John Kerr • Apr 28, 2017 •
Māori, Pacific and Asian New Zealanders are more at risk of depression and anxiety disorders and yet are likely to be under-diagnosed, say the authors of a new study. Around one in six New Zealand adults are diagnosed with an anxiety or mood disorder in their lifetime. However some minorities are less likely to be diagnosed, despite appearing to have higher rates of … Read More
Guest Work • Mar 20, 2017 •
By Daniel J. Kruger, University of Michigan Have you ever experienced a phantom phone call or text? You’re convinced that you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket, or that you heard your ring tone. But when you check your phone, no one actually tried to get in touch with you. You then might plausibly wonder: “Is … Read More
Ken Perrott • Feb 16, 2017 •
Mental illness is far more widespread than we often wish to admit. In fact, it is probably worth considering it a normal part of life – like the occasional cold or other ailments we all get. But occasionally mental illness can be more debilitating – even embarrassing. Does any family not have a member who sometimes embarrasses them by behaving inappropriately? … Read More
Ken Perrott • Jan 05, 2017 •
A significant new Swedish study shows fluoride in drinking water, at the concentrations used for community water fluoridation, has no effect on IQ or other measures of cognitive ability. Fluoride levels in Swedish drinking water (mg/L). Variation between municipalities. Source: Aggeborn & Öhman (2016). Similarly, it has no effect on diagnosis or prescription of medicines for ADHD, depression, psychiatric … Read More
John Kerr • Oct 31, 2016 •
A growing field of research – psychobiotics – hints that the millions of bacteria living inside us have more of a say in our mental well-being than we think. The term ‘psychobiotics’ was coined in 2013 by Ted Dinan to describe bacteria that “produce a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness.” Since then there have already been leaps forward in … Read More
Guest Work • Oct 23, 2016 •
By John Read, University of East London Hearing voices that other people can’t is a meaningful experience. Like dreams, they can usually be understood in terms of one’s life experiences. Within mental health services, however, the prevailing medical model means some practitioners pay attention only to their presence, not their meaning. Psychiatry’s diagnostic bibles, the American DSM-5 … Read More
Guest Work • Sep 14, 2016 •
Sarah Bailey, University of Bath Depression is sometimes categorised as a mental, rather than a physical illness – as though somehow mental health is different from physical health. But the brain is not a magical black box inside your head. It is an organ, just like the heart or lungs, made up of cells and supplied with … Read More
Public Health Expert • Nov 15, 2013 •
Assoc Prof Nick Wilson and Dr Nisha Nair NZ compares favourably with other OECD countries in many ways – according to the just released results of the OECD’s “Better Life Index”. This blog considers some of the details and also … Continue reading → … Read More
Public Health Expert • Sep 18, 2013 •
Assoc Prof Nick Wilson & Prof Tony Blakely According to the just released “World Happiness Report 2013”, New Zealanders are among the happiest people in the world, ranking 13th out of 156 nations examined. Actually only seven countries appear to … Continue reading → … Read More
John Pickering • Apr 24, 2013 •
He didn’t die, quite. But later thought he may well of. Steve Gurney’s episode of Acute Kidney Injury (see Part II) didn’t finish him after he was discharged from his third hospital (one each in Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand) – 4 weeks after the event. While media outlets clamoured to hear the story of … Continue reading » … Read More