Guest Work • Apr 12, 2018 •
Tania Perich, Western Sydney University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Most women expect to experience the effects of hormonal changes when they come to menopause and many anticipate increased irritability and mood swings. But mood swings that can be just an annoyance for some women can develop into something … Read More
Guest Work • Apr 04, 2018 •
Klaus Oliver Schubert, University of Adelaide and Bernhard Baune, University of Adelaide This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) affects around 2% of the world’s population, leaving them with bouts of severe depression and episodes of what is commonly referred to as “mania”. A … Read More
Jean Balchin • Mar 23, 2018 •
On Saturday night, I had the immense pleasure of watching the Suitcase Theatre perform Mental Notes as part of the Dunedin Fringe Festival. Rarely have I encountered such an uplifting and touching take on mental health. Mental Notes, is at its heart, an exploration of mental health, a sustained conversation with many different voices. Over the course of … Read More
Guest Work • Mar 21, 2018 •
Sarah L. Desmarais, North Carolina State University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. In the wake of mass shootings and other tragedies, a frequent refrain is: Why don’t we get those dangerous people off the streets? And, just as frequently, people suggest that mental health treatment is the answer. Read More
Jean Balchin • Mar 15, 2018 •
Last week, I was fortunate enough to interview comedian and suicide prevention advocate Mike King about his work. Over the month of March, Mike and a bunch of mates are riding Suzuki 50cc scooters from one end of the country to the other. Along the way they’ll stop at around 45 schools and community halls and talk to … Read More
Jean Balchin • Feb 22, 2018 •
A major meta-analysis study comparing commonly used antidepressants has concluded that all are more effective than placebo for the short-term treatment of acute depression in adults, with effectiveness ranging from small to moderate for different drugs. What is depression? According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression “is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, … Read More
Public Health Expert • Feb 06, 2018 •
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Giorgi Kvizhinadze, Dr Linda Cobiac, Prof Tony Blakely We have just published a modelling study on exercise programmes in NZ to prevent falls in older people. This work suggests that this approach (home-based or group-based exercise) is good value for money for the NZ Government. In this blog we consider these results alongside other fall prevention … Read More
Guest Work • Feb 02, 2018 •
Eva Buechel, University of South Carolina This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Ever since online social networks were first created, people have wondered why they’re popular and how they affect users. Researchers, practitioners and social commentators have expressed concern that they reduce more meaningful face-to-face interaction, leaving … Read More
Guest Work • Jan 24, 2018 •
Benjamin W. Nelson, University of Oregon; Heidemarie Laurent, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Nick Allen, University of Oregon This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. An estimated 1 in 9 women experience symptoms of postpartum depression. These symptoms – including mood swings, fatigue and reduced … Read More
Sarb Johal • Oct 30, 2017 •
The first article in this short series looked at the scale and scope of the problem of increasing mental health related presentations in New Zealand. In that first article, I argued that ‘Capitalism with a Human Face’ can take its place in altering the settings of the economy in favour of the experience of those who live and work in it, … Read More