A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
For the vast majority of teens, using social-media sites and texting has become a part of daily life, but they still prefer communicating face-to-face, according to a survey released Tuesday. Overall, the teens who participated in the study painted a positive picture of the influence of social media on their relationships and self-image. More than [...]
Adolescent girls who get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are no more likely to show signs they may be engaging in sexual activity than girls who do not get the vaccine, according to a new study that challenges a widely held belief. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus, and some strains of the [...]
A new study shows a strong, early penchant for gothic, punk, heavy metal and hardcore dance music can be a predictor of teens who will go astray. Lovers of "deviant" music by age 12 were "more engaged in minor delinquency in late adolescence", the four-year study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found. The bad behaviour [...]
The emerging youth mental health crisis makes it clear to mental health professionals, educators and researchers that for some reason our young people are having ever-greater difficulty controlling their mental and emotional content, their inner world. The situation reminds me of the iconic book by Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are.4 This book was published in 1963 and [...]
My tilt at sobriety came after 20 years of partying that had left me physically and emotionally spent. It was ironic, given my job. Sunday Age readers may remember an article I wrote at the time, in which I outed myself as the binge-drinking health reporter. During the week I wrote about Australia's booze-soaked culture. [...]
97% of children play video games* 2% are addicted The recent story of an Adelaide mother who is struggling with her 17 year old son’s addiction to the online fantasy game Runescape probably rang alarm bells with many parents who suspect or know their teenager is in front of a screen far too often and [...]
Girlfriend December 2012 Newsflash: Three quarters of Girlfriend readers are not having sex - sex survey This may come as a surprise: 76% of Girlfriend readers are not sexually active. GF cites their reasons: Waiting to be in love (56%) Not wanting to have sex (37%) Feeling too young (31%) No particular reason (26%) Waiting [...]
Body image is the No. 1 concern for young people aged 12 to 24. Signs include obsessing about their weight, their shape, their size. Parents should focus on a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Praise your daughter for her accomplishments not her looks.* The new Lottie doll has arrived and it is a welcome change from the [...]
70% of smokers say they want to quit. Most smokers start when they are teenagers. Tobacco is addictive, out of the 3 million smokers in Australia, 70% want to quite but find the habit very hard to kick even though they are aware of the health risks. Saturday 1 December 2012, saw a new turning [...]
A weighty issue… Last week there was a call from prominent Australian doctor for schools to include students’ Body Mass Index (BMI) scores on their report cards. The idea behind this is to “stimulate discussion” between parents, teachers and – presumably – kids about their health and in particular, their weight. I [...]
