A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Researchers in Austria have found a daily dose of fish oil may greatly reduce the risk of schizophrenia in young people, with studies suggesting people who take fish oil on a regular basis may decrease the likelihood of developing psychosis by as much as seven times. In the study, 81 participants were either given a [...]
The Trinity Grammar College in Kew, Victoria, has published a handbook to give information to parents about drugs and alcohol. The book, called the "Trinity Parent's Alcohol and Drug Resource Book," was put together by parents with the support of experts including Dr Michael Carr-Gregg with the intention of raising awareness of drug and alcohol [...]
Most parents know relatively little about alcohol and other drugs. They might have a bit of practical experience - usually in the form of vague memories from their teens or early twenties - but when it really comes down to it, most of the information they have has been obtained either through their friends of [...]
The students of Mullumbimby High School in northern New South Wales walked out of class on Monday, protesting the "constant bullying" and "lack of supervision" at the school, following a brawl that resulted in the death of a student. Last Friday a lunch time fight caused a student to be sent to hospital suffering serious [...]
A Canadian study has found that 15% of five-year-olds suffer from abnormally high levels of depression and anxiety. The study, which ran for 5 years and tested over 1,700 children, also found that children with a difficult temperament at the age of five months were more likely to go on to develop abnormally high levels [...]
Cyber-bullying expert Dr Barbara Spears from the University of South Australia has called for improved technology education and earlier targeting of mental health problems for children in Australian schools. Dr Spears emphasised the increasing problem of cyberbullying however highlighted that banning technology from schools will not solve the problem. She believes instead that children must [...]
Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones, but can also via internet applications such as MSN, email or social networking sites. In Australia, if the images are of a young person under the age of 18 years, the person taking the pictures, sending them, or possessing [...]
Malcolm had been using ecstasy for over eight years when I spoke to him. He had first used the drug when he was twenty years old after associating with a group of clubbers for almost twelve months. He had observed his group of friends using ecstasy and had decided to try it. When he asked [...]
Alcohol education group DrinkWise launched their latest campaign "Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix" yesterday, which aims to reduce under-age drinking with a focus on educating teens to wait for as long as possible before drinking. The campaign immediately came under fire for the influence alcohol companies have over it when professor Simon Chapman of Sydney [...]
The Australian government has ignored a senate proposal for stricter advertising and classification laws for sexualised music videos and ads aimed at children. The proposal came from a senate committee investigating the sexualisation of children in the media, who concluded that "the inappropriate sexualisation of children in Australia is of increasing concern." On Friday the [...]
