Health News - Lord Layard says ‘We’re doing poor job of helping the unemployed’
Published: 17 June, 2010
by PETER GRUNER
LORD Layard of Highgate has called for extra efforts to help people suffering from depression and anxiety as a result of rising levels of unemployment.
The government mental health adviser said it was “scandalous” that insufficient “talking therapies” are being made available for those in need of support despite acknowledgement that they can be extremely effective.
Lord Layard’s groundbreaking book Happiness, published in 2006, inspired the previous Labour government to, in many cases, replace drug treatment – which can cause dependency – with talking therapy for people with anxiety and depression. There is evidence it can be more effective in the long term.
A founder director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics, he expressed hope that the new coalition government would continue the policies of the previous administration with regard to mental health.
With a gloomy economic forecast and the likelihood of large-scale unemployment, Lord Layard believes there will inevitably be more cases of anxiety and depression.
“The difference today is that with talking therapies there is help and we can do something about the fears in society,” he said.
“These therapies, which have been around for more than 30 years, have proven to be effective and at least half of people who use them can make a full recovery.
“But it’s scandalous that although they are recommended by the government they are still not sufficiently available. It means we have millions on incapacity benefits who could otherwise be working.”
He added that services for children suffering from mental problems are even more difficult to access, according to recent GP surveys.
Love’s story is nominated for book of the year
JANET Love, a psychotherapist, and the founder of an Angel-based charity, has written a new book, Psychosis in the Family – Journey of a psychotherapist and mother, which has been nominated for the Mind Book of the Year, writes Peter Gruner.
Mrs Love launched her charity, Loving Someone in Psychosis, after her son suffered a breakdown while studying for his PhD.
She quotes Nobel Prize winner Albert Schweitzer, who talked about the fellowship of those who bear the same mark of pain: “What binds the fellowship together is that those outside the pain can’t know what it is like.
“Even with friends it is very difficult to talk to people who haven’t had the same experience.”
She added: “Sometimes loving someone in psychosis is extremely difficult.
“They don’t recognise they are ill and are often hostile and their beliefs are not based on reality.
“They often have unshakable convictions which are not susceptible to counter-arguments.”
Mrs Love has welcomed the launch of mentalhealthcare.org.uk, a new website giving easy to understand information, advice and support to relatives and friends of people with psychosis.
The website is a joint venture between The Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London, and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
• Psychosis in the Family – Journey of a psychotherapist and mother is published by Karnac, £16.99.