Peer pressure often leads individuals to do something they would not normally do in an attempt to “belong.” Risky behaviors usually stem from some form of peer pressure because kids will feel left out or ridiculed when they don’t follow the crowd.
Details
Art therapy encourages the teen to offer his own thoughts and critiques. It gives adolescents an outlet to release emotions inaccessible through talking.
Details
Underage drinking and resulting alcohol dependency is a major concern. Parents should talk to their teens about the dangers of drinking and watch for these 7 signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse.
Details
Although drug abuse has declined in the past 20 years (1), teens are using certain substances, like marijuana, more than ever. Mental illness and substance abuse in teens requires treatment, as co-occurring disorders can make it difficult to live a healthy and normal life. While all teens and adolescents experience anxiety, stress, and sadness, some…
Details
Teen depression and substance abuse are closely linked. Mental health problems can lead to self-medicating, where you use drugs and/or alcohol to alleviate symptoms like sadness. About 8% of adolescents suffer from depression, and 11.5% of high school seniors use illicit drugs other than marijuana at least annually. (1) The teenage years are stressful, awkward,…
Details
With 11.5% of high school seniors using an illicit drug other than marijuana and another 35.7% using marijuana last year, parents understandably wonder how to talk about substance abuse to teens. Teens and adolescents have to navigate complex relationships, challenges, and social pressures while learning how to make responsible decisions. This can make it easy…
Details
Learning how to talk about mental health to teens is an equally difficult task. Teens may not have as much understanding of the root of their emotions as adults. Because their logical reasoning centers are still maturing, they simply may not be able to understand themselves yet fully. Fortunately, mental health disorders are highly treatable.…
Details
Drug use has declined among teens in the past ten years. But certain mental health conditions, like anxiety, have increased. Anxiety disorders among teens rose 20% between 2007 and 2012. With 1 out of every 3 of teens between the ages of 13 and 17, eventually developing an anxiety disorder, teen anxiety and substance abuse…
Details
Mental health professionals founded cognitive-behavioral therapy on the concept that negative thoughts generate negative feelings. These feelings about the self and reality contributed to any individual’s issues. Since its conception, cognitive-behavioral therapy, also known as CBT, has become a very popular type of psychotherapy. Therapists often use CBT as a treatment for those struggling with…
Details
One of the primary causes of teen substance abuse is a class of common conditions known as impulse control disorders. Disorders of this nature involve an individual who has difficulty resisting the urge to engage in certain behavior and actions. These behaviors and actions are ultimately harmful and self-destructive. Impulsive behavior can also involve positive…
Details