A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Schoolchildren need compulsory alcohol education from the age of 9 or 10, according to Children's Commissioner Michelle Scott.Speaking ahead of the first day of the school year, she said programs needed to start in middle primary school before children's attitudes started to develop, after recent WA research showed 30 per cent of 14 to 17-year-olds [...]
Risk-taking may be based in biology, but that does not diminish the possible unhealthy consequences of alcohol and other drugs and tobacco on the developing teen brain. Recent brain research with magnetic resonance imaging suggests that alcohol impacts adolescents differently than it does adults. Young people are more vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol [...]
Parents and peers have a large impact on youth decisions to drink. However, research clearly indicates that alcohol advertising and marketing also have a significant effect by influencing youth and adult expectations and attitudes, and helping to create an environment that promotes underage drinking. via Alcohol Advertising and Youth - Factsheets - Center on Alcohol [...]
Antidepressant drugs such as Prozac do not raise suicide risk in young people, a new study says. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered a “black box warning” for Prozac (generic name fluoxetine) after data from 25 clinical trials suggested the medications increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and [...]
The proportion of the population aged 14 years or older who consumed alcohol daily declined between 2007 8.1% and 2010 7.2%. However, there was little change in the proportion of people drinking alcohol at levels that put them at risk of harm over their lifetime 20.3% in 2007 and 20.1% in 2010, or from a [...]
Woolies criticised by leading motoring body for offering discounts to entice people to buy more alcohol. via Get a gutful, then a tankful: Woolies under fire for 30c alcohol-fuel discount.
A person with psychosis 'loses touch with reality': they may have disorganised thoughts, hallucinations or delusions and find it difficult to interact with others. In young people a psychotic illness many occur as a result of depression or experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Here are some early warning signs to watch out for. Behavioural Odd/agitated [...]
Although internet addiction is not yet a diagnosable illness, it is certainly raising concerns among adolescent experts who fear too much time online carries with it certain risk factors. For many young people the internet (and social media sites it gives them access to) is a lifeline. It is their way of connecting with the [...]
RESEARCHERS have found that a growing number of people are reporting toxicity from energy drinks in Australia, especially teenagers. Red Bull and V were the most common causes. Click here to read the report
Interview with Prof Louisa Degenhardt from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW about Australian durg use patterns. Australia and New Zealand appear to have the highest levels of cannabis consumption in the world! Listen to the interview via the podcast below: AM - Australians biggest cannabis users in world: report 06/01/2012.
