Thought Pieces & Videos

When medication ‘works’ and helps a distressing symptom you’ve been experiencing ease, or even go away entirely, it can be easy to think that that is it - the medication has done it’s job, and you can stop taking it now. However, medication is often more complicated than that, and Dr Siobhan Gee talks us through her advice and considerations.

In the last couple of generations, life stages have shifted almost beyond recognition. Economic changes, as well as cultural ones, mean that for many Millenials and Generation Z-ers living at home with parents, or in shared housing, until well into their 30s is the new normal. Added to all of this, the rise of Social Media usage has meant that Keeping Up with the Joneses now occurs on a global scale, and many feel pressured to have a certain shape of life. It is no wonder then that so many people in their 30s (and 20s, 40s, and 50s…) now come to us feeling a sudden tug of discontent - is this what my life really is?

Therapy can be life-changing - but knowing when you’ve reached the end of that process isn’t always clear. Sometimes progress is slow, sometimes it’s subtle - and other times, people feel unsure whether they're “done” or just plateauing. We explore how, with therapy, it’s less about being completely ‘fixed’ and more about feeling equipped to manage life’s challenges independently.

Bringing a new baby into the world is a hugely impactful event for anyone. It is therefore completely expected that you won’t feel “normal” - your own version of normal has been completely shifted, and there will be a period where you will be finding yourself again.

A healthy and active sex life, for many people, is a crucial and valuable part of their experience in the world - and when mental health conditions, or the medication used to treat these conditions, has a deep and detrimental impact on this, the ruptures can be felt keenly and deeply. Dr Livia Martucci, Consultant Psychiatrist, offers her expertise and guidance on the issue - with advice on how to broach the subject, what alternative ways of fostering intimacy can be explored, and why it’s so important to bring this conversation to your doctor.

It is a very reasonable thing to wonder whether your mental health doctor, be it Psychiatrist, Psychologist or Psychotherapist, also has their own therapist. After all, if they spend all day supporting people with their issues, who helps them with their own challenges?

Dr Siobhan Gee, Consultant Pharmacist, addresses the issue head on here, and discusses how both new research and new methods of tapering down and ultimately stopping anti-depressants means that stopping without uncomfortable withdrawal effects is entirely possible, even for those who have struggled before.

Many parents report that building a bond with their newborn is a process that takes time; it is not always a lightbulb moment, and there isn’t always a split-second where you suddenly connect with your baby in a profound, life-changing way. And that’s OK! Dr Isabel McMullen, Consultant Psychiatrist, talks through this bonding process, as well as gives some practical tips on what you can do to foster and promote bonding and connection.

Starting your journey of psychological therapy can be a life-changing experience of healing, personal growth, and better emotional well-being. It is therefore quite common for those who have benefitted from therapy to encourage others to start, hoping they too will experience positive changes as they have. “What’s the harm? It can only add to your life”, they may say to anyone ambivalent. But is this always true?