Most people think Electroshock therapy for mental health is banned. It’s not.
Memory loss is known to result from ECT alongside cardiovascular problems fatigue & emotional blunting.
The UN calls it a human rights abuse so why are we still using it in the UK?
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
@jendaffin.bsky.social such an important talk today expanding on research conducted by Platform.
Trauma is STILL not asked about
When it is, it’s often denied or belittled.
The diagnosis is used as a way to gatekeep care and deny services.
It creates chronic dismissal and structural denial.
Thank you 🙏 completely agree! We must change this. 💙
Huge thanks to @restraintreductionnetwork.org for inviting @jendaffin.bsky.social to speak at their conference last week, and to Jess Matthews for joining us there to share her story.
The diagnosis of personality disorder can function as a restraint, limiting people’s power over their own lives.
Interesting! I am curious to hear more 😊
This 👇
Community is a mental health intervention.
Which is why we’re exploring trauma informed community development work here at @platfform.org
The solutions to our mental health crisis are not within the NHS mental health systems gift to resolve. 💙
It's great to see this getting more attention! I'd love to see an Adult MH model that supports creating the conditions in the system for compassion. PBS has its limitations but has been successful in forensic settings. We need something like this but trauma informed and relational. 👏
If we are going to reduce rates of mental ill health across our society we must take the billions back that's been handed over to the wealthy.
Everything else is a sticking plaster. 🩹
Looking forward to being part of this @edpsy.bsky.social conference later this year. 👏
Government and politics, Violence and trauma
Struggling with the silence - Gaza
www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...
Please consider signing and sharing this open letter with over 600 signatures calling on the BPS and ACP to speak up about Palestine.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” - Desmond Tutu
www.psychchange.org/palestine1.htm
We know the original austerity cuts cost people their lives. We know it led to overwhelm and then suicide.
We need to learn from that.
A robust social safety net is a mental health intervention.
Addiction is a response to feeling overwhelmed, without agency and disconnected from self and others.
It is NOT a disease or failure in self discipline or character.
It is most often better thought of as a trauma response.
Depression is a natural human emotion.
Emotions are reactions to the events in our lives.
For a good summary and the references too get Searching for Normal by Dr Sami Timimi.
We know now that stimulant medication used for the diagnosis of
ADHD has more negative effects than positive including worsening behaviour and stunting children's growth.
We need clinicians to understand this and change treatment trends.
We know the original austerity cuts cost people their lives. We know it lead to overwhelm and then suicide.
We need to learn from that. A robust safety net is a mental health intervention.
As I understand it the mental health bill will not do enough to end the torture and harm many experience whilst in inpatient services. Our treatment approach needs an urgent review too.
We need an Act that puts human rights and dignity front and center. Nothing less.
Great to hear Sir James Mackey, CEO NHS England talking about sharing power and unlocking decision making!
Alongside Lord Victor Adebowale CBE saying Austerity is an expensive way to run services.
👏👏👏
With notable harmful side effects too.
In some parts of the world it already is. The UK can and should do better! I’m with you in that hope. 💙
The evidence base is clear that depression is largely caused by our circumstances.
Not chemical imbalances or genetics.
It's our body in overwhelm, looking for safety, rest and a way out.
School violence is up - why?
Anger is a threat reaponse. It comes from not feeling safe. What we’re witnessing is the result of the disruptions to our sense of safety from austerity, COVID and wealth inequality.
It will only get worse unless we put the safety net back and address loneliness.
Health diagnosis is a clinical art based on observation and the patient's story as much as tests.
Mental health diagnosis is like a Picasso. 🖼️ 🎨
Poverty is as much a cause as a consequence of mental ill health.
It has been linked to experiences of what gets called psychosis too.
There is no evidence to support mental health first aid as an effective or useful training.
When MHFA training was compared with no intervention, it may have little to no effect on improvements to mental health.
#mentalhealthfirstaid #MHFA
www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10....
Or any other UK gov? We must demand the change needed? Demand a tax on wealth?
We know poverty and mental ill heath are a vicious cycle - an increase in child poverty also leads to an increase in demand for NHS services.
It makes no sense not to act preventatively.
It’s a waste of opportunity for a good life and a waste of tax payers money.
www.itv.com/news/2025-05...
Don’t go to therapy to resolve workplace stress from low pay and poor working conditions.
Go to a union! 👏
“Lots of grownups are reaching out to people like us to try and understand what’s going on and get help. There are now so many people reaching out for support that waiting lists for things like child neurodevelopmental assessments are years.” @madintheuk.bsky.social
madinireland.com/2025/05/why-...