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Purpose Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) are promising alternatives to traditional face-to-face psychological interventions to improve psychological outcomes in various chronic health conditions. However, their efficacy among people with diabetes is yet to be established. Therefore, this narrative review aims to identify the importance and need for evidence-based research on DMHIs targeting the psychological outcomes in people with diabetes. Design/methodology/approach Using a narrative review approach, this study highlights the technological advancements in diabetes health care and identifies a need for developing DMHIs for people with diabetes. Findings DMHIs are promising for improving psychological outcomes in people with diabetes. However, there is a need for further rigorous, controlled and high-quality diabetes-focused studies, to make firm conclusions on the effectiveness and appropriateness of DMHIs for patients with diabetes. This review also suggests that DMHIs based on psychological theories and studies with higher quality methodologies are also needed. Originality/value This review highlights the contemporary literature on diabetes and related technological advancements. The findings of this study serve as a basis of the improvement of policy on digital mental health services for people with diabetes, to impact the global burden of the disease.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to mirror the late guitarist Peter Green’s life experiences through insights from Andrew Voyce, who recovered from mental illness, and expertise from Peter Bryngelsson, a Swedish professional musician and author. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a mixed method of collaborative autoethnography, psychobiography and digital team ethnography. Findings Despite having not previously attracted academic interest, Peter Green’s experiences of mental health problems and his return to recording and performance provide a rich data source when mirrored and compared to the lives and experiences of Andrew Voyce and Peter Bryngelsson. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this piece of work is that Peter Green died in 2020. During the process of writing, the authors have had to follow different, mostly unacademic, sources that have described various parts of Peter Green’s life. The authors have given examples and drawn conclusions from their own lives as well as from academic sources, which they have found appropriate. Practical implications Both Andrew Voyce and Peter Bryngelsson’s stories would be helpful when it comes to a deeper understanding as to why Peter Green “took a left turn”, i.e., turned his back on an accepted lifestyle. Social implications Acid casualty is a problem connected to both mental distress and to the music industry. Peter Bryngelsson’s story tells us that one can remain sane and drug free and still be an influential and creative musician. Originality/value The analysis has brought together two stories of mental distress in combination with insights.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new programme of work designed to improve the recovery and well-being of people in early addiction recovery. The programme, known as positive addiction recovery therapy (PART), is attentive to the recovery process through the G-CHIME (growth, connectedness, hope, identity, meaning in life and empowerment) model of addiction recovery. It also uses the values in action character strengths and includes a set of relapse prevention techniques. Design/methodology/approach An experimental design using repeated measures has been adopted. Measures for recovery capital, well-being and level of flourishing were selected and pre- and post-data collected. Primary data analysis was conducted using the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Participants (n = 30) were required to be in early addiction recovery, classified as having been abstinent for between three and six months. Findings The results showed a statistically significant improvement in participant well-being. This was also true for recovery capital and flourishing. Whilst a meaningful increase was seen in all measures, exploratory analysis found females responded better to the PART programme. Practical implications This study emphasises the importance of adopting a holistic therapeutic approach, one that considers multifaceted components of recovery such as those outlined in the G-CHIME model. Originality/value This study evaluates a new programme of work designed to improve the recovery outcome and mental well-being of people who are in early addiction recovery.

Purpose Unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) are a major public health concern (Nock et al., 2008; Bentum et al., 2017), and they are key to the development of a variety of dysregulated behaviours (Jungmann et al., 2016; Bergen et al., 2012). Thus, this study aims to investigate reductive mechanisms for unwanted intrusive thoughts by analysing aspects of affectivity in clinical and non-clinical samples. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative means of data collection and analysis were used to explore UITs and affectivity. In total, 530 adults took part in this study (236 males, 253 females and 15 transgenders). Participants consisted of clinical (N = 168) and non-clinical samples (N = 336) who completed the Midlife in the United States sense of control scale (Lachman and Weaver, 1998), 20-item neuroticism scale (Goldberg, 1999), self-compassion scale (Neff, 2003a), flourishing scale (Diener et al., 2009), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Negative Scale (Watson et al., 1988), generalised anxiety disorder seven-item (Spitzer et al., 2006) and repetitive thinking questionnaire-10 (McEvoy et al., 2010). Findings Participants who experienced high levels of psychological flourishing, emotional stability, self-compassion, perceived control and affective well-being were prone to experience minimal UITs. Anxiety was positively related to UITs. These findings suggest that these aspects of affectivity may aid the reduction or management of clinical and non-clinical unwanted intrusive thoughts. Originality/value This study has addressed gaps in knowledge and the literature on UITs by demonstrating that psychological flourishing, emotional stability, self-compassion, perceived control and affective well-being as aspects of affectivity can be implemented as a reductive mechanism for UITs, and such implementation may have a high probability of effective reduction or management of clinical and non-clinical unwanted intrusive thoughts.

Purpose The main aim of this paper is to provide a living tribute of lived expert by experience and researcher Andrew Voyce. Design/methodology/approach Andrew provided the author with a list of names of people he might approach to write a tribute on his behalf. Findings The accounts describe the influence that Andrew has had both as an educator and as a trusted colleague for the people approached. Research limitations/implications In many ways, the voices of people with mental health problems have been marginalised. Few mental health journals, with only some exceptions, encourage lived experience contributions. Practical implications The mental health agenda continues to be dominated by professional groups. The remarkable individuals who continually battle with serious mental illness are often lost in official discourses. Social implications Despite the fact that the topic of mental health is now much more in the public domain, research tells us that the most effective anti-stigma strategy is contact with sufferers. Originality/value The archivist Dr Anna Sexton co-produced one of the few mental health archives that only featured people with lived experience. Andrew was one of the four people featured in it. This account “showcases” the work of this remarkable man.

Purpose This paper aims to provide a living tribute to the mental health activist and international trainer Peter Bullimore. Design/methodology/approach Peter provided a list of people to who he wanted to provide tributes. Jerome approached all these people. All agreed. Findings Several people from around the world attest to the influence that Peter’s teaching and personality have had on their clinical practice and on their lives. Research limitations/implications The disappearance of an Open Mind has left a shortage of journals, which welcome the user perspective. Mental Health and Social Inclusion have always championed the voice of people with lived experience. These are selected tributes to one man’s work in the field of mental health. Practical implications These accounts provide insights into the work of a remarkable individual. Social implications Students of the mental health professions are mainly exposed to work produced by their peers. The history of mental health is filled with the stories of professionals, not the people who have used services. Originality/value Historically accounts of psychiatry are written by mental health professionals. Service user or lived experience accounts are often written from the perspective of the person’s story of illness and recovery. There are comparatively few, which celebrate the additional achievements of specific individuals with lived experience.

Purpose The purpose of this opinion piece is to present a case for the potential of positive autoethnography (PosAE) as a new autoethnographic approach. Design/methodology/approach This work resulted from on-going discussions between the authors as to the practicalities and benefits of associating the qualitative approach of autoethnography with the field of positive psychology. Findings PosAE is proposed to encourage writers to actively reflect on the importance for themselves, and their readers, of including positive narrative elements, prospective visions and exploratory trajectories in their work. Research limitations/implications This research builds on existing research that has included positive psychology in autoethnography. As positive psychology is grounded in empirical research, the authors are suggesting that PosAE is allied to pragmatic autoethnography. Practical implications PosAE offers to facilitate positive thought, affect and strategies that could improve well-being. For example, some people struggling with serious health issues, and those helping them, may find it useful for articulating conditions and envisioning, even experiencing, positive change. Social implications With so many lives impacted by mental health issues globally, and with rapidly changing societies struggling to provide stability and purpose, an autoethnography that provides tools such as PERMA (Positive emotions, Engagement, Positive Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishments/Achievements) to communicate the positive seems timely. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time the creation of an autoethnographic approach explicitly linked to positive psychology has been proposed.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the Values in Action (VIA) character strengths profile of people in addiction recovery, to identify which strengths are meaningfully represented in this population. This was compared with the generalised profile of a normative population to identify the differentiating features. Reasons for the profile variance and the significance this has for addiction recovery have also been explored. Design/methodology/approach An independent group design was adopted using purposive sampling. This saw participants (n = 100) complete the VIA Inventory of Strengths-P assessment to establish a character strengths profile for people in addiction recovery. To identify the differences in this profile, a mean score and rank order comparison was conducted, using data taken from a normative population. Additional exploratory analysis was conducted to establish if there were any significant differences in the character strength profile of males and females. Findings In descending order, the top five ranked strengths were kindness, humour, honesty, fairness and teamwork. The lesser five strengths in the profile were spirituality, zest, perseverance, prudence and self-regulation. A distinguishing feature was the presence of humour as a top five strength for people in addiction recovery. The existence of teamwork also deviated from the generalised normative population. There were two strengths shown to have a meaningfully higher score for females, teamwork and love. This did not change the strengths present in the overall top five for males or females, however. Originality/value This study contributes useful knowledge to the understanding of character strengths in addiction recovery. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time character strengths have been examined in a sample of people in addiction recovery.