"Depression is associated with trait X" - but does depression cause it, or the other way round? 🤔 This study used genetics as a natural experiment to test potential causal relationships with 137 traits. #MentalHealth #Depression #Genetics #MendelianRandomisation 🧵 THREAD

🚨NEW @NCISH_UK STUDY🚨 NCISH has been commissioned to examine the transition process from CAMHS to AMHS. This can be a high-risk period for patients. To better understand this risk, we are asking patients, carers and clinicians to share their experiences of mental health services via online survey

Sexual violence in older adults is under-researched, yet approximately 30-35% of women and 10-27% of men experience it in their lifetime 😔 #MentalHealth #SexualViolence #OlderAdults #Trauma 🧵 THREAD

🎬 New 'personality disorders' video series alert! Starting today, we're sharing 6 videos from @bigspd.bsky.social's 2025 conference in Liverpool - one every Thursday morning. First up: Why does this community matter? buff.ly/O28Ji4Q

When harmful items are restricted in secure wards, people may turn to headbanging as self-injury 😔 This 5-year study of 421 patients found headbanging was most common in younger females with EUPD. Most incidents were rated as low harm, but the study doesn't explore why it happens. 🧵 THREAD

Are hair-pulling and skin-picking linked to deeper beliefs from childhood? 🤔 This study of 283 adults found early maladaptive schemas were elevated across trichotillomania, skin-picking and OCD. #MentalHealth #Trichotillomania #SkinPicking #OCD #BodyFocusedRepetitiveBehaviours 🧵 THREAD

Young people describe some online mental health content as 'dangerous' – but what makes other content helpful? ✅ What helps & hinders youth mental health content use ✅ Tips for creating engaging content ✅ Youth-led solutions from researchers & young people #SocialMedia #YouthMentalHealth 🧵 THREAD

Do people with ADHD have higher rates of behavioural addictions? 🤔 This small study found those with ADHD had increased impulsivity, compulsivity & problematic internet use. However, the study was correlational & lacked diversity. #MentalHealth #ADHD #BehaviouralAddiction #InternetUse 🧵 THREAD

"WTF, this is so dangerous!" Social media influencers & youth mental health Sin up now for our free webinar on Mon 19th January. buff.ly/qK5NPOP

"Who's got the obs sheets?" Sound familiar? 👀 This QI project tested 3 interventions across 55 mental health wards. Results: 🌟 violence down 23-60%, 🌟 restrictive practices down 16-38%, 🌟 staff sickness down 16%. #MentalHealth #InpatientCare #QualityImprovement #RestrictivePractices 🧵 THREAD

Unlock the potential of school-based mental health support! ReSET Webinar Discover insights and practical tips from a new preventative school-based mental health programme 🎟️ Get your FREE ticket NOW! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unlock-the...

What does 😎 GOOD and 😨 BAD mental health communication look like online? We're having a webinar to discuss this with young people, social media influencers and scientists. It'll be fascinating and fun. Why not come along and learn!? www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wtf-this-i...

Mental health conditions 'run in families', but what does this actually mean for your risk? 🧬 New Danish study of 3m people quantified risks. Having a 1st-degree relative with depression meant 15% lifetime risk vs 7.8% general population risk. #MentalHealth #FamilyHistory 🧵 THREAD

Healthcare workers have twice the risk of fatal drug overdose compared to other workers 💊 New research finds occupational hazards included workplace access to drugs, clinical knowledge of dosing, and prescribing power. #MentalHealth #Healthcare #SubstanceUse #WorkplaceHealth 🧵 THREAD

Why do some people develop psychiatric disorders while others do not? Despite decades of research, this question remains difficult to answer PsyRiskMR is a new database that can help identify risk factors for 10 common psychiatric disorders. #MentalHealth #Genetics #Research #Psychiatry 🧵 THREAD

More than half of teenagers are unhappy with their bodies, but does this body dissatisfaction actually cause mental health problems? 🤔 New twin study of 14,000 UK adolescents found body dissatisfaction at 16 led to eating disorder symptoms at 21 and depression at 26. #BodyImage 🧵 THREAD

How do you safely stop taking antidepressants? 💊 NEW network meta-analysis OUT TODAY compares different strategies. Slow tapering + psychological support was most effective at preventing relapse. #MentalHealth #Antidepressants #Depression #Deprescribing 🧵 THREAD

This’ll be good 👇

📢 NEW RESEARCH COLLABORATION: The Improving Postpartum Outcomes of Severe Mental Illnesses in Ethnically Diverse Mothers (POSIE) project aims to transform postpartum mental health care for mothers from ethnic minority backgrounds/those living in deprived areas 👇 www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/new-res...

Do you actually feel sick after a flu shot? 💉 This randomised trial gave 52 people the vaccine, 50 got placebo. The vaccine raised cytokines, but participants didn't feel substantially different. #MentalHealth #Inflammation #Immunology #PsychoNeuroImmunology 🧵 THREAD

48 people shared photos and stories of detention under the Mental Health Act 📸 The Co-Pact PhotoVoice study found coercive care, institutional racism, and people feeling "voiceless" 🌳🌤️🍄 #MentalHealth #RacialEquity #MentalHealthAct #CoProduction #ElfHelp 🧵 THREAD

Why do some people feel a “not-quite-right” sensation before they pick their skin? The first ever systematic review on interoception and skin-picking disorder explores how bodily cues and affective touch might help explain the urge. #SkinPickingDisorder #Interoception 🧵 THREAD

A new blog by me for @thementalelf.bsky.social : www.nationalelfservice.net/other-health...

Come along to this event if you're interested in social media influencers and their impact on mental health - signup details in the thread 👇 Featuring our very own YP team member Eva 💕🎉 More about the project here mcpin.org/project/infl...

Healing takes time. ⏳ This study shows just how much. A major UK trial (DECRYPT) tested cognitive therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) for young people facing multiple traumas. Both groups improved, but CT-PTSD delivered clearer, stronger gains by 11 months. 🧵 THREAD #PTSD #CAMHS #Trauma #YouthMentalHealth

⚠️ What impact are social media influencers having on youth mental health? ⚠️ Why do young people describe some online mental health content as “dangerous”? ⚠️ What do they actually want from adults communicating in digital spaces? 👇🏽 THREAD 👇🏽

Rapid weight gain after an SMI diagnosis was the norm in this 15-year UK cohort study. 📈 Younger people and those prescribed antipsychotic medication saw the steepest increases, yet referrals for weight-management support were rare. #SMI #PhysicalHealth #WeightGain #Inequalities 🧵 THREAD

What do young people really think about mental health messages shared online? What’s helpful, and what quietly harms? This youth-led webinar explores influencer culture & social media through their eyes. Professionals + the public welcome. 🧵 THREAD

Can preventing childhood maltreatment reduce depression? 🧒🏽➡️🧑 New meta-analysis pulled together data from half a million+ people & found strong links between early maltreatment & adult depression. The prevention story is real, but far from simple. #ChildMaltreatment #Prevention 🧵 THREAD

Farming life blurs the line between home and work 🚜🏡 This new study shows Irish farmers face moderately high work–family conflict, linked to long hours, stress and the demands of raising young children. buff.ly/RFkFPZF 🧵 THREAD #Farming #MentalHealth #Ireland #Research

Psychological distress is common in Parkinson’s, yet support often centres on medication and motor symptoms. This new systematic review asks: can third-wave therapies like mindfulness or ACT meaningfully improve wellbeing? buff.ly/rAhG1uD 🧵 THREAD #Parkinsons #MentalHealth #Mindfulness #Research

We’ve talked about VR therapy for psychosis for more than a decade, but is the evidence finally catching up? This new multi-site RCT tests a refined, immersive version of AVATAR therapy for people who still hear distressing voices despite medication. 🧵 THREAD #Psychosis #VRtherapy #MentalHealth

How common are eating disorders in adults seeking obesity treatment? 🌍 Most research focuses on binge eating, but what about everything else? This systematic review brings together data from 94,000 adults to map the full picture. 🧵 THREAD #EatingDisorders #ObesityCare #MentalHealth

How childhood trauma affects our ability to understand minds 🧩 New review finds that childhood neglect is consistently linked to weaker mentalisation, especially in psychosis. Abuse shows mixed results, but the overall pattern spans diagnoses. 🧵 THREAD #ChildhoodTrauma #Mentalisation

People diagnosed with cancer in this Danish study were more than twice as likely to die by suicide in the first five years after diagnosis. 📊 Risk peaked in the first six months and was highest for aggressive cancers like pancreas and oesophagus. #CancerCare #SuicidePrevention #Oncology 🧵 THREAD

Recovery, relapse, and genetic risk in eating disorders. A Danish study of more than 10,000 people with anorexia, bulimia, or EDNOS found that almost 9 in 10 reached a period of remission, and that genetic factors shaped who recovered and who relapsed. #EatingDisorders #Genetics 🧵 THREAD

People from racialised communities face higher risks of psychosis, yet racism itself is rarely studied. New review brings together global evidence showing consistent links between racial discrimination and psychotic symptoms & disorders. 🧵 THREAD #MentalHealth #Psychosis #Racism #Inequality

Over a quarter of women who died by suicide while under UK mental health care had experienced domestic abuse. This new study from the Centre for Mental Health and Safety analysed 3,900 deaths to identify key risk factors & service gaps. 🧵 THREAD #SuicidePrevention #DomesticAbuse #WomensHealth

Can we predict who’s most at risk of psychiatric hospitalisation? A new BMJ Mental Health study by Taquet et al. (2025) developed an early warning score using routine clinical data from 37,000 patients across 20 US centres. 🧵 THREAD #MentalHealth #Psychiatry #DataScience

Are NHS Talking Therapies failing young adults? A new study analysed data from 1.5 million people treated for anxiety or depression in England. It found that outcomes were consistently worse for 16–24 year olds, compared with adults aged 25-65. 🧵 THREAD #YouthMentalHealth #Psychotherapy

We have now reached the end of the #DigitalYouth conference! A huge thank you to everyone who ran the event 😄 There are some really valuable projects going on and I can't wait to see what we can achieve next... 🥳

Todays piece for @thementalelf.bsky.social looks at #alcohol www.nationalelfservice.net/mental-healt...

Our final panel session is discussing the ‘MindTech Bridge’, find out more about the new initiative on the MindTech website: mindtech.org.uk/news-events/...

Prof Cathy Creswell (@cathycreswell.bsky.social) from University of Oxford is delivering her keynote on ‘Taking digital interventions for youth from research to practice’    How can we learn from the success of OSI (Online Support & Intervention for Children)?   Let’s dive in 👇 #DigitalYouth

Bridging the valley of death’- networking, angel investors and everything next steps 👌🏽 #digitalyouth

This afternoon we’ll focus on moving research to implementation. In other words “bridging the valley of death”.   First up we have a panel discussion with Prof Chris Hollis, Prof Ed Watkins, Robert Higginson, Barnaby Perks and Dr Aaron Kandola #DigitalYouth

Tom is back at it creating amazing illustrations throughout the day 🖌️ #digitalyouth

We’ve got 4 insightful workshops going on with lots of activities 🎨 #digitalyouth

Loved presenting the lessons we've learnt trialing SPARX in our feasibility and pilot trial! Please reach out to the team if you have any questions 🙋🏼‍♀️ #digitalyouth

This afternoon we’ll be taking part in a variety of workshops! Including “Building Effective Industry Partnerships” 👥 #DigitalYouth