Is Mental Illness Genetic? Genetic Factors Explored
Are mental illnesses inherited or are they a result of a person’s environment? This question drives scientific investigations, shapes conversations in society, and affects how people view mental health. But finding the answer isn’t simple. Below, we’ll explore this issue, considering how genetics, environment, and personal experiences all play a role. What is Mental Illness? […]
Empowering Teens: Navigating Relationships During Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness and promoting prevention of dating violence among teenagers. Statistics show that 1 in 3 teens in the U.S. will experience some form of dating abuse, and this month is a great time for education and empowerment. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month was […]
Tips for Teens: How to Improve Communication with Your Parents
Most of the articles we write are directed toward parents with teens in treatment for a mental health, behavioral, or substance use disorder. We support parents with advice about all sorts of things, from how to support a teen with depression, to how to help a teen with anxiety manage their panic attacks, or how […]
Digital Dating Abuse Among Teens
With each passing year, more and more adolescent development occurs digitally, through online and virtual spaces. This is, of course, a function of the digital age. Before adults rush to condemn the fact that for adolescents, many developmental milestones, breakthroughs, and foundational experiences occur online, we should pause, and look to our own lives to […]
How to Get Over a Teen Breakup
Breakups can be traumatic. If you’ve recently experienced a breakup, you might find it’s hard to stop crying. You might feel lonely, despondent, and like nothing matters anymore. You might even experience cravings for your ex, much in the same way people with addiction problems crave drugs. When you ask your friends what you should […]
How to Talk to Your Teen About Consent
The #MeToo movement brought to light the alarming frequency of sexual assault cases in the U.S. and around the world. The phenomenon was instigated by several high-profile women who alleged equally high-profile men sexually assaulted them. Naturally, the national conversation turned to the issue of consent. Teaching Children About Consent Though teaching your teen about […]
What To Do If You’re A Victim of Teen Dating Violence
The first thing to do if you’re the victim of teen dating violence – or any intimate partner violence, no matter how old you are – is this: know that violence, anger, or controlling behavior is not a sign of how much someone loves you. Rather, it’s a sign something inside the angry, violent, or […]
How Can Parents Tell If a Teen Is a Perpetrator of Dating Violence?
Teen Dating Violence: One Part of a Bigger Problem Relationship abuse is an issue that eats at the very core of our society. The long-term consequences of abuse are almost too many to list: PTSD, alcohol and substance use disorders, depression, difficulty forming healthy relationships – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In […]
Teen Dating Violence: Eleven Signs to Watch For
Teen Dating Violence Warning Signs in Victims Unexplained bruises or injuries Discoloration, pain, or bleeding in, on, or around genitals Pain during urination or bowel movements Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. Visit the CDC website for a fact sheet on STDs. Abrupt changes in academic performance Increase in anxiety Mood swings Symptoms of depression: persistent […]
Trends in Teen Violence: 1991-2015
Anyone who pays close attention to the news media would think the world is getting more dangerous by the minute. Local news seems to lead every broadcast with crime. A robbery here. A murder there. A kidnapping nearby. National news highlights tragically violent stories over positive stories every day. We know about the college student […]