Text: Reinforcing mental health stigma makes things worse for everyone. It can discourage people from getting help. It can stop them finding employment or housing. It can cause isolation and community tension… This is surely not worth the clicks and engagement that media ‘rage bait’ so readily deliver. Lisa McNally

In our latest guest blog, @lisamcnally.bsky.social highlights how a recent BBC article has dealt another blow to perceptions of those living with mental health problems by reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Read it here: www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/media-report...

😁

Cheek Swabs Offer a Non-Invasive Path to Schizophrenia Diagnosis Researchers identified elevated Sp4 mRNA and HSP60 protein levels in cheek cells from people with schizophrenia. These biomarkers correlated with symptom severity and memory deficits, suggesting a pot...

Cheek swabs offer a non-invasive path to schizophrenia diagnosis.

www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/chee...

Gorton and Denton first thoughts - incredible result for the Greens who won the long battle to be the best placed anti-Reform candidate - helped by being the obvious anti-Labour candidate for disappointed progressives. As I noted in the Observer last month, a Revolt on the Left is growing

Today we can celebrate a Green win. A hopeful victory for inclusive, kinder politics. May this be the start of much good.

But - rather brilliantly - we can also celebrate a Labour loss. Absolute repudiation of their cynical cruelty and the harms wrought. May this be the beginning of their end.

This would be very very funny.

turns out McSweeney and the Blue Labour gang were wrong and the out of touch woke liberal elite Bluesky echo chamber bubble was right

YEEEEEEHAAAAAW

Good for you.

Social Housing in Blackpool | Chris Webb MP for Blackpool South YouTube video by Chris Webb

Blackpool faces serious housing shortages. While the Council has made real progress in building new homes, there is still more to be done.

I asked the Secretary of State what can be done so that we can build the social housing we desperately need & meet the £1.5 million target.

I thought it was being gay that made my life so difficult. Then, at 50, I got an eye-opening diagnosis … I spent far too many years lonely and angry, thanks to schoolmates who called me ‘weird’ and bosses who dismissed me as ‘hysterical’. But was it my sexuality that put their backs up – or the autism I ...

This is possibly the most important piece of journalism I’ll ever write. At the age of 50, I was diagnosed autistic. Please read my story and share it so others don’t have to wait so long to understand who they are ❤️

#autism #autistic #neurodivergent

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

That was very kind of you all to look after the neighbour. x

Well done ❤️

Having a daughter who studied at Oxford University - I do believe your social class has an immense impact on your mental wellbeing at Oxford/Cambridge. I rather think it cruel now if you are working-class.

I went to Cambridge from state school and was patronised and laughed at As a working-class Black Muslim woman, I was shocked by how much prejudice and elitism still exists

liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/416...

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a thriving year ahead!

Thriving Autistic: An End-of-Year Reflection, Building Our Global Neuro-Affirming Community As we come to the end of another year, we want to take a moment to reflect on what Thriving Autistic has achieved, what we continue to build together, and share where we are heading next.

Read Thriving Autistic's: End-of-Year Reflection, Building Our Global Neuro-Affirming Community

Many thanks to our wonderful community and everyone who continues to support us.

Wishing you Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year!
open.substack.com/pub/thriving...

Thank fuck we're halfway through Winter, and a Merry fuck you if you're saying it's the start of Winter and are into astronomical seasons.

Greenlands by-election: Reform UK sweep to resounding win in Blackpool Council poll Voters in Bispham have given Reform UK a third councillor in Blackpool after a resounding victory in last night’s Greenland’s by-election.

www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/greenla...

Hope they stop this going ahead.

I wish there was a stronger medical voice speaking up, it would surely make more of a difference than us 'lowly folk', who are ignored.
Goodnight.

Address your concerns to Mr Streeting. It is a direct hit on the poor and vulnerable, which governments don't give a f*** about.

UK and Norway form naval alliance to hunt Russian submarines NATO's senior expert on cyber and hybrid threats said last year that persistent attacks on undersea cables across Europe is "the most active threat" to Western infrastructure.

NATO's senior expert on cyber and hybrid threats said last year that persistent attacks on undersea cables across Europe is "the most active threat" to Western infrastructure.

With Advent upon us it’s that time of year I begin my watch of the wonderful Box of Delights! The Wolves Are Running!

Clozapine and infection risk: new evidence from Hong Kong’s 20-year cohort study 🧵

This study of 11,000+ patients found clozapine users had a 25% higher risk of infections compared to those on olanzapine, with older adults most vulnerable.

#Schizophrenia #Clozapine #InfectionRisk #ParityOfEsteem

Is it any wonder that some carer's thought of killing themselves?

Over the past year, @carerstrust.bsky.social has worked with partners to reframe how society values unpaid care. Join their #Webinar on 18 November to explore new framing principles and how we can build a society that truly supports #UnpaidCarers.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unpaid-car...

What we can learn about the joy of community from the 17th century Digger movement

In search of the spirit of the original Diggers, Victoria Melody joined a re-enactment group. But she found it in local communities.

Blackpool’s mental health needs are extreme – we need support that matches them — Chris Webb New figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show what too many of us already know – Blackpool is carrying one of the heaviest mental health burdens in the country.

New figures show the number of people claiming PIP has risen to 3.8 million – with Lancashire seeing some of the highest rates linked to mental health conditions such as anxiety, autism and psychosis.

In Blackpool alone, 6,300 people rely on PIP for psychiatric disorders.

Read more here:

Watercolour painting of a cat called Kimi.
#cats #petportraits #art #throwbackthursday #paintings #watercolours