In an article for The New Scientist Professor Nick Craddock argues:-

Forget the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – we need a new system based on brain physiology, says psychiatrist Nick Craddock

Click here to read the full piece

Ian talked about the very serious issues around Post Partum Psychosis.

To listen to Ian’s interview on BBC iplayer click here about 90 minutes into the podcast.

BBC Radio 4 broadcast their candid look at postpartum psychosis (PP) on Monday 5^th December 11.00-11:30am which included an interview with perinatal psychiatrist Dr Ian Jones an expert in postpartum psychosis and leading NCMH researcher.

Postpartum psychosis affects between one in 500 and one in 1000 women in the days or weeks after childbirth. Symptoms can include non-stop talking, inability to sleep, racing thoughts, rapid mood swings, poor appetite, irritability, extreme confusion, hallucinations and delusions. The illness often appears without warning and can occur in women with no history of mental illness, however if treated properly full recovery from this disorder can be swift.

The programme features unique access to a group of women who have had the illness and who talk openly about their experiences and the journey back to recovery. They are taking part in an art project funded by the Wellcome Trust which aims to raise awareness of the condition. The presenter Clare Dolman herself suffered an episode of postpartum psychosis and is the founder of ‘Action on Postpartum Psychosis’ (APP) a network which looks to provide information on the condition, improve public awareness and help facilitate research.

For more information see

http://www.app-network.org/

The art project is supported by perinatal psychiatrist, Dr Ian Jones, an expert on postpartum psychosis and leading NCMH researcher. Dr Ian Jones is working with teams in Cardiff and Birmingham to discover what causes the illness. If it can be established that some women have a genetic predisposition to the condition, it might be possible to predict which women were at high risk and take steps before, rather than after, the illness strikes.

When asked about his involvement Dr Ian Jones said “We are delighted to have participated in the arts project and in the fantastic program on radio 4. It was great that our work trying to understand what triggers Postpartum Psychosis was highlighted in the program. Understanding more about this condition is vital if we are to help women who experience such sever episodes of illness at this time.”

Please click here for a link to listen to the programme on BBC iPlayer

The BBC3 documentary ‘Tulisa: My mum and me’ won the Mind Media Award for best documentary 2011.

The Mind Media Awards ‘celebrate the best portrayals of mental health, and reporting of mental health, in the media’. This year’s awards were held at the British Film Institute on Monday 28^th November.

Please see the link below for more information on the Mind Media Awards.

http://www.mindmediaawards.org.uk/winners2011.html

‘Tulisa: My mum and me’ draws on the personal experiences of Tulisa Contostavlos to investigate what life is like for some of the 80,000 young people in Britain caring for a parent with mental health problems.

Please see the link below for a clip from ‘Tulisa: My mum and me’

Professor Nick Craddock who heads-up the National Centre for Mental Health was involved in the making of the ‘Tulisa: My mum and me’ documentary, and excited about the win said

“We warmly congratulate Tulisa and the programme makers on their well-deserved award and are delighted that we were able to contribute to such an important, sensitive and thoughtful documentary”.

Watch it now.