0:00:04 > 0:00:07When it comes to our health, it seems everyone has an opinion.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11But what's the health advice you can really trust?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17We're here to weigh up the evidence,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20and use our expertise to guide you
0:00:20 > 0:00:22through the contradictions and the confusions.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28We do research no-one else has done,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31and put your health at the heart of what we do.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We listen to the questions you want answered,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and ensure you get the information you need.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44We're here when you want to know the latest findings
0:00:44 > 0:00:46and not the latest fads.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I'm Michael Moseley,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52and in this series, I'm joined by a team of doctors.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Together, we'll cut through the hype, the headlines,
0:00:55 > 0:00:56and the health cleanse.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00This is Trust Me, I'm A Doctor.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Hello and welcome to a special edition of Trust Me, I'm A Doctor,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09all about mental health.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15When you're in good shape mentally, feeling positive,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19then you can cope with pretty much anything that life throws at you.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24But as well as ups, most of us will at some point experience significant
0:01:24 > 0:01:29downs. In fact, at any given time, one in six of us is affected by
0:01:29 > 0:01:31something like depression or anxiety.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35So, in this programme, we want to give you the best ways to look after
0:01:35 > 0:01:37and protect your mental health.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41We've conducted a survey of over 2,000 people, and asked,
0:01:41 > 0:01:45"What mental health issues are you really concerned about?"
0:01:46 > 0:01:51You gave us a wide range of interesting questions to explore
0:01:51 > 0:01:55and that in turn led us to unearth some surprising answers.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00So we'll be finding out, can you eat yourself happy?
0:02:01 > 0:02:03I was feeling down before,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06but now all I can feel is the pain in my mouth.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Can taking antidepressants pills be dangerous?
0:02:10 > 0:02:14We'll reveal an extraordinary new treatment for some serious mental
0:02:14 > 0:02:19- illnesses.- Almost everybody has a dramatic, if not total recovery.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22And, if mental health problems run in your family,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24how worried should you be?
0:02:24 > 0:02:25But first...
0:02:28 > 0:02:31..when we asked you what issues you wanted us to explore,
0:02:31 > 0:02:36the main question that people wanted answers to, 42% in our survey,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39was, "How can I best cope with stress?"
0:02:41 > 0:02:45It's well-known that stress is bad for our mental wellbeing,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48and heightens our risk of things like depression.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52So what can you do to remove some of that harmful stress from your life?
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Doing the old stiff upper lip, trying to ignore it,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00or saying, "Pull yourself together", really doesn't work.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01So what does?
0:03:02 > 0:03:06We've recruited 68 volunteers and split them into groups.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12Over the next eight weeks, they'll be testing three stress-busting techniques.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13Our first group will meet every week
0:03:13 > 0:03:16for gardening and conservation activities.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21There is growing evidence that both social interaction and contact with
0:03:21 > 0:03:24nature can have a positive effect on our mental health.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Does everyone know what a thistle looks like now?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- LAUGHTER - Yes.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Our second group will be trying yoga.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Studies suggest it can reduce stress and lower our heart rate and blood
0:03:37 > 0:03:42- pressure.- See if you can begin the twist by looking forward.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Our third group will be using a phone app to do a daily session of
0:03:46 > 0:03:50mindfulness - a form of meditation that focuses the mind
0:03:50 > 0:03:52on the present moment.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55There are claims that doing this helps you avoid being caught in a
0:03:55 > 0:03:57cycle of negative thought.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- APP:- Welcome back to day 28.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04And we'll be comparing all three against a control group
0:04:04 > 0:04:06who'll just go about their daily life as usual.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Throughout the eight weeks, we'll be monitoring our volunteers'
0:04:12 > 0:04:16stress levels. At the beginning and end of the experiment,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20they'll give us saliva samples so we can measure levels of a hormone
0:04:20 > 0:04:21called cortisol -
0:04:21 > 0:04:24a key part of our bodies' stress response.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31They'll also fill in psychological questionnaires so we can assess how
0:04:31 > 0:04:32stressed they're feeling.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Helping us run the experiment are Professor Angela Clow and
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Dr Nina Smyth from the University of Westminster.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47They're going to show me the daily cortisol pattern you'd expect in
0:04:47 > 0:04:50someone who's healthy and not particularly stressed.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53OK, so we've got a graph here made out of stress balls.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56So, Angela, can you talk me through this graph?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Yes, absolutely. As we know, cortisol is a hormone associated
0:04:59 > 0:05:01with stress, but it's a lot more than that, actually.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Cortisol is the energising hormone,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07so it activates your brain, it gets you prepared for the day ahead.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10And what we see here is how when we wake up,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13it initiates a huge surge in cortisol, and that,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15illustrated here by the blue dots,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18is called the CAR, or the Cortisol Awakening Response.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20OK, I'm surprised, it must be...
0:05:20 > 0:05:22I assumed that high levels of cortisol are a bad thing.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And what you're saying is actually you do need this big peak in the
0:05:25 > 0:05:28- morning to get you going. - Cortisol, at the right time of day,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30is what you need, because it's an energiser.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34That cortisol awakening response primes you to do what you have to do
0:05:34 > 0:05:35in the day.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41So a cortisol curve in a healthy person looks like this.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Big surge in the morning that gets
0:05:43 > 0:05:44you ready for the day ahead
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and then a drop-off.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50But, if someone's suffering from chronic stress,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53you'll likely see a smaller peak in the morning,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56a sluggish start that leaves you feeling less able to cope,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and then, sometimes, higher levels throughout the day.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So, Nina, has a study like this one been done before?
0:06:04 > 0:06:07No, so this is really exciting, cos this is the first time where we're
0:06:07 > 0:06:10actually measuring the cortisol awakening response
0:06:10 > 0:06:12and the decline over the day,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15to see if an eight-week activity does have an impact on their
0:06:15 > 0:06:20cortisol, and particularly their cortisol in the morning.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23We'll be back after eight weeks to see which of our groups is
0:06:23 > 0:06:25least stressed.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Stress is common,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34so it can be hard to tell when feeling worried and anxious is
0:06:34 > 0:06:36developing into a more serious problem.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38In our mental health survey,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42a question frequently asked was, "What is a mental health issue?"
0:06:42 > 0:06:47So we've got in our very own expert to answer that question.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Over to a new member of the Trust Me team,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53consultant psychiatrist Dr Alain Gregoire.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59One of the biggest challenges I face as a psychiatrist
0:06:59 > 0:07:02is that many people are not sure at what point simply feeling a bit
0:07:02 > 0:07:05off-kilter becomes a mental health issue for which
0:07:05 > 0:07:07they should seek treatment.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16It can be very difficult to recognise when something is wrong,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19and even if we do, most people try to hide it.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22So what exactly is a mental health problem?
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Don't know what a kind of mental health is. What is it?
0:07:25 > 0:07:27I'm asking you!
0:07:27 > 0:07:29- LAUGHTER - Not sure.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32- A lot of people hide it. - Right.- And they...
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- Why do you think it's hidden? - It's a taboo subject.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39In psychiatry there are three key factors we consider when we are
0:07:39 > 0:07:42looking at someone's mental health -
0:07:42 > 0:07:43their thinking,
0:07:43 > 0:07:44their behaviour
0:07:44 > 0:07:45and their mood.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47If all three of these are troubled,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49it suggests their mental health isn't good.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54But it can be really difficult to work out when things are getting so
0:07:54 > 0:07:56bad that we need professional help.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58I'd like to see everybody getting help.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00At whatever stage it is,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02it shouldn't have to get to really bad to have help.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Everybody should get help.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Do you think people might be frightened in any way of going to get help?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Frightened of going to get the truth, yeah, I think they will.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Yeah, because they're scared of what the consequences are going to be.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15When it comes to our physical health,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18most of us have a pretty clear idea of when we should go to the doctor,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21and our mental health should be no different.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25If you get a bit of wheezing after taking some exercise,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27you probably wouldn't go and see a doctor about it.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31But if you've got a more persistent, severe wheeze,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34and it stops you getting on with your usual activities,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37you'd know that you probably need some sort of treatment.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39It's the same with mental health.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42If you've got low mood for two or three days and then it gets better,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44that's probably nothing to worry about.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49But if your mood is very low over a longer period of time and you're getting gloomy and anxious thoughts,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and it's stopping you getting on with your life,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55then you may well be developing a mental health problem, and it would
0:08:55 > 0:08:57be sensible to go and get professional advice,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59and sooner rather than later.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Because no matter what the problem is, or how severe,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07the vast majority of mental health conditions are treatable.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10There are lots of different approaches,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14from self-help techniques and talking therapies to medication,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and often a combination of these is what works best.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Just as with any health problem,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24the earlier you catch it, the more effective the treatment.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28So, if you think you might be developing a problem with your
0:09:28 > 0:09:30mental health, go and see your GP for advice.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42In our survey, lots of you asked what you can do to improve your own
0:09:42 > 0:09:43mental health. In a moment,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46we're going to be looking at which foods might help
0:09:46 > 0:09:48and the impact of sleep. But first,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52GP Dr Zoe Williams has been investigating exercise.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57If exercise could be bottled and sold,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01it would probably be the most effective medicine ever invented,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03reducing our risk of many serious diseases.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Some doctors will prescribe it to help prevent and treat mental health
0:10:10 > 0:10:12conditions too.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15But how effective is it, and why?
0:10:16 > 0:10:19The benefits of exercise on mental health
0:10:19 > 0:10:22are thought to be in part thanks to the release of hormones called
0:10:22 > 0:10:26endorphins, which can make us experience positive feelings.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Some studies suggest that it can reduce the symptoms of depression
0:10:33 > 0:10:35and boost self-esteem.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40But there's one brand-new piece of research from Germany that indicates
0:10:40 > 0:10:44the key thing is perhaps not only how much exercise you do,
0:10:44 > 0:10:45but also what type.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52This is bouldering, which is climbing without any equipment,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and it's been suggested that this is even better than general exercise
0:10:55 > 0:10:57when it comes to treating depression.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Professor Gillian Mead from Edinburgh University
0:11:02 > 0:11:04has studied the evidence.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08- Oh! Hi, Gillian!- Hi there.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13So I really want to know, why is it that bouldering is specifically such
0:11:13 > 0:11:15a good exercise for depression?
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Well, other forms of exercise are good for depression,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22but people can still mull over their problems
0:11:22 > 0:11:24when they're exercising.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26That's called rumination.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29But when you're bouldering, you have to have complete focus...
0:11:29 > 0:11:31- So it breaks that cycle of rumination.- Yeah.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34You have to be concentrating on what your hands are doing and what your
0:11:34 > 0:11:37feet are doing. You have to focus on your balance.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40You have to problem-solve, and when you're bouldering,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42you must be in the present moment.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48It's widely thought that focusing the mind on present sensations helps
0:11:48 > 0:11:50us avoid being caught up by negative thoughts.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55If bouldering isn't something you might try,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58there's growing evidence that other forms of exercise that need mental
0:11:58 > 0:12:02concentration, such as dancing, might have similar benefits.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10But if exercise is a real struggle for you, then there is another
0:12:10 > 0:12:12rather surprising way that you might
0:12:12 > 0:12:15be able to get at least some of its benefits.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19SCREAMS AND LAUGHTER
0:12:25 > 0:12:29So this is absolutely bonkers, but so much fun,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and I'm actually... I want to take my jacket off, I'm quite sweaty
0:12:32 > 0:12:34and quite out of breath.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36This is Laughter Club.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39There are over 10,000 of them worldwide.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Jo Bluett runs one in Edinburgh
0:12:41 > 0:12:43that attracts a wide range of people.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45THEY CHANT IN UNISON
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Behind the fun here, there's a serious scientific purpose.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Jo has been running a study to assess the impact of laughter on the
0:12:55 > 0:12:58health of a group of carers.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01I was the first Laughter Club in the UK to receive NHS funding,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05so we've actually been evaluating the impact of attending a regular
0:13:05 > 0:13:06Laughter Club on carers.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09The results over the last three years show that there's been an
0:13:09 > 0:13:13average increase of 60% in carers' health and wellbeing
0:13:13 > 0:13:15- by attending Laughter Club.- Wow.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17It's really, really powerful.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20But what's fascinating is why laughter works.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22It's not just about lightening your mood,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26- it's actually giving your body a work-out. - LAUGHTER
0:13:26 > 0:13:28When we laugh in everyday life,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31we generally laugh from up in the chest and it's often fleeting.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33In Laughter Club,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36we encourage people to laugh from the belly for a sustained period of
0:13:36 > 0:13:40time. We're increasing our heart rates, improving our lung capacity,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42we're starting to sweat.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45It's really a powerful work-out that we're getting.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48The endorphins that we release through laughter
0:13:48 > 0:13:51are our natural antidepressants, so we lift our mood.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56So laughter can give your body and mind some of the benefits
0:13:56 > 0:13:57you get from exercise.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Well, before I was diagnosed with Parkinson's,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01I suffered from depression,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03but when I was going through the finding out what was wrong,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06I got really down.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- Hand on heart, I honestly don't know what I would have done emotionally...- Yeah.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- ..and mentally if I hadn't had this before I was diagnosed.- Right.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17If people wanted to give this a go at home,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20what would you say is the recommended dose of laughter?
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Ten minutes, nonstop continual laughter.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Which is hard to do on your own with no triggers,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28this is why you need to come to a Laughter Club to practise it and
0:14:28 > 0:14:33train your body, your muscles, and more importantly, your mind.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- THEY BLOW RASPBERRIES ALL:- Two...four...yay!
0:14:38 > 0:14:42I've always believed exercise can help improve mental health,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45but looking into the latest research
0:14:45 > 0:14:48has really shown me how and why it works.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Exercise that needs concentration seems to be particularly effective,
0:14:52 > 0:14:57as it focuses the mind away from stressors and negative thoughts.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00And even something as simple as laughter
0:15:00 > 0:15:01can give you great benefits.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13In our survey, more than one in four of you asked us,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16"What impact does diet have on mental health?"
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Well, Dr Giles Yeo, who studies the impact of food on the brain
0:15:20 > 0:15:22has been investigating.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27We all know that when it comes to our physical health, what we eat
0:15:27 > 0:15:30plays an enormous role. But is the same true for our mental health?
0:15:32 > 0:15:36Well, when it comes to what's bad for us, yes.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40One well-known effect of eating junk food is that it gives us extreme
0:15:40 > 0:15:42highs and lows of blood sugar,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45and some research suggests that, in the long term,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48this pattern can interfere with particular brain chemicals that
0:15:48 > 0:15:52affect mood. But can eating healthy food make a difference?
0:15:54 > 0:15:57There is a growing industry in blogs, vlogs,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and diet plans that claim you can eat yourself happy.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06But can certain foods really improve your mental state?
0:16:06 > 0:16:10One of the first scientific experiments to test the idea was
0:16:10 > 0:16:12performed in a prison.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Half the inmates in the study took supplements of multivitamins
0:16:15 > 0:16:19and fish oil. In a matter of weeks,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22the behaviour of these prisoners improved dramatically.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26They committed 26% fewer misdemeanours than a control group
0:16:26 > 0:16:28taking placebo pills.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33No-one knows exactly what was in the supplement that changed the
0:16:33 > 0:16:35behaviour of the prisoners so drastically,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38but it points to some trace nutrients that our brain requires in
0:16:38 > 0:16:41minute amounts, yet has a profound influence on our mental state.
0:16:44 > 0:16:50One of the supplements in the prison experiment contained B vitamins -
0:16:50 > 0:16:52iron, calcium, magnesium, chromium,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55zinc and selenium.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Some studies suggest that, by improving brain function,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01these can also benefit your mental health.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Many of these are found in green vegetables.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06When you're buying your vegetables, though,
0:17:06 > 0:17:10bear in mind that British veg is are often poor in selenium.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Brazil nuts are very high in it,
0:17:12 > 0:17:14so factor a handful into your diet each week.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Now, the other key supplement the prisoners took was fish oil.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25It's known to contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27which some studies have linked to brain health.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33A study in Norway showed that people who consume fish oil regularly were
0:17:33 > 0:17:36about 30% less likely to have depression.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Now, if fish is not to your taste,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40then you could have walnuts or flaxseeds.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Your diet also needs to provide your brain with ingredients for making
0:17:45 > 0:17:47serotonin and dopamine -
0:17:47 > 0:17:49two chemicals linked to emotional health.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54The ingredients for making serotonin and dopamine are present in most
0:17:54 > 0:17:58proteins, so if you swap out your higher fat and higher sugar foods
0:17:58 > 0:18:02with leaner sources of protein such as fish, chicken or turkey,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05that should give your brain all that it needs.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Vegetarian options include beans, lentils and quinoa.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Meanwhile, there are lots of claims out there for individual ingredients
0:18:15 > 0:18:17that supposedly boost your mood,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21though the evidence for these is scant, and eating more of one thing
0:18:21 > 0:18:23is often not very practical.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Chillies are meant to improve your mood.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Oh!
0:18:32 > 0:18:35I can see why. I was feeling down before,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37but now all I can feel is the pain in my mouth.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42The spicy heat of the chilli prompts the brain to release endorphins,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45which are known to make you feel good,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47at least in the short term.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51And there you have it, the diet to keep you in top mental health.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Now, what to wash all this down with?
0:18:57 > 0:18:59I think I deserve a glass of wine.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04But take it easy on the alcohol, because it is a known depressant.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Ah! Cheers!
0:19:18 > 0:19:22We've already seen how exercise and diet can help,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25but what else can we do to look after our mental health?
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Alain's been looking at the impact of sleep.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36A bad night's sleep leaves most of us irritable and grumpy.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39ALARM CLOCK RINGS
0:19:39 > 0:19:41But is that as far as it goes,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44or could it affect us more deeply than we think?
0:19:44 > 0:19:48As a psychiatrist, I'm interested in anything that can have a negative
0:19:48 > 0:19:51impact on our state of mind. So what I want to know is
0:19:51 > 0:19:54exactly what effect can lack of sleep have
0:19:54 > 0:19:56on our mood and our thinking?
0:19:56 > 0:19:59And can it affect our mental health in the longer term?
0:20:01 > 0:20:05To find out, we've teamed up with sleep scientists at the University
0:20:05 > 0:20:07of Oxford to run our own experiment.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13We've recruited four volunteers with healthy sleep patterns,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17and over six nights, we're going to test whether reducing their sleep
0:20:17 > 0:20:20has an impact on their mental health.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24We're fitting them all with devices to monitor their sleep.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28For the first three nights of our study,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30they get a full undisturbed eight hours.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Then, for the next three nights,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39we're restricting their sleep to just four hours.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45It's still a few hours before I have my first four-hour sleep,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48and I'm pretty tired, to be honest.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50I'm really hating it.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52I'm exhausted.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57During the day, our volunteers have to follow their normal routine.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00The day seemed to take twice as long as it normally does.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03I've just noticed that...
0:21:03 > 0:21:07I started getting quite a lot of tension and anxiety in my chest.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Each day, they fill in a psychological questionnaire designed
0:21:12 > 0:21:15to reveal any changes in their mood and thinking.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19And they're also keeping video diaries.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24You can feel your body's natural rhythm trying to send you to sleep,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26and you're trying to fight it.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28So, that's a bit of a struggle.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Thanks.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36After their three nights deprived of sleep, our volunteers are back.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42And doctoral student Sarah Reeve is going through all their data.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I've just got in their sleep recording devices,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47and also getting their questionnaires,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49which they've been filling in online...
0:21:49 > 0:21:52So these are kind of standard scientific questionnaires that we know work?
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Exactly, they've been used on big samples of people before,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58so we know that they're really good for measuring the things we're
0:21:58 > 0:22:02interested in, which are things like depression and low mood, anxiety.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05We're also measuring things like feelings of mistrust of other people,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and also any unusual experiences that people have been having,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11because we know all those things are really important for mental health.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13So those are things we're looking for changes.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Oh, here come our sleepwalkers. Hi, guys, come and sit down.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20It's time to reveal the results.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23First, the average scores for the whole group.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28What we can say is that, looking at your scores before and after the
0:22:28 > 0:22:31sleep restriction, it's actually pretty impressive.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33There have been increases in
0:22:33 > 0:22:36anxiety, depression, and stress.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38We've also had increases in paranoia
0:22:38 > 0:22:39and feelings of mistrust about other
0:22:39 > 0:22:42people. Given that you've only done
0:22:42 > 0:22:45three nights, four hours a night sleep,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47to have these sorts of changes happening so quickly,
0:22:47 > 0:22:51I hope, you know, it's quite interesting for you to hear about.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Sarah has also been looking at the effects on each of our volunteers
0:22:55 > 0:22:57- individually.- So for each of you, we have a graph.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01- Chris, this is yours. - After Chris was deprived of sleep,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05positive emotions - feeling happy and relaxed - reduced,
0:23:05 > 0:23:10while negative emotions - including stress, anxiety, anger,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13and mistrust of others - all increased.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Yeah, I definitely felt it. So, yeah,
0:23:15 > 0:23:19I wouldn't have been able to cope with it for much longer than I did.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22The same was true of Lily and Alex.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24But our fourth volunteer, Josh,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26seemed to feel much better than the others.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32This week really hasn't taken as much of a toll as I thought it would
0:23:32 > 0:23:36on me. I feel perfectly fine, I'm not happy, sad, angry,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- stressed or anything.- But his graph reveals a different story.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43His positive emotions fell sharply
0:23:43 > 0:23:45after two disturbed nights,
0:23:45 > 0:23:47while some negative emotions were
0:23:47 > 0:23:48beginning to rise.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50So even though he felt OK,
0:23:50 > 0:23:51there are signs that his mental
0:23:51 > 0:23:53wellbeing was beginning to suffer.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57I guess it's just...a false cover on my mind,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00thinking, "Everything's OK",
0:24:00 > 0:24:03and it was actually getting progressively worse.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09The outcomes of our small test reflect the results of a wider study
0:24:09 > 0:24:12carried out by the Oxford team.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Leading that research is Daniel Freeman,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Professor of Clinical Psychology.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22So what do the results of our small demonstration and your larger study
0:24:22 > 0:24:26- reveal?- I think they're a beautiful illustration of how even a short
0:24:26 > 0:24:30period of reduced sleep has such a psychological cost.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33So imagine having that sort of reduction of sleep for a longer
0:24:33 > 0:24:36period on a severer level.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40So both our mood and our thoughts are affected by loss of
0:24:40 > 0:24:44- sleep.- Yeah, it skews our thoughts to the more downbeat and fearful,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48and it skews our brain processing into these sort of loops of
0:24:48 > 0:24:50repetitive negative thinking.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54We have more negative thoughts when we are sleep-deprived,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- and we get stuck in them.- Mm-hmm.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Does that make it inevitable if you're not sleeping well
0:24:59 > 0:25:02that your mind isn't going to be working that well?
0:25:02 > 0:25:04No, it's certainly not inevitable.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08I mean, in any one night, one in three people having difficulty
0:25:08 > 0:25:11sleeping - perhaps 5-10% of the general population
0:25:11 > 0:25:14has insomnia - and many people get on with their lives
0:25:14 > 0:25:18and they cope with it, but it does raise the risk of a whole range of
0:25:18 > 0:25:20mental health difficulties.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Well, that was a bit of an eye-opener.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Even as a psychiatrist,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29I'm surprised at how quickly lack of sleep can affect our mood
0:25:29 > 0:25:33and our thinking. It emphasises how important sleep is to us.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37But that knowledge is also an opportunity for us to look after our
0:25:37 > 0:25:40mental health by taking care of our sleep.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46If you're not sleeping well, take exercise during the day,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48have a wind-down routine,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50and avoid looking at screens
0:25:50 > 0:25:52in the hour before bed.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Have a regular bedtime and waking up time,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59and don't spend too long in bed not sleeping.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03If this doesn't help, there are a range of treatments available,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05so do go and see your GP.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18If you do suffer from mental health problems, and millions of us do,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20then getting the right help is crucial.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23In a moment, I'm going to be looking at the pros and cons of taking
0:26:23 > 0:26:26antidepressants, but first, surgeon Gabriel Weston has been
0:26:26 > 0:26:30looking at something which could prove to be a significant
0:26:30 > 0:26:32breakthrough in the treatment of mental illness.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Every now and again in the history of medicine, there's been a
0:26:41 > 0:26:45breakthrough that shifted our understanding of mental illness.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49The Victorians routinely sent syphilis patients to the asylum,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52until it was discovered that the real cause of their
0:26:52 > 0:26:55mental disturbance was an infectious disease.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59But these sorts of diagnostic misunderstandings aren't just a
0:26:59 > 0:27:01thing of the past. In fact,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05recent discoveries reveal that some cases of mental illness might
0:27:05 > 0:27:07not be quite what they seem.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Nafisa is 17 and has just started at university -
0:27:15 > 0:27:18something that little more than a year ago
0:27:18 > 0:27:23seemed impossible when she developed disturbing symptoms.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Tell me about how things started.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29So it started with me being socially withdrawn, highly emotional.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what it was.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34And that, for me, was hard,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36because I did go to my doctor about it and he just put it down to
0:27:36 > 0:27:39depression. He thought that because I'm a teenage girl doing A Levels,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42but I knew it wasn't that.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46And when things got worse, what sorts of experiences were you having?
0:27:46 > 0:27:47I felt paranoid.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49I felt everything, everyone was watching me.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Like I could see things that weren't there.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56I just saw all my family members... I saw my late grandad. I physically
0:27:56 > 0:27:59thought they were there, and I was calling out to them.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Nafisa's hallucinations and paranoia were classic symptoms of psychosis.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07But then something unexpected happened -
0:28:07 > 0:28:10she had a violent seizure.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Consultant neurologist Professor Sarosh Iran,
0:28:13 > 0:28:18began to suspect Nafisa's symptoms might have a very different cause.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21The clues in the rapid onset of Nafisa's psychosis, associated with
0:28:21 > 0:28:24this, with her thrashing movements of her arms and legs,
0:28:24 > 0:28:28the pouting movements of her face, and the fact that she then had a
0:28:28 > 0:28:31seizure and a heart rate which fluctuated.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Professor Irani thought Nafisa's symptoms could be due
0:28:34 > 0:28:38to a rare form of encephalitis, where antibodies produced by her
0:28:38 > 0:28:42immune system were actually attacking her own brain.
0:28:42 > 0:28:47The antibodies go and target the body's own proteins, and in
0:28:47 > 0:28:50this case, the protein is called the NMDA receptor,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54and because the NMDA receptor is involved in features of psychosis
0:28:54 > 0:28:56and learning and memory,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59it's those sorts of problems which the patients experience.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Such as seeing things that aren't there, hearing things that aren't there.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08The diagnosis meant that Nafisa urgently needed treatment,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11not for a mental illness, but for an autoimmune disease.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Professor Irani began a course of immunotherapy, removing from
0:29:16 > 0:29:20Nafisa's blood the rogue antibodies that were attacking her brain.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Almost immediately, she began to make a rapid recovery.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29For her to recognise us, acknowledge us, and give us a hug and smile,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32I think that was the, you know, the point where we thought,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35- "Yeah, we've got our daughter back." - My mum told me I faced death twice,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38but obviously I don't remember, but now I'm grateful that I have this
0:29:38 > 0:29:41life back, so I'm just going to live it to the full.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Remarkable cases like Nafisa's are leading to a seismic shift
0:29:45 > 0:29:47in our understanding of mental illness,
0:29:47 > 0:29:49showing that, at least in some cases,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52what might appear to be a psychiatric illness,
0:29:52 > 0:29:56is actually caused by an immune malfunction
0:29:56 > 0:29:59requiring a completely different kind of treatment.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02And this new discovery has opened up
0:30:02 > 0:30:05an exciting new field of medical investigation.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13At the forefront of the research
0:30:13 > 0:30:17is consultant psychiatrist Professor Belinda Lennox
0:30:17 > 0:30:19from the University of Oxford.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23She wondered if some patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26which has similar symptoms to Nafisa's,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28might instead have an autoimmune
0:30:28 > 0:30:31condition that had gone unrecognised.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33To find out, she carried out blood
0:30:33 > 0:30:35tests on a group of patients to see
0:30:35 > 0:30:38if they had the same rogue antibodies.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40We took some blood from nearly 50 patients
0:30:40 > 0:30:42and we sent it off to the lab.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43And we got three positives.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47It was really fascinating and quite dramatic, actually.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51So you found that there was something going on in their blood
0:30:51 > 0:30:55that suggested they didn't quite fit into the usual psychiatric picture.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Absolutely. They had diagnoses of schizophrenia,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02they had all not responded well to the standard treatments,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04and they had these antibodies.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06So we decided to look more broadly.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09We tested nearly 240 patients,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11and we found antibodies in those
0:31:11 > 0:31:13patients in about 1 in 11 patients.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Belinda then tried the same
0:31:17 > 0:31:20immunotherapy as had been given to Nafisa on nine
0:31:20 > 0:31:23of these patients with schizophrenia.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25The results were astonishing.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27In our experience, in patients that
0:31:27 > 0:31:30we've identified the antibody and we have treated,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33almost everybody has a dramatic if not total recovery.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Belinda has now begun the world's
0:31:35 > 0:31:39first clinical trial using immunotherapy
0:31:39 > 0:31:41to treat schizophrenia.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43This really does look like it could
0:31:43 > 0:31:46have a revolutionary feel for psychiatry.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49I've been a psychiatrist for 20 years now, and this is what
0:31:49 > 0:31:51I've been waiting for, to actually
0:31:51 > 0:31:53find a proportion of patients that we
0:31:53 > 0:31:57can offer a radical, new, effective treatment for.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Professor Lennox's trial holds the promise that in future,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05patients who appear to have symptoms of a severe mental illness could be
0:32:05 > 0:32:07tested for an autoimmune condition.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09And, in some cases, treated with immunotherapy.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15It's such an exciting prospect that research has already begun at other
0:32:15 > 0:32:19universities to see if immunotherapy might also be used in common
0:32:19 > 0:32:22conditions like depression.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24When I was at medical school,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26we were taught about psychiatric
0:32:26 > 0:32:29disease as being completely distinct from medical disease.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31So the idea that there might be a
0:32:31 > 0:32:34biological explanation for a psychiatric
0:32:34 > 0:32:37condition is really interesting.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40Now, obviously, this research is in its infancy,
0:32:40 > 0:32:42but it is ground-breaking,
0:32:42 > 0:32:44because for the first time
0:32:44 > 0:32:48it suggests the possibility of treating, even curing,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52a group of patients who might otherwise be condemned to a lifetime
0:32:52 > 0:32:53of mental ill health.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Depression and anxiety are incredibly common,
0:33:07 > 0:33:08and if you go and see a doctor,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12it is increasingly likely you will be prescribed something like this.
0:33:12 > 0:33:13An antidepressant.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Last year alone in the UK,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18there were more than 70 million prescriptions written.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23The thing is that a lot of people are suspicious about antidepressants.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25So are they right?
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Should we worry about taking antidepressants?
0:33:32 > 0:33:33In our nationwide survey,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36almost a quarter of you wanted to know the answer.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41In a moment, I'll be asking two renowned experts who have completely
0:33:41 > 0:33:43opposing views. But first,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47I want to explore why so many of us are wary of these drugs.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51He taught me no-one was going to give me anything.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53That no-one was going to help.
0:33:53 > 0:33:54This is Vicki Bran.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57..I had to adapt like a rat.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03She suffers from anxiety and depression on a regular basis.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06She's also a performance artist.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09I thought that I would be a happy rat.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11I am a happy rat.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16Vicki's chosen not to take medication,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18and I want to know why.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24So you go and see your GP, and what did he or she prescribe or suggest?
0:34:24 > 0:34:26They suggested that I might take antidepressants
0:34:26 > 0:34:28and that I would take
0:34:28 > 0:34:30beta blockers as well.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31And you chose not to?
0:34:31 > 0:34:33- I did, yeah.- Why?
0:34:34 > 0:34:39I function on a kind of spectrum of quite intense highs and lows,
0:34:39 > 0:34:43and I was concerned that if I take antidepressants,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47that I might sit somewhere in the middle of that wave and I'd miss out
0:34:47 > 0:34:50on the very top of that kind of wave which, for me,
0:34:50 > 0:34:55is periods of intense creativity, like I can get a lot done.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57And what happens when you hit low?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00I'm in bed, really, unable to get up.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Thoughts are incredibly scattered.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Thinking about brushing my teeth,
0:35:04 > 0:35:06but also thinking about killing myself.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09We're sitting here, we're chatting, you're looking sort of cheerful,
0:35:09 > 0:35:10very good body language,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13open and friendly, and you're talking about killing yourself.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15- Yeah.- And that's quite an odd experience.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Yeah, yeah, definitely.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20I've had three bouts of ill health in my life,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23and I've always got through them
0:35:23 > 0:35:26with talking therapies and support.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28And I made performance work.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30In the time where I was most struggling,
0:35:30 > 0:35:32and where I was most at risk,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34I wasn't being supported.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36And that, I think, is the time
0:35:36 > 0:35:39where I would consider taking antidepressants in the future.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41But so far, I haven't.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Now, I thought Vicki was very moving and eloquent about her condition,
0:35:46 > 0:35:48and she's obviously determined to
0:35:48 > 0:35:52try and sort this out without resorting to drugs.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54But is she right to be worried about them?
0:35:55 > 0:35:57I'm going to speak to two notable
0:35:57 > 0:36:00psychiatrists with very different views.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05Dr Joanna Moncrieff is a practising psychiatrist who also lectures at
0:36:05 > 0:36:07University College London.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12She's well known for her critical views about treating mental health
0:36:12 > 0:36:13problems with drugs,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15and has published several books
0:36:15 > 0:36:18including The Myth Of The Chemical Cure.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21So prescription rates of antidepressant are soaring.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Do you see this as a good thing or bad thing?
0:36:24 > 0:36:26I see it as very worrying for a number of reasons.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29First, I don't think these drugs do much good for people, so it means
0:36:29 > 0:36:32that a lot of people are taking medication that they don't need.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Secondly, they do cause serious adverse effects.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37There's some evidence that they
0:36:37 > 0:36:40increase suicidal thoughts among young people particularly.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Little bit of evidence that they might increase aggressive behaviour.
0:36:43 > 0:36:44We know that they cause sexual
0:36:44 > 0:36:47dysfunction in a large number of people.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49What most people would probably say
0:36:49 > 0:36:51is that the benefits that antidepressants
0:36:51 > 0:36:53have outweigh those adverse effects.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56My reason for feeling that they don't
0:36:56 > 0:37:00is that the benefits that have been shown in proper randomised control
0:37:00 > 0:37:02trials are very, very small.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05And yet, there must be people out there that take the antidepressant
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and, weeks later, they feel an awful lot better.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Yes, of course, but we know that many people will feel better because
0:37:10 > 0:37:12they're taking a pill and that gives them hope,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14and they feel supported as well.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17- So we don't know...- Isn't hope good, though?
0:37:17 > 0:37:19- Shouldn't we be offering hope? - Hope is good,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21as long as it's based in reality.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24I think offering false hope is problematic.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Do you think there are problems with people being on antidepressants
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- long-term?- I think people worry that they can't cope without
0:37:31 > 0:37:34antidepressants and become psychologically dependent on them.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38And that, I think, is a worry because it means that people aren't
0:37:38 > 0:37:40developing other ways of managing
0:37:40 > 0:37:42their difficulties and it might erode
0:37:42 > 0:37:45people's confidence that they can do that.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48So somebody comes to see you and they have severe depression.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Would you not put them on antidepressants?
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I think that seeing depression as a disease, as a biochemical imbalance,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56is a wrong way of seeing it.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59In almost all cases in my experience,
0:37:59 > 0:38:00depression has been caused by
0:38:00 > 0:38:02something going wrong in someone's life.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05And then the logical way to help people is to try and identify those
0:38:05 > 0:38:08difficulties and help people to address them.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13But most psychiatrists take a different view of antidepressants.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Sir Simon Wessely is a professor of psychological
0:38:16 > 0:38:19medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry,
0:38:19 > 0:38:21King's College London,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24and former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Simon, last year there were roughly 70 million prescriptions
0:38:29 > 0:38:31for antidepressants.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34And this is something like double the number ten years ago,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36so are we just prescribing too many?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38The number of diabetes drugs have doubled or the number of
0:38:38 > 0:38:40anti-hypertensive drugs have doubled,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43we immediately say, "That's a scandal. That's too many."
0:38:43 > 0:38:44It's the wrong question.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46The question you should be asking
0:38:46 > 0:38:48is of the people who have depression
0:38:48 > 0:38:51who might need antidepressants, are sufficient numbers taking them?
0:38:51 > 0:38:52OK, so are the right people getting
0:38:52 > 0:38:55them and are they getting them in the right amount?
0:38:55 > 0:38:56No, they're not, actually.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58We know from the big studies that
0:38:58 > 0:39:00it's still the case that perhaps only about half
0:39:00 > 0:39:03of people who have depression are getting treatments.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Now if that was the case in cancer,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07we would be absolutely appalled.
0:39:07 > 0:39:12The problem now is that people still feel stigmatized, ashamed,
0:39:12 > 0:39:14reluctant to come and seek help.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16People like Dr Joanna Moncrieff
0:39:16 > 0:39:19would argue that we don't know how some of these antidepressants work
0:39:19 > 0:39:22and we also don't really know that they do work.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Frankly, Jo's right.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27We're not sure. But then there's lots of areas of medicine where we
0:39:27 > 0:39:29know something works, but we don't know how.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32We knew antibiotics saved lives generations before
0:39:32 > 0:39:34we worked out how they do it.
0:39:34 > 0:39:35And ditto with antidepressants.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39The one thing that is irrefutable is the evidence that they are effective
0:39:39 > 0:39:41treatments is absolutely enormous.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42What about side effects?
0:39:42 > 0:39:44All drugs have side effects.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46The side effects for antidepressants are well-known.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48They're relatively mild in most people.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Some of them can be serious,
0:39:50 > 0:39:54but you will spot them and will either change the drug or stop it.
0:39:54 > 0:39:55But what do you think about the
0:39:55 > 0:39:58argument that all you are doing is masking symptoms?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00First of all, there's nothing wrong with masking symptoms.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03If the symptoms are what's making you feel like taking your own life,
0:40:03 > 0:40:05let's mask them. That's great.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06But if we're thinking also about
0:40:06 > 0:40:09should you be looking for other causes as well,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12should we be looking for issues such as child abuse,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14should we be looking for issues in relationships?
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Of course, you should.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18And, indeed, that is what psychiatry does.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20It works not just on the biological,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22but we also look at the social and
0:40:22 > 0:40:25we look at the psychological, and anyone who only
0:40:25 > 0:40:27does one of those isn't a psychiatrist.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30So there you have it, two
0:40:30 > 0:40:33psychiatrists with very different points of view
0:40:33 > 0:40:36about the potential benefits or otherwise of taking antidepressants.
0:40:36 > 0:40:37Where they would both agree
0:40:37 > 0:40:41is on the incredible importance of involving your family, your friends,
0:40:41 > 0:40:43and ideally health professionals
0:40:43 > 0:40:45if you do suffer from depression.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Now, if I was depressed, then I must admit,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51I would start on a trial of antidepressants.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55But I'd also keep a fairly close eye on potential side effects.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59I'd also monitor how long I was taking them for.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02They often don't need to be long-term,
0:41:02 > 0:41:06and they can be a means to help you become more receptive to other forms
0:41:06 > 0:41:08of therapy and support that will help you recover.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19So far, we've looked at different
0:41:19 > 0:41:22ways you can improve your mental health
0:41:22 > 0:41:25and what can help you recover if you do have problems.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29In a moment, we'll be tackling another of your big questions.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32If mental illness runs in your family,
0:41:32 > 0:41:34how likely are you to get it?
0:41:34 > 0:41:37And we'll bring you the results of
0:41:37 > 0:41:40our big experiment to find the best way to beat stress.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42But first,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44over the last few years, the use of
0:41:44 > 0:41:46social media has absolutely exploded.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48So, not surprisingly,
0:41:48 > 0:41:49many of you want to know what
0:41:49 > 0:41:52effect this was having on our mental health.
0:41:52 > 0:41:53Zoe has been investigating.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59Whether it's Facebook or Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram,
0:41:59 > 0:42:00like the vast majority of us,
0:42:00 > 0:42:05I use social media to keep up with friends or share my news.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08Recently, social media has been getting a reputation that
0:42:08 > 0:42:11it's been bad for your mental health, but is it true?
0:42:14 > 0:42:18Spending time on social media has been blamed for heightening anxiety,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21causing insecurities, and loneliness.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25And there is some scientific evidence to back this up.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Recent studies have found that
0:42:27 > 0:42:29passively following other people's news
0:42:29 > 0:42:32prompts a range of negative emotions, including envy.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34And have identified a specific
0:42:34 > 0:42:37feeling called FOMO - fear of missing out.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39- Do you want to jump in?- OK.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41So what's the truth?
0:42:41 > 0:42:46Is using social media mainly good for our mood or bad?
0:42:46 > 0:42:49To find out, we've set up an experiment.
0:42:52 > 0:42:57We've asked ten avid social media users to come and take part.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01They'll place yellow balls into one of three tubes as they read or reply
0:43:01 > 0:43:03to 100 posts.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09A ball in the smiley face tube means positive.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13Things that made them laugh or feel happy or inspired.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17Negative, things that made them feel jealous, angry,
0:43:17 > 0:43:18or that they were missing out.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Or neutral,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22stuff that was neither positive nor negative.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Meanwhile, I will be doing my own
0:43:26 > 0:43:30test to rate my own level of FOMO - fear of missing out.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34Totting up all the scores is Professor Andrew Przybylski
0:43:34 > 0:43:35from the University of Oxford.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38So the results are in.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40What do the numbers show?
0:43:40 > 0:43:43Well, of just under a quarter of the posts that we looked at,
0:43:43 > 0:43:46about 20% actually evoked negative feelings.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49So feelings of sadness, anger, etc.
0:43:49 > 0:43:5243%, a little bit less than half, were positives.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54These are people feeling happy about what they saw.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56And in the middle, about 37%, just
0:43:56 > 0:44:01over a third, they didn't know what to make of it for good or bad.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04So although some types of post,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07particularly news and bad-tempered rants, unsurprisingly,
0:44:07 > 0:44:10triggered negative emotions,
0:44:10 > 0:44:14on balance, our group's responses were more often positive.
0:44:14 > 0:44:18This is consistent with larger scale scientific studies.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20There's also evidence that actively
0:44:20 > 0:44:23sharing information yourself on social media,
0:44:23 > 0:44:25rather than just consuming other people's,
0:44:25 > 0:44:27has a positive effect on mood.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30Why do you think people have this
0:44:30 > 0:44:33desire to share what's going on in their lives with other people?
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Human beings have psychological
0:44:35 > 0:44:38needs and one of the most important ones is belonging.
0:44:38 > 0:44:41So feeling like you love other people and other people love
0:44:41 > 0:44:44and care about you is kind of intrinsic to us as social creatures.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47And we also find that the opposite is true.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49So when people feel like they're not connected,
0:44:49 > 0:44:51they're more likely to gravitate
0:44:51 > 0:44:53towards social media in those moments.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56But what about fear of missing out?
0:44:56 > 0:44:59The test I did earlier was designed to measure this response.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02I've got some bad news for you.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04Your levels of fear of missing out
0:45:04 > 0:45:08- are higher than almost 75% of the adult British population.- Really?
0:45:08 > 0:45:09Yeah.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12I guess it doesn't surprise me, actually.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15I think I'm... I'm very much aware of a FOMO feeling.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18In future, I'll try to skip over
0:45:18 > 0:45:21posts that trigger negative emotions like this.
0:45:21 > 0:45:25Our results also suggest that as well as the type of posts we look
0:45:25 > 0:45:27at, the amount of time we spend on
0:45:27 > 0:45:32social media also affects our emotional response.
0:45:32 > 0:45:33Across the experiment, we actually
0:45:33 > 0:45:35found that people were feeling more and
0:45:35 > 0:45:38more ambivalent and more and more negative over time.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40So, you know, across the 20 or so
0:45:40 > 0:45:42minutes that they were doing the task,
0:45:42 > 0:45:44more and more of those yellow balls
0:45:44 > 0:45:48were going into the cylinders with the sad face.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51A lot of parents are really worried about the amount of time
0:45:51 > 0:45:54that their kids are spending on social media.
0:45:54 > 0:45:55Should they be worried?
0:45:55 > 0:45:59Our research indicates that actually the link between screen time and
0:45:59 > 0:46:02wellbeing and functioning isn't linear.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06It's more that there's a slight uptick,
0:46:06 > 0:46:09so a little bit is good for you until an hour or two,
0:46:09 > 0:46:12maybe three hours a day, believe it or not.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14And then after that, there's a decrement.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16There's a slow negative slope.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19Is it possible to become addicted to social media?
0:46:19 > 0:46:24In everyday use, you would call a fun app addictive or a fun game
0:46:24 > 0:46:26addictive, but it doesn't
0:46:26 > 0:46:30necessarily mean that what's going on is something like a hard drug.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32And so when we talk about real addiction, clinical addiction,
0:46:32 > 0:46:34the answer is no.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37So far, the evidence suggests that
0:46:37 > 0:46:40at least in the short-term the effects
0:46:40 > 0:46:42of moderate social media on our mood
0:46:42 > 0:46:44are broadly more positive than negative.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49Social media gets the blame for a lot of things,
0:46:49 > 0:46:52but damaging your mental health probably shouldn't be one of them.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55So if it's something that you enjoy, there's no need to stop.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58Maybe just try and limit it to a maximum of two hours a day,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00and have a break before bedtime.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11In our survey, the second most
0:47:11 > 0:47:14popular question was, "Can mental health issues run in families?"
0:47:14 > 0:47:18So can they, and how important are genetics?
0:47:18 > 0:47:19This, I think, is one for Giles.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24When it comes to our physical health,
0:47:24 > 0:47:27we know our fortunes are partly written in our genes.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30The chance combination we inherit from our parents
0:47:30 > 0:47:33determines our risk of certain diseases,
0:47:33 > 0:47:35while our own choices about our
0:47:35 > 0:47:38lifestyle can also help seal our fate.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41But what about diseases of the mind?
0:47:41 > 0:47:44Is our risk of developing mental illness something we can inherit?
0:47:44 > 0:47:46And, if so, can we do anything about it?
0:47:49 > 0:47:51It was long thought that conditions
0:47:51 > 0:47:55like depression were solely caused by life experiences.
0:47:55 > 0:47:56But it's actually far more complex.
0:47:58 > 0:48:02Professor Cathryn Lewis leads the Statistical Genetics unit
0:48:02 > 0:48:03at King's College London.
0:48:03 > 0:48:07All mental health disorders have some genetic component,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10and that comes as a surprise to a lot of people who tend to think
0:48:10 > 0:48:14it's all about the environment, it's all about what life throws at you.
0:48:14 > 0:48:15And not at all.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18All of these disorders that we're talking about
0:48:18 > 0:48:21have a very strong genetic underpinning.
0:48:24 > 0:48:28But identifying which genes are responsible is a huge challenge.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Scientists spent a decade analysing the DNA of thousands of patients,
0:48:32 > 0:48:34but without success.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38The key problem was the patients were all too different.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42What was needed was a group of very similar patients,
0:48:42 > 0:48:44so that scientists could try to
0:48:44 > 0:48:48identify a gene or genes they had in common.
0:48:50 > 0:48:54Then one scientist had an idea, and he went on the hunt in China.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00In China, only extreme cases of depression tend to be diagnosed,
0:49:00 > 0:49:02so it was possible to recruit
0:49:02 > 0:49:06patients with similar symptoms and from the same ethnic background.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09Now with a more homogeneous group of patients,
0:49:09 > 0:49:12the researchers found what they were looking for.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14Two variations in the patient's DNA
0:49:14 > 0:49:17that were shown to affect the risk of depression.
0:49:18 > 0:49:22One of them was in a gene that controls mitochondria,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25which is the cell's powerhouse of energy,
0:49:25 > 0:49:27and so that seems reasonable that
0:49:27 > 0:49:30that could play a role in depression.
0:49:30 > 0:49:37But just identifying the variance is the first step in a long path of
0:49:37 > 0:49:40research to figure out exactly what those variants are doing.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45The team published their findings in 2015.
0:49:45 > 0:49:47Since then, further studies have
0:49:47 > 0:49:49pointed to more genetic variations
0:49:49 > 0:49:52that may be involved in mental illness.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54And surprisingly, some individual
0:49:54 > 0:49:58genes seem to be linked to more than one mental health condition.
0:49:58 > 0:50:03There clearly is some overlap and some variants for schizophrenia also
0:50:03 > 0:50:07seem to increase risk of bipolar disorder and depression.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09And so what is probably happening here
0:50:09 > 0:50:11is that there is a certain set of
0:50:11 > 0:50:14variants that just increase the risk of
0:50:14 > 0:50:16mental health disorders across the board.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19It's not specific for a single disorder.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22And then there are other variants that are
0:50:22 > 0:50:25specific to individual disorders.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30It's hoped that decoding which genes are responsible for mental illnesses
0:50:30 > 0:50:34will one day mean that they can be more easily detected and treated.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38Perhaps even before the symptoms arise.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41But for now, that leaves one burning question.
0:50:41 > 0:50:45So if your parents or grandparents have a mental illness,
0:50:45 > 0:50:47how worried should you be about getting it?
0:50:48 > 0:50:51Geneticists have worked this out by looking at patterns of illness in
0:50:51 > 0:50:53studies around the world
0:50:53 > 0:50:56involving thousands of families.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58If one of your parents had depression...
0:51:00 > 0:51:03..then you are two times more likely to get depression.
0:51:04 > 0:51:05For bipolar disorder...
0:51:07 > 0:51:09..you are four times more likely.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12And if one of your parents had schizophrenia...
0:51:14 > 0:51:17..then you are eight times more likely to get schizophrenia.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20But that's not as worrying as it might sound.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23Because, remember, schizophrenia is a very rare disorder.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27Only about 1% of the population have schizophrenia,
0:51:27 > 0:51:30so eight times that 1%
0:51:30 > 0:51:34still only gets you to an 8% risk of schizophrenia.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38So even if one of your parents have schizophrenia, you're much
0:51:38 > 0:51:43much more likely not to develop schizophrenia than to develop it.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45Whatever your family history,
0:51:45 > 0:51:47your genes are only one of many
0:51:47 > 0:51:50factors that will determine your mental health.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53If you have no family history of developing mental illness,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55then your genetic risk will be low.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59Imagine this jar represents your
0:51:59 > 0:52:02chances of developing a mental illness.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04If it runs in your family,
0:52:04 > 0:52:06the jar will be roughly this full.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08In order to develop a mental illness,
0:52:08 > 0:52:11the cylinder would need to be filled up all the way to the top.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13But most of the tube is still empty.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16The rest of the space is what happens during your lifetime.
0:52:17 > 0:52:22Your chances might be increased by stressors such as poverty,
0:52:22 > 0:52:25poor health, physical or mental abuse,
0:52:25 > 0:52:27or perhaps losing a loved one.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33Add it to gather, this overflow of stressors that could lead you to
0:52:33 > 0:52:34developing a mental disorder.
0:52:36 > 0:52:38Just because a mental illness runs in your genes
0:52:38 > 0:52:41doesn't mean you're definitely going to get it.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44If you do get it,
0:52:44 > 0:52:45that will mainly be down to other
0:52:45 > 0:52:48factors in your life and dealing with
0:52:48 > 0:52:51those will help you to recover as well as anyone else.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54So although genes play an important role in mental illness,
0:52:54 > 0:52:56they're only part of
0:52:56 > 0:52:57the bigger picture.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07Eight weeks ago, we kicked off our
0:53:07 > 0:53:11big experiment looking for the best ways to beat stress.
0:53:11 > 0:53:16We recruited 68 volunteers and we allocated them to different groups.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19Each group we asked to do a different activity.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24Our first group got together every Saturday to do gardening and
0:53:24 > 0:53:26conservation activities.
0:53:27 > 0:53:31Complete difference to what I would be doing usually on a Saturday
0:53:31 > 0:53:36morning, which probably consists of waking up from a hangover.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38The second group have been doing yoga.
0:53:38 > 0:53:43Then the ribs, upper chest and shoulders, and then the eyes.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45Head, neck, eyes.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49The third group have tried ten minutes a day of mindfulness,
0:53:49 > 0:53:54a meditation technique that focuses the mind on the present moment.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56Ah, that feels so good.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Relaxed.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04At the start and end of the eight weeks,
0:54:04 > 0:54:08we measured levels of the hormone cortisol.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12A healthy stress response is to have a big burst of cortisol in the
0:54:12 > 0:54:16morning called the cortisol awakening response or CAR,
0:54:16 > 0:54:19and lower levels throughout the day.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23Professor Angela Clow and Dr Nina Smyth of the
0:54:23 > 0:54:25University of Westminster have our results.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30Hi, everyone! Hello! You've all got your stress balls?
0:54:30 > 0:54:32Yes.
0:54:32 > 0:54:33Feeling stressed?
0:54:33 > 0:54:35LAUGHTER
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Who is feeling better than they were eight weeks ago?
0:54:39 > 0:54:41OK, that's a significant number of you.
0:54:41 > 0:54:42Who is not feeling better?
0:54:44 > 0:54:47OK, right. So we shall see how that correlates with the cortisol
0:54:47 > 0:54:50- measurements. Over to you. - So overall,
0:54:50 > 0:54:51the people that engaged in the
0:54:51 > 0:54:54different activities had an increase in their
0:54:54 > 0:54:55cortisol awakening response.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57And that was across all interventions, was it?
0:54:57 > 0:54:59- Yes, so...- Compared to the control group.
0:54:59 > 0:55:00Yes, so it was overall, compared to
0:55:00 > 0:55:04the control group, you had bigger CAR.
0:55:04 > 0:55:08So this blue line represents everybody in all the activity groups
0:55:08 > 0:55:12together, showing an increase of 14% in the cortisol awakening response.
0:55:12 > 0:55:13That is actually very impressive.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17Looking at each activity individually,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19yoga saw a healthy reduction of
0:55:19 > 0:55:22cortisol during the day and small increase
0:55:22 > 0:55:25in CAR. What about our gardeners?
0:55:25 > 0:55:29Overall, your CARs rose by about 20%.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31- That's good!- Really impressive. That's fantastic.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35And then for the mindfulness, who's the mindfulness?
0:55:35 > 0:55:36Yeah.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38Yours rose by 58%.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40Woo!
0:55:41 > 0:55:43The results for our study showed
0:55:43 > 0:55:45that mindfulness had the greatest effect
0:55:45 > 0:55:47on our volunteers' stress levels.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51And they also showed something else that we hadn't quite expected.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53OK, so that was all really good,
0:55:53 > 0:55:56but there was one other thing which I found really, really interesting.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00OK, put your hands up if you enjoyed the activity you took part in.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04For those people that enjoyed the activities,
0:56:04 > 0:56:06the rise in CAR was even bigger.
0:56:06 > 0:56:12For those people, it rose from 14% increase to 42% increase.
0:56:12 > 0:56:17For those who enjoyed it, their response went up like that.
0:56:17 > 0:56:22For the mindfulness group, overall, their CARs rose by 52%,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25but then for the people that really enjoyed the activity,
0:56:25 > 0:56:27it rose to 78%.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29- So...- So it's a big change.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32Really big changes. All driven or appear to be driven by whether you
0:56:32 > 0:56:33enjoyed it or not.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35This is a fascinating result,
0:56:35 > 0:56:39showing that enjoying an activity actually makes a crucial difference
0:56:39 > 0:56:43to the way our body and mind responds to it.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45I've been quite isolated lately, so
0:56:45 > 0:56:47the social aspect's been brilliant.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50Everyone should do it, especially if you're really busy and don't find
0:56:50 > 0:56:53time in your day, those are the people that need it the most.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55I loved it. I loved it.
0:56:55 > 0:56:56- Bye!- Bye!
0:56:56 > 0:56:58- Thank you!- So that was good.
0:56:58 > 0:57:02Every single intervention worked, with mindfulness slightly on top.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05I think the really surprising and interesting thing was how much it
0:57:05 > 0:57:07mattered whether you enjoyed your intervention,
0:57:07 > 0:57:11because basically if you didn't, it really didn't work.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14So the moral of this particular story is do shop around.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17There are things you can do to reduce stress.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20But above all, look for something you're going to enjoy.
0:57:22 > 0:57:27One major cause of stress in young people and their parents is exams.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30The BBC has set up the Mindset,
0:57:30 > 0:57:34an online tool that features 12 student coaches who've recently been
0:57:34 > 0:57:37through their GCSEs or nationals.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40I think it's crucial for you to get enough sleep during your exams.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43It's something that's usually overlooked by a lot of students.
0:57:43 > 0:57:48You can hear their hints and tips for reducing stress and find expert
0:57:48 > 0:57:53advice for students and parents
0:57:53 > 0:57:55by going to:
0:58:01 > 0:58:04That's it from this special mental health edition of
0:58:04 > 0:58:06Trust Me I'm A Doctor.
0:58:06 > 0:58:09We've seen how cutting edge medicine is changing our understanding
0:58:09 > 0:58:11of mental illnesses.
0:58:11 > 0:58:13But most importantly,
0:58:13 > 0:58:14we've learned just how much we
0:58:14 > 0:58:17ourselves can do to look after our mental health
0:58:17 > 0:58:19and reduce our risk of problems.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22The thing that strikes me is just
0:58:22 > 0:58:25how closely entwined the mind and body really are.
0:58:25 > 0:58:27Which means that if you take steps to improve one,
0:58:27 > 0:58:30you're likely to improve the other.
0:58:30 > 0:58:32If you'd like to find out more, then do visit our website.