Nicknames may hurt me, not sticks & stones

A YoungMinds survey studying the classroom experiences of 2629 young people between the ages of 9 and 25 has reported the distress caused to mentally ill pupils by verbal abuse. The report also stated that witnesses to the abuse were often distressed by this behaviour. The stigma involved made it very difficult for mentally ill children to report feeling unwell compared with children who were feeling physically unwell. The charity has called for intensified health promotion to reduce the stigma involved.

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Cleanliness not next to happiness?

Rates of depression in younger people have outstripped that of older people and this has led to researchers searching for biological factors. Scientists at a US university medical school have come to the conclusion the higher rates are due to the lack of healthy bacteria in immune systems; a direct consequence of our cleaner environment

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Thousand of child carers of the mentally ill

The Mental Health Foundation has published a report My Care that states there are an estimated 50,000 to 200,00 child and adolescent carers of severely mentally ill adults. Many suffer from bullying as a result of the stigma surrounding their parents' conditions. Anxiety and frustration are leading to the carers themselves becoming mentally ill and also disruption of their education. Professionals who have contributed to this report are calling for more support for this vulnerable group.

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Read the MyCare report