Linda's Blog

There are many connections between delusions and hallucinations . In certain diseases, these two issues coexist, but it typically is important to make a distinction between delusions and hallucinations when determining the source of the problem. Delusions arise when existing signals are misinterpreted, and they can be caused by various mental conditions or drugs. Hallucinations also have many causes, but they are entirely unrelated to any stimuli. Dealing with hallucinations and delusions often involves similar treatments, but the specific strategies used for the two are sometimes slightly different.   Several disorders can cause both delusions and hallucinations, including schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. In most cases, true hallucinations are caused by psychotic disorders, and delusions are caused by a wider variety of problems. It is sometimes difficult to tell whether a symptom is a delusion or a hallucination because the stimulus might not be obvious to either th...

Sensory hallucinations are visions or sounds that a person experiences that are not really there or that are distorted. In a way, they are the brain’s credible lies to the eyes or the ears. Hallucinations can also affect a person's sense of touch and may include things like feeling bugs crawling all over the body. These experiences are completely believable, and they can be very frightening for those undergoing them. Common causes of sensory hallucinations are schizophrenia, post- traumatic stress disorder, the manic stage of bipolar disorder , and taking drugs with hallucinogenic properties, like LSD . Other prescribed medications like morphine can cause temporary hallucinations. They may also occur when a person is intoxicated or during withdrawal from alcohol. High fevers, dementia , severe head injury, or serious illnesses like end stage kidney failure may cause a person to see or hear things as well. In addition, they can be associated with the long term use of some...

Hallucinations happen when someone sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels things that don't exist outside their mind. They are common in people with schizophrenia, and are usually experienced as hearing voices.  Hallucinations can be frightening as they may be unexpected or unwanted, but there's usually an identifiable cause. They can occur as a result of taking illicit drugs or alcohol, or as part of a mental illness such as schizophrenia . Some people may experience hallucinations that are not related to a mental illness. If you have hallucinations and are worried about them, see your GP straight away. If necessary, call 999 as you may have a serious mental health condition. Hallucinations can make you feel nervous, paranoid and frightened, and it's important to be with someone you can trust. In the meantime, the following information explains the typical types of hallucinations, including why they occur and what you can do. It covers: hearing vo...

Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days. We all go through spells of feeling down, but when you're depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days. Some people still think that depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They're wrong. Depression is a real illness with real symptoms, and it's not a sign of weakness or something you can "snap out of" by "pulling yourself together". The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people can make a full recovery. How to tell if you have depression Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms. They range from lasting feelings of sadness and hopelessness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling very tearful. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety . There can be physical symptoms too, such as feeling c...

15 Ways To Support a Loved One with Serious Mental Illness Supporting a loved one with mental illness presents many challenges. But one of them isn’t blame. It’s important for families “to learn that they didn’t cause [their loved one’s disorder] and they can’t cure it,” according to Harriet Lefley, Ph.D, professor at the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who’s worked with families for 25 years. Still, how you treat your loved one has a big impact on their well-being . “But their behaviors can exacerbate the symptoms,” she said. In fact, Dr. Lefley cited a large amount of literature on expressed emotion that found that patients of families who expressed hostility and criticism toward their loved one (e.g., believing the patient was lazy) or were emotionally overinvolved (e.g., “I’d give my left arm if he’d get well”) were more likely to relapse 1. Educate yourself about the illness. 2. Seek out resources. 3. H...

If unsure where to go for help, talk to someone you trust who has experience in mental health—for example, a doctor, nurse, social worker, or religious counselor. Ask their advice on where to seek treatment. If there is a university nearby, its departments of psychiatry or psychology may offer private and/or sliding-scale fee clinic treatment options. Otherwise, check the Yellow Pages under mental health, health, social services, crisis intervention services, hotlines, hospitals,or physicians for phone numbers and addresses. In times of crisis, the emergency room doctor at a hospital may be able to provide temporary help for a mental health problem, and will be able to tell you where and how to get further help. Listed below are the types of people and places that will make a referral to, or provide, diagnostic and treatment services. Family doctors Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors Religious leaders/counse...

A Suffolk Tragedy –The Red Barn Murder; Polstead, Suffolk, 1828   Growing up in Sudbury it is almost impossible to not know the story of ‘Maria Marten and the Red Barn’ one of the most famous murder cases of 19th century England. In essence a fairly tawdry tragedy, there are a number of features – including some overtly supernatural elements – that render it fascinating even to this day, but at the time the sensation it caused was vast, and it was to have ramifications in popular culture, how murders were reported, and even the English language. I don’t have time to give a full account of the case, so I will quickly summarize it here. On Saturday 18th May 1827 William Corder, a son of a prosperous Suffolk family apparently set out to elope with Maria Marten, a village beauty of humble origin. The two walked separately through the night to a barn, the now infamous ‘Red Barn’ on Corder’s property, Maria dressed in male clothing to avoid local notice. In the ...

Are you having problems? Do you want to talk to someone or do you need support for a family member or friend? Unfortunately, we don't offer a help or advice line. However, there are many services and organisations that offer help and support to people with mental health problems. Talk to The Samaritans The Samaritans offer emotional support 24 hours a day - in full confidence. Call 08457 90 90 90 (UK)* Call 1850 60 90 90 (ROI)* * Charges apply . Or email jo@samaritans.org.uk Rethink Mental Illness You can call the Rethink advice and information line Monday to Friday, 10am-2pm for practical advice on: different types of therapy and medication benefits, debt, money issues police, courts, prison your rights under the Mental Health Act Call Rethink on 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate). The Mind infoline Mind offer an information line to answer questions about: types of mental health problem where to get help dru...

ST ANDREWS CHURCH GT CORNARD    we are a modern day worshipping community meeting in a beautiful medieval church building in the town of sudbury suffolk You’ll receive a warm welcome in St Andrews whether you come on a Sunday or to one of our midweek events. We are open Friday Mornings for Coffee and Cake and a chance to chat with friends. Friday is also a great opportunity for people to call in and enquire about booking baptisms, weddings, or other special services. You might like to chat to one of our ministry team, or you might like to sit quietly for a while, away from it all We worship every Sunday at 8am and 10am, (Family worship 10am first Sunday of the month)  Whether you’re looking for a community to worship with, fellowship and prayer, or a baptism, wedding or funeral St Andrew’s is a place of welcome and love. All that we seek to do and say is rooted in our desire to worship and honour God in what we think and say and do, whether that’s expressed throug...

http://www.stopabuseforeveryone.org/ http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx Child abuse can mean a lot of different things such as neglect , physical , emotional or sexual abuse . It's not always easy to know if you or someone you know is being abused, but the important thing to remember is that no-one has the right to hurt you or make you do anything that feels wrong. You are not alone - ChildLine are here for you. Call free on 0800 1111 or chat to us online . Physical abuse Physical abuse is when someone deliberately hurts or injures you. It can include hitting, kicking, hair pulling, beating with objects, throwing and shaking. No one has the right to hurt you in this way. Read more about Physical abuse Emotional abuse If someone is always telling you that you're ugly, stupid, worthless or that they'd wished you'd never been born - that's emotional abuse. It's wrong, even if they are not doing it on purpose and can make you ...

Mental health helplines Whether you're concerned about yourself or a loved one, these helplines can offer expert advice. Depression, anxiety, obsession and mental health Rethink Mental Illness Support and advice for people living with mental illness. Phone: 0300 5000 927 Website: www.rethink.org Depression Alliance Charity for sufferers of depression. Has a network of self-help groups. Website: www.depressionalliance.org CALM CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15-35. Website: www.thecalmzone.net MDF: the bipolar organisation A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder. Website: www.mdf.org.uk Samaritans Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 08457 90 90 90 (24-hour helpline) Website: www.samaritans.org.uk Sane Charity offering support and carrying out research into mental illness. Phone: 0845 767 8000 (daily, 6pm-11pm) SANEmail email: sane...

Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to feel better. But while overcoming depression isn’t quick or easy, it’s far from impossible. You can’t beat it through sheer willpower, but you do have some control—even if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent. The key is to start small and build from there. Feeling better takes time, but you can get there if you make positive choices for yourself each day. The road to depression recovery Recovering from depression requires action, but taking action when you’re depressed is hard. In fact, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like going for a walk or spending time with friends, can be exhausting. It’s the Catch-22 of depression recovery: The things that help the most are the things that are the most difficult to do. There’s a difference, however, between something that's difficult and something that's impossible. Start small and stay ...