Antipsychotic drugs are currently prescribed to a significant proportion of young people who are diagnosed with psychosis. Past research has estimated that up to half of people at risk of developing psychosis at a young age will progress to a full blown psychotic illness such as schizophrenia. A new landmark randomised controlled trial has been [read the full story…]
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is a way of helping people to change their behaviour by focusing on the observable relationship between behaviour to the environment. ABA has led to a range of specific procedures that have enabled analysts to develop tailored intervention programmes based on functional analysis, specifically designed for individuals in their environments. This [read the full story…]
Exercise is a good thing right? It seems obvious that people who are affected by mental health problems would benefit from getting themselves outside and becoming more active, but are these ‘treatments’ value for money when they are delivered in a structured way? The current NICE depression guideline recommends ‘structured’ physical activity programmes for depression [read the full story…]
I’ve blogged about computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CCBT) a few times over recent months and highlighted research that shows it is effective in treating a range of mental health conditions. Research shows that most young people do not seek treatment for anxiety problems. There are lots of good quality reviews and trials that support the [read the full story…]
People with schizophrenia experience a wide range of symptoms, which are broadly categorised into ‘positive’ symptoms (e.g. hallucinations and delusions) and ‘negative’ symptoms (e.g. lethargy, lack of motivation and poor attention). Evidence shows that positive symptoms can be well managed with antipsychotic drugs, which also reduce the chances of relapse, but these medications can have [read the full story…]
Existing trials have shown that cognitive behavioural therapy is a promising treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome. The availability of CBT is patchy, so there is an increasing body of research investigating whether internet-based treatment is a viable alternative. A new small randomised controlled trial conducted by researchers from the Netherlands has been published in the [read the full story…]
There’s a lot of talk about ‘shared decision making’ in the NHS right now. Many mental health patients say that they do not feel that they are properly listened to or that their expertise is not valued in the consultation, but it’s clear that many health professionals are quite evangelical about working in partnership with [read the full story…]
Mental health is an area where a lot of evidence-based guidelines now exist. A lack of evidence isn’t always the problem. In some cases, one of the key issues is that clinicians don’t adhere to the guidelines. The reasons for this can be many and varied: because they don’t know about the guidelines, because it’s [read the full story…]
There are specific difficulties in developing an evidence base for practice in supporting people with learning disabilities. There is general agreement that some degree of sprcialist services are required, but little agreement about the nature of these services or the best method of their delivery. It may be possible to transfer ideas directly from mental [read the full story…]
Our colleagues at the Mental Elf found this small randomised controlled trial looking at the use of memantine for people with Down syndrome and dementia. The trial is being reported in the Lancet. People with Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than others and one in three will have the illness as early [read the full story…]
