Depression is often misunderstood, and some studies report that only half of people living with depression seek professional help for it. The post Depression: Stigma and Getting Help appeared first on Aware ..read more

The ordinary response to atrocities is to banish them from consciousness. Certain violations of the social compact are too terrible to utter aloud. This is the meaning of the word unspeakable. – Judith Herman, Trauma and Recovery Our webinar this month looked at understanding the impact of trauma on mental health. It was one of our most popular webinars this year, and if you missed, it you can find it here. The above quote from Judith Herman’s seminal book on trauma holds relevance for Irish culture when it comes to how society navigates the ‘unspeakable’ abuses inflicted by powerful and ..read more

Aware’s older adult research reveals high rates of depression and anxiety. 1 in 3 experiencing loneliness and isolation One third (34 per cent) experiencing mild to moderate levels of depression, two fifths (41 per cent) with mild to moderate anxiety 14 per cent considered ending their lives in the last 12 months Those living with a chronic illness more likely to experience depression, anxiety and loneliness Majority (88 per cent) still feel healthy enough to get out and about ALONE welcomes the research, highlighting the need for a national conversation about mental health in older age. Awa ..read more

  Broadening mental health support: A review of a recent report advocating the need to move beyond a biomedical approach and emphasising the importance of recognising the social, psychological and economic determinants of mental health. An interesting report was published this month from the Beyond Pills All-Party Parliamentary Group, in the UK, calling for an overhaul of the mental health system and the ‘over reliance on psychiatric medications’. The authors which include lead author, James Davies and Lucy Johnstone argue that how we have sought to understand and treat mental health dif ..read more

My name is Gemma and I am a proud Mam to two beautiful little boys aged 2 and 7 months. I wrote this poem not long after my second baby was born towards the end of 2023. I had my first baby in March 2022 and when he was 6 months old I was diagnosed with postnatal depression. I found it very difficult at the time and felt very vulnerable and unable to talk about it out loud to anyone except to my husband and GP. Speaking to my GP was the catalyst I needed for external support outside of my family unit and meant that I sought support very early during my second pregnancy. I have always been abl ..read more

Second annual survey indicates that little has changed, with more than half reporting depression and 4 in 10 experiencing anxiety Day-to-day lives of adults experiencing moderate depression significantly impacted 1 in 4 adults are living with a chronic illness, and are most likely to experience moderate depression 3 in 5 say anxiety makes work and attending to responsibilities difficult Stigma still an issue – half cited shame and fear of judgement for delay in accessing supports Financial worries impacting on mental health of 56 per cent Narrow understanding of depression symptoms 1 in 10 un ..read more

Anxiety disorders, according to the World Health Organisation are the most common mental health conditions experienced by people across the globe, impacting over 301 million in 2019. Anxiety is a commonly used term today but what exactly is it? A shared theme across all descriptions of anxiety is that anxiety holds a specific function for us, i.e. to identify danger or threat and prepare the body to respond to it. One way of understanding this is through the following four steps. Firstly, a system prewired into the brain, and inherited from mammals, nonconsciously assesses danger and communic ..read more

  This March we celebrate World Bipolar Day on the 30th of the month. The theme this year is #BipolarTogether. The day aims to raise awareness, educate, inspire hope, and challenge stigma about bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition that is characterised by extreme changes in a person’s mood, thoughts, and behaviours. These mood changes will be severe enough to be diagnosed as a mental health condition and are likely to significantly impact on how possible it feels to manage day to day life, during an episode. People living with bipolar disorder ..read more

What does 2024 hold for us in terms of advancing our understanding of depression recovery as well as prevention? Perhaps the old adage holds somewhat true here; that in order to understand future behaviour, we might look to past behaviour. So, what does this mean in terms of areas of research focus past and future? Popular areas of research focus in 2023 have included the microbiome and the gut brain axis, the ongoing search for depression biomarkers, and novel depression treatments focusing on ketamine and psilocybin. The debate regarding the role of serotonin in depression rages on, both in ..read more

  “The times are urgent. Let’s slow down.” – Bayo Akomolafe. As I write this blog, it seems like the march to Christmas is gathering pace. The busyness, the buying, the preparing for the Christmas break. This can be an exciting and joyful time for many. It can also feel overwhelming and pressured. Exposing and exacerbating old family wounds. Highlighting the loss of loved ones. Navigating Christmas is even harder when trying to manage depression, and this month can be incredibly difficult for many. Isolation will add into this too, although you don’t need to live alone, or be alone, to f ..read more