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Parents

Parents

Parents

Parents

Adderall Misuse and Abuse in Teens and Young Adults

Adderall is a powerful central nervous system stimulant used primarily to treat ADHD and ADD in children and adults. It’s a prescription drug that works by boosting two specific brain chemicals: norepinephrine, which is associated with attention and response, and dopamine, which is associated with reward-seeking behavior and pleasure. How is Adderall Abused? Adderall is safe and effective when used as prescribed. It helps both children and adults maintain focus

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I’ve Met Someone Online. They Want to Meet in Person. Now What?

So, you met a guy online. Or a girl. (For purposes of stylistic ease, we are using the male pronoun here, but this person could be of any gender.) It could have been Facebook. Kik. Fortnite. He seems so nice. Flattering. Sweet. And he really likes you, it seems. He understands, accepts, and supports you like no one has before. You’re just a teenager, but you feel like you can

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Getting Help

Can a Teen Be Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder?

Diagnosing a teen with Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD, is “tricky,” says Alyson Orcena, LMFT, Executive Clinical Director of Evolve Treatment Centers. That’s because some of its defining features are very common to adolescents in general. Emotional instability, moodiness, identity issues, and sensitivity to rejection are all fairly typical in teens. Historically, this is why many clinicians have refrained from diagnosing adolescents with BPD. Since borderline personality disorder often co-occurs

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Teens and Prescription Drugs: A Growing Problem

Prescription drug abuse among teens is a concern across the country, and the results can be tragic. All too often, trouble begins when teens experiment with leftover meds in the bathroom medicine cabinet. There are several reasons why kids turn to prescription drugs. Teens often take drugs to get high or to relax, cope with stress, help them sleep, boost energy, or improve concentration at school. Opiates are a problem

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I Caught My Teen Sexting. Now What?

You might have gotten the call from another parent, who was appalled. Or the school administrator. Or maybe you found out about it yourself. Inadvertently saw some of the photos on your teen’s phone. Read some of the racy texts. How you discovered it doesn’t matter. Ultimately, you caught your teen sexting. Help! My Teen is Sexting Sexting involves the exchange of sexually explicit content, such as messages or photographs,

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What Causes Borderline Personality Disorder in Teens?

Borderline personality disorder in teens is marked by high levels of impulsivity, repeated self-harming and suicidal attempts, conflicted relationships with others, and high emotional sensitivity and reactivity. But what causes this disorder? Experts can’t point to one single cause of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adolescents. Mental health professionals believe it is caused by several factors, including genetics and environmental issues. This is what DBT’s Biosocial Theory suggests. Some adolescents

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Six Ways You Can Validate a Teen (And Anyone Else!)

Your adolescent is upset about something or another. Maybe he or she is crying. You know what the experts say: validate, validate, validate. Because children and teens are not always looking to problem-solve. They’re looking to be validated. But what exactly does it mean to validate, and how do you do it? Dialectical Behavior Therapy suggests that there are six levels of validation. With so many ways to show your

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What Age Should My Child Get a Phone?

The time has come. Your child, or adolescent, is asking for a phone. But not just any phone will do, of course. They need a smartphone. Preferably the latest model.  “Everyone has one,” they’re telling you. (Which may not be 100% true, by the way.) But before you go and purchase said smartphone, you decide to research online. (For that we say, good going!) And here you are, wondering about

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Research Report: Cannabidiol (CBD) for Opioid Use Disorder

As the nation wrestles with the opioid epidemic, health scientists work to find new, evidence-based methods to help people struggling with opioid addiction. Research shows that a combination of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), therapy, and social support is the most effective way to treat opioid addiction. The benefits of MAT are significant. Over 40 years of research shows that MAT decreases: Opioid use Opioid-related overdose deaths Criminal activity Transmission of infectious

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Anxiety & Mood Disorders

How To Parent A Teenager With Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder in teens is marked by a host of symptoms. There’s emotional instability and extreme bouts of moodiness. Identity issues. Chaotic relationships. Self-harming behavior and suicidal ideation. While many of these issues sound like they’re common in teens, adolescents with borderline personality disorder experience them much more intensely than others. “Their emotions can take over their body,” explains Alyson Orcena, LMFT, Executive Clinical Director of Evolve Treatment Centers.

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