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There are not enough health visitors to adequately deal with new mothers suffering from postnatal depression, it has been claimed.

A recent study of 4,000 women suggested that therapy from health visitors can reduce the risk of postnatal depression.

However, union Unite noted that a recent study it conducted in conjunction with the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association found that a third of health visitors were not confident about postnatal depression being picked up by their NHS Trust.

Dr Cheryll Adams, Unite lead professional officer, said recent cuts have resulted in the closure of numerous postnatal depression services.

"If mothers are found to have postnatal depression, most prefer health visitor counselling interventions over drugs. However, there are too few health visitors available to perform this important service for new mothers," she said.

She added that the research provides "clear evidence" that a workforce is required to address depression.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Therapy from health visitors can reduce the risk of new mothers developing postnatal depression, it has been claimed.

In a study of 4,000 women, those who were given psychological support by health visitors trained to identify tell-tale signs were found to benefit more than if they were referred to a GP.

According to the findings, only a third of women who had been given such therapy still showed signs of depression, compared to just under half of those given the usual treatment.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, lead researcher Dr Jane Morrell, said: "Only by overcoming the barriers to treatment, providing comprehensive screening programmes, and ensuring the delivery of appropriate and timely care will we effectively prevent and treat postnatal depression."

Meanwhile, some medical experts have claimed that depression can be beneficial and is an integral part of an individual’s biological make-up

They claim prescribing treatment for the condition can repress a patient’s motivation to change their life for the better.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Depression can be beneficial and is an integral part of an individual’s biological make-up, scientists have claimed.

According to experts, a period of mental anxiety can render suffers more resilient and better able to cope with modern life.

Furthermore, they claim that prescribing treatment for the condition can repress a patient’s motivation to change their life for the better.

An increasing number of medical professionals are claiming that the frequency with which anti-depressants are given out ignores the evolution of human emotion.

Dr Paul Keedwell, a psychiatrist at Cardiff University, said: "If we didn’t feel sad when we were unsuccessful at achieving a certain goal, we would not stand back from that goal and be introspective and perhaps try to change our strategies. Being enthusiastic and jubilant, we’d probably go blindly on."

It was recently reported that the NHS is planning to hire extra psychotherapists to counsel victims of the economic downturn.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

The NHS is planning to hire extra psychotherapists to counsel victims of the economic downturn, it has emerged.

Some 3,000 healthcare professionals are to be taken on in order to deal with people who are experiencing depression or anxiety as a result of the redundancy or debt.

Redundancies are currently rife, with car manufacturer Nissan announcing 1,200 job cuts at its Sunderland plant this week

The Department of Health’s permanent secretary Hugh Taylor said a protracted downturn can have a significant impact on many peoples’ mental health.

"We are already making investment in psychological therapies and increasing the number of therapists," he remarked.

The government is said to be investing £173 million to increase access to psychotherapy and make such services available in all hospitals by 2011.

Antony Woodley, boss of the UK’s biggest union Unite, said: "We start 2009 heading into what may prove to be the deepest recession any of us have seen. That means anxiety for millions."

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Teenagers who behave badly at school are more likely to develop mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, new research has suggested.

According to a 40-year-study carried out at the University of Alberta in Canada, young people who had behavioural problems at school were more susceptible to such complications in later life.

The study began in the 1950s and 1960s when scientists asked numerous teachers to gauge their pupils’ behaviour.

Participants were then asked about their mental health when they were between 36 and 53-years-old.

"Given the long-term costs to society, and the distressing impact on the adolescents themselves, our results might have considerable implications for public health policy," the team wrote in the British Medical Journal.

A recent report from the Prince’s Trust charity which surveyed more than 2,000 people aged between 16 and 25 years old indicated that an increasing number of young people across the UK are suffering from anxiety and depression.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

An increasing number of young people across the UK are suffering from anxiety and depression, according to a new report.

Research carried out by the Prince’s Trust charity surveyed more than 2,000 people aged between 16 and 25 years old.

It found that one in ten of respondents believed life was meaningless, while nearly half said they regularly experienced high stress levels.

The charity noted that those not in work, training or education were the most likely to suffer from mental health issues, with some 37 per cent of this group reporting depression.

Peter Kellner, president of YouGov who carried out the survey, added: "Most young people have a positive outlook on life, but our Youth Index reveals a significant core of unhappy people under age 25."

Martina Milburn, chief executive of the Prince’s Trust, said the findings highlighted an "increasingly vulnerable generation".

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recently claimed that people with depression are up against a postcode lottery for important treatment.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Those people suffering from depression are being let down by nurses due to a lack of training, it has been claimed.

Nurses at primary health care level do not have sufficient training to effectively deal with people with mental health issues, according to new research by the University of Ulster.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Dr Carole McIlrath said primary care nurses are often the "first point of call" for most people contacting the health service.

"There is a need for more adequate funding and increased staffing levels to train nurses to deal with this particular mental health issue," she said.

She added that more needs to be done to address the training gap, given that the condition affects around 120 million people across the globe.

Elsewhere, a recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry indicated that children with low birth weights could be more prone to depression in later life.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

People with depression are up against a postcode lottery for important treatment, it has been claimed.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recently recommended that a computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CCBT) programme should be available to depression patients, reports the Sunderland Echo.

Beating the Blues is a computerised treatment which teaches changes in behavioural patterns in order to combat the condition.

However, Ultrasis - the group that developed the program - claims just 33 per cent of patients in Sunderland currently have access to it.

Nigel Brabbins, Ultrasis chief executive officer, said the government needs to honour its pledge to make it available nationwide from April 2007.

"We have recently met with Department of Health officials to ask that they deliver on ministers’ promises by ensuring that Beating the Blues is available in every GP surgery and for everyone who needs it, therefore bringing to an end the current postcode lottery."

It has been calculated that Beating the Blues could save the NHS an estimated £126 million per year.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Buddhist meditation techniques can be just as effective as anti-depressants in tackling the condition, a new study has suggested.

A group psychology technique known as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) encourages people to focus on the present rather than becoming anxious about the past or future.

Professor Willem Kuyken, from the Mood Disorders Centre at the University of Exeter, claimed the treatment could significantly shorten NHS waiting times for psychological therapies.

"Anti-depressants are widely used by people who suffer from depression and that’s because they tend to work," he said.

"But, while they’re very effective in helping reduce the symptoms of depression, when people come off them they are particularly vulnerable to relapse.

He added that MBCT is equally effective as it teaches people "skills for life".

Furthermore, Professre Kuyken pointed out that the therapy is substantially cheaper than other treatments, as it is possible for one psychologist to treat numerous people.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

A growing number of new brides are suffering from post-nuptial depression as they adjust to married life, it has emerged.

Psychologists in California have noted that around ten per cent of recently married women attended counselling sessions to tackle their post-wedding blues.

San Francisco psychologist Dr Michelle Gannon reported an increase in the number of couples who were having difficulty coping with the stress of arguments, as they assumed married life would be relatively blissful.

"I tell them: ‘Where did you get the idea that you weren’t supposed to fight’ You are. It’s normal," he told Time magazine.

"It’s also normal to remain independent and to be responsible for your own happiness. It’s unrealistic to presume your partner is going to do everything for you."

The research suggests that a lack of communication and a decline in the release of hormones that encourage affection could be partly responsible for a feeling of post-nuptial depression.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression