Mental health articles

Influences on decisions about termination Decisions about whether to keep or abort the foetus and how to manage the pregnancy are complex. They are influenced by the structure of relationships within the extended family and sociocultural background of the adolescent, but also by the young woman’s psychological state of mental health. Anecdotal reports suggest that […]

Psychosocial factors involved in teenage pregnancy In Australia, teenagers who give birth are more likely to be Australian born, Aboriginal and poor. American studies suggest that as many as 60 per cent of teenage mothers live below the poverty line. Pregnant teenagers seek or attend ante-natal care less often than older women. They often smoke […]

stimulant drugs examples Stimulant drugs include amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy and other newer amphetamine-like substances. These drugs increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, producing an increase in arousal, concentration and energy. High-dose users, especially those who inject, are at risk of developing dependence. Many users ‘binge’ for several days and then experience fatigue and […]

Disorganised attachment Unresolved trauma in a parent with personality disorder directly influences the relationship with the infant and produces attachment disorganisation (Fonagy et al., 1995). When the parent is unempathic, inconsistently responsive and confusing or frightening, infants are unable to organise a strategy to deal with the parent’s behaviour (Solomon & George, 1999). The pattern […]