Mental Health

There’s a Biology to Lasting Happiness, and There May Be a Way to Train Yourself

Gotta good feeling. (Reuters/Guillermo Granja) That uplifting feeling you get when something good happens to you? Researchers now think they know the part of the brain responsible for it—and they suggest we may be able to train ourselves to make those positive emotions last longer. Their conclusions are based on a study (paywall) conducted by [...]

Controlling Parents ‘Harm Future Mental Health’ 

Photo: Getty, everydaylife.globalpost.com Adults who were psychologically controlled as children by their parents are more likely to have poor mental health, research suggests. University College London researchers likened the impact to that of the death of a close friend or relative. They said the most important factor in developing a sense of mental [...]

‘They Control Me’: A 13-year-old Boy Laments Video Games

William Lindesay is trying to stop his over-reliance on video games. When I come home completely exhausted from school, I just want to get away from it all. I go to my room and turn on my console. But when I turn it off, it doesn't take long for me to feel drawn back [...]

‘Hyper-parenting’ Is Making Kids Fall Apart

'Slow coach' Carl Honore (third from left) with Dianne and Glen's family on Frantic Family Rescue. Photo: Guss Mallmann Australian children are under too much pressure, and most of that is coming from their parents, who are themselves the victims of social pressure to create "the perfect family". The Canadian sociologist Carl Honore [...]

Strategies for Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse by Prof Freda Briggs

Professor Freda Briggs was awarded Australian of the Year in 2000 for her work in the field of child sexual abuse. She spoke at the 2015 Melbourne Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People seminar about abuse in Australia and worldwide. Her talk is available to view below.

Scary Media: Does It Hurt?

Michael Phariss, michaelphariss.com There are many ways in which quite young children can be exposed to scary screen media. It’s quite common to see very young children at violent and scary M classified movies.  It’s not unusual for commercial television stations to insert unexpected, frightening and violent trailers or program promotions into G or PG family TV programs. Middle primary-aged boys often [...]

Parents Inclined to Misjudge Child Happiness Based on Personal Feelings

Parents' estimations of their children's happiness differ significantly from the child's own assessment of their feelings, a study has shown. Research by psychologists at Plymouth University showed parents of 10 and 11-year-olds consistently overestimated their child's happiness, while those with 15 and 16-year-olds were inclined to underestimate. - University of Plymouth Source: Parents inclined to [...]

Let’s Talk about Mental Health

A few years ago, I felt as though my life had collapsed, and I fell into a severe depression. I lost the ability to stand up for myself, I backed away from conflict, I didn't believe in myself and I was afraid of what people thought of me. It was not long before I lost [...]

Why So Many People Are Stressed and Depressed

Everywhere you look, people these days are stressed out. Many reach a breaking point and sink into depression – a mental health issue few of our grandparents or great-grandparents experienced, yet is so common today. - Jean M Twenge Ph.D Source: Why So Many People Are Stressed and Depressed | Psychology Today

Children Bullied by Peers ‘at Greater Mental Health Risk’

Children who are bullied are at greater risk of mental health problems in later life than those who are maltreated by adults, according to research. The authors of the study say it is time that bullying is taken more seriously. They found children who were bullied were five times more likely to experience anxiety and [...]

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