LATEST NEWS . . . . .  .

The information given below is of particular interest,  and may have already been circulated via E-mail and the No Panic Newsletter.

   Ordering online now available

You can now buy our range of books, audio tapes, dvds, information packs, etc. online via our catalogue. You can now also become a member of No Panic online by going to the membership page and following instructions from there.
             

Anxiety Crisis Line

No Panic have for some time been providing a night-time anxiety crisis line, on our free phone number  0808 808 0545, while the helpline is closed. (10-00 pm to 10-00 am) In addition, after requests from users this has now been extended so the message is available 24 hours a day by calling 01952 525173 (ANSWER PHONE SERVICE ONLY ).

Welcome to our new Patron

WHEN FEAR GETS IN THE WAY

Palms sweating, heart pounding, feeling faint – hip hop and R n B                                              artist Kevin Jon stands on the edge of the Mardi Gras stage in                                                Cardiff and listens to the crowd he’ll soon have to face.  As he                                     contemplates his impending performance, he makes one final push                                              that propels him centre stage to face 25,000 cheering people.                                                     Willpower and the desire to perform, makes him push his thoughts                                                of escalating panic to the back of his mind and he launches into his latest single “When Fear Gets in the Way”.  As the lyrics of the track unfold, the irony of the situation becomes clear as his struggle with depression and panic unfold in the song.

Being a pop-star was the most important thing in the world to KJ at age 11.  He worked hard at his own musical compositions until he finally had a body of work for a full album.  The achievement of reaching this stage should have been cause for celebration but KJ was facing a whole new set of problems.  He began to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, leaving him drained and debilitated.  The fear was getting in the way of his career, as he fought for courage to leave the house.  Dreams of performing and recording were becoming very remote.

Working through his anxiety by using his creativity in music became the catalyst for KJ to find the strength to face his irrational fears.  In the midst of his struggle he found himself writing “When Fear Gets in the Way”. 

Convinced of his talent and supported by family and friends he uploaded his track onto MySpace where it caught the attention of Savage Trax Records who offered Kevin Jon a contract worth 1 million. 

At the Mardi Gras this year as he finished the closing bars of his latest single, he was elated to hear the rapturous applause.  His fear is no longer in the way as he finds himself poised on the edge of a fast-moving career and continuing to grow in talent, strength and character.

http://www.kevinjon.co.uk

http://www.myspace.com/kevinjonslade

Single available on iTunes :: HMV :: Napster

The Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit

Alexandra House

The Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road,

Beckenham

Kent BR3 3BX

Tel: 020 3228 4146

Fax: 0203 228 4051

EMail: Kaye.Wake@slam.nhs.uk

The Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit at the Bethlem Royal Hospital offers a national specialist service in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for individuals with severe anxiety disorders. We specialise in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, Social Phobia, Health anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Specific Phobias such as Vomit phobia.

Four psychotherapists accredited with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) provide regular individual cognitive behaviour therapy and occupational therapy. Individuals stay in our residential unit, which is unstaffed at night.

Our unit has been known as a centre of excellence previously under Professor Isaac Marks. Our most recent audit, which monitored outcomes from admission to discharge, revealed significant improvement in the majority of patients. Dr David Veale now leads the team. He is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour therapy and co-author of the book "Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" published by Robinson.

All referrals to the unit must be made by a Community Mental Health Team to Dr Veale. Patient are then seen for an assessment with a view to admission on the residential unit. This takes the form of a clinical interview of up to 3 hours and an opportunity for an individual to see the unit and to ask questions. A report and recommendations are provided for the local team and for the patient.

The treatment options include:

A standard admission of up to 12 weeks, comprising regular one-to-one therapy sessions, group support, occupational therapy, and home visits.

Intensive admission normally for 1 week (which is only suitable for some patients) and offered with either 1 or 2 therapists depending on presentation. This option can be considered where the need is more urgent or where there are work commitments.

Follow up appointments are essential and may be either as an in or out patient.

Liaison with the local team is important and co-therapists will be invited to attend the unit.

Patients accepted for treatment should:

Not be recently or actively suicidal

Not be actively psychotic

Have no recent history of violent or impulsive behaviour that requires treatment in its own right

Not be currently dependent on alcohol, illegal substances or benzodiazepines

Be aged 17 or above

Be willing to complete questionnaires to help with audits and to monitor progress at regular intervals.

Normally be willing to have treatment sessions audio or video taped

Be able to conduct the treatment in a language shared with one of the therapists on the unit

Be able to self-medicate

Be able to travel alone (or accompanied initially)

Have basic self-care skills and not require nursing care

Must not drink or abuse substances in the hospital grounds

Must have accommodation which is maintained in the community to enable home leave during admission

Since April 2007 the Department of Health has funded a severe treatment refractory service for a limited number of patients with OCD and BDD who meet the criteria set out below. Referrers for such patients will not require local funding.

The criteria for this service are:

That the patient has had and failed or been offered 2 different trials of SSRI anti-depressants or clomipramine at the maximum tolerated dose for at least 12 weeks

That augmentation of a SSRI has had and failed or been offered

That the patient has had 2 courses of CBT locally by a therapist (one of which should be home-based or in the situation where symptoms are maximal) by a therapist who is accredited or accreditable by the BABCP and the therapy has failed.

The individual has a Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) score of 30 or more (first 10 items only)

Any patient thought to fulfil these criteria should be referred to the unit for assessment by their Community Mental Health Team as they will also need to meet our own admission criteria. A national out–patient service for severe refractory OCD and BDD is based at our sister unit at The Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma at the Maudsley Hospital.

"Coming to the unit was one of the most important things I’ve done in my life."

"I will always be grateful for my time on the unit and will try very hard to sustain the ‘normal’ behaviour you have shown me"

"Where there’s therapy there’s hope!"

"I was a patient at the unit 4 years ago and since then my OCD has disappeared and my life has changed direction thanks to the therapy I received. It was well worth the effort I put in."

"I am now doing things I thought I could never do and am coping better with stressful situations"

"I found the unit very helpful. It has been good to have been among people with similar problems as they understand you better"

"I think the OT department is fantastic, so many things to do"

For those people wishing to join NO PANIC or renew their membership please note:
Telephone orders using credit or debit cards are welcome - simply telephone the No Panic Office and they will help you to do this.

Last updated 30th November 2007