By A. Jess Williams. Recently, a senior professor has taken to saying to me “calm down, things go wrong, nothing’s perfect”. Sounds grand, right? But to my way of thinking, this is telling me that I’ve done something wrong or that people think I’ve made a mistake - that’s frustrating for anyone, but my sneaky… Continue reading One of these is not like the others: Imposter syndrome within early career researchers
By Tiago Zortea. Ten years ago, in the second year of my undergraduate course in Psychology, I came across a short book chapter that caused me to rethink many of the ways in which I understood mental health: The actress, the priest, and the psychoanalyst: The knife sharpeners, written by the Brazilian Professor of Social… Continue reading On sharpening knives, stigma and mental health
By Tiago Zortea. As a PhD student carrying out research in suicidality, I am recurrently asked why people take their own lives. The thing is, there is not an obvious, quick, or complete answer. Suicide is a complex phenomenon, and it involves biological, psychological and social factors that interact with each other, and these interactions… Continue reading Suicide Prevention: From Illness and Risk Factors, to Thoughts and Actions
By Tiago Zortea. “Ah look at all the lonely people! All the lonely people Where do they all come from? All the lonely people Where do they all belong?” The thought provoking, sad, and very reflective Beatles’ song, “Eleanor Rigby” shocked me when I listened to it for the first time many years ago. For… Continue reading Eleanor Rigby, Loneliness, and Suicide
By Tiago Zortea. This is an understandable concern. Suicide is a delicate issue since it involves suffering, emotional pain, and sometimes stigma for those who have lost loved ones through suicide or feel suicidal themselves [1]. In addition, there is a well-known phenomenon called the “Werther effect” (or copycat suicide) where a person bases a… Continue reading Is it dangerous to ask or talk about suicide?
By Tiago Zortea. Every year, the 10th of September marks world suicide prevention day, with thousands of people across the globe calling for action to reduce deaths by suicide and save lives [1]. Suicide prevention strategies can be implemented at several different levels with interventions including: (i) restricting individuals’ access to the means of suicide,… Continue reading Suicide prevention at the individual level: The role of empathy in saving lives
By Katerina Kavalidou. “No matter what you are going through, there is help out there; suicide is not the solution” The above is an important message from Professor Rory O’Connor, an expert on suicide research and prevention, regarding the recent airing of 13 Reasons Why, a TV series about a teenage girl’s suicide. Reading this,… Continue reading On 13 Reasons Why: Acknowledging those working in suicide prevention
By Emma Nielsen. Hands up who has a favourite academic paper? You might not like to admit it but, if you do, you are amongst company. I certainly have a favourite. It is a paper I read as an undergraduate that challenged my thinking and got me engaged and questioning in a way no other… Continue reading LHR-BOS-LHR and the learning in between: Reflections on an OIV visiting fellowship
By Emma Nielsen When I’m not PhD-ing I’m often covered in paint. Recently, I gifted two paintings to the ‘crisis house’ that helped me and held me together earlier this year. Today, I received the most unexpected of thank you cards from the house. It was one of those game changing, reflective moments and I… Continue reading Emma Nielsen – “Me too”: Mental health and disclosure as an Early Career Researcher
netecr.org 