A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
People who are depressed are not always easy to help because often they are disinterested, lack energy and motivation, can be irritable, and may not see the point of doing anything. Some people are not used to talking much – especially about themselves, so getting a conversation started can be difficult. Useful tips for helping [...]
An American study of sexting, the practice for teens to send nude or near-nude images of themselves via mobile phones, in 12-17 year olds found that the practice is not as common as widely believed. While the study found that 15% of teens with their own mobile phones have received sexts, only 4% had reported [...]
Results of the annual American National Institute on Drug Abuse survey Monitoring the Future were released yesterday, revealing the patterns of drug use and perception in young people in America. The survey of over 46,000 year 8, 10 and 12 students found that the use of many drugs including alcohol, methamphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens and cigarettes [...]
A study examining cleanliness in childhood has found that children who grow up in ultra-clean environments may have an increased risk of a large range of diseases including heart disease. The study which used data from 3,327 Filipino families found that children who were exposed to more germs grew up to have a much healthier [...]
Police in capital cities around Australia and New Zealand are tonight preparing for a weekend of high-visibility policing aimed at reducing alcohol fuelled violence. The two day blitz titled Operation Unite will start tonight at 6pm, and will focus on tackling alcohol fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour, especially violence. Thousands of extra police will be [...]
Last night I was watching TV and saw a news advertisement about young people and drug use. Over the top of an image or a group of young people was superimposed the words One third of all young people have used an illegal drug. That statistic sounds pretty scary for parents, and it is – [...]
An American study has found that by the time most parents attempt to discuss sexual health with their children they are already sexually active. The study of 141 13- to 17-year-olds found that half of the teens surveyed had already engaged in sexual activities by the time their parents attempted to teach them about sex. [...]
Researchers in Sweden have found another potential benefit for children who play sport: in a study published last week it was reported that teenage boys who frequently played sport were smarter then those who did not. The study looked at data from 1.2 million Swedish 15-18 year olds from when the men went for mandatory [...]
The Government has released new guidelines which warn against the use of drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. The guidelines, which originally stated in 1997 that medication was a suitable treatment for medication, have been changed to instead advise that "Medication should not be used as first-line treatment for ADHD in [...]
An Australian study published today has linked internet addiction to self harm. The survey of over 1,600 13- to 18-year-olds found that the students who reported signs of moderate to severe internet addiction were twice as likely to report some form of self harm. The study found that one in six of the students surveyed [...]
