Teens have historically gravitated towards pushing boundaries. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol is also not a new development among teenagers. What is new is the clinical research and brain imaging studies that have shed light on the differences between the adult brain and the teen brain, and how those differences impact decision-making, impulsivity, and the […]
When it comes to teen depression, most of the attention about this serious mental health disorder has been directed towards girls. While true that girl teens struggle with depression in greater numbers than boys, boys are more inclined to choose an impulsive solution for the disorder, including suicide. Among teens that do complete suicide, the […]
What happened? One day your kid was sweet and accommodating and the next he or she suddenly morphed into a surly, snotty, rebellious brat. Well, the good news is that in most cases, this too shall pass. The bad news is that, if not managed right, the bad behavior can escalate to the point where […]
When your child is hurting, you hurt right along with them. Parents with teens who struggle with mental health disorders are often aghast at the effects of the illness and feel completely hopeless in knowing how to help their child. Teens with mental disorders suffer on many fronts, including being ostracized or bullied at school […]
As parents, you may have done everything right, by the book, in raising your child. You have provided a safe, loving, and supportive home life and made every effort to be available for your son or daughter. In fact, in many instances, other siblings—born of the same two parents and raised in the same home—may […]
No one wants to see their teen move forward toward a successful, fulfilling life more than his or her own family. Parents and siblings may have watched the teen grow from a child, full of promise and enthusiasm for life, into an adolescent where something has gone wrong. This may be due to social struggles, […]
“Troubled teen,” what a disparaging term that is. This widely used label only serves to minimize what could be a serious mental health crisis, or stigmatize a teen who is simply struggling with typical teenage angst. Without a doubt, passing through the tumultuous phase of adolescence can cause emotional strife and behavioral upheaval. If, however, […]
There are abundant reasons why a teenager might seem to be in the throes of emotional distress. These tumultuous years are, at the least, marked by moodiness and drama, and by depression and social anxiety at the more serious end. Hormonal fluctuations, school-related stressors, social issues, and difficult family events such as a divorce or […]
Teen depression is a serious and often misunderstood mental health condition that should never be ignored. Understandably, many parents chalk up their teen’s persistent low mood as just a typical teenage trait, right up there with hormone fluctuations and social angst. In most cases, moodiness in teens is indeed a feature of that stage of […]
Purple is an edgy hue that has long been associated with music. From the 70s hard rock days when the color helped name the band, Deep Purple, and Jimi Hendrix’s famous song, Purple Haze, to Prince’s 1984-era chart topper, Purple Rain; purple is a color that has evoked fervor, intensity, and drama. These days, however, […]
