Can we screen-and-treat victims of terror attacks?

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Nia Oxbourgh summarises a recent study of the outcomes of mental health screening (the screen and treat programme) for UK nationals affected by the 2015-2016 terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Paris and Brussels.

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Reminiscence therapy for people living with dementia: Cochrane review is inconclusive

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Liz Collier and Solomon Towuru summarise the recently updated Cochrane systematic review on reminiscence therapy for dementia, which includes evidence showing that reminiscence therapy may improve quality of life, cognition, communication and possibly mood in people with dementia in some circumstances, although all the benefits were small.

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A psychological victory for the domestic violence and abuse sector: the PATH trial

Young adults who reported depressive and/or suicidality symptoms in adolescence were significantly more likely to have experienced relationship violence in their romantic relationships

Emma Yapp summarises two new studies out yesterday looking at the PATH intervention (Psychological Advocacy Towards Healing), a CBT-informed psychological intervention delivered by trained domestic violence and abuse (DVA) advocates in specialist services.

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Medical cannabis for mental illness: current use is not supported by research #MHQT

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As we prepare for our Cannabis #MHQT event on Wed 26 Sep, Luke Sheridan Rains dissects a narrative review that asks: Is cannabis treatment for anxiety, mood, and related disorders ready for prime time?

His answer is that current evidence does not support the use of medical cannabis for mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression.

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Complementary therapies for PTSD: can mindfulness combat the mindlessness of combat? #CAMSTRAND2018

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The #CAMSTRAND2018 delegates blog about a recent systematic review of mind-body therapies for Military Veterans with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

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CBT for anxiety: new meta-analysis confirms significant improvements to target symptoms

CBT plus taper is effective at reducing benzodiazepine use in the short term (3 months) but this effect is not sustained at 6 months.

Inês Pote summarises a recent meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials of cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety and related disorders.

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Brutalised child soldiers and traumatic distress

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Our blog today explores a new study in the British Journal of Psychiatry of post-traumatic stress disorder among former Yazidi child soldiers in northern Iraq.

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Nature-based therapy for stress-related illnesses

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Danielle Rhydderch and Ian Collings review a new RCT in the British Journal of Psychiatry, which suggests that nature-based therapy is not significantly different to CBT for acute stress reactions, PTSD and adjustment disorders.

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Individual Placement and Support works for US veterans with PTSD

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Harry Palmer from the Centre for Mental Health summarises a recent RCT, which suggests that Individual Placement and Support helps veterans with PTSD to achieve steady work better than the US Veteran Affairs’ transitional work programme.

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Trauma and psychotic experiences: results from a transnational survey

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Today Marcus Tan and William Lee publish their debut elf blog on a new paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry, which investigates the association between traumatic events and subsequent psychotic experiences.

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