“Just snap out of it.” “Can’t you just get out of bed already?” “Just decide to be in a good mood, and you will be!” How many times have you uttered these phrases – or similar ones – to your teenager? While you think you’re being helpful, the word “just” invalidates any message you’re trying to give, says Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, PhD, director of the Targeted Parenting Institute. “Just” implies
Having a psychotic episode can be scary – for the teen undergoing it, and the parent witnessing it. Psychosis can best be described as an out-of-mind experience. It involves hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. While many are aware of the relationship between psychosis to mental health disorders (like schizophrenia), less is known about drug-induced psychosis. Many teens may experience psychosis after using certain mind-altering drugs. While these drugs may not have
Every year, the California Department of Education Coordinated School Health and Safety Office administers a survey to public school students in school districts across the state. This annual survey is called the “California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS)”. Officials administer this anonymous and confidential survey to public school students in grades five, seven, nine, and eleven in California. The survey asks students about safety and crime at school, experiences of bullying, academics,
Katy Perry’s Hot ‘n Cold describes your teen’s mood swings perfectly. Your teenager goes through major ups-and-downs. They vacillate between episodes of enthusiasm and joy and periods of sadness and lethargy. Yes, of course, everyone tells you that adolescent mood swings are common, but how do you know whether your teen’s symptoms are typical or require intervention? Bipolar Disorder in Teens Bipolar disorder was formerly referred to as manic-depressive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by repetitive, obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that often intrude upon a person’s day-to-day life. This anxiety disorder is a common psychiatric disorder for adolescents. Evidence shows that between one and three percent of children and teens struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some common types of obsession include worrying about something bad happening or worries about becoming sick or dying. Teens with OCD may show constant
Addiction and substance use is a nationwide problem. But specific areas of the country show specific trends and drug patterns. For example, the 2019 Los Angeles County Sentinel Community Site (SCS) Drug Use Patterns and Trends Report shows the current statistics of drug use in Los Angeles County. Dr. Mary-Lynn Brecht of UCLA authored the report, which was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) together with the
Media coverage of the nationwide protests occurring in response to the tragic death of George Floyd has been nearly constant since Memorial Day. Every second a new video appears: from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, demonstrators are out in the streets, making their voices heard. And your adolescent is watching it all unfold, in real time, on TV and on their phones. Many parents are asking themselves this
June is Pride Month! In honor of #Pride, we asked Clarissa Harwell, LCSW for advice on making the therapy room a safe and welcoming space for teens who identify as LGBTQIA. Clarissa works for Uplift Family Services in the Bay Area and also has a private practice in Campbell, California. In addition to working with children and teens who engage in high-risk behavior, such as suicidal ideation or self-harm, Clarissa
Dating is a big part of being a teenager. Movies, pop music, books, and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook glorify teen love, teen crushes, being boy-crazy, girl-crazy, or non-binary they/them crazy. To be clear, by crazy we mean obsessed, and by obsessed we don’t mean clinically. We mean the can’t-stop-thinking-about-my-crush kind of obsession, and crazy as in I’m crazy about this person because well I just am kind
With everything that’s going on in the world right now, you may find yourself wondering if your child worries about the news. News once aimed at adults and timed to air after younger kids went to bed now airs almost 24/7. Adults also receive constant news updates on their smartphones, or check social media to stay abreast of what’s going on in the world around them. And, in recent years,
