May 7, 2014
Mental Health
Exercise helps battle depression among elderly
Irish Examiner, 07-May-2014
Physical exercise can help elderly people fend off depression, even if they experience pain in old age, according to a study.
'Preferred drugs' can save patients €200 a year
Irish Examiner, 02-May-2014
Savings of around €200 a year can be made by private patients on the cost of anti-depressants if GPs prescribe a cheaper but equally effective drug preferred by the HSE. The two drugs Citalopram (Celexa) and Venlafaxine (Effexoror/ Efexor) were included in the HSE's medicines management programme (MMP).
Anxiety and depression shown to be common in inflammatory bowel disease patients in Ireland
Medical Independent, 01-May-2014
Depression is one of the more recognised illnesses associated with chronic diseases and is projected to be the second most common world-wide condition by 2020. Both anxiety and depression links to IBD have been the focus of many studies over the past decade.
Psychiatric patients have 'nowhere to go' following closure at St. Ita's
Fingal Independent, 29-Apr-2014
Fianna Fail's spokesperson on Mental Health, Colm Keaveney, has demanded an urgent statement from the Health Minister following what he called 'alarming reports that very sick patients with serious psychiatric difficulties have been forced to wait up to eight days at Beaumont Hospital's emergency department before being moved to a psychiatric bed'.
TCD team find autism and schizophrenia gene link
Metro Herald, 29-Apr-2014
Researchers into schizophrenia at Trinity College and in the US found a striking connection between scizophrenia and autism and other learning conditions.
Moderate to severe depression increases the risk of heart failure
Womans Way, 28-Apr-2014
According to the author of the study, Use Tuset Gustad, "Depression triggers stress hormones…Those stress hormones also induce inflammation and atherosclerosis which may accelerate heart diseases."
Rise in men with eating disorders
Irish Independent Health & Living, 28-Apr-2014
The widespread perception that only women have eating disorders is preventing men with these problems from getting the help and support they need, according to a new study.
Suicide
Rugby stars are being trained to prevent suicide
Irish Examiner, 07-May-2014
The Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) is working with Console to provide training to players and coaching staff in each province. The aim is to help identify at-risk individuals and show how to help them.
Up to 3,500 to walk at dawn for suicide prevention charity
Connacht Sentinel, 06-May-2014
Up to 3,0OO people are expected to take part in a dawn walk to raise awareness of suicide prevention in Galway in the early hours of Saturday morning. There are 37 Darkness Into Light walks taking place simultaneously across the country.
Suicides in community mental health 'not investigated'
Medical Independent, 01-May-2014
Almost half of suspected suicides in community mental health services were not investigated or reviewed by the service concerned, according to a critical HSE audit report.
Lack of services is contributing to suicide deaths in Carlow
Nationalist – Carlow, 29-Apr-2014
General Secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses' Association Des Kavanagh has called for an urgent national review of psychiatric services, citing the case of Carlow, where huge gaps in the services are costing lives.
