Piece of Mind: Mental Health & Psychiatry

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Latest Episodes:

Episode 14: Recognising complex PTSD Jun 07, 2024

In this episode we're joined by Professor Jon Bisson and Michael Davitt to discuss lived experience of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the ongoing research looking into the diagnosis at the NCMH.

PTSD is the name given to a set of symptoms that some people develop after experiencing major traumatic events. The traumatic event can be a single incident or take place over many months or years. Up to one third of people who have experienced a traumatic event develop some PTSD symptoms. Studies estimate that around 7% of people will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives.

Complex PTSD is a condition where you experience the same symptoms of PTSD, along with some additional symptoms such as feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world, as well many more.

Find out about the traumatic stress research taking place at the NCMH today: https://www.ncmh.info/help-with-research/traumatic-experiences-study/

To find out more about Professor Bisson's work into PTSD: https://traumaticstress.nhs.wales/

For further PTSD support and guidance:

Get involved with the NCMH traumatic stress research group: ncmh-trials@cardiff.ac.uk

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Episode 13: Learning disability, autism, and support into work Apr 26, 2024

In this episode of the Piece of Mind podcast, we're joined by Andrea Meek, Dr Elisa Vigna, and Gerraint Jones-Griffiths to discuss the Engage to Change project which has supported over 1,200 young people with a learning disability or autism into employment over the last eight years.

Engage to Change has worked across Wales since 2016 to support young people aged 16-25 who have a learning difficulty, learning disability, or autism to achieve their full potential. The project has worked with over 1,200 young people to offer job placements, supported internships, and job coach support over a seven year period.

Engage to Change is now in its 'Influencing and Informing' phase, taking forward the research and legacy work of the project to ensure it impacts policy and practise in Wales. The project is funded by the Lottery Community Fund in partnership with Welsh Government.

To learn more about the Engage to Change project, visit: https://www.engagetochange.org.uk/

Links mentioned in this video:

Engage to Change: https://www.engagetochange.org.uk/research-evaluation/
NCMH blog: https://www.ncmh.info/2023/05/22/getting-young-people-with-autism-and-learning-disabilities-into-employment-ncmh-finds-out-what-works/
Project highlights video: https://youtu.be/pjwKKGmKaGA
Job coach support video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTdwF4FIFvE
Interviews with family video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXmwQx8RdO8

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Episode 12: How dementia research hopes to change lives Feb 23, 2024

Thinking about getting involved in mental health research? We caught up with Sue, an Alzheimer's Research UK Champion who has recently participated in our UK Minds research and George, a Senior Psychology Assistant working on the project.

UKMinds is a new study from NCMH which aims to find the causes and triggers of mental ill-health and cognitive disorders, such as dementia. If you have experienced schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, bipolar disorder or dementia, help us make a difference by registering your interest at ncmh.info/sign-up.

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Episode 11: PMDD - the hidden link between hormones and mental health Jan 16, 2024

In this episode of the Piece of Mind podcast, we're joined by Becci Smart and Chloe Apsey to discuss the reality of living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and the research currently taking place at the NCMH that's looking to learn more to improve diagnosis and treatment.

PMDD is a mood disorder that is estimated to affect around 5% of women and people who have periods. That’s around 80,000 people in the UK. During the week before the onset of bleeding (known as the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle), these people with PMDD experience severe mood and emotional changes including anxiety and low mood, a decreased interest in their usual activities, difficulties concentrating and more. These symptoms improve within a few days after menstrual bleeding (the period). To be diagnosed with PMDD, these symptoms need to be associated with extreme distress and interfere with ‘everyday’ functioning.

To learn more about the NCMH PreDDICT study looking into PMDD, visit https://www.ncmh.info/pmdd

Tools and organisations mentioned in this episode

IAPMD: https://iapmd.org/
Self-screening tool: https://iapmd.org/self-screen
Symptom tracking tool: https://iapmd.org/symptom-tracker

When referring to the experiences of women throughout this episode and within our research we acknowledge the experiences of AFAB (assigned female at birth) and non-binary individuals and encourage their participation in our research. Further guidance can be found at: https://iapmd.org/transgender-pmdd

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Minisode: What's it like taking part in mental health research? Dec 01, 2023

Thinking about getting involved in mental health research? We caught up with Dave, one of our NCMH Research Champions, after he'd taken part in our UKMinds survey and provided a blood sample with NCMH Psychology Assistant Emily. Dave and Emily take us through each part of the process to let you know what you can expect.

Hear more about Dave's experience of finally receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis at age 57 in Minisode: Mental health and dementia research.

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Episode 10: Getting young people involved in mental health research Nov 24, 2023

In this episode of the Piece of Mind podcast, we're joined by co-director of the Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Professor Frances Rice, and Catrin, a member of the Centre's Young Person's Advisory Group to discuss a new study for young people who have a parent with a history of depression.

The Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health has a focus on reducing anxiety and depression in young people, which includes finding ways to prevent depression in young people before it develops.

To learn more about the Skills for Adolescent WELLbeing (SWELL) study, visit https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/wolfson-centre-for-young-peoples-mental-health/take-part/ws3-clinical-trial.

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Episode 9: ADHD in girls and women Oct 19, 2023

In this episode we're joined by Dr Joanna Martin and Ellie, a non-binary young person, to discuss how research at Cardiff University is aiming to learn more about ADHD. Ellie also kindly shares their experience of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions, affecting around 1 in 20 young people. However, in clinics only one girl will receive an ADHD diagnosis for every seven or eight boys. This gap in diagnosis is something that Joanna is investigating in her research into ADHD in girls, young women, and non-binary people at Cardiff University.

Recruitment for young people, parents and carers, and healthcare professionals in this research has now closed. However, if you are an education professional the team are still looking to hear from you. To learn more, visit www.ncmh.info/adhd

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Minisode: Mental health and dementia research Aug 09, 2023

We're back and thrilled to be sitting down with Holly and Dave from the UKMinds project. UKMinds is a new study hosted by the National Centre for Mental Health which is looking to recruit thousands of volunteers to learn more about the causes of conditions like schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder and dementia. Take part today by registering your interest with UKMinds.

Following his bipolar disorder diagnosis at 57, Dave volunteered with NCMH sharing his story and later became involved in the UKMinds team, helping to shape research by sharing his experience of bipolar as well as his skills from his background in project management. Read more about Dave's experience on the NCMH website.

We're looking forward to sharing more on our latest research and lived-experience stories in the coming months.

This episode was recorded at Cardiff University and features NCMH Research Champion Dave, NCMH Project Manager Holly Pearce and NCMH Communications Manager Catrin Hopkins.

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info or on social media:

Twitter - @ncmh_wales
Insta - @thencmh
Facebook - /walesmentalhealth

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Ep8: Finding and losing schizophrenia Sep 24, 2019

Schizophrenia is a contentious diagnosis and source of often heated debate across the various professions and stakeholders associated with mental health. Some argue that it has outlasted its usefulness as a single diagnosis and should instead be viewed as the extreme end of a 'psychosis spectrum disorder'.

To unpick the issues, we're delighted to be joined by award-winning author Nathan Filer, who is in conversation with Professor James Walters, deputy director at NCMH to discuss his latest book - The Heartland: Finding and Losing Schizophrenia.

This episode was recorded live at Bigmoose Coffee Co. in Cardiff. They're a fantastic bunch and do great work in the community, so if you're in town make sure you pop in for a coffee and try some of their amazing cakes.

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info or on social media:

Twitter - @ncmh_wales
Insta - @thencmh
Facebook - /walesmentalhealth

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Episode 7: Autism Mar 19, 2019

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. There are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK, and while it is usually diagnosed in childhood, some autistic people grow up without their condition being recognised until later in life.

In this episode, we’re joined by Kat Williams, who was diagnosed as autistic when she was 32. In this episode she shares her experience of growing up without a diagnosis and parenting an autistic child, and discusses the impact of labels like ‘high functioning’.

She’s joined by Professor Jeremy Hall, Director of Cardiff University’s Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute. He discusses some of the latest research into autism and how autistic people are more likely to experience mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit http://www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcasts/podcast/autism/

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Minisode: Clozapine, neutropenia and treatment-resistant schizophrenia Feb 27, 2019

We’re delighted to be joined by Dr Sophie Legge and Dr Antonio Pardiñas for our latest minisode to discuss their latest research study.

Sophie, Antonio and colleagues at Cardiff University’s MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics examined genetic data from more than 500 people of African descent taking clozapine, an anti-psychotic medication prescribed to people with treatment resistant schizophrenia.

Clozapine is currently the most effective treatment for people with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, but it can cause a rare side effect called neutropenia. In the most extreme cases, this can develop into agranulocytosis; a severe and potentially life-threatening condition.

These side-effects are characterised by lower neutrophil levels, a type of white blood cell, and these lower levels appear to be more common in people of African descent. The team were interested in learning whether genetic factors were at play, and in this minisode Sophie and Antonio explain what they found and how their results could help improve the management of clozapine treatment.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.ncmh.info/podcast

We hope you enjoy and we would be really grateful if you could leave us a review and help others find our podcast! If you've got any questions about this episode, get in touch at info@ncmh.info.

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Ep6: 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Nov 30, 2018

22q11.2 deletion syndrome, or 22q for short, is a genetic syndrome affecting between 1 in 2000 and 1 in 4000 people.

There are a wide range of health issues associated with the syndrome, such as heart conditions and immune problems, palatal defects and speech delays. It can also cause developmental problems and learning disabilities, and increased risk of a range of mental health problems, including schizophrenia, ADHD and depression.

To tell us more about 22q, we're joined by Professor Marianne van den Bree, a Principal Investigator at Cardiff University's MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics.We also get a parent perspective from Katie and Jon, whose daughter Ivy was diagnosed with 22q last year.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcast…deletion-syndrome/

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Ep 5: Sleep, Insomnia And Mental Health Aug 23, 2018

Getting enough sleep is important for your health and happiness. Generally, if you sleep better you feel better. On the other hand, poor sleep can make you feel low and have a negative impact on your mood. But does poor sleep increase your chances of experiencing a mental health problem or is it a symptom?

In this episode we’re joined by Dr Ajay Thapar, a GP who recently travelled to the USA on a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship to learn more about insomnia and different treatments, and Dr Katie Lewis, whose work investigates the relationship between sleep disruption and mood disorders like bipolar and depression.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcast…st/sleep-insomnia/

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Ep 4: Self-harm Mar 26, 2018

The UK has the highest self-harm rate of any country in Europe, and it remains an issue people struggle to handle, talk about, and understand.

In this episode we discuss personal experiences of self-harm and coping techniques, the latest research in the field and misunderstanding and stigma can stop people who self-harm from seeking help.

We're joined by Swansea University's Professor Ann John, whose main research interest is self-harm, suicide and public health. Ann also chairs the National Advisory Group to Welsh Government on Suicide and Self harm prevention.

Our second guest is Si, co-founder of Heads Above the Waves, a not-for-profit organisation that works with young people to promote positive, creative ways of dealing with bad days.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcast…/podcast/self-harm

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Minisode: Women In Science Mar 08, 2018

It's International Women's Day, and to mark the event we are celebrating women in science. In this minisode, our guest host Catrin Hopkins, is joined by three scientists - Dr Adele Pryce-Roberts, Jasmine Donaldson and Rachel Pass.

Adele is an Alzheimer's UK Clinical Research Fellow at the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, where Jasmine is doing her PhD in the area of Huntington's disease.

Rachel is also a PhD student, based at Cardiff University's Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, where she is investigating copy number variants and schizophrenia.

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Ep 3: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Dec 07, 2017

ADHD remains one of the most stigmatised mental health problems. In this episode, we're speaking to Zoe Piper, founder of ADHD Connections, about her experiences.

We're also joined by Professor Anita Thapar CBE, Director of the neurodevelopmental disorders research at Cardiff University's MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, to discuss the latest research in this area.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcasts/podcast/adhd/

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Ep 2: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Nov 09, 2017

In this episode, Bozo is joined by RAF veteran Darren and Dr Neil Kitchiner, Director and Clinical Consultant Lead of Veterans NHS Wales to talk PTSD.

Darren shares his personal experience of PTSD following his time in the Royal Air Force, and Neil talks about different treatments available. We also discuss some of the pioneering research taking place at NCMH and Cardiff University, including 3MDR.

We'd like to apologise for the occasional sound of static interference on this recording.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcasts/podcast/ptsd/

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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Ep 1: Postnatal depression Oct 12, 2017

Our host Bozo Lugonja is joined by the founder of My Discombobulated Brain, Laura Dernie, and NCMH Director Professor Ian Jones to talk about postnatal depression.

Laura shares her personal experience of postnatal depression and Ian speaks about current research into better understanding and treating postnatal depression. We finish on a look to the future - how can we reduce stigma around postnatal depression and encourage more women to ask for help?

Special thanks to Dr Tony O'Shaughnessy at Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies for helping us to produce this podcast.

For links and resources mentioned in this episode, visit http://www.ncmh.info/videos-and-podcasts/podcast/postnatal-depression/

We hope you enjoy, and if you have any feedback please get in touch at info@ncmh.info

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