The annual National Stress Awareness Day is to be held on Wednesday 5th November at venues all over the UK .

This year’s theme is Stress: the balancing act. It is sometimes difficult to keep the balance right in terms of work, play and lifestyle. Helping to raise awareness of the numerous solutions that are available to achieve this balance is an important one.

National Stress Awareness Day is the ideal opportunity to get your company to focus on the impact of stress in the workplace and to raise the importance of recognising the causes of stress and providing assistance to alleviate it.

For more information on National Stress Awareness Day visit The International Stress Management Website.

Is private mental health care the only way to access  quality care in the UK?

The Guardian newspaper has recently requested stories from readers providing details of their NHS experience for mental health problems.

The paper requested feedback following a revelation that two thirds of people with depression in the UK receive no treatment from the NHS.  A typical picture has emerged with regard to the treatment received on the NHS including long drawn out battles to obtain a diagnosis, long waits for treatments, an over prescription of drugs instead of other treatments and often a lack of compassion or sensitivity to the problems confronted.

The Guardian draws the conclusion that the NHS mental health system is broken.

The incoming president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Prof Sir Simon Wessely, recently suggested people would be “absolutely appalled and screaming from the rooftops” if those going without treatment had cancer rather than mental health problems.

To read examples of the poor treatment received for mental health issues reported to the Guardian and to read more on this story visit the Guardian website.

Ahed Therapies would like to see better NHS treatment for mental health ensuring that all patients received treatment as and when required.

Movember initiative looks to change mental health attitudes of men!

A report published by Leeds Metropolitan University and commissioned by the Movember Foundation, reports that under 30% of men would tell partners if they had mental health worries.

The figures were revealed as part of a new study into how men and women cope with mental health problems, ahead of next month’s annual Movember fund raising campaign.

Also surprisingly the report stated that 79 per cent of men wouldn’t ask their boss for time off work if they were suffering with a mental health condition and worringly over 25% would turn to Google rather than friends and family for advice.

The report states that whilst there is no significant difference between the numbers of men and women experiencing mental health problems, 75% of all suicides in the UK are men.

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of mental health charity, Mind, said: “Our own research showed that almost a third of men would be embarrassed about seeking help for a mental health problem.

“Less than a quarter would visit their GP if they felt down for more than two weeks, in comparison to a third of women. As suicide is the biggest killer for men under the age of 35, it’s especially important they do not suffer in silence.”

Do you bit to help change the face of men’s health visit – www.movember.com.