depression

ADHD is searched for more often than depression and anxiety, new study finds 

~ Vickyw

ADHD is searched for more frequently than depression and anxiety, according to a new study that analysed search data for common health concerns in the UK. 

The research, which was conducted by the team at Key Opinion Leaders, examined which health concerns were the most searched for in the UK, by combining Google searches for common health concerns with searches for each health concern’s symptoms as well as treatment. 

They found that Google searches for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were significantly higher than that for the common mental health concerns, anxiety, and depression. 

Over the past 12 months, there were 335,200 combined searches each month for ADHD, ADHD symptoms, and ADHD treatment on average in the UK. Equivalent searches for anxiety, anxiety symptoms, and anxiety treatment totalled 179,500 monthly searches, while searches for depression proved to be even lower, at 149,500 searches per month on average. 

Health concern ‘Health concern’ monthly searches ‘Health concern + symptoms’ monthly searches ‘Health concern + treatment’ monthly searches Total monthly searches 
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 187,700 144,100 3,400 335,200 
Anxiety 102,000 73,000 4,500 179,500 
Depression 98,000 50,000 1,500 149,500 

These combined searches for ADHD were found to be 86.7% higher on average than equivalent searches for anxiety, and a staggering 124.2% higher than searches for depression. 

In fact, across the three search variations, the only time ADHD didn’t come top was ‘ADHD treatment’, which received slightly fewer searches than ‘anxiety treatment’. 

Is ADHD on the rise, or are we simply becoming more informed? 

Key Opinion Leaders spoke with Educational Psychologist, Dr Kavita Solder, about possible explanations behind this apparent increase in ADHD-related search queries.

“There has been a rise in diagnoses of ADHD amongst children and adults in recent years, in part due to the rise in people’s awareness of the label,” Dr Solder says.

“Amongst the general population, with the help of social media, there has been a push towards raising awareness of mental health and associated conditions. In the past, a diagnosis of ADHD often had a negative stigma attached to it. Thankfully there has been a shift in attitude, most noticeably with younger generations and their acceptance to embrace difference.” 

Could short-form content be affecting our attention span? 

Dr Solder goes on to add, “Platforms such as TikTok and the reels function on Instagram, promote time-limited videos encouraging young people to concentrate for short periods. It also enables them to swipe endlessly through videos should the one they are watching not capture their attention.

“Research has suggested that young people’s development of attention is shifting, and not necessarily for the worse. Unlike older generations that might have watched more lengthy television programs with limit over choice, young people have a vast amount of entertainment at their fingertips through smartphones and tablets. Therefore, we are becoming better accustomed to switching our attention between things.

“To use a technology analogy, our brain is adapting to tend to multiple items, switching between tabs and windows instantaneously. So whilst the attention span may be shortening, there are advancements being made in multi-faceted attention.

“People have become increasingly concerned with their noticeably short attention spans and with medications such as Methylphenidate more readily available, and in some cases even encouraged on social media platforms, adolescents and adults are seeking advice, intervention, and diagnosis more than ever.” 

Which are the UK’s most searched health concerns?

ADHD ranked as the third most searched-for health concern in the UK, behind COVID-19 and Norovirus. For comparison, ‘anxiety’ ranked 18th and ‘depression’ ranked 30th. The UK’s ten most searched-for health concerns are listed below: 

The UK’s 10 most searched-for health concerns

# Health concern Health concern searches (UK) Health concern + symptoms searches (UK) Health concern + treatment searches (UK) Total monthly searches (UK) 
1 COVID-19 1,206,000 994,000 9,700 2,209,700 
2. Norovirus 491,000 38,000 3,400 532,400 
3. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 187,700 144,100 3,400 335,200 
4. Chicken pox 283,000 24,000 15,000 322,000 
5. Shingles 264,000 39,000 9,600 312,600 
6. Tonsillitis 247,000 37,000 14,000 298,000 
7. Fibromyalgia 202,000 32,000 4,400 238,400 
8. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 117,000 99,900 20,800 237,700 
9. Monkey pox 165,000 55,000 900 220,900 
10. Multiple sclerosis (MS) 162,000 50,800 2,600 215,400 

 

 

 

Health concern ‘Health concern’ monthly searches ‘Health concern + symptoms’ monthly searches ‘Health concern + treatment’ monthly searches Total monthly searches 
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 187,700 144,100 3,400 335,200 
Anxiety 102,000 73,000 4,500 179,500 
Depression 98,000 50,000 1,500 149,500 

Reviewing Teen Calm’s Self-Care awesome Box

~ Vickyw
Teen Calm self-Care Box

As a mental health sufferer, I was delighted when Teen Calm’s Self-Care monthly box of goodies arrived having neglected my own personal care regime.

Teen Calm offers monthly and every three-month subscription boxes for both male and female anxious teens full of self-care items.

This is the first-ever box I have reviewed, and being a thirty-something year old I found that the price was a little steep at £25 a month or £75 every three months, and that’s not including postage. Postage costs depend on the type of subscription you choose.

When opening Teen Calm’s Self-Care box, I picked out a card that I will be keeping on the office’s notice board. It’s a good idea to look at positive messages throughout the day.

The next thing to pull out is 54 ways to ease the anxious mind cards. My 10-year old niece and I will be looking at these more closely when we have our chill time in the cabin. Watch out for a blog post on these at a later date.

I then picked out Aromatherapy bath potion sea salt infused with a blend of pure essential oils. This is the perfect thing to use after a long day at school or work.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a bath, so a pity its not or bath and showers. My niece will be enjoying a long relaxing soak in a tub after forest school. I usually have showers to help me relax after a long day.

The handmade lavender soap was a lovely idea. The soap is made by a company called Grace’s Generation.

The worry doll was one of the best surprises as I’ve never seen or heard of these before. The story of the original Guatemalan worry people, apparently you put the doll under your pillow when you go to bed, and in the morning, your worries will disappear. Not sure it works, but I love the doll and the idea.

One of the best items inside the box has to be The Teenage Guide to Stress book, which briefly covers essential teenage issues such as friendships, exams, education, sex, depression, drink and drugs and eating disorders. If a book like this had been available when I was younger, I would have purchased it. I’m happy for my niece to read this as she needs to be aware of these life problems.

This book is available to purchase from £6.55 on Amazon.

The final item I picked out of the box was a pack of love hearts that I will share with my niece as a bit of a treat.

Teen Calm boxes are definitely great for teens as well as young adults. I would love to receive one of these from a family member or friend when I’m feeling low.

Teen Calm’s boxes make me smile as they are packed with full-size random products with fun, exciting new things to try.

I would also say you get more than your money’s worth in this box, and not many other packages have full-size products. These make lovely surprise gifts for pre-teens, teenagers or adults especially during lockdown or other stressful periods such as exams etc.

If you are reading this, but you don’t have a chronic illness or mental health. Self-Care is for absolutely anyone. Self-care is essential to practice daily.

Let us know if you or your teenagers practice self-care?

Time to Talk Day 2020!

~ Vickyw

Time to talk day 2020 logo

Time to Talk Day 2020 isn’t that easy for everyone.

There isn’t any mental health support on the NHS due to lack of funding and family and friends just don’t get your problems and all the NHS can do is put you on a waiting list with support numbers on a letter.

Time to Talk Day 2020 takes place on February 6th.

Every year people are encouraged to talk about their mental health and open up to their family, friends, and professionals, however, mental health teams across the UK are struggling to keep up with the demand for this, and family and friends can’t always deal with their loved-ones issues in today’s busy society.

At the beginning of the year, I received a letter telling me that I have finally been allocated to the local mental health team in my case Trevillis House in Liskeard in Cornwall.

The letter states that I am currently placed on a waiting list and that my mental health will be monitored by phone calls.

The letter was dated January 7th and we are now in February and I’m yet to receive one single phone call.

This is how much help you get. The letter also lists a number of helplines if I need to talk to someone before then.

Time to Talk Day 2020 lack of research and funding

Due to the lack of help available on the NHS, apparently due to funding, despite the fact that Teressa May stated a few years ago that money would be put into funding mental health.

Family and friends can help so much, but they often don’t know how to or what to do or say and they aren’t professionals.

Often those suffering from mental health feel too ashamed or embarrassed to admit how they are feeling to those they are closest to.

Maybe we should actually be using Time to Talk Day 2020 to discuss the lack of research on mental health.

Mental health hasn’t had the funding that Cancer and Heart research and charities have received.

New treatments such as scans on the brain need to be explored.

What are your thoughts?

Please feel free to comment below.

What are you doing for Time to Talk Day 2020?

Fish oil supplements have no effect on anxiety and depression

~ Vickyw

 

fish oil supplementsA recent study revealed that fish oil supplements have no effect on anxiety and depression.

According to a recent article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, Omega 3 supplements also known as fish oil supplements are of no benefit to anxiety and depression sufferers.

Increased consumption of omega-3 fats is widely promoted globally because of a common belief that it will protect against, or even reverse, conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Omega-3 is a type of fat. Small amounts are essential for good health and can be found in the food that we eat including nuts and seeds and fatty fish, such as salmon.

These fats are also readily available as over-the-counter supplements and they are widely bought and used.

The research team from the University of East Anglia looked at 31 trials of adults with and without depression or anxiety. More than 41,470 participants were chosen to consume more long-chain omega-3 fats (fish oils), or maintain their usual intake, for at least six months.

They found that fish oil supplements had little or no effect in preventing depression or anxiety symptoms.

Lead author Dr. Lee Hooper, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Our previous research has shown that long-chain omega-3 supplements, including fish oils, do not protect against conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes or death.

She added: “This large systematic review included information from many thousands of people over long periods. Despite all this information, we don’t see protective effects.

“The most trustworthy studies consistently showed little or no effect of long-chain omega-3 fats on depression or anxiety, and they should not be encouraged as a treatment.”

Dr Katherine Deane, from UEA’s School of Health Sciences, said “Oily fish can be a very nutritious food as part of a balanced diet.

“But we found that there is no demonstrable value in people taking omega-3 oil supplements for the prevention or treatment of depression and anxiety.

“Considering the environmental concerns about industrial fishing and the impact it is having on fish stocks and plastic pollution in the oceans, it seems unhelpful to continue to swallow fish oil tablets that give no benefit.”

The research was funded by the World Health Organisation.

Taunted for having a mental health illness?

~ Vickyw

mental health bullying

I was disgusted to hear that people find depression and bullying acceptable after a former Eastenders actor revealed in an interview how the public recently taunted his character for having a mental illness on social media.

Danny-Boy Hatchet who played Lee Carter in Eastenders said he was honored to have taken part in the storyline which sees his character pushed to the brink of suicide, bullying at work, resorting to taking out loans, arrested for a raid on his families pub.

However, he said that he was also disappointed to hear that viewers were taunting his character on social media by tweeting comments such as “Lee is so miserable” and “Lee needs to do the unthinkable and own up.”

He said: “If Lee was a real person he would feel even worse than his character.”

On New Year’s Eve, Eastenders fans watched as he climbed on top of a roof and went to jump off before being talked out of it by a lady who was on duty.

https://youtu.be/hKHxxFSl31o

I have personally been a victim of being snubbed and taunted for having a mental illness by several people who have pretended to be my friend and ditched me for being too miserable.

People have even accused me of doing things I haven’t done and called the police on me because I have a mental health illness.

I knew someone at school who used to have bulimia, and I would hear them laughing and egging her on to make herself sick.

It’s disgraceful how sick and twisted this world really is.

Some people joke about mental illness because they don’t know what to say or how to deal with someone with mental health or they sometimes think that tough love can help.

However, mental health issues go a lot deeper than trying to get someone’s attention or trying to get out of trouble.

An article published last month in the Huffington Post says that “Suicide is the leading cause of death of men and women aged 20 to 34, overcoming heart disease, road accidents, and cancer.”

“Men find this particularly challenging, which is why the suicide statistics are increasing, especially for older men with families who feel the weight of financial responsibility and keeping stability.”

Have you ever been snubbed or taunted for having a mental illness? Comment below or tweet @AdminChick #Neverafraidtospeak.