Schizophrenic or Shamanic? It Depends on the Cultural Context

An individual can display certain symptoms, but whether they are an indication of schizophrenia or shamanic abilities depends largely on the cultural context. By cultural context I mean the collective beliefs, values, expectations and responses of the community which shape the mentality and behaviour of the individuals within that community. Mental illness is heavily influenced…

View Post

The Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Low Mood: Why Winters Are So Miserable

There’s a reason why winters in the UK are so miserable, beyond the fact that there is more rain, more biting coldness, shorter days and greyer skies. One factor contributing to miserable winters is a vitamin D deficiency. This isn’t some ploy to boost sales in vitamin D supplements – it has been suggested in…

View Post

Caffeine is the Crutch of Modern Working Life

Coffee is such a core part of the working environment that it is never questioned. Caffeine is a drug which is not only accepted in the work environment – it is a drug which must be available at all times. It is simply the norm. Coffee can also be covered by business expenses because it…

View Post

Antidepressants and Suicidal Thoughts: A Tragically Ironic Connection

You wouldn’t think that an antidepressant, a medication which is supposed to alleviate depression, would cause someone to want to end their life. However, since antidepressants have been on the market, we have seen a marked increase in self-harm, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and completed suicides associated with their use. This mostly applies to SSRIs…

View Post

The Negative Effects of Facebook: Addiction, Social Isolation, and Depression

Facebook is great for communication, networking and planning events. It is a social media platform that was designed to connect people and clearly, it achieves this in a number of ways. However, Facebook’s utility and popularity often mask its more psychologically damaging aspects, of which there seems to be three: addiction, social isolation and depression.…

View Post