The Mental Elf

Studies documented increased mood changes, aggression, self-injury and sensory overload around menstruation.

Barriers included lack of professional awareness, communication challenges and stigma.

Inclusive, autism-informed reproductive healthcare is urgently needed.

Read: buff.ly/7b2sfRU

Autistic people experience heightened mental health difficulties, sensory distress & menstrual disorders during menstruation

New review found significant healthcare barriers, with autistic individuals less likely to access care despite high distress

#Autism #ReproductiveHealth

🧵 THREAD

Children initially felt mistrust but this changed over time. They valued playfulness, empathy and caregiver involvement.

Important limitation: only included children who completed treatment successfully, so may show overly positive view.

Read: buff.ly/w7kVEJ2

What do children think of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy?

🧸Six children described their experiences of this trauma therapy.

Attunement & trust mattered more than techniques.

Key theme - the importance of emotional connection.

#TraumaTherapy #ChildMentalHealth

🧵 THREAD

Another fascinating conversation between our brilliant ReSET collaborators! Check it out on YouTube or your favourite podcast app📲 #ReSET #podcast #mentalhealth #schools

Social Relationships and Mental Health in Adolescents - The Crucial Connection Episode 3 of the ReSET Podcast delves into the bidirectional relationship between social relationships and mental… Supporting social relationships in young people - ReSET School Mental Health

Featuring Pasco Fearon, Lucy Bowes, René Veenstra, and Roslyn Law.

Key insight: One close, positive friendship can buffer against mental health problems. Not popularity, not status - just one genuine connection.

🎧 buff.ly/aRlHqEk

#MentalHealth #Adolescence #PeerRelationships #SchoolMentalHealth

This episode explores:
🌟 Why social hierarchies form in first days of secondary school
🌟 ME strategies (self-regulation) vs WE strategies (relationship skills)
🌟 Using influential students to shift social norms

🎙️ RESET Podcast Ep 3: Social Relationships and Mental Health

Mental health → relationship quality → mental health. It's bidirectional, and that matters for how we intervene.

Please listen and share with your networks @resetproject.bsky.social

🧵 THREAD

The study used a placebo-controlled design with healthy volunteers to isolate drug effects from disease effects.

This matters for understanding cognitive side effects and supporting people taking antipsychotics long-term.

Read: buff.ly/6r9wdxv

Antipsychotics slow working memory speed in healthy adults, even without affecting accuracy 🧠

This study tested 2 common antipsychotics over 7 days. Both slowed how fast people could recall information, but didn't affect attention or mood.

#Antipsychotics #CognitiveSideEffects

🧵 THREAD

Conference 2026 BIGSPD 2026 will take place from June 16th to 18th in the Grand Hotel, Blackpool.

Register for the 2026 BIGSPD Annual Conference in Blackpool: buff.ly/EY4YACh

@bigspd.bsky.social

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) for people with Complex Emotional Needs #BIGSPD25 Navigating Complex Emotional Needs: Insights and Challenges with DBT This video from the BIGSPD25 conference in Liverpool explores the challenges and rewards of working with individuals who have…

"The word race is only mentioned once in the DBT manual – and it's in the context of a white person observing racism" 🎯

Why we need to decolonize DBT and make it work for everyone

Essential viewing for anyone delivering DBT 👇
#BIGSPD25
buff.ly/WE8CTrt

Yes, interesting…

Thanks Ollie, I hadn’t thought of that.

What do you think @samuelecortese.bsky.social?

EBI-ADHD: Interventions for ADHD | Evidence Matrix A comprehensive scientific platform synthesizing evidence from clinical trials for ADHD interventions.

If you want to find out more about evidence-based treatments for ADHD, check out the fantastic new EBI-ADHD website! buff.ly/YRvb2JQ

#ADHD #Treatment #Medication #Psychotherapy #BrainStimulation #Diet #Exercise

Stimulant medications showed lower rates than non-stimulants across all outcomes. Effects were strongest for those with prior history of substance misuse or criminality.

Novel "target trial emulation" study design addressed RCT limitations.

Read: buff.ly/8TMW5pH

ADHD medication associated with reduced rates of suicide, substance misuse, transport accidents and criminality in Swedish study of 148,581 people 💊

This challenges the view that ADHD meds only help core symptoms.

#MentalHealth #ADHD

🧵 THREAD

Emotional Skills in Adolescents - Preventing Mental Health Problems Episode 2 of the ReSET podcast focuses on the importance of emotional skills for adolescents and how these can prevent mental… Teaching emotional skills to young people - ReSET School Mental Health

This episode explores the neuroscience + practical strategies schools can use.

Key insight: Young people want to talk about relationships & social dramas, not abstract "mental health." Frame it right and they engage.

Listen wherever you get you podcasts - search for The Mental Elf
buff.ly/FXdejRn

🎙️ RESET Podcast Ep 2: Supporting Emotional Skills

Why do adolescent brains experience emotions so intensely but struggle to regulate them? (Developmental mismatch: amygdala fully online, prefrontal regions still developing)

#Neuroscience #SchoolMentalHealth

@resetproject.bsky.social

🧵 THREAD

7.8% of mental health admissions exceeded one week vs 3.5% for all admissions.

Readmission rates were high, especially for eating disorders.

The findings highlight escalating demand and strained services needing integrated care models.

Read the blog: buff.ly/jiv9Q6Y

Mental health admissions to acute medical wards rose 65% for young people in England (2012-2022) 📈

Adolescent girls most affected.

Eating disorders up 515%, anxiety admissions doubled.

Self-harm accounted for 53% of admissions.

#MentalHealth #YouthMentalHealth

🧵 THREAD

Grab your ticket for
Unlock the potential of school-based #mentalhealth support! ReSET #Webinar Wed, Jan 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM hosted by @thementalelf.bsky.social

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unlock-the...

Conference 2026 BIGSPD 2026 will take place from June 16th to 18th in the Grand Hotel, Blackpool.

Big thanks to Hollie Berrigan, Julia Blazdell and Chris Young for sharing their thoughts.
@hoppypelican.bsky.social
@squarepegsuk.bsky.social

I can't wait for the 2026 BIGSPD Annual Conference in Blackpool: buff.ly/EY4YACh

Understanding Co-Production: Bridging Lived and Occupational Experiences This video from the BIGSPD25 conference in Liverpool explores the concept of co-production, where individuals with lived… Understanding Co-Production with Hollie Berrigan, Julia Blazdell & Chris Young #BIGSPD25

"Systems have to adapt rather than continuing to expect assimilation from people with lived experience" 🎯

Brutal honesty about what makes co-production work (and what gets in the way)

Essential viewing for frontline practitioners 👇
buff.ly/tx6QmoU

Filmed at #BIGSPD25 @bigspd.bsky.social

Survivors reported higher frequency and severity of symptoms across all bodily systems. Emotional distress didn't amplify risks.

The message: it's not "all in their heads." Physical consequences are real and demand better support.

Read: buff.ly/XbUg2EK

Sexual assault has lasting effects beyond psychological trauma 💔

This Danish study found survivors face 6-fold increased risk of unexplained physical symptoms like chronic pain, IBS and fatigue.

#MentalHealth #SexualAssault #Trauma #ChronicPain

🧵 THREAD

Learn how to reshape your mental health initiatives with insights from leading experts. Welcome to episode 1 of the ReSET podcast, which focuses on the critical question: Should schools implement… Indicated vs Universal Interventions: ReSET school-based mental health podcast, episode 1

❤️ Supporting Mental Health in Schools? ❤️ 

Think about how you identify students
🌟 Which students might benefit from these skills that you're building?
🌟 Can you give them choice?
🌟 Can you make it feel like an opportunity they're opting into? Not a problem they've been assigned to

Financial incentives temporarily increased screening (2% to 15%), but effects were short-lived.

Young men of non-White ethnicity were most likely to miss screening. Screening needs to be embedded in routine care, not driven by isolated incentives.

Read the blog: buff.ly/epgQCs2

People with severe mental illness are 1.5-2.5 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease 💔
But are they getting proper health checks?

This UK study of 216,136 adults found only 35% received all six CVD risk factor checks within one month.

#MortalityGap #HealthInequalities

🧵 THREAD

Depression symptoms reduced by 4.8 points (iCBT) vs 3.0 points (face-to-face) on the PHQ-9.

This strengthens evidence that iCBT can be just as effective, potentially helping more people access timely support.

Read the blog: buff.ly/fHyZXaD

Is online therapy as effective as in-person CBT? 💻

New study of 5,834 healthcare records found therapist-guided internet CBT showed similar depression improvements to face-to-face therapy.

Unlike RCTs, this used real-world data from people who didn't volunteer.

#Depression #iCBT

🧵 THREAD