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...

Electroconvulsive therapy may have more adverse effects than thought

Study calls for depression treatment to be suspended for more research after reports of heart problems and emotional blunting

theguardian.com

@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.

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.

This 👇

Mike Chitty@mikechitty.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Very much this! Our mental and physical dis-eases are largely the inevitable consequences of our cultural values, beliefs and desires. While our economy depends so heavily on our sickness our systems will remain overwhelmed…

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. 💙

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. 👏

edpsy@edpsy.bsky.social · last yr.

💥Have you seen this line up....!? Programme and tickets here: festival.edpsy.org.uk #epfest2025 #edpsychs

Government and politics, Violence and trauma Struggling with the silence - Gaza www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...

Struggling with the silence | BPS

The Leicester Chapter of the Psychologists for Social Change meet unfolding horrors with 'anger brewing'…

bps.org.uk

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.

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.

Peter Stefanovic@peterstefanovic.bsky.social · last yr.

Benefit cuts will have 'catastrophic impact' on mentally ill people: 'Some will struggle to survive' www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

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. 👏👏👏

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....

Mental Health First Aid as a tool for improving mental health and well‐being - Richardson, R - 2023 | Cochrane Library

Select your preferred language for Cochrane reviews and other content. Sections without translation will be in English.

cochranelibrary.com

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-...

Thank you A Disorder for Everyone for having us to speak about our campaign work challenging the use of the diagnosis of personality disorder. We met so many brilliant people today all with the same shocking experience. Enough is enough. Join our movement for change platfform.org/system-chang...

The Truth Project - Platfform

Platfform’s Truth Project is our approach to hearing and bearing witness to people’s experiences. We will be looking at different aspects of the mental health system, and more widely, to understand wh...

platfform.org

"Why we need to rethink the medical approach to children’s mental health" @jendaffin.bsky.social madinireland.com/2025/05/why-...

Why we need to rethink the medical approach to children’s mental health - Mad in Ireland

children’s mental health

madinireland.com

The idea depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain is a myth. Depression is largely caused by our circumstances. The fact depression is one of the fastest growing issues of our time is a damning reflection on how we are organising society and treating each other.

Farage’s immigration hysteria is now setting Labour’s agenda. I’m seriously doubtful - to put it mildly - of the political wisdom of accepting and amplifying Reform’s migration myths 👇🏻

These two charts expose Nigel Farage’s immigration myths

The migration debate is based on blatant, provable falsehoods.

writesbright.substack.com

Mental ill health is not a personal failure. It is not about a lack of grit. It is caused by overwhelm from not having our basic physical and emotional needs met. That's a policy issue not an individual one. It’s the grown ups in charge who need to step up.

There are no specific genes for any of the mental disorders and it’s not about a chemical imbalance either. It’s far more complex than that.