Self-harm can be defined as any attempt to bring harm to oneself on purpose. Usually, the goal is not suicide but the release of painful emotions. While the media often shows a teenager cutting on themselves, it can also include scratching, burning, hitting themselves, pulling out hair or picking at wounds. Who Participates in Self-harming [...]
Being a parent is a hard job. You may wonder if the signs you are seeing in your child are just a normal phase or a sign of a mental health condition. It is far better to discuss any signs troubling you with a health care professional than to ignore them. There are many signs [...]
If your child is anxious, then there are several things that you can do to help them. Many childhood fears are a part of the maturing process. For example, young children may have stranger anxiety while older children may be afraid of imaginary things, like monsters under the bed. Studies show that one of [...]
If you are a teen, you may feel a lot of pressure to be in a romantic relationship. While many experience this pressure, the reality is that only 35% of teens have ever had a romantic relationship, and only 10% are currently in one. Whether you are in a current relationship or want to [...]
Founded in 2011, National Play Outside Day is a conscious reminder to put time aside on the first Saturday of each month (at the very least, of course) and head outside and enjoy the great outdoors. This is a great encouragement to work towards healthy habits for both mind and body. Learn more about National [...]
As much as children and parents struggled to adjust to homeschooling when the COVID pandemic started, your children may experience separation anxiety as they head back to school. You can take some simple steps that may help ease the anxiety that your child feels if they face COVID-related separation anxiety. Prepare for Separation Anxiety [...]
UNESCO says that the COVID pandemic has affected over 1.5 million students in 188 countries worldwide. In a recent study by YoungMinds, 83% of students already identified as depressed said that their symptoms worsened because they could no longer access the help they typically received at school. Since COVID has created a scenario that no [...]
Finding Out if a Teenager is Depressed As a parent, healthcare worker, or teacher, you will want to know when and if an adolescent is depressed. Finding out the mental state of a teenager will allow you to ensure that their mental health and well-being are restored. It will also allow you to prevent a [...]
Between the obligations of school, homework deadlines, tests, perhaps a part-time job, family and social responsibilities and pressures, along with physical and emotional development, the teen years can very much be a stressful time filled with disappointments, drama, and unmet expectations. This is of course is not to say it’s all bad: fun, friendships, self-discovery, [...]
When youth and adolescents experience trauma, how can parents, emergency service workers, and rescue providers, along with the larger community help them start to recover and ultimately overcome the traumatic experience? Whether it be suffering through a natural disaster, being a victim or witness to violence, or perhaps a tragic accident, be it large scale [...]
