ADHD and Attention
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurological conditions in children and represents the most common reason that children are referred for support services in school. Children who are diagnosed with ADHD have deficits in their ability to sustain focused attention, control impulsive behaviors, and often display hyperactive behaviors.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal reaction to danger, the body’s automatic fight-or-flight response that is triggered when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a challenging situation, such as a job interview, exam, or first date. In moderation, anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can help you to stay alert and focused, spur you to action, and motivate you to solve problems. But when anxiety is constant or overwhelming—when worries and fears interfere with your relationships and daily life—you’ve likely crossed the line from normal anxiety into the territory of an anxiety disorder.
What is Teen Depression?
The teenage years can be really tough and it’s perfectly normal to feel sad or irritable every now and then. But if these feelings don’t go away or become so intense that you feel overwhelmingly hopeless and helpless, you may be suffering from depression.
Teen depression is much more than feeling temporarily sad or down in the dumps. It’s a serious and debilitating mood disorder that can change the way you think, feel, and function in your daily life, causing problems at home, school, and in your social life.
How to Know When Your Child Might Need Your Help
If your teenage child is dealing with anxiety, depression or any other mental health concern right now, you’re not alone. More than a year after the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) joined with other organizations to declare a national emergency in youth mental health, many teens are still struggling.
The Crucial Role Family Plays in Treatment of Adolescent Mental Health
As a parent, watching your child struggle with mental health issues can be one of the most challenging experiences you’ll ever face. Feeling helpless, overwhelmed, and uncertain about how best to support your child when struggling is natural. You are not alone. Research has shown that the role of family in mental health treatment is crucial to successful recovery for adolescents.
Teens Should Know Mental Health Coping Skills
The teen years are difficult for almost every teenager, and some of this difficulty stems from their lack of coping skills. Often, when there are teen coping skills, these young people turn to harmful behaviors, such as risk-taking or drug and alcohol use. If there aren’t people helping a teen with coping skills, the consequences could be dire.
The Impact of Mental Health on Academic Performance
Mental health is an essential component of student success. Students struggling with poor mental health will face overall poor academic outcomes.
According to a student survey, over 50% of students at every high school grade level cited depression, stress, and anxiety as obstacles to learning—making these conditions ubiquitous in the culture of American teenagers. Additionally, the survey results indicated the percentage of students who feel happy about their lives declines 3–12 grades.
How Nutrition Affects Teens’ Mental Health
Research reveals the power of particular nutrients to increase our well-being.
What we eat and how we eat it are closely associated with our emotions and mental health. A growing body of research is revealing not only the power of particular nutrients to increase well-being, but also the multifaceted ways in which our attitude and choices regarding food impact our state of mind.
What Is OCD?
OCD is a mental health condition. It causes thoughts called obsessions, anxiety, and actions called compulsions (also called rituals). People with OCD feel stuck in a stressful cycle of these thoughts and actions.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people get past the cycle of OCD. They learn to deal with bothersome thoughts, calm anxiety, and face fears safely without doing rituals. Some people also take medicine for OCD.