The most effective method of suicide awareness and prevention is reducing stigma. Often, people assume that the only way to keep someone safe is to encourage them to “get help.” Getting help is only the first step. There are other strategies that can be used...
Current forms of diagnosing depression are based on self-report questionnaires and structured interviews, which are not always reliable. Teens struggling with depression may struggle to identify risk factors in their own lives and recognize that their low mood and energy might be related to something...
The effect of social media on teen mental health depends on how it’s used. Living with mental illness can be an isolating experience, even though 1 in 5 people are affected by it at some point in their lives. It’s hard to speak up about...
More therapeutic programs are integrating holistic drug-free approaches into their treatment plans based on their low risk and accessibility. A recent study conducted by The University of Vermont found that patients responded positively to structured exercise programs offered in inpatient psychiatric facilities. In inpatient treatment,...
According to a recent longitudinal study, the gap between male and female youth suicide rates is narrowing. Historically, there has been a significant gender difference in completed and attempted suicides that has been associated with the types of methods chosen, with boys opting for more...
The Mayo Clinic is starting a new study on delayed sleep phase disorder in teens, claiming “the majority of high school and middle school students are chronically sleep-deprived.” While some school districts have acknowledged the link between sleep deprivation and teen mental health issues, it...
A recent study by Oxford University researchers suggested that the amount of time children spend on social media only has a small effect on their happiness. They believe that the link between social media and teen mental health is not inconclusive but rather inconsistent depending...
Nancy Reagan rolled out her “Just Say No” campaign, which was followed by the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program in the 80s. Although their efforts in preventing teen drug use were well-intentioned, their abstinence models have been criticized for oversimplifying the problem and being...
The suicide rate among teenagers has more than doubled in the past decade and is not showing signs of slowing down. While many parents are concerned that their children could become statistics, a recent study in the journal Pediatrics reported that fifty percent of parents...
Teenagers who start drinking young may argue that drinking alcohol is normalized socially by people who are of legal drinking age. Teenagers are more likely to drink for different reasons than adults and tend to drink more heavily with the intention of getting drunk. One...