The Spark Blog

Category: Society

  • Male Postnatal Depression is Real

    Male Postnatal Depression is Real

    Male postnatal depression has long been considered in the same terms as man flu. Reactions can vary from a raised eyebrow to thinly veiled contempt when the subject is broached. Familiar gender stereotypes entrench the belief that a dad ‘can’t get’ postnatal depression because of their limited role in pregnancy, childbirth and the early months…

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  • Bad News, Anxiety and the Media

    Bad News, Anxiety and the Media

    Escaping bad news and tragedy feels like an impossible task. For years war, terrorism, racism, persecution and fear have dominated the news. Thanks to digital technology we are stuck on a 24-hour a day loop of breaking news and broadcasts from the scene of the latest tragedy. Which for almost all of us, now feels…

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  • Life Hacks for Mental Health – Part 3

    Life Hacks for Mental Health – Part 3

    In the final part of our life hacks series we are looking at how doing what you are good at, keeping in touch and asking for help can set you on the path to good mental health. Catch up on part 1 and part 2 of the life hacks series. 7. Do things you are…

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  • Infant Mental Health Before Birth

    Infant Mental Health Before Birth

    There is no denying that the mental health of children and young people is in decline. Last week further data was released confirming more children and young people are requiring support for mental health issues. Worse still NHS therapeutic services are struggling to meet government targets of 18 weeks from referral to accessing support. In…

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  • Bending the Truth in Relationships

    Bending the Truth in Relationships

    In a society increasingly dominated by ‘alternative facts’ it is beginning to feel like bending the truth is replacing good, old-fashioned honesty. More alarming is the implied acceptance that bending the truth or even lying outright no longer carries with it consequences. “People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or…

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  • Life Hacks for Mental Health – Part 2

    Life Hacks for Mental Health – Part 2

    Welcome to part 2 of The Spark’s life hacks for mental health series. This time we are looking at how getting active, putting the cork back in the bottle and looking out for others can boost mental health. Catch up on part 1 of the life hacks series – covering healthy eating, slowing life down…

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  • Life Hacks for Mental health – Part 1

    Life Hacks for Mental health – Part 1

    Mental health is just as important as physical health. Most of the time we try to keep our bodies healthy because we know it makes us feel better about ourselves and helps lower the risk of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. Whilst we are busy pursuing the body beautiful our mental health can be…

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  • Relationship Breakdown and Suicide

    Relationship Breakdown and Suicide

    At The Spark we relish opportunities to get involved in community-based initiatives. A great example is our involvement in the North West Glasgow Suicide Prevention forum and it’s ‘Suicide Safer Communities’ project. As a social enterprise, we are always looking for ways to help the communities we are based in. Through them we can offer…

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  • Can I ‘have it all’ and Mental Health?

    Can I ‘have it all’ and Mental Health?

    As part of Mental Health Awareness week we are considering this year’s theme: surviving or thriving? 21st century society leads us to believe that we can ‘have it all’. Where all is defined loosely as everything an individual might desire at some point in their life. The reality – and whether we end up surviving…

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