WE’VE COME TO THE CRUNCH
Are you looking for a delicious new biscuit to dunk in your brew? Well, you’re in luck, because...
GRO DARK CHOC CHUNK COOKIES
4 for £1.60, Co-op
Co-op has launched its first vegan cookies to great reviews. A soft, sweet vanilla flavoured cookie dough with large chunks of dark chocolate, these treats are 100% vegan.
BISCUITS OF THE GODS CHOCOLAT PILLOWS
£12.95, hotelchocolat.com
If you really want to push the boat out, lift the lid of this beautifully embossed keepsake tin and take your pick from Milk Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut or Mint
Chocolat
Pillows.
BORDER BISCUITS CLASSIC SELECTION
RRP £4.50, Asda and Sainsbury’s YOU’LL be spoilt for choice with this box packed with favourites like Viennese whirls, shortbread rings, butterscotch crunch, chocolate cookies, buttery sultana melts and chocolate crumbles.
CARLOS TAKEAWAY CHEWY AND GOOEY COOKIES
£1.49 (4pc), Aldi
Inspired by Dominos’ chewy cookies, Aldi has come up with its own version. These treats have a delicious crispy outside, with an oozing centre of cookie dough and chocolate chips. Best served warm, with ice cream, while sitting on the sofa devouring your favourite TV series.
POST-TRAUMATIC stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder that the NHS says is caused by “very stressful, frightening or distressing events”, and new research suggests Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital can suffer from it, particularly if they require a ventilator.
The research, published in the journal BJPsych Open from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, looked at 13,049 survivors in the UK who had suspected or confirmed coronavirus.
The researchers found 35% of patients put on a ventilator experienced extensive PTSD symptoms alongside 18% of patients who were admitted to hospital without requiring a ventilator.
PTSD can occur in anyone, of any ethnicity, nationality or culture, and at any age.
Psychologist, Emma Kenny (ekenny.co.uk) says covid patients can also suffer from post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), a type of trauma or collection of symptoms that can be experienced by patients who survive critical illness after they leave intensive care.
“When you’ve been critically ill, it can cause you to experience nightmares, unwanted images, reminders of your illness, depression and anxiety, that can also lead to PTSD,” says Emma.
“It’s partly caused by the sedation and ventilation, which can cause you to feel confused as you don’t remember the ins and outs of what happened.
“Understandably, a person might feel like they didn’t have control over their environment at the time.”
Emma explains that PTSD is something that typically occurs six to 12 months after a traumatic incident, whereas PICS can occur in hospital and continue when a patient is discharged.
“Some people who were symptomatic with coronavirus and ended up on a ventilator may have had sepsis too, a blood infection which can cause delirium,” she continues. “Delirium is a little bit like psychosis, and it’s caused by the body’s reaction to infection.
“It can be incredibly terrifying, causing nightmarish thoughts and hallucinations that can trap people in a fear cycle.”
When discharged from hospital, Emma says a patient isn’t just dealing with the trauma of having to overcome an illness, they’re also dealing with the mental health response to losing control, not being able to piece together the reality of what happened versus the thoughts and feelings that were going on in the brain.
Mental health symptoms can range from patient to patient, but PICS can cause a patient to go on to develop PTSD.
WHAT ARE THE KEY PTSD SYMPTOMS?
PRIORY’S general adult psychiatrist Dr Paul McLaren (priorygroup.com) says PTSD can cause people to relive an experience through nightmares and even flashbacks.
“You might notice numbness and loss of deep feelings as a way to protect yourself, or difficulty concentrating as your mind is on other things and past traumatising situations,” he explains.
Dr McLaren adds: “Suffering painful emotions such as guilt, anger, anxiety, panic and depression is common, as well as avoidance of dealing with emotions, specifically grief, anger and frustration.”
Emma says this can be a difficult emotional balancing act as people around you might say you’re ‘lucky’ to have survived coronavirus, especially when others are dying; all the while, you’re still battling ongoing emotional symptoms.
“Drinking too often and turning to drugs are often seen as ‘ways out’ of a problem but the reality is that these will only reduce the chances of recovery,” Dr McLaren continues.
“Plus, there’s physical sensations
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM PTSD
Posttraumatic stress disorder can affect anyone at any age like headaches, dizziness and chest pain, along with irritability and difficulty sleeping.”
If PTSD is left untreated, Dr McLaren warns symptoms can become severe and long-lasting, which can subsequently affect your family, social and work life.
“I’D ALWAYS advise getting a referral for therapy,” says Emma. “There’s a waiting list at the moment and it will depend on your local hospital trust, as some will have specific programmes for PTSD and PICS, but you’ll need to be referred to a clinical psychologist.”
Emma says talking therapies like CBT and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) can be helpful, and there is also Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) psychotherapy that may be offered to you too. “Speak to your general health practitioner to find out your options, as they know how the physical and mental are connected, and can assure you that the thoughts and symptoms you are experiencing are completely normal after a traumatic event,” says Emma. “Normalising the symptoms can really help patients to start working on moving past them.
“It’s also really important for families and friends to keep an eye out for these symptoms too, as if they can see a person close to them slipping, they can steer them in the direction of the help they need.”
■ If you are worried about your health or that you may be experiencing PTSD, speak to your GP.
AS hundreds of starving, underweight hedgehogs arrive at the RSPCA’s wildlife centres this winter, the animal charity is encouraging the public to put food out to help the hungry wild animals survive the colder months.
With hedgehogs’ favourite prey – invertebrates like slugs, worms and beetles – less available, many fail to gain the weight they need to survive through hibernation.
As a result, the RSPCA reports that low weight is the most common problem for hedgehogs in its care at this time of year.
Over 2020 as a whole, the RSPCA has taken more than 5,000 calls from the public in England about hedgehogs.
Of these, 209 were logged in Leicestershire, and five in Rutland.
Of the 793 hedgehogs admitted to the RSPCA’s wildlife centre over the past three full months (September, October and November), more than half (494) were affected by hunger.
Of the 793 total, 194 were brought in because they were starving, 113 were orphaned and unable to feed themselves properly and another 187 were admitted due to “abnormal behaviour” – including being active during daylight hours, often a sign of extreme hunger.
Leaving out food for hedgehogs can help them get through the winter, but make sure it’s the right sort.
The RSPCA recommends supplementing a hedgehog’s diet with:
Tinned dog or cat food;
Crushed dog or cat biscuits (not fish based); Good quality hedgehog food that provides a well-balanced diet – often available from suppliers of wild bird food;
Leave a shallow dish of fresh clean water every day. Clean the dish outside (not in the kitchen) every day with hot soapy water and rinse well;
Never feed hedgehogs bread or milk. Cow’s milk can cause diarrhoea in them and bread is very low in nutrients.
RSPCA scientific officer Evie Button said: “Hunger hits hedgehogs hard in the winter, but the public can play a vital role in helping them get through these colder months by putting food out for them.
ON TIPS AS IT THE PLIGHT OF STARVING CREATURES
“When their prey food is scarce during the winter, supplementing the diet of hedgehogs in your garden can really make a difference.
“Tinned dog or cat food, crushed dog or cat biscuits or food made specially for hedgehogs left out in the garden along with a bowl of fresh water will supplement their normal diet effectively.”
Hedgehogs need considerable fat reserves to get them through the winter when prey such as insects become much more scarce, and that can prevent young hedgehogs reaching an appropriate weight of 500g or more so they can hibernate safely.
While September sees the tail-end of the orphaned hedgehog admissions, from October onwards, the balance tips towards those that are found out during the day looking for food or that are starving.
These animals may also be orphans which are now struggling as they were not able to put on as much weight without their mother’s help.
However, you may also see hedgehogs out and about during winter when the weather is mild, as they will often wake up during hibernation to forage for food or move their nest sites.
Anyone with concerns about a wild animal’s welfare can contact the RSPCA advice line 0300 123 4999. For more information about how to help hedgehogs in your garden, visit the RSPCA’s website:
rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/ To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care, visit the website or call the charity’s donation line on 0300 123 8181.