A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
In a survey of youth aged 8-18, nearly 1 in 4 said they felt “addicted” to video games.* In The USA the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC) recently organised Screen-Free week. It was designed to get young people away from the influences of commercialism and back to enjoying life ‘brand’ free. Here are some tips [...]
Presented by Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) with Supporting Partner the Ted Noffs Foundation. When: 2 - 4 May 2011 Where: Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, Victoria. Who should go: Anyone concerned with the health and welfare of young people and the impact of alcohol and drug use on them. The United Nations is adding their support [...]
In the UK a concerned parent, Dr Paddy Clarke, has developed the world’s first cyber bullying alert system for Facebook. The application is called KnowDiss and it monitors children’s Facebook accounts for hostile or telltale keywords and phrases. “If any text is picked up that’s suspicious an email is immediately sent to parents so they [...]
Mixing alcohol and energy drinks increases erratic behaviour by 50%. A recent study, Effects of Energy Drinks Mixed with Alcohol on Behavioral Control: Risks for College Students Consuming Trendy Cocktails, published online in the Journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, suggests that the habit of drinking alcohol and energy drinks at the same time (a [...]
We have all seen them; the 'Porn T Shirts’ that depict semi naked women and equally offensive slogans. The men who wear them seem oblivious to the fact that they are not only offensive but also objectify women. So what can be done about them? We have the technology and today that gives everyone a [...]
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children and is part of the UK police force. The CEOP also overseas specialist areas such as their: Behavioural Analysis Unit Victim identification Child Trafficking Unit Most Wanted initiative In fact the [...]
It would seem that today society is so keen to be seen as ‘politically correct’ that we have backed ourselves into a corner. We no longer have the freedom to play, educate, learn or relax as we would like for fear of ‘upsetting’ or ‘offending’ somebody, anybody. Tom Hodgkinson from The Independent (UK) recently wrote [...]
A recent study considered the longitudinal effects of exposing children to violence and aggressive behaviour. It found that the more violence children are exposed to at a young age, the more they consider it to be normal behaviour and what’s more they are more likely to engage in aggressive behaviour towards others. The study said [...]
84% of Pro-ana sites feature thinspiration: images or video montages of slim women, often celebrities, who may be anything from naturally slim to emaciated with visibly-protruding bones.* People, especially young people, who suffer from any sort of eating disorder, are extremely vulnerable. They are not only physically weakened by malnutrition but they are also mentally [...]
Many people, including regular cannabis users, argue that there is no link between using cannabis and the onset of mental health issues later in life. However a longitudinal study spanning 10 years has now shown that new users of cannabis, especially young people, are more likely to develop psychotic symptoms than those who never used [...]
