Poverty, Pathology and Pills – This two day conference examined the impact of poverty on mental health through the lives and experiences of people in low-income communities. You can read more about this event and view presentations here.
Conversational Analysis – what’s it all about?
By Joe Ford, DeStress Project Researcher University of Exeter Looked at purely in terms of duration, a consultation with your GP may seem paltry and insignificant. How much, we may ask, can really be accomplished in a mere nine minutes (the average length in the UK)? Experientially, though, we know that interactions with our GPs …
Listen to some experiences…
Listen to peoples’ experiences of benefit reassessment and the impact on their lives. We are hearing many similar stories from the communities involved in the project. Audio clip #1: Audio clip #2:
Dilemma of reviews – a GP’s perspective
Professor Richard Byng shares his thoughts on the dilemma for GP's around follow up of patients diagnosed with depression/anxiety.
Why I don’t believe in diagnosis – a GP’s perspective
Professor Richard Byng shares his thoughts from a GP perspective on diagnosis of common mental health problems and how he feels the diagnostic system training given to GPs doesn't always work
Parent’s perspectives on child poverty
Co-creating strategies to address child poverty Working with Barnardo's, a Children's Centre and parents from low-income backgrounds, this work provided a forum for parents to voice their experiences, needs and priorities relating to child poverty. This work fed into the Plymouth Child Poverty Action Plan and has played an influential role in the development of ...
Teignmouth’s Pow Wow cafe & the Crafters of Round Table
The Pow Wow café is a community café in the heart of Kingsway, West Teignmouth it was opened by Mars Hill church in response to the community wanting a local shop and hub. The cafe is community focused and local people are encouraged to bring their activities and groups to use the space. One group …
NotED – Debbie Roche – Chair of Pembroke Estate Management Board, Devonport, Plymouth and Founder of NotED
I recall sitting in the conservatory of the Pembroke Estate Management office where Lorraine and Felicity spoke avidly of the DeSTRESS study. Their passion struck a mighty chord. Just how pertinent was it that two academics from Exeter were talking to staff of a tenant-managed housing estate in a city nearly 50 miles away from …
It always feels like some kind of Progress, and it makes me feel excited about future possibilities. Especially the possibility of Change.
By Martin White It always feels like some kind of Progress, and it makes me feel excited about future possibilities. Especially the possibility of Change. I’m talking of course about when you walk into a room in which professionals and lay people are busy working together, discussing ideas, swapping views, exchanging information about both general …
Questioning the long-term use of anti-depressants
By Felicity Thomas Nationwide, prescriptions for antidepressants are at an all time high – up by 100% since 2015, and 500% since 1992. It is estimated that half of all people on antidepressants in the UK have been taking them for two years or more (Kendrick et al. 2015), and that nationwide, a third of …