Tag: mental illness and social conditions
Are DNA Changes the Link Between Poverty and Mental Illness?
Researchers at Duke University who studiedĀ 183 adolescents forĀ three years found that increased depression associated with poverty may be mediated by epigeneticĀ changes in DNA. The...
All in the Brain? An Open Letter Re: Stephen Fry’s Assumptions...
Stephen FryāsĀ exploration of manic depressionĀ (in the current BBC series on mental health, āIn the Mindā) has drawn both praise (because of his attempts to destigmatize mental illness)Ā and criticism (because he appears to have a very narrow biomedical understanding of mental illness).Ā I have sent an open letter to the actor which challenges some of his assumptions about mental illness, and offers a very different understanding to that promoted in his recent television programme.
Relieving Poverty Significantly Improves Mental Health
Giving money to people diagnosed with severe mental health issues can significantly improve depression and anxiety. A new study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Community Mental Health, found that giving about $73 US dollars per month for recreational spending can also reduce social isolation and strengthen a sense of self.