social prescribing – A New Vision for Mental Health

Experts call for fewer antidepressants to be prescribed in UK

Author: Editorial 6th December 2023 0 Comments

“Open letter to government from experts and politicians says rising usage ‘is a clear example of over-medicalisation’” This report by Tobi Thomas has been published in The Guardian. It begins: “Medical experts and politicians have called for the amount of antidepressants…
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a coherent system

Andrew Tresidder, antidepressants, APPG for Prescribed Drug Dependence, Beyond Pills, British Medical Journal, deprescribing, depression, drug withdrawal, International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal, John Read, psychiatry, Sam Everington, social prescribing, The Guardian

Exercise that could beat depression revealed by scientists and may be prescribed by GPs

Author: Editorial 22nd November 2023 0 Comments

Martin Bagot reports for The Mirror: “Just one yoga session a week can tackle depression symptoms and could be prescribed by GPs, scientists say. The clinical trial, involving 80 adults with moderate-to-severe depression , found 44 percent of those in the yoga groups…
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collaborative practice

depression, exercise, Harvard Medical School, Maren Nyer, Martin Bagot, Research, social prescribing, The Mirror, yoga

Expanding the social cure: a mixed-methods approach exploring the role of online group dance as support for young people (aged 16–24) living with anxiety

Author: Editorial 18th October 2023 0 Comments

This research article has been published by Frontiers. It begins: “There is an increased interest in whether online arts interventions support mental health and social connections. This study explored eight weeks of online group dance as support for young people (aged 16–24)…
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collaborative practice

anxiety, dance, dancing, online arts, social cure, social prescribing, young adults

Children and young people’s social prescribing: new evidence review

Author: Editorial 15th June 2023 0 Comments

This review has been published by the National Academy for Social Prescribing. The overview says: “We have published a new evidence review about social prescribing for children and young people, alongside the results of a survey with professionals. Social prescribing can…
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collaborative practice

children and adolescents, National Academy for Social Prescribing, NHS England, Research, social prescribing

Prescribing nature: the restorative power of a simple dose of outdoors

Author: Editorial 17th February 2023 0 Comments

This article by Donna Lu has been published in The Guardian. It begins: “In my mid-20s, I undertook the quintessentially Australian rite of passage of moving to London for a few years. Months into my first English winter, I started having…
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a wellbeing society

Australia, blue space, Donna Lu, exercise, Green Adelaide, green spaces, nature-based therapy, social prescribing, The Guardian, Thomas Astell-Burt, wellbeing

Why ‘green’ prescriptions for gardening and walking in the woods could soon be common for the NHS

Author: Editorial 6th January 2023 1 Comment

Tom Bawden reports for inews: “Gardening, walking in the woods, or some other dose of nature, could soon be commonly prescribed as a treatment on the NHS after a major study found that “green prescriptions” can work wonders for our mental and physical health. Green…
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a wellbeing society

gardening, inews, National Academy for Social Prescribing, nature, Research, social prescribing, Tom Bawden

Scotland’s doctors urged to prescribe gardening and cooking

Author: Editorial 27th October 2022 0 Comments

The BBC reports : “Prescribing patients activities such as walking, gardening and cooking can help Scotland tackle health inequality, leading charities have said. A coalition of 19 organisations are calling on the Scottish government to adopt a national strategy for so-called…
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collaborative practice

BBC, BBC Scotland, cooking, Emma Lunan, gardening, loneliness, Movement for Health, social prescribing

Why women are being given boxing gloves and ballet shoes instead of antidepressants

Author: Editorial 15th August 2022 0 Comments

Subtitled “With one in five people taking pills for their mental health, doctors are turning to alternative methods – with help from Sport England”, this report from Miranda has been published in the Daily Telegraph. It begins: “It’s long been known…
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a wellbeing society

antidepressants, ballet, boxing, Daily Telegraph, depression, exercise, Miranda Levy, social prescribing, Sport England, women, yoga

Fishing cures PTSD and anxiety, first ever clinical study aims to prove

Author: Editorial 11th July 2022 0 Comments

This report by Danielle Sheridan has been published in The Telegraph. It begins: “ Fishing has long been lauded as a relaxing pastime which can put one’s mind at ease. While it has been claimed anecdotally that fishing can help with post-traumatic…
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collaborative practice

anxiety, Danielle Sheridan, depression, fishing, nature-based social prescribing, Nick Cooper, PTSD, Research, social prescribing, The Telegraph, wellbeing

New handbook to help prescribe nature for mental health and wellbeing

Author: Editorial 19th November 2021 0 Comments

The European Centre for Environment and Human Health has produced this handbook . They say: “Understanding how the power of nature can help people improve their mental health and overcome conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress has been boosted thanks…
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a wellbeing society

blue space, European Centre for Environment and Human Health, green spaces, nature, nature-based therapy, Ruth Garside, social prescribing, wellbeing, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust