other illicit drugs before admission. Of the 214 total admissions for psychotic illness between May 2023 and December 2024, 28 admissions (13.1 per cent) were preceded by use of HHC, nine of whom used only HHC. Sixteen (34 per cent) admissions of first-episode psychosis were preceded by HHC use, with seven of these people using only HHC. And were there cohorts of society more likely to use HHC? According to the study, HHC users were more likely to be male and range in age from 18 to 49 with a median age of 24. The researchers said psychosis associated with HHC appears 'to be more prominent in young people with early-phase psychosis', adding that it highlighted a need for policymakers to 'change legislation to avoid further harm'. So what do psychiatrists want to see happen? The Irish College of Psychiatrists said this research confirms their calls over the past year that the substance should be banned. 'HHC is a particularly harmful substance that, in just a few short years since its creation, has done major damage to the mental health of many people, and adolescents in particular,' the statement said. 'It beggars belief that HHC is still freely available around Ireland without any restrictions, given the overwhelming evidence of its harms. The legislative framework exists for the Government to ban HHC – it now needs to act urgently to do so before more people and their loved ones are negatively impacted.' [ Her 17-year-old daughter is under psychiatric care after becoming addicted to HHC vapes Opens in new window ] And is the HSE seeing this too? The HSE has previously said there has been a 'concerning' increase in the number of children and young people presenting to addiction services with mental health problems due to HHC. [ HHC vapes: 'It only took a few puffs to turn him completely zombie-like' Opens in new window ] What do vendors say? Luke Gavin, chief executive of Owls Oil, which sells HHC products, said the sector is 'pro-regulation' but does not agree with an outright ban on the substance. He said there is an 'opportunity' to enact appropriate regulations that assure of safety and ensure standards are followed. Mr Gavin said this comes down to being 'educated' about what's being consumed and why. 'I believe there's a reason we're here. Cannabis is not available and people are looking for a safer alternative to black market cannabis. That's why I believe HHC has exploded. People want to consume these products safely.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Therapists Are Sharing Differences They Noticed Between Male And Female Patients, And It's Fascinating
Recently, I came across this Reddit thread where user u/pizzabagelblastoff asked "Therapists of Reddit, what are some differences you've noticed between male/female patients?" They had a lot of interesting observations. Here's what they shared: 1."I was a therapist for people with psychosis and schizophrenia. Men were more likely to have God delusions (i.e., 'I am God,' or 'God speaks to me'). Women were more likely to have romance delusions (i.e., 'Michael Jackson speaks to me'). Both had pretty equal amounts of dissociative issues (i.e., 'This world isn't real, humans are being replaced by zombies, you aren't my mom')." —goog1e Related: 2."For me, men opened up faster. The first visit or two might be super limited, and then the floodgates open all at once. The women are more open at the start, but drop big details way slower." —therealcherry 3."Older men will often complain of physical pain when they really have depression." —Adoptafurrie 4."I work with a lot of college students, and my guy clients always take breakups much harder and are more likely to cry about them." —LampsLookingatyou 5."My male patients frequently schedule their first appointment because their wife or girlfriend strongly encouraged it. It's rarer for them to reach out of their own volition." —revolutionutena Related: 6."My female patients usually apologize for crying. My male patients usually apologize for having emotions at all." —Traditional_Sun3135 7."My female patients tend to express more self-criticism than the men." —Pure_Cucumber_5323 8."Honestly, fewer differences than you'd think. Men tend to be more comfortable going to anger than women, and tend to have less of a support system and less openness about their mental health with people they care about, but that's more societal conditioning than a hard truth about the gender. I often find men to be more attached to romantic ideals than women, paradoxically." —icecreamfight 9."My male clients come to therapy wanting solutions, action, structure, and for me (a woman) to tell it like it is. Over time, we almost always end up going very psychodynamic (lots of talking, open-ended guiding questions, raising awareness of relational/childhood stuff, behavioral patterns) and processing the deeper stuff that they didn't think was relevant or no one gave them space to talk about before. My female clients are very high-performing, controlling, perfectionist, burned-out, and trying to perform therapy and healing in a perfect way. Over time, we end up working on self-acceptance, processing anger, boundaries, values-driven action, self-image, and raising consciousness on gender roles and capitalism." —TheDuckSideOfTheMoon Related: 10."Twenty years ago, gender differences in therapy were an area I researched. A couple of general differences were a tendency for males to underrepresent, so they'd say they weren't feeling as badly as they were, or that they were satisfied with the therapist when they weren't. The other very general point was that males presented less verbally than females. Alexithymia was also much more common in males. It's that inability to identify emotions and therefore to explore them without professional support was absolutely crippling for many. (This was observed in session rather than as part of traditional/ structured research)." —meyeusername 11."I have learned that the men who come to me often need support and encouragement to thrive. Constant criticism is hard on a lot of them. It can cause a man to lose his confidence, and in that situation, he'll have a hard time relating to his partner. The women I see, on the other hand, tend to need attention. They need to feel seen and heard. They don't need to be understood as much as they need to feel heard. My female patients don't usually accept excuses. They want acknowledgment. When they are not feeling seen or heard, they don't feel loved and have a hard time relating to their partner." —AvalonSummer 12."The biggest difference is that my female patients process trauma more intensely than my male patients." —gbunta25 13."My female patients often arrive more comfortable expressing emotions and discussing interpersonal issues. My male patients may take longer to open up emotionally, sometimes framing issues in more 'practical' or action-oriented terms." —Plastic-Fig4710 14."I feel that a lot of my women patients get outwardly overwhelmed, for example, crying or having complaints of exhaustion. While men are either saying nothing or being angry when they get overwhelmed." —Kerianae Related: 15."My ex was a therapist. The biggest difference they saw was how many men mentioned being assaulted by women while being minors and didn't report it to authorities or think it was a big deal when their symptoms said otherwise. Staggering amounts." —january21st 16."In most couples I saw as a therapist, the woman wants to feel emotionally safe while the guy wants to be appreciated for what he's doing. Also, most of my men patients don't seem to identify getting angry easily as emotional, and only think crying is emotional. More men asked me if they could be put on medication, and women preferred talk therapy." —TacoBell__enthusiast finally, "My women patients have been the ones delusionally clinging to unhealthy relationships. My men patients tend to devalue social needs. Both equally want to be heard (most people prefer to talk in therapy, even those who are generally quiet)." —singingpunters Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity. If you're a therapist, what differences have you noticed in your male and female patients? Share in the comments or use the anonymous form below: Also in BuzzFeed: Also in BuzzFeed: Also in BuzzFeed: Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Mother of Lord Monson's 'devastating snub' to cancer-striker son
He's contended with two unspeakable hammer blows – the murder, in the custody of the Kenyan police, of his elder son, Alexander, and the loss of his younger boy, Rupert, who took his own life while in the grip of cannabis-induced psychosis. But I can disclose that Lord Monson, who has inoperable cancer, plus an acute cardiac condition and diabetes, now appears to have been comprehensively cut off by none other than his own mother. The moment chosen for what friends describe as a devastating snub was a family celebration, held last Saturday in north Lincolnshire where the Monsons have ruled the roost for generations. 'A big invitation went out saying, 'Emma, Lady Monson and family invite you to join them to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the newly conserved Monson Monument',' I'm told by a chum of Nicholas, the 69-year-old peer. 'The monument's an astonishing thing, with alabaster effigies of Nick's forebears, in the crypt of the family church. The Bishop of Lincoln was leading an Act of Dedication and then everyone was invited for refreshments afterwards.' But not the whole family. 'Nick wasn't invited. He didn't even know it was happening until someone got in touch with him and said, 'Thanks for the invitation'.' Monson declines to comment, and his mother, 89, could not be reached yesterday. But I understand that their only communication is via Nicholas Monson's Brazilian wife, Silvana. 'I don't know what's caused the rift,' the chum adds. 'Nick's lived an unusual life and he's on his third marriage but it seems extraordinary that they couldn't have worked things out, at least for the weekend.' It is indeed a sorry state of affairs for a family boasting ability, royal connections and glamour. Monson's cousins include investment guru Guy Monson, a former trustee of the Invictus Games, and the beautiful Debbie Bismarck, wife of Count Leopold Bismarck and mother of photographer Nikolai Bismarck, until recentlyKate Moss's longstanding toyboy lover. 'There's a big will to consider – Lady Monson's,' I'm told. In which, presumably, Nicholas, the eldest of her three sons, will go unmentioned... Phew... Harriet keeps her cool at Wills' polo Harriet Sperling made her debut in a carriage in the Royal Procession at Ascot last month, despite not being engaged to Peter Phillips. And yesterday the NHS nurse broke further new ground for a royal girlfriend. In Windsor Great Park, where the mercury hit 32C, Harriet, 45, undid not one, not two, but five of the buttons on her sleeveless white dress. She and Princess Anne's 47-year-old son were cheering on his cousin Prince William, 43, as he played in the Royal Charity Cup at Guards Polo Club. William's wife, Catherine, did not attend the match even though their home, Adelaide Cottage, is also at Windsor. Kate's university ex is a double for Roger Federer The Princess of Wales is expected to present the trophies at Wimbledon this weekend, but her ex-boyfriend Rupert Finch has already visited the All England Club – and could have been mistaken for former champion Roger Federer. Among those highlighting lawyer Finch's similarities to the Swiss legend was his wife, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, daughter of the Marquess of Reading. 'Hanging out with Federer on Centre Court,' Lady Natasha, 42, joked online next to this photograph of her with Finch, 46, who went out with Catherine at St Andrews University before she met Prince William. The princess, 43, is a great admirer of Federer, also 43, with whom she bonded in the Royal Box in 2023. The smart set's talking about... Earl heir's 'party girl' fiancee IT'S surely the engagement announcement of the summer. The Earl of Wemyss and March's only son and heir, Dick, 40, is to marry Georgie Thomas, a lively alumna of £58,410-a-year St Mary's Calne – the Wiltshire girls' school from which Jade Jagger was expelled for being a little too spirited. An admirer assures me that Georgie is 'a party girl'. Let's hope she can keep up with Dick's family. His sister, Lady Mary Charteris, 38, is a high-octane performer if ever there was one. Model turned DJ Lady Mary's now a member of the band The Big Pink, having married its frontman Robbie Furze in 2012, at Stanway, her family's mesmerizingly beautiful Jacobean manor house in Gloucestershire whose fountain rises to over 300ft – the tallest in Britain. Dick's father and stepmother are devotees of trepanning – the practice of drilling into the skull. Dick, a lawyer, has so far resisted emulating them. A treat for the stag night perhaps? Porn baron's £100m heir lashes 'worst' mayor Sadiq Khan HIS father, Paul Raymond, introduced the public to such supple performers as Bonnie Bell the Ding Dong Girl – a star of his legendary strip club, the Revuebar in Soho. But is Howard Raymond about to call time on London's West End? I ask because the affable Howard, 65, who inherited 20 per cent of his father's property empire, has agreed with co-directors at Raymond Estates to put the company into voluntary liquidation, even though it boasts assets of nearly £100 million. 'I'm making my life more fluid,' Howard tells me, explaining that he takes a grim view of the country's immediate future – especially London's. Its Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan, is, he reflects sardonically, 'very good at having his Instagram pictures taken – but that's as far as it goes. Probably the worst mayor we've ever had.' And Howard, uncle of Fawn and India Rose Raymond – his late sister Debbie's daughters – says that, though the last government was bad, 'it's ten times worse now'. So he's looking abroad at 'about five places, to see if I want to live [in one of them] at some stage'. Emily Clarkson: My ADHD hell Jeremy Clarkson's daughter Emily has revealed she's been diagnosed with ADHD and says her symptoms nearly wrecked her marriage. The podcaster, 30, who has two children with husband Alex Andrew, right, says: 'I've got ADHD. It was the third opinion, and it's conclusive. Someone said, 'Is it nice of you to have that peace?' I had this chat with my parents, and I was like, well, no.' Recalling a holiday, when her symptoms were particularly bad, she adds: 'We nearly got divorced. I was a f***ing lunatic. I felt like a mad person.' Owzat! Stuart Broad breaks new boundary Test legend Stuart Broad is turning in a remarkable innings in the pub trade, where he has struck up a winning partnership with fellow ex-cricketer Harry Gurney, with whom he owns two hostelries. 'Turnover's up by more than 10 per cent and we've got a third pub due to open,' Gurney tells me. But he and Broad, who recently celebrated the birth of a second daughter, Liliana, with his fiancée, Radio 1 DJ Mollie King, aren't complacent. 'The Budget put huge pressure on pubs,' Harry adds. 'We're lucky – we cater to the premium end of the market, so we've been able to pass on some of the costs.' Jesus of Nazareth star Robert Powell is in an unholy row over the electric hire bikes left piled up on his doorstep. 'You've got two octogenarians here who are in danger of being killed,' says the actor, 81, who lives in Highgate, north London, with his wife, Babs. She says: 'I'm terrified of them exploding. They're often leaned against our house and all it takes is a spark… one of us is going to have a heart attack out there moving the bikes.' In the absence of divine intervention, Camden Council says: 'We're using our powers to relocate this bay.' On screen smoothie Nigel Havers takes a disapproving view of his fellow actors across the pond. 'American actors are very different to English actors,' claims the Chariots Of Fire star, 73. 'They're not very friendly. If you come to a film set in England, we'll have a good time joking around and chatting, but it's very competitive in America. 'They think you might get a job they want, but I don't give a toss what I do or don't get.' As part of 1980s pop duo Bros, Matt Goss sang to hordes of screaming girls. Next week, he will perform in front of Princess Anne at Horse Guards Parade, London. Goss, 56, will sing in A Military Musical Spectacular – Heroes, a show organised by the Household Division charity. 'Real gratitude means supporting [veterans] here, not just in conflict,' Matt, whose grandfather was a gunner in World War II, tells me. 'It digs a knife into my ribs, the thought of anyone who's worn a uniform and served our country facing challenges when they come home.'
CBC
09-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Winnipeg's emergency services system leaves vulnerable people at risk, says outreach group
Social Sharing A Winnipeg outreach organization is questioning the city's emergency services system after a young woman was left waiting for an ambulance for three hours while experiencing a mental-health crisis on Saturday in the North End. In a statement posted to Facebook, Morgan's Warriors said group members encountered the woman, who was barefoot, limping and appeared to be in a state of psychosis, near Selkirk Avenue and Salter Street around 10:30 p.m. She had been reported to the group as missing from a First Nation in northeastern Manitoba last fall but was much thinner than the photo members had. Once they realized who it was, and learned the woman had a history of mental health issues and missing person reports, members called 911. A Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service truck arrived within minutes but the distressed woman began to wander away and the first responders never followed, according to the outreach group. The WFPS, in a statement to CBC News on Tuesday, said staff provides an "observational assessment" if a person flees from their crews. Wait for help during mental health emergency too long: outreach group 14 hours ago Duration 1:20 "If individuals decline assistance they must be competent and understand the risks associated with refusing assistance," the statement said. WFPS said crews typically call police if they believe a person is a danger to themselves or others. Members of Morgan's Warriors said they called 911 three more times after first responders left, until police showed up 30 minutes later. George Robinson, a search lead with the group that was at the scene on Saturday night, said members were "completely disregarded" once police arrived. "We had the feeling that we weren't wanted there. But we knew if we left, they would leave," he said. It was three hours before the ambulance arrived and the woman, who had been sitting agitated in the grass with police nearby, was taken to hospital around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. "I thank God all the time that we're out there. We're in places where [first responders] can't be and we've saved lives," said Morgan's Warriors founder Melissa Robinson, but "we just don't have enough people on the streets." Both Melissa and George Robinson said they would like to see communication between police, firefighters, paramedics and community services change, especially when it comes to missing persons cases. Despite her history of missing person reports, the woman had not been listed with the Winnipeg Police Service as missing at the time officers responded Saturday, the WPS told CBC News in an email Tuesday. Officers contacted the woman's family before she was transported to hospital, the WPS said. Melissa Robinson said that many families of missing Indigenous women have lost faith in the police and look elsewhere for help. Morgan's Warriors posts missing persons reports to their website on behalf of families looking for their loved ones. "Not everything that we post has an incident number, missing persons file number. We do it because family reaches out to us and because the police are of no help. The police won't file a report, and we hear that so often," she said. "You have families that don't even want to reach out to the police for assistance because they're not taking them seriously." George Robinson said the outreach group doesn't know where the woman is now, or if she's safe. The WFPS said it could not comment on its response as medical calls are covered under the confidentiality of the Personal Health Information Act. "We're still looking for her, still looking out for her. We won't give up, even if she did leave the hospital," George Robinson said.
