According to a report [here], the number of people aged 16-24 who are experiencing obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has tripled over a decade. Various factors are thought to have contributed to this, including pressures arising from societal problems and social media, as well as the disruption of supports and coping mechanisms due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some characteristics of those who experience ADHD
It is estimated that over 2.5 million people in the UK have ADHD, many having to wait over two years for a diagnostic assessment. According to an article [here], over half a million people are waiting for an assessment. Helpfully, the author also shares nine common ‘warning signs’ that someone may have the condition. This may indicate whether or not you or your partner could have ADHD. The NHS also provides some useful information about coping with ADHD [here].
New issues with medication for psychological issues reported
Many people benefit from taking medication for their psychological issues. Best practice guidance sometimes recommends medication and psychological therapy as a combined treatment. However, there have been some recent reports about possible negative effects associated with medications: 1) A pharmacist [here] warns of possible, ‘terrible’ withdrawal symptoms associated with coming off of paroxetine, duloxetine and venlafaxine. 2) The antidepressant amitriptyline causes weight gain, increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure in many [see here]. And 3) Sedating antidepressants such as mirtazapine, amitriptyline and trazodone are sometimes prescribed for sleeplessness but can result in chronic insomnia in the long term [here]. On a positive note, the side effects of thirty antidepressants have been ranked for the first time. There are large differences between them. The ‘take-away’ from this study is that different antidepressants are likely to be appropriate for people with the same diagnosis [see here].
The keys to a healthy romantic relationship
Several psychological principles have been found to lie behind a healthy, long-term, romantic relationship. This article [here] describes each principle as a floor of a seven-story building. Examples of such floors include ‘managing conflict constructively’ and ‘cultivating fondness and admiration’.
Daytime posture can affect sleep at night
Sleeping is important to many aspects of feeling good, both mentally and physically. Spending time hunched over a screen can result in ‘tech neck’ according to this article [here]. This can apparently affect available sleeping positions and result in nightime discomfort. The article advocates good daytime posture.
Some common medications and disturbing side effects
Often, the negative effects of taking medications emerge after they have been released to the market. This article [here] describes how, when the painkiller tramadol is taken with certain widely used antidepressants, there is an increased risk of seizure. Another article [here] describes how some people have reported that the hair loss drug Propecia can result in mood swings, loss of sex drive and a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviours.
Sound advice for better sleeping could make matters worse for some
Helpful tactics for getting a good night’s sleep could, in some instances, backfire. For example, standard advice is to avoid looking at screens before sleep. However, lying in the dark while in bed can, for some, create a mental vacuum which can attract worry and overthinking. This can make drifting off to sleep more challenging. More information about potential pitfalls is provided in this article [here]. A take-home message is to use these strategies flexibly in a manner that best works for you.
A brief positive note on the treatment of post-natal depression
Could computers replace some of our mental abilities?
I always marvel when I see the handwritten manuscripts of authors who wrote in the period before computers existed. The ability to organise information so well in our minds in this way may have been lost to the word processor. Now a neuroscientist [here] warns that artificial intelligence could ‘… kill your memory, fracture your attention span and wreck your creativity over time’. As computers offer new abilities, we may lose our mental equivalents. This could result in a kind of ‘digital dementia’. With mental as well as physical abilities, the phrase ‘use it or lose it’ would seem to apply.
Young adults seem less responsive to talking therapies
A study, described here, has found that young people (aged 16-25) with anxiety and depression are 25% less likely to recover with talking therapy treatment. They seem to find it more difficult to ‘navigate’ services for adults, finding it harder to regularly attend therapy sessions. This is of particular concern as rates of common mental health problems are increasing in this group. More than a quarter report now experiencing such difficulties, up from 17.5% in 2007.
Waiting list woes for those who experience mental health difficulties
Whilst waiting lists are reducing for those who have some physical health issues, unfortunately, this article [here] says that this is not the case for those with mental health issues. In May 2025, there were almost 15000 patients with a severe mental illness who had been waiting longer than 78 weeks for treatment. The article includes a case study of someone who has had ‘complex PTSD’ who, whilst desperate for help, has only seen a psychiatrist once in the ten years that she has had the issue.
More information about mental health challenges that might be triggered by social media
I have previously written about some of the stresses associated with social media consumption, for instance, here. The effects of online activities ‘ghosting’ (cutting off contact with someone) and ‘gaslighting’ (causing someone to question their perception of reality) have been reported [here]. Broadly speaking, they can trigger depression and paranoia in some younger people.
Are you autistic?
Possible dangerous medication side effects for a few
SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are a group of medications that are commonly used for the treatment of depression and some other mental health issues (as described here). Whilst some research [here] suggests that generally, SSRI use does not increase suicidal behaviour, anecdotal reports [here] indicate that some people are adversely affected and can, as a result, feel more suicidal. If you experience any troubling side effects, speak to your doctor immediately.
Walk your way into wellness
I have previously noted that there are considerable psychological and physical health benefits to exercise (for instance, see here). This article [here] discusses how to get more gains from a habit of regular walking. For example, this might include varying the pace of walking or purposefully carrying some extra weight.
Work as a team with your family doctor!
The medical literature used to use the term ‘compliance’: how much you comply with the doctor’s instructions. This concept has evolved into ‘concordance’: an agreement which both you and the doctor come to after discussion and negotiation. In the latter, you and the doctor are acting as a team. This approach means that patients are much more likely to follow the treatment plan. This article [here] describes how doctors have a choice regarding which antidepressants they describe. If a medication is not helpful, let your doctor know and ask them whether an alternative is available.
Antidepressants and weight gain
This article [here] describes how taking antidepressants can cause weight gain. This can then have a negative impact on mood or cause some people to stop taking their medication altogether. A positive ‘takeaway’ message is that other antidepressants have much less of an effect on weight. If you are upset by weight gain as a result of taking your tablets, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor about the matter.
Exercise and brain health
It has long been known that exercise is beneficial for good mental health. With this in mind, here in the UK, ‘exercise on prescription’ schemes have allowed depressed individuals to have access to free gym sessions (see here). However, exercise may help us on a more fundamental level. This article [here] describes how it can beneficially change the chemicals in the brain together with its physical structure. In so doing it can reduce the risk of developing dementia.
Adjusting breathing to help with stress
The regulation of breathing can be an important tool in the management of stress. Sometimes people over-breath if stress results in a ‘fight-flight’ response. Alternatively, under-breathing can occur in a ‘freeze’ response which can also be triggered by stress. Both of these can fuel unpleasant bodily changes. These breathing patterns are part of natural responses which helped us cope in prehistoric times. However, they can exacerbate matters in the modern age where different and more chronic types of stress can be experienced (for example, work-related stress). This article [here] describes situations (including those involving panic and stress) in which consciously adopting certain patterns in breathing can be useful.
Sleep, health and depression
Whilst a change in sleeping pattern is known to be a symptom of depressive disorder, this article [here] presents evidence that a lack of sleep can also make someone more likely to develop depression. In particular, those who sleep less than five hours per night are more vulnerable.
Sleep hygiene has been the topic of previous blog entries. This can help individuals to get a good night’s sleep. One element of this involves having a regular bedtime routine. This article [here] states that having a regular bedtime can impact daytime eating choices. This can influence gut bacteria which can, in turn, impact upon things such as obesity levels and stroke risk.