Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s recent announcement that barriers are to be erected on the Story Bridge in an effort to reduce suicides is very welcome. Studies consistently show that barriers have…
New research could help reclassify common psychiatric disorders that are related to the brain.
AAP
Scientists have linked common genetic markers with major psychiatric disorders including autism and schizophrenia, in the largest ever genetic study of psychiatric illness. The study findings, published…
A friend of mine is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment following surgery for breast cancer. Recently, she told me that she would happily pay the AUS$4000 for a genetic test to detect whether she…
Many cultures believe that dreams tell the future, and the messages in our dreams are warnings.
Gisela Giardino
Research shows that everyone, even those who claim they never dream, actually do. But few of us can make any sense of our dreams. My colleagues and I have been working on a way to try to make sense of…
Learning more about the contribution of multiple risk factors to major depressive disorder will help predict risk.
Iris Shreve Garrott
The possibility of harnessing genetic science to head off major depressive disorder, the world’s leading cause of disability, is getting closer. But molecular intervention for this common multifactorial…
Spot the problem in this scenario. Richard* is stressed. While he’s a high-flyer (a Rhodes Scholar no less), he’s under the pump at work and has just moved his family across nations. The job is taking…
Depression is more than the experience of sadness or stress.
Sander van der Wel
Many people know what it’s like to feel sad or down from time to time. We can experience negative emotions due to many things – a bad day at work, a relationship break-up, a sad film, or just getting out…
Governments, industry and communities must work together to address suicide risk factors for FIFO/DIDO workers.
AAP/Bagus Indahono
Barely a week passes without media coverage of some aspect of the real or perceived impacts of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in drive-out (DIDO) work, especially in the mining sector. We hear about the…
Trials show ketamine acts more quickly than other antidepressants because it affects different parts of the brain.
JLM Photography
The drug ketamine has been used for medical purposes since it was developed in the 1960s, but it is perhaps more widely known for its illicit use as a hallucinogenic tranquiliser. Now we’re beginning to…
Allan Fels, Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)
The National Mental Health Commission (NMHC) today released its first annual report card on the state of mental health and suicide prevention services in Australia. Called A Contributing Life, the report…
Jane Speight, Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes; Christel Hendrieckx, Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes e Jessica L. Browne, Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes
Medical advances are important but we believe the key to living successfully with diabetes is something else entirely. Paying attention to the behavioural and psychological aspects of the condition is…
Depression isn’t an inevitable part of ageing.
Elderly man image from Shutterstock.com
As the baby boomers approach older age, the number of Australians aged over 65 is projected to rise from around 14% to 24% by 2056. Given that not even a massive influx of immigrants would reverse this…