violence and mental health

This week in class I was asked about violence associated with mental illness. People diagnosed with a mental illness are much more likely to be victims of homicide than perpetrators. This article reinforces this:

Mentally ill people are not killers. Angry people are.

the humour of mental health issues

Just in case you thought there was nothing funny about mental health issues, here is a whole bunch of videos that might change your mind:

Stand Up for Mental Health

acute dystonic reaction

Acute dystonic reaction is a side effect of antipsychotic drugs. This short video shows what it looks like:
Acute Dystonic Reaction

nursing management of aggression

Another link to an article from Nursing Planet, this time about the nursing management of aggression:\

Nursing Management of Aggression

more on the development of the vibrator for the treatment of female hysteria

A really good article on this "touchy"  but "penetrating" subject:

Female Hysteria, Victorian era doctors and the vibrator

caffeine - a safe drug? Maybe not

Here's a news article about a death associated with caffeine:

Death due to caffeine

another celebrity heroin death

Just in case you missed it, here is an article about the latest celebrity heroin overdose:

Peaches Geldof was a heroin addict

nursing management of hallucinations and delusions

Hallucinations and delusions are two of the diagnostic signs of a psychotic illness. Learn more about how mental health nurses manage both of these phenomena here:

Nursing Management of Delusions and Hallucinations

neuroleptic malignant syndrome

More information on this potentially fatal side effect of antipsychotic drugs:

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

musical madness 7

Queen's tribute to madness, I'm Going Slightly Mad, was the second single released from their album Innuendo, in 1991.

catatonic schizophrenia

This short video gives you some idea of the waxy flexibility associated with catatonic schizophrenia, as well as the nature of some of the hallucinations that someone with schizophrenia might experience.

Further information on catatonic schizophrenia can be found here:

Catatonic disorders

nursing care in ECT

If you do come across ECT being used while on placement, this link will give you an indication of the nurse's role in the treatment:

Nursing Care in ECT

inflammation during pregnancy increases risk of schizophrenia in children

Recent research has found that inflammation in the pregnant woman significantly increases the risk of schizophrenia development in offspring. Discover more here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140708121746.htm

recovery from schizophrenia without medication

Whether people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia can recover from the illness is a topic of hot debate in the realms of psychiatry. Whether they can recover with the use of psychotropic medication is even more controversial. This video suggests that it can be achieved:

Take These Broken Wings -- Recovery from Schizophrenia without Medication

child psychiatry

The madness of A.A. Milne

Are mental illnesses such as PMS and depression culturally determined?

Here is another article worth reading. Firstly, in case you didn't know PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) is now defined as a mental illness if it is severe enough to meet the diagnostic criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder under DSM 5. But is it a universal phenomenon? Is depression recognised by all cultures? This article discusses these questions:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2013/may/20/mental-illnesses-depression-pms-culturally-determined

Treatment of Eating Disorders

Here's an overview of eating disorders (podcast):

An Overview of Eating Disorders

Here's a recent podcast about treatment of eating disorders:

Treatment for Eating Disorders and the Path to Wellness

An article on understanding anorexia nervosa:

Eating Disorders: Understanding Anorexia Nervosa

Lastly, an article on new research into anorexia:

Novel Research in the Neuropsychiatry of Anorexia Nervosa

What Depression Does to Our Minds When It Attacks

Here's another article worth reading - a pediatrician discusses her experience of depression and offers insights about how to talk to someone who is depressed:

What Depression Does to Our Minds When It Attacks

The Chemical Imbalance Myth

Over the last fifty years there has been a theory that some mental illnesses are due to "a chemical imbalance" within the brain. The article below discusses just how much truth there is in the theory.

Doctor, Is My Mood Disorder Due to a Chemical Imbalance?