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Mental Health Screening: What Is It And Does My Teen Need It?

What is Mental Health Screening? A mental health screening is an exam of your emotional health. It helps find out if you have a mental disorder. Mental illnesses are more common than people think! They affect more than half of all Americans at some point in their lives. There are many types of mental disorders that […]

Spring Has Sprung For Your Teen, and So Has Their Anxiety

It absolutely feels terrific that the weather has turned nice, we aren’t wearing masks (for the most part), and we are planning our summer vacations. However, for your teen, they are coming to the end of this school year. That means taking tests that can create stress, anxiety, and depression. Also, for seniors, it means the […]

Does Valentine’s Day Affect Teen Depression?

It’s February, and this means Valentine’s Day has come and gone. For adults, it’s the month of love, Hallmark, dinner out on the 14th, a bottle of wine or champagne, and perhaps a piece of jewelry. For teens, however, it may be the month that temperatures are a bit colder, skies a bit grayer, and […]

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Yes, the CDC saw a 51 percent increase in suicide attempts by adolescent girls during the pandemic.   Yes, emergency department mental health visits were up 31 percent among adolescents during the same period, driven by higher incidents of crises among young girls. Yet, we cannot blame all of this on the COVID-19 pandemic.  Last week, […]

“Man Up!” The phenomenon that affects young men across America

The concept of toxic masculinity is used in academic and media discussions of masculinity to refer to certain cultural norms that are associated with harm to society and men themselves. Traditional stereotypes of men as socially dominant, along with related traits such as misogyny and homophobia, can be considered "toxic" due in part to their promotion of violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence. The socialization of boys in patriarchal societies often normalizes violence, such as in the saying "boys will be boys" about bullying and aggression.

“You aren’t man enough.”  “Man up!”  “Come on, don’t be a ______.” What do these phrases have in common? You guessed it: They all reinforce toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is one explanation for male violence and sexism. This term distinguishes “toxic” traits, like aggression and self-entitlement, from “healthy” masculinity. It has grown to the point […]

11 Real Issues that Teens Face Every Day

Growing up isn't easy. It's no wonder that many adolescents face some pretty difficult challenges as they transition from childhood to adulthood, and they may respond by acting out. Parents, teachers, and other adults can help teens by being supportive and setting fair limits. Of course, it's also important to identify the types of issues teens often face. These teen troubles are common, but not inevitable. If you are worried about your child, start by observing their behavior and seeking to identify what's happening.

“What a relief! My teen is back at school, finally, and everything is good again. No more Zoom classes and complaining.” Does this sound familiar? Now that public health officials have deemed it safe to return to school, your teen must unlearn what they were conditioned to believe for almost 270 days — to keep […]

Why do people cut themselves? Understanding teen self-harm

Self-harm can cover a range of things that people do to themselves in a deliberate and harmful way. Although cutting is the most common form of self- harm, other methods include head banging, hair pulling, burning and scalding, biting, scratching, stabbing, breaking bones, swallowing objects, self-poisoning and overdosing. By injuring themselves, children and young people are asserting a form of self- control on their life which they feel is otherwise chaotic and meaningless. Self-harm is a way of coping and of channelling frustration and other strong emotions. In the vast majority of cases, it is not a suicide attempt, but rather a way to let off steam.

Many teens struggle with anxiety and depression.  Some turn to self-harm to deal with their intense feelings. Self-harm and self-injury describe a group of behaviors in which you deliberately hurt yourself — not as a suicide attempt, but as a way to release painful emotions.  Cutting is one of the most common ways that teens […]

“My Teen plays sports. No reason to worry now…”

Regular physical activity benefits health in many ways, including helping build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints; helping control weight and reduce fat; and preventing or delaying the development of high blood pressure.

I had always believed that if my children played competitive sports, then the endorphins would kick in and they would generally be happy and protected from feelings of depression. Most parents believe this. Boy was I wrong!   My youngest son played on two ice hockey teams at college, went to the gym on a […]

Independence Day and Your Teen

The Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, celebrates the country's separation from the British Empire in 1776 and the founding of the U.S.

Take a moment to step back and think: What were you doing on July 4th, 2020? In our family, I recall we were dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Our twins were living in separate states halfway across the country, the future of our economy was up in the air, and every day, it seemed […]

Eating Disorders: Signs, Symptoms, and Tips for Managing ED

eating disorders can affect adolescents, teens, and young adults

Weight obsession affects millions of teenagers today, especially girls. Gen Z faces an onslaught of body image messages from peers, social media influencers, mass media, and even clothing store mannequins that depict an “ideal” version of what the ideal body should look like.  So, it’s no wonder that according to a 2009 Youth Risk Behavior […]