Global perspective

Just as in our homes and communities mental illness at the global scale represents a "hidden suffering".

The following links provide an international and national context for Antara's work. They help explain why 'F of A UK' believes there is a current and real need for accessible mental healthcare in India. We hope you will deepen your understanding of the significance and challenges of mental health in resource poor settings and find an appropriate personal response.

International

The links here give insights into the scale and dimensions of mental health problems across the world and provide some specific examples from different countries.

• The Lancet series on Global Mental Health - Academic papers on mental health problems in lower income countries
• Global Initiative in Psychiatry - International organisation, mainly working in Central and Eastern Europe, which promotes humane and ethical mental healthcare
• International Journal of Mental Health Systems - Academic journal with research and information on delivery of mental health services in different countries
• Movement for Global Mental Health - International network aiming at improving mental health worldwide, protecting human rights and fostering research
• WHO Mental Health Atlas - WHO Mental Health Atlas
• Disease Control Priorites in Developing Countries - Summary of Evidence Based interventions for mental health in lower income countries
• Patel, V., and Kleinmann, A., (2003) Poverty and common mental disorders in developing countries - Systematic Review of associations between poverty and mental illness in LDCs and possible mechanisms
• WHO Bulletin series on Mental Health - Bulletin of the World Health Organisation (WHO), vol 78(4) 2000, focusing on mental health
• Basic Needs - International Developmental Charity focusing on Mental Illness
• World Health Report (2001) - WHO annual report 2001 focusing on mental health
• World Health Organisation (WHO) - Resources on global mental health.

South Asia

An estimated 20 million people are affected by mental illness in India, yet there are only 2-3 psychiatrists per million of the population. The following links provide an overview of mental health in India as well as highlighting some specific issues such as gender inequalities, rural care, social stigma and the effects of economic change.

• BMJ special on Health in South Asia - Academic overview of burden of diseases and various articles on mental health in India and neighbouring countries
• Mirza (2004) Risk factors, prevalence & treatment of anxiety & depressive disorders in Pakistan -

Mental Health

The following links provide information on mental health and specific illnesses or disorders . Some sites are written for people working in mental health, but may also be of interest to those looking for more detailed information.

Note: If you need support for your own or someone else's mental health, please speak to your GP or other appropriately qualified professional. If you need to talk to someone now, you could try Samaritans: 08457 909090, www.samaritans.org (outside the UK see http://www.befrienders.org/)

Introduction to mental health & illness

These websites may be of interest to people who are beginning to learn about mental health and illness, and do not assume much if any background knowledge.

• BBC - Accessible information covering many common conditions.
• SHIFT (UK Department of Health) - Campaign to educate the public on mental health issues
• Stand To Reason - Campaigning organisation focussed on mental health in the workplace.
• Mental Health Care - Information for carers
• Channel 4 Mind - Outlines common problems & sources of support
• Science Museum - Mental Illness - Interesting information on how the mind and brain work

General mental health

• Royal College of Psychiatrists - A lot of information, some fairly detailed, on specific conditions and
• DIPEX - Patients discuss their experience of living with illness.
• Sainsbury Centre - Research into mental health policy, particularly prisons and employment
• NHS National Library for Health (Mental Health section) - Detailed, evidence-based information, including collections of patient leaflets, sorted by diagnosis
• NHS EQUIP - Many links to websites assesed as providing quality information about specific disorders
• New Scientist on Mental Health - News and research on mental health from a popular science communication magazine
• Patient organisations -

Child mental health

• Young Minds - Charity focusing on mental health in children & young people
• Royal College of Psychiatrists - Children & Young People - Extensive library of leaflets and information for children & the general public
• BMA Child and Adolescent Mental Health - British Medical Association guide for health professionals. Rather technical language.
• Research news: young people and mental health - From the Institute of Psychiatry - written for carers
• Childline - Advice, support, and information on many issues affecting chidren & young people
• Kidscape - Charity to prevent bullying in children
• Papyrus - Charity focusing on distress, depression and suicidal feelings in young people
• RCPsych web links for young people - Large though slightly dated collection of websites aimed at children and young people
• National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Support Service - Aimed at profssionals, with lots of information, news & links
• National Inquiry into Self-harm among Young People - Detailed information on self-harm in the UK, including information for young people, professionals, and the public, mostly from a harm reduction perspective
• Contact A Family - Support for families of children with special needs, particularly useful for information on rare conditions

Specific Mental Illnesses

• OCD Action - Information on compulsive disorders & their treatment
• National Autistic Society - Lots of information on Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other developmental disorders
• Alzheimers Society - Support, campaigns, and information around dementia, with detailed but comprehensible information on many types of dementia (not just Alzheimer's)
• National Phobics Society - For people with anxiety disorders
• Destigmatise - Help for anxiety disorders in the UK Asian community
• Triumph over Phobia - Self-hel groups for people with phobias & OCD
• Lifeline Project - Harm reduction approach to drug misuse, with an interesting publications section
• Manic Depression Fellowship - User-led charity for people with Bipolar Disorder
• Hearing Voices Network - Self-help groups to live better with unshared experiences or unusual beliefs ('hallucinations' or 'delusions')
• Institute of Psychiatry - Eating Disorders - Research & information on Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders Association - Support for people with eating disorders and carers
• Depression Alliance - Suppot, information & awareness for people with depression
• Association for Postnatal Illness - Support for new mothers experiencing mental illness
• Students Against Depression - Help and advice for students with depression
• Something Fishy - Eating disorder recovery information & resources
• OCD UK - Campaigns & awareness-raising around OCD
• Personality Plus - Public information, research, and service planning about Personality Disorders
• Personality Disorder Institute - Academic reerach into personality disorders, at Nottingham university
• Borderline UK - User-led group with information on Borderline Personality Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder World - Information for people with BPD, carers, and professionals
• Down's Syndrome Association - Support & information around Down's Syndrome
• National Schizophrenia Fellowship Scotland - Scottish equivalent of re-think with information mainly on schizophrenia

Learning and Developmental Disorders

• Dyslexia Action - Information & research on Dyslexia & other Specific Learning Difficulties
• ADDISS - Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service - Information and resources around AD(H)D
• Dyspraxia Foundation - Information on dyspraxia (Developmental Co-Ordination Disorder)
• British Dyslexia Association - Campaigning, support, and information, particularly focused on negotiating the education system
• MENCAP - Learning disability & developmental disorders
• Learning Disability Coalition -
• People First - Campaigning organisation of people with learning difficulties
• Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities - Information about learning disability
• British Institute of Learning Disabilites - For professionals working with people with learning disabilities
• Neuropsychiatry and Intellectual Disability - Birmingham University research group
• Learning Difficulty Links - Large collection of links on Learning Difficulties
• Learning Disabilities at the National Library for Health - Information aimed at professionals, collected by the NHS
• Talking Point - Information on communication development and disability
• AFAISIC - Charity for people with speech, language, and communication impairments
• Semantic Pragmatic Disorder Support - Information for parents and professionals about ASD-related language difficulties
• Teachernet Special Educational Needs - Practical information on many types of disability from an educational perspective
• International Attachment Network - Information on Attachment Disorders
• Tourette Syndrome Association - Information on Tourette Syndrome, a complex neurological disorder

Alcohol and Drug abuse

 

• NHS National Treatment Agency on Substance Misuse - Main focus is on treatment models
• Talk To Frank - Offers information on illegal drugs, mostly aimed at young people
• Alcohol Concern - Harm reduction approach to alcohol use as public policy issue
• Smokefree - NHS support to stop smoking
• Addaction - Drug & alcohol treatment
• Action on Smoking and Health - Information on smoking and how to stop

Poverty, Health and Health Inequalities

An appreciation of the value of every human life is at the heart of health care and yet people differ greatly, not only in health, but also in their ability to access the help they need.

Securing health for all requires tackling these inequalities in health through wider social and economic action. Equally 'Friends of Antara UK' believes that health care has an important role in breaking viscious cycles of poverty and illness.

The links below focus on the interactions between poverty and mental health but include some on organisations which focus on general health issues.

Mental health

• Poverty, Social Stress and Mental Health - Indian Journal of Medical Research review of evidence linking poverty to mental illness
• Socioeconomic Inequalities in Depression: A Meta-Analysis - A US review of the evidence associating poverty with depression (note you may have to be part of a university or other institution to see this link)
• Poverty, unemployment, and common mental disorders: population based cohort study - Academic Study from the BMJ, Jul 1998; 317: 115 - 119
• Child and adolescent mental health - British Medical Association guide for health professionals on the prevalence and challenges of child mental health including inequalities

General health

These links include organisations campaigning for wider social changes to promote health, data on health inequalities and spotlights on associations between poverty and general health.

• Medact - UK Health Professionals campaign group highlighting the impacts of war, poverty and environment on health
• Medsin - Healthcare students campaign and action group highlighting health inequalities in the UK and globally
• Keep Our NHS public - UK campaign against privatisation of the National Health Service
• Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research - Academic Research centre (Bristol, UK) on poverty including health inequalities
• The Poverty Site - UK site for official statistics on poverty and social exclusion.
• Department of Health - UK government's official response to health inequalities
• The Equality Trust - Based around accumulating evidence of worse health and social outcomes in less equal societies