Now that we’re well into 2022, we won’t mention why we want it to be an amazing year, or why we – at the very least – want it to be better than 2020 and 2021. Suffice it to say we can all agree on looking forward to the new year. One thing we can all focus on this year is our mental wellness. Mental wellness – which includes emotional
If you think you’re hearing voices, you may be wondering what’s going on. You also might be a bit nervous. Are you actually hearing voices? And if so, why are you hearing them? First, know that this experience is more common than you think. Researchers estimate that between 5% and 28% of the entire population hear voices. Relatively speaking, that’s a whole lot of other teens in the same boat
Last year at this time we published an article about New Year’s Resolutions. What we talked about was unconventional, as far as New Year’s resolutions go. We didn’t advise making typical resolutions like learning a new skill, exercising more, being more responsible with money, or losing weight – although we think those are all great resolutions, and if those are the kinds of things you resolved to do last, year,
Drug Rehab: First Encounter Taptaptap. Taptaptap. I roll over in the dark and bury my head in the pillow. The noise sounds like it’s coming from my bedroom door. Probably my mom, trying to wake me up for school. At sixteen years old, I have the set-up all my friends want: a basement bedroom with its own entrance, separate from the rest of the house, down at the bottom of
We’ve talked a lot about social media in our blogs and articles. We’ve covered the dangers for teens and the ways it can help teens. Most content about social media and teens focuses on the negative aspects. Facebook. Instagram. Snapchat. Kik. Twitter. AskFM. On all of these sites, teens frequently glorify drugs and alcohol, partying, and other risky behaviors. Even when it’s not promoting unsafe behavior, social media can still
Public school students in most school districts in California take the California Healthy Kids Survey every year. This is a confidential, anonymous self-report survey that asks elementary and secondary school students about safety at school, support, academic involvement, substance use, and mental health issues. Many of the questions ask students about their experiences of bullying and harassment on school property. Below are some highlights of the data taken from the
Last week, our teenagers at Evolve Ojai participated in a fun and interesting diversity and cultural awareness group. This group coordinates with our gardening group and culinary creations group to introduce our teens to various aspects of the many different cultures around the world. They learn about celebrations and rituals that people hold dear. This group can spark interest in world geography, spiritual beliefs, cuisine, and customs. Our goals for
If your best friend recently committed suicide, it’s normal to feel a tremendous sense of loss, grief, and distress. You may feel, right now, as if you’re in a black hole and that nothing will ever make it better. There’s so much pain you wonder whether your life will ever be the same again. You feel like everything is falling apart. We want to tell you that we’re here with
If your teenager has a mental health or substance use disorder, you may have considered residential treatment for them at some point in the past. If they have a mental health disorder such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, you understand that if they spend a period of time focusing solely on healing and recovery, they’ll receive more support – and likely make more progress – than they do in
If you’re a Santa Barbara resident – a parent, teen, or a professional who works with adolescents – the current data on substance use among high school students in your area may be of interest. The following information comes from the California Healthy Kids Survey. Officials administer the anonymous survey to every school district in California on an annual basis. The tables below show rates of substance use for high
