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Teens

Teens

Teens

Teens

After a School Shooting, Some Teens May Refuse to Go Back to School. Here’s Why, and What You Should Do About It.

Just this week, there was a tragic school shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, a city in Los Angeles County, California. The 16-year-old shooter killed two teenagers and wounded three other teens before classes began for the day. At Evolve Treatment Centers, we are extremely distressed by this incident. We offer our sincere condolences to the families of the high school students who lost their lives, were wounded,

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November 17, 2019

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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October 25, 2019
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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October 24, 2019

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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October 22, 2019

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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October 21, 2019
Getting Help

‘Why Do I hate My Life’: Actions & Tips to Overcome Unhappiness In Life

Do you ever want to scream ‘I hate my life?’’ Maybe you hate school, hate your parents, hate yourself, or all three. You wonder whether life will ever get any better, or if it will always be this terrible. By asking yourself ‘Why do I hate my life,’ you’re taking a very important first step to healing, but there’s some good news and bad news. Good news first: Life will

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October 17, 2019

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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October 16, 2019

Teens: These 9 Phrases Might Be Alerting Predators to Your Social Media Pages

When you hear about sex trafficking, you probably think, That will never happen to me. Teen sex trafficking occurs when an adolescent becomes dependent on someone who then uses her to provide sexual services for others. Sometimes, teens could become involved in a trafficking ring by force – such as via kidnapping. (Which is why it’s been ingrained in you by your parents, ever since you were a toddler, never

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October 11, 2019
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Parents

How Horses Can Help Teens Overcome Mental Health Issues

Equine-assisted therapy, which involves interacting with horses, is a widely used therapeutic tool, especially with adolescents. The unique sensitivity of horses, and their oft-cited characteristic of being “nonjudgmental”, helps teens develop the same characteristics towards themselves. In equine-assisted therapy (EAT), teens are required to be fully present. They need to watch for and respond to horses’ subtle signals. And they need to practice problem-solving tasks, in the moment, in ways

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October 5, 2019

DBT, Fitness, and Depression

While exercise has not yet been shown to cure any mental health disorder on its own, there are mountains of evidence showing its benefits on mood, self-concept, and work ethic. Exercise has a huge effect on a teen’s emotional wellbeing and even improves cognition. It also has a host of physical benefits: it increases heart rate, reduces stress, improves sleep, lowers blood pressure, and increases energy. How Exercise Helps with

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September 30, 2019