What type of counseling is right for your teen? (Image via Wikipedia)
For parents who are looking for someone to help their child through a difficult time, the world of mental health can be very confusing. Within the sphere of mental health services there are psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, nurse practitioners, and social workers. It can be a struggle to determine which type of mental health practitioner is the right type to provide the assistance your child needs. Additionally, there are specialties within this sphere that can muddy the waters even more.
There is an easy way, however, to know who to turn to when your adolescent needs help. It comes down to three things. First, you need to choose someone who is a licensed and trained to assist people with mental health issues. Second, you need to choose a practitioner that specializes in working with children, teens, and their families. Third, you need someone who your child can connect with, someone they are comfortable with, and someone with whom they can develop a rapport.
This third element is why you may decide to pursue faith-based counseling. Shared faith and beliefs can provide a foundation for the connection and rapport that can make all the difference in managing mental health. Additionally, adolescence is one of the first times in life that people begin to question the beliefs that were handed down to them from their parents in an effort to establish themselves as a separate being. Religious beliefs are one of these handed down belief systems that may be called into question and having a counselor to talk to who shares those beliefs can make this process less tumultuous.
Faith-based counseling can also be very beneficial for those families and teens that have a strong religious belief and practice. For these families, their beliefs are so foundational to who they are and how their children are raised that it is critical to have a mental health practitioner who understands not only their faith but how integral that faith is to who they are and how they were raised. Families and teens can seek the mental health services they need without feeling as though they need to disregard or defend their beliefs.
Some faith-based counseling programs and counselors approach treatment holistically and look to integrate the mental, relational, emotional, and spiritual aspects of care to help the whole person. Faith-based mental health practitioners may combine faith, spirituality, theological concepts into the traditional therapeutic process. This approach to mental health management believes that treating these types of problems works best when faith and modern science combine to treat the whole person.
If you feel this is the best approach for your family, make sure you look for faith-based practitioners who also meet the first two qualifications above. They must be a licensed mental health practitioner and specialize in working with children, teens, and families. Mental health problems can be very serious and it is crucial that the person you trust with your adolescent’s well-being is trained in treating mental health issues first and foremost.
Now Hiring: Adolescent & Young Adult Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist PT, Independent Contractor
Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Providers at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety/OCD, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide prevention, and family counseling.
We are seeking a Part-Time, Independent Contract Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist; to work 1-2 days per week M-F, flexible hours, at our north Phoenix location.
Minimum Qualifications:
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Certification with current unrestricted license from the Arizona State Board of Nursing or Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine with current unrestricted license from the Arizona State Board of Medical Examiners
Current DEA License, NPI Number
Three or more years’ experience in the delivery of mental health treatment of adolescents and young adults
Current CPR & First Aid Certifications
Empaneled with at least one major insurance carrier in Arizona preferred.
Individual malpractice insurance coverage
Able to support a faith-based holistic, integrated model of treatment
Energetic and passionate regarding working with the adolescent and young adult population
Possess excellent interpersonal skills and the desire to grow with a rapidly expanding practice
Team Player willing to work with a multidisciplinary team of professionals in treatment planning and provision of care
Responsibilities will include:
Psychiatric evaluations and medication management of patients
Prescribe, direct, and administer psychotherapeutic treatments and/or medications to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
Collaborate with our team of professionals for best care practices in the treatment of adolescents, young adults and their families.
This month, people all over the country will be working to spread awareness about mental health issues and the benefits of mental health treatment. At the forefront of this effort is Mental Health America, the oldest community-based network committed to helping people live mentally healthier lives. Since 1949, Mental Health America has been celebrating National Mental Health Month in May and encouraging everyone to become advocates for important changes to mental health policy and to help raise awareness about mental health conditions.
There are two themes selected for this year’s awareness and educational effort that may resonate with parents, teenagers, and families.
The first theme is Healing Trauma’s Invisible Wounds. This part of the campaign focuses on how traumatic events can impact people and the larger community. In many cases, traumatic events can have an overwhelming, often lifelong effect on the physical, emotional, and mental well being of those involved. It isn’t uncommon for survivors and those around them to forget that the impact can be lasting after the exterior wounds have healed. Raising awareness about how significant the impacts can be and how therapy can help is the goal of this part of the campaign.
For parents, understanding that trauma is more than just physical injury and that all trauma can leave lasting damage that needs to be treated can give them the information they need to get help for their child.
Traumatic events come in many shapes and sizes and go far beyond those circumstances that result in physical trauma. According to the Healing Trauma’s Invisible Wounds literature, there are several different kinds of trauma including:
Social Violence including terrorism, war, and living under an oppressive political system. This also includes the trauma experienced by serving in combat.
Natural Disasters including hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, and floods.
Accidental Causes like automobile accidents, sports injuries, or other serious injuries sustained under accidental circumstances.
Chronic Social Stress including being a victim of racism, sexism, poverty, or cultural problems.
Childhood Trauma which includes being neglected, having a parent who is an alcoholic or drug addict, living in a home where domestic violence is present, the loss of a parent, and being the victim of physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse.
Healing the wounds that traumatic events leave behind is critical in order to help survivors develop healthy coping mechanisms and behaviors.
The second theme is Do More for 1 in 4. This part of the campaign seeks to increase awareness about the prevalence of mental health conditions amongst U.S. adults. This call to action aims to inspire people to help the 1 out of every 4 adults who live with a diagnosable mental health condition to get the treatment they need and live the life they deserve.
For parents, understanding how mental health conditions can impact their teens and adolescents, and being open to getting adolescents the help they need early on in their life, can drastically change the course of their lives.
Join us in celebrating Mental Health Month and get involved. Visit Mental Health America for more information.
Are you overwhelmed by the types of Psychotherapy? Read this article to better understand.(Image via Marquette La on Flicker)
For parents new to the world of mental health, the different types of practitioners and the different therapeutic techniques can seem overwhelming. The good news is that you don’t have to know all the answers in order to find a mental health professional that can help your child. However, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the most common types of psychotherapy in use today so that you can feel like you are making an informed decision. To help you with that understanding, here are the basic definitions of the most common types of psychotherapy.
One of the most common types of psychotherapy in use today, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is often combined with other techniques and methodologies to provide the most comprehensive treatment for a client. In essence, the cognitive-behavioral approach to mental health rests on the idea that children learn what they live. The environment a person is raised in, the circumstances of their upbringing, and the major events of their childhood and adolescence play a large role in who they become. If a child is raised by parents that don’t express their emotions in a healthy manner, the child will mimic this dysfunctional response and may struggle to identify and express their own emotions. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) works to replace those dysfunctional thought patterns, responses, and behaviors by introducing healthy alternatives and reinforcing the change through positive experiences. As the problems each client is facing are different, the techniques, tools, and strategies used in CBT can vary and are generally specific to the needs of the individual client.
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy is also based around behavior but differs in that it seeks to use changes in behavior to change thought patterns and emotional responses. This approach to psychotherapy is very structured and includes techniques like self-monitoring, role playing, and behavior modification.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
This type of psychotherapy combines cognitive-behavioral techniques geared at learning to regulate emotions and learn to identify reality versus perceptions with practices like mindfulness, acceptance, and distress tolerance. It was primarily developed as a way to treat people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and is the first therapy to prove effective in helping those with BPD. It also shows promise in helping those with spectrum mood disorders like self injury and can an effective approach for treating teens who exhibit cutting behaviors.
Humanistic Therapy
The Humanistic Therapy method of treating those with mental health concerns takes a very different approach than the behavior-based methodologies. It centers on the concept of self-actualization and the idea that people are responsible for their own choices. This means that childhood experiences, learned behaviors, and any resulting dysfunction are irrelevant, what matters is taking responsibility for the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors experienced. Therapy may focus on major internal conflicts like acceptance, authenticity, and individualism.
Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytical Therapy
This is one of the oldest schools of thought around treating mental health concerns and centers on how someone’s childhood, upbringing, and parental relationships are impacting their current lives. Although psychodynamic analysis may be part of a mental health professionals approach to treatment, it is not generally the only tool in their toolbox.
It is important to remember that these are not the only types or techniques used by mental health practitioners. There are many other approaches and methods that are valid and proven to help those in need. The most important factor in getting your child the help they need is to find a mental health professional that your child is comfortable with and partner with them to find the right approach for your child’s needs.
Doorways LLC, Hosts Tissues for Teens Donation Drive to Benefit Crisis Pregnancy Center of Greater Phoenix
Doorways LLC, a counseling clinic in Phoenix that specializes in working with adolescents, teens and young adults, is inviting the community to join them in a charity donation drive to help the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Phoenix.
Crisis Pregnancy Center has a “wish list” of much needed items and at the top of their wish list are boxes of tissues because they go through them like crazy! That’s why Doorway is hosting the “Tissues for Teens” donation drive through June 1st, 2012.
The community can help Crisis Pregnancy Center by dropping off donations of new boxes of facial tissues to the Doorways clinic located at 1825 E. Northern Ave. Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85020. The tissues will be distributed to Crisis Pregnancy Center during the first week in June. For directions or any other information go to http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602.997.2880.
The Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix, Inc. (CPC) was founded in 1982 with the vision of serving the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of women and families who are in crisis because of an unplanned pregnancy.
What: A group combining biblical truth with psychology to help adolescents discover who they are, what hides the truth, and how to pursue a lifelong journey towards all we’re created to be.
When: Tuesdays, June 5th through July 24th from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Person uses cell phone while driving. (Image via Wikipedia)
It Isn’t Just Our Teenagers
Distracted driving is everywhere in our society and it isn’t just our teenagers who are failing to give their full attention to the road while they are behind the wheel. It is very likely that if you drove a car at any point in the last 24 hours, you did something that falls under the heading of distracted driving. When we hear “Distracted Driving” many of us think it refers to teenagers texting while they drive, which is true, but only part of the problem.
It Isn’t Just About Texting
The term distracted driving has become almost synonymous with texting while driving, but it includes many other activities as well, some of which are very common occurrences during any daily commute. Distracted driving is defined by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) as performing or participating in any activity that could divert the driver’s attention away from driving. This means that most of the things we do in the car qualify as distracted driving and increase our likelihood of being in an accident. The NHTSA lists the following activities as distractions that can cause a hazardous driving condition:
Texting
Using a SmartPhone for any activity
Talking on the phone
Talking to passengers
Using a GPS
Reading a map
Drinking
Eating
Grooming (i.e. putting on mascara or lipstick)
Messing with the radio
Texting is the Worst
When you write and send a text message, you have to divert attention from driving to perform the functions required to look at the screen, type in the message, make sure the message is right, and then send it. This means that you are stealing visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the act of driving which can result in very dangerous consequences.
The Hard Truth
The statistics don’t lie. In 2009, the NHTSA indicates that 5,474 people died in car accidents where the driver was distracted and 10% of all accidents that year involved some kind of distracted behavior. Teen drivers are much more likely to be in a fatal accident when they are distracted than any other age group. Texting while driving makes it 23 times more likely that an accident will occur and sending an average text message takes the drivers eyes off the road for almost 5 seconds. This is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field blind folded. Using a headset for phone calls isn’t much safer than just holding the phone in your hand because it still diverts the same amount of cognitive attention. In fact, research completed by the University of Utah found that using a cell-phone while driving, regardless of whether it is hands-free or not, causes the same delayed reaction drivers who are legally drunk experience.
What Parents Can Do
1. Set a Good Example
If you don’t want your teens using their cell phones, eating, drinking, talking, or doing other distracting activities while driving, show them by practicing what you preach.
2. Talk to Teens
Sit down with your teen and explain why distracted driving is so dangerous and what activities constitute distracted driving. Being clear about which behaviors are putting them at risk will help them to make the right decision when it matters.
3. Take the Pledge
As part of the NHTSA’s awareness campaign, they are asking individuals, families, businesses… really anyone who drives, to take the distraction-free driving pledge. Avoiding taking those 5 seconds to send a quick text while driving could literally save your life.
Parents need to talk with their teens about steps to take to prevent teenage pregnancy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you have watched the news lately, you may have heard that the latest report from the CDC indicates the birth rate for teen mothers hit a record low in 2010. This is great news! However, even with the lower rate, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy says that more than 2,000 teenage girls will get pregnant today. By the time they are 20, 3 out of every 10 girls will have been pregnant at least once but few of them will have considered the consequences of becoming a teen mother or understand how having a baby will change their life.
When it comes to preventing teen pregnancy, parents can have a big impact. The CDC says that parents who talk to their teens about sex are more likely to be older when they start having sex and will use birth control more consistently. Here are 4 ways parents can play a part in preventing teen pregnancy.
1. Set Boundaries
Establishing boundaries about what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is important when you are raising children of any age, but when it comes to teenagers, clear expectations are crucial. You want them to spread their wings and learn to make good decisions on their own but you need to provide a relatively safe space where they can do that. This is where boundaries come in. Setting boundaries like curfews, financial responsibilities, and expectations about sexual behavior are the key to letting your teenager test their wings while minimizing the risk.
If sex is a taboo topic in your house, your teens won’t feel comfortable coming to you if they have questions or concerns and most importantly, when they need help. Establishing an open, honest dialogue with your adolescent allows you to answer their questions with accurate information and cuts down on amount of misinformation they take as truth. In order to guide your teen and be a source of support and wisdom, you all need to feel comfortable discussing sensitive subjects.
3. Build a Good Relationship
This goes hand in hand with #2. Having a good relationship with your adolescent means you can act as their guide, their mentor, and their conscience, rather than their warden or adversary. Don’t mistake a good relationship that is built on trust, discipline, boundaries, and respect as permission to be your teenager’s friend or to abdicate your parental responsibilities in order to keep the ties close.
4. Take a Stand
When it comes to teenagers and sex, you need to take a stand and tell them straight-up what expectations you have. Before you can do this, you need to be very clear about where it is that you stand. How do you feel about teenagers having sex? What age would be “old enough” in your eyes? How do you feel about birth control? Why do you feel the way you do? If you believe that teenagers shouldn’t have sex until they are 16 or 18, be ready to explain why as this can anchor your values more firmly in your teenagers mind. They are more likely to adopt your views and live by the values you find important if they understand why you feel the way you do.
On May 2nd, which is the 11th annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, schedule in some family time and talk to your teen about sex, teen pregnancy, boundaries, and where you stand on the issues. Make sure one of the voices they hear when they are faced with the tough decisions ahead of them is yours.
Doorways LLC announces new services for Spanish speaking adolescents and young adults who struggle with
eating disorders, depression, mood or anxiety disorders,self-harm, trauma or abuse, and ADD/ADHD.
Doorways, LLC. has hired two bilingual Spanish providers: Dr. Roberto Bracamonte, and Ms. Sarah Van Holland MC, LPC.
Dr. Roberto Bracamonte, who is originally from El Salvador, earned his medical degree from the Universityof El Salvador. He has practiced as an Adult General Psychiatrist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York and as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for the State University of New YorkHealth Science Center at Brooklyn. In the last three years he has worked at Remuda Ranch as a Staff Psychiatrist, Arizona Children’s Association as a Child Psychiatrist, and is currently at Valley Hospital in Phoenix.
Dr. Roberto Bracamonte
Sarah earned a master’s degree in counseling from Arizona State University. For the past four years she has worked at an Arizona community mental health agency, providing in-home and school-based assessments as well as counseling Spanish-speaking children and their families.
Doorways, LLC. is a faith-based mental health services organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Therapists, psychiatric providers and a dietitian at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide and more. For more information, visit http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602-997-2880.
The Art of Recovery – is a one-day event offering educational workshops, resources and solutions. This Expo is for everyone- people searching for help, those already in recovery, family members especially parents who want to learn about prevention, and anyone whose life has been impacted by addiction.
The 2011 Art of Recovery Expo will take a special focus on substance abuse prevention and will present parents and all youth mentors in the Valley with an important fact-gathering opportunity. The event is free.
Sarah VanHolland, MC, LAC, has joined Doorways LLC., as licensed counselor.
VanHolland, who is bilingual in Spanish, earned a master’s degree in counseling from Arizona State University. For the past four years she has worked at an Arizona community mental health agency, providing in-home and school-based assessments as well as counseling Spanish-speaking children and their families.
She was inspired to begin working with young people after a volunteering experience in high school. She also is “passionate about reaching out to underserved people in our community and empowering others to feel valued.”
VanHolland specializes in working with acculturation issues, depression, anxiety, parent-child relationships and advocating for individual education rights within the public school system.
A Phoenix native, VanHolland is married to Ben, a math teacher, and has a one-year-old son.
Doorways LLC is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Therapists at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide and more. For more information, visit http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602-997-2880.
Since computers starting coming into the home and video games left the arcade, parents have expressed concerns about how much is too much and how these virtual interfaces will impact the lives of our children over the long term. For years, the main concerns around overuse of electronic media have centered on physical activity levels, studying, and the effect of violent, sexist, and racist themes on young minds. Recently I was asked my thoughts on the impact things like Facebook, Twitter, and video games are having on today’s youth. My answers might surprise you.
One of the main problems that I see is an increase in teens and young adults with significant social anxiety problems that seem to stem from spending too much time interacting with a computer and not enough time interacting with actual people. I call this “Social Phobia.” This is especially pertinent for teens that are in the 12 to 15 year old range that are actively developing and refining the social skills that will help them throughout their lives. The more time a child spends in isolation posting on Facebook, playing Xbox, chatting online, texting, and watching YouTube videos, the less time they spend interacting with their peers and families. These real-world interactions are necessary for developing social skills, understanding social protocols, and building interpersonal relationships.
What Parents Should Look For
Parents should trust their instincts and if they are concerned there might be a problem, seek the opinion of a professional.
Parents also need to make the distinction between what is normal behavior and what is healthy behavior. Your son might spend 12 hours a day playing video games which seems normal when compared to his friends, but most health professionals would agree that even if it is normal, 12 hours of video game play in a day is definitely not healthy.
Watch for resistance to social situations and avoidance of social interactions. If your child is having a significant emotional response to a situation that requires social interaction, there may be a social problem that needs to be addressed.
What Parents Can Do
The most important step parents can take is to start young. Set expectations and ground rules about media use early in childhood which will help your child develop good habits as they grow into teenagers.
Provide multiple social outlet opportunities for your children through church, community, sports, and educational activities. But, beware of over-scheduling, children need downtime too.
Don’t accommodate their anxiety; it’s ok for them to be uncomfortable in social situations because they are learning how to manage those types of interactions. Giving in and allowing them to avoid socializing only reinforces the avoidance behaviors.
For parents with children who are suffering from a mental illness, it can be very difficult to know when their child’s problems are typical and manageable, and when those problems begin to endanger other people.
There are warning signs you can watch for if you are concerned that there may be something going on with your child that might endanger themselves or others. Here are four tips parents can use in these difficult situations.
1. When Something Feels Off, Pay Attention
As parents, we know our children better than anyone and the most important thing you can do is to trust your instincts. If something feels off, check it out. If your child’s behavior seems to change overnight or they suddenly stop participating in things they used to enjoy, talk to them and don’t stop talking and listening until you find out what is going on.
2. Challenges with Peers
Often times, the peers of teens who act out in dangerous ways or harmed their families also sensed something was off or strange about them. If your child is having difficulty interacting with their peers, getting bullied, or having trouble fitting in with others in their age group, seek a second opinion. Often, as parents, we are too close to form an objective opinion about whether our child is struggling to fit in because they have some social anxiety, a few extra pounds, or braces and when their peers avoid them because they sense they are anti-social, odd, or dangerous. Someone outside the situation can provide valuable insight into what is normal and what needs immediate attention.
One of the biggest challenges every parent faces is keeping communication going when times get tough. Often, the times when our children need us the most are also the times they are least likely to seek our counsel or ask for our help. Create safe spaces for your child to open up about things you don’t approve of so that they don’t let small problems become life-altering situations simply because they didn’t want to get in trouble. Remember that communicating is a two way street and that you need to listen at least as much as you talk.
Remind yourself that there is no such thing as perfect parents or perfect children. Be the best parent you can and provide your children with a solid foundation, room to learn to make mistakes, and opportunities to make decisions, even bad ones. Be there for them in whatever ways you can when they falter but remember that they have free will and they are going to make their own choices. Even amazing parents can have children who make very bad choices. But, the opposite is also true, even when parents seem to do everything wrong, most adolescents turn out to be amazing, wonderful adults!
Jan is a nationally Board CertifiedPsychiatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in adolescent treatment. She earned her Master’s of Science and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner certification through the University of Arizona. She then worked for over eight years at Remuda Ranch providing inpatient services for adolescents and adults suffering from eating disorders. Jan has been a registered nurse for 31 years and worked in a wide variety of medical settings, including 30 years of serving young people through her work with Young Life, an interdenominational outreach program. Her desire to provide quality psychological and psychiatric care for adolescents and young adults in an outpatient, faith based setting has led to the opening of Doorways in 2008.
Every parent who has ever had a teenager understands this feeling. It is a topic I get asked about a lot and a frequent topic in family therapy. As teenagers grow, one of the fundamental changes they are making is the formulation of their own identity, separate and distinct from that of their parents. In former centuries, this change more closely coincided with actual changes in circumstances as well, like getting married, striking out on their own, or taking on more adult responsibilities. Even so, there were probably quite a few shouting matches and just as much misunderstanding between parents and their teenagers as there is today.
Communication is the key to helping our teenagers navigate the often rocky path between childhood and adulthood. Unfortunately, the very nature of that change creates significant challenges and barriers to communication. In order to keep the communication channels open, parents need to take charge of keeping them clear. Here are 6 things that will help you communicate better with your teen.
1. Communication is more than Words
Remember that there is more to communicating than just the words that come out of your mouth. Your teenager is attuned to the subtle and silent messages you send with your body language and the tone of your voice. If these messages don’t match, your child will interpret what they think you really mean and respond accordingly.
2. Watch What You Say
Most teenagers have heard what you are about to say a hundred times. They can tell by the circumstances, your body language, and the tone of your voice what is coming and if it is old news or an unwelcome message, they may tune it out. Pay attention to all the messages you are sending and look for ways to impart the same message without wandering into a well-known battlefield.
3. Listen
Communication is not just about talking or educating the other person or convincing them that your point of view is right. Communication is about a two-way exchange. You need to learn to listen, to truly listen, to what your teen is saying before you can learn to communicate with them. Too often, parents tune out their kids as well, only hearing the things they want to hear or using the time their child is talking to think about what they are going to say next. Listening to your teenager is the most empowering thing you can do.
4. Trust Your Parenting
Trust in the foundation you provided them and give them room to make choices, fail, and then learn from their mistakes. Believe in the guidance and education you instilled in them. Don’t lecture. Focus on listening and allow them to make decisions for themselves. Bolster their belief in themselves by showing them you believe in their ability to make good decisions.
5. Be a Curious Observer
One of the reasons teenagers feel so misunderstood is that their lives, bodies, hormones, and relationships are in a constant state of flux. You can help them through these challenges by providing validation that they are OK, that they are good people, and that what they are going through is normal. To do this, you must be curious about their lives, ask open-ended questions, and then listen to what they have to say. But you must only be an observer; you cannot force openness and you shouldn’t use curiosity to spy or pry into their lives.
6. Watch Out for Transference
Remember that your child is not you. If you have issues to work through, take the initiative and work through them yourself, don’t assume your child is going down the same path you did or that they will make the same mistakes you made. You don’t want to limit their freedom to find their own path, make their own mistakes, and learn to live with the consequences that result because of your own fears or guilt about your past. The healthier you are, the better you are able to let go when you need to.
About Jan Hamilton, MS, PMHNP-BC
Jan is a nationally Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in adolescent treatment. She earned her Master’s of Science and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner certification through the University of Arizona. She then worked for over eight years at Remuda Ranch providing inpatient services for adolescents and adults suffering from eating disorders. Jan has been a registered nurse for 31 years and worked in a wide variety of medical settings, including 30 years of serving young people through her work with Young Life, an interdenominational outreach program. Her desire to provide quality psychological and psychiatric care for adolescents and young adults in an outpatient, faith based setting has led to the opening of Doorways in 2008.
Few parents escape the teenage years without dealing with daily doses of drama that are an inescapable part of growing up. But how do you know when your teen is just being over-dramatic, when they are hurting but healthy, or when the drama is a sign of clinical depression?
Many teens today are dealing with the relationship drama that is part of being a teenager and mood difficulties can be the result of all the drama. Many teens are struggling because they find themselves in relationships, romantic or not, that they aren’t equipped to handle. Depression can result when a relationship fails or does not work out as they expected and the drama associated with sudden changes in relationships only complicates the situation.
Many teens find themselves in relationships that got too romantic too quickly, and not just in the physical sense. The end of a whirlwind relationship can be just as devastating if the connection wasn’t physical, if there was an emotional aspect, that’s enough. The emotional highpoints of a new relationship and the emotional drama experienced when the relationship suddenly disappears can lead teens to feelings of depression.
Social networking, online friendships, and electronic communications have also changed the rules of the teenage game. Unlike the teen years of their parents, today’s teens are hyper-connected to everyone they know, every minute of the day. Twenty years ago, a fight between two friends may have resulted in a flurry of phone calls and drawn in three or four other people. Today, that fight is played out on Facebook in front the entire school. We know as therapists that human beings are not designed to participate in a hundred relationships at the same time which is in essence what social networking sites like Facebook ask us to do. As a result of all of these relationships and the hyper-connected nature of their lives, teens today are bombarded with an exponential amount of relationship drama that is playing out like a television soap opera 24 hours a day.
The implied intimacy of knowing the thoughts, feelings, and everyday activities of the people in your life provides the façade of friendship where no real relationship exists. Many of these online friendships and relationships weren’t built the way real relationships need to be built in order to be sustained. Pair this with the fact that most people will say things to others online that they would never consider saying in person, and it is easy to understand why all this drama can drag our teenagers further into potential mood problems.
Even more concerning for the long term is how social networking impacts the skills teenagers need to develop in order to be able to handle relationships as they move into adulthood. Today there is a whole generation of people who have developed friendships online through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and chat, but these relationships are not the same as relationships that were formed and built in person. This group of teenagers doesn’t understand how to build real relationships and sustain them over time. As a result, when a real relationship comes into their life, they don’t know how to participate in it or how to take care of it, because the skills they need are missing. And when they lose that real relationship, they don’t know to handle the loss because it isn’t the same as having someone de-friend you on Facebook.
So what should parents do to help their child have healthy relationships and avoid relationship-caused mood problems?
Encourage your teenager to get involved in extracurricular activities at school, church or other organizations. From participating in sports or youth groups or volunteering for a community organization, all of these live activities provide teens with important one-on-one interaction and the opportunity to develop relationships with people.
Monitor computer and cell phone usage; set boundaries. I’ve heard some parents say that they insist that their kids share their passwords and give their parents 24 hour access to their social media accounts or text messages. While some might think this is extreme, as parents who are responsible for the well being and safety of our children, it might be a good idea.
Have regular family time. Another family started a tradition when their children were young of going out to pizza as a family every Friday night. Often times they would invite friends of the kids. Even though the children are now teenagers, and one in college they still look forward to going to dinner as a family every Friday night when the can. The benefit was that the family and kids spent the time eating and having conversation, something they didn’t do when they were all running in different directions.
Encourage your teen to go out with groups of friends instead of just dating one person exclusively.
Since computers starting coming into the home and video games left the arcade, parents have expressed concerns about how much is too much and how these virtual interfaces will impact the lives of our children over the long term. For years, the main concerns around overuse of electronic media have centered on physical activity levels, studying, and the effect of violent, sexist, and racist themes on young minds. Recently I was asked my thoughts on the impact things like Facebook, Twitter, and video games are having on today’s youth. My answers might surprise you.
One of the main problems that I see is an increase in teens and young adults with significant social anxiety problems that seem to stem from spending too much time interacting with a computer and not enough time interacting with actual people. This is especially pertinent for teens that are in the 12 to 15 year old range that are actively developing and refining the social skills that will help them throughout their lives. The more time a child spends in isolation posting on Facebook, playing Xbox, chatting online, texting, and watching YouTube videos, the less time they spend interacting with their peers and families. These real-world interactions are necessary for developing social skills, understanding social protocols, and building interpersonal relationships.
What Parents Should Look For
Parents should trust their instincts and if they are concerned there might be a problem, seek the opinion of a professional.
Parents also need to make the distinction between what is normal behavior and what is healthy behavior. Your son might spend 12 hours a day playing video games which seems normal when compared to his friends, but most health professionals would agree that even if it is normal, 12 hours of video game play in a day is definitely not healthy.
Watch for resistance to social situations and avoidance of social interactions. If your child is having a significant emotional response to a situation that requires social interaction, there may be a social problem that needs to be addressed.
What Parents Can Do
The most important step parents can take is to start young. Set expectations and ground rules about media use early in childhood which will help your child develop good habits as they grow into teenagers.
Provide multiple social outlet opportunities for your children through church, community, sports, and educational activities. But, beware of over-scheduling; children need downtime too.
Don’t accommodate their anxiety; it’s ok for them to be uncomfortable in social situations because they are learning how to manage those types of interactions. Giving in and allowing them to avoid socializing only reinforces the avoidance behaviors.
Article by: Sam Lample, MA, LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor
Join us September 14, 2011 at La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church for an interactive discussion about Adventures in Miscommunication. This is designed for teens and parents.
Sam Lample, Rachel Derbokow and Jan Hamilton will be facilitating.
As a counselor who works with teens and parents, this is one of the most common questions I am asked. Parents often struggle with this issue because the natural mood swings and personality changes that are a part of the teen years can make it difficult to determine if their child is acting normal or needs help. They are also hesitant to ask difficult questions because they don’t want to damage their relationship with their teen by accusing them of taking drugs. Maintaining a relationship built on trust can be an important part of successfully navigating the teenage years and it only takes one misstep to demolish the foundation of that trust. Parents may be hesitant to approach their teens when they are concerned because they don’t want to alienate them or push them further away.
In order to know when to be concerned, when to ask questions, and when to intervene, you need to know the facts. Here are the common signs of teenage drug use.
1. Changes in Social Circles
One sign that parents should be watching for is a significant change in their child’s friends or social circles. If your teenager has been friends with the same kids since elementary school and suddenly shifts to an entirely different set of friends, this may be cause for concern. First, look for other factors like joining a new club, or playing on a sports team that may explain an influx of new friends. Changes in social circles or standing by themselves are not always indicative of drug use, but parents should pay attention to these types of changes as they can point toward several teenage problems.
2. Changes in School Participation
Another thing to watch for is the development of a negative attitude about school in general. This includes spending less time and effort on school work and home work, skipping classes, and grades that are going down.
3. Changes in Personality
When teenagers begin using drugs, they often become more secretive and are touchier about privacy and having their own space. Signs of these behavior changes include getting angry if you are in their room, unwillingness to let you borrow their cell phone, refusing to leave their backpacks or school bags where others could access them, or offering vague answers about where they are going and who they are spending their time with.
4. Changes in Aromatic Usage
If your teen suddenly develops the need to burn incense or use room deodorizer on a regular basis, but doesn’t seem more concerned with cleaning their room, they may be trying to hide the smell of smoke or other odors. Intensified use of body spray or perfume is also a sign that something may be amiss.
5. Changes in Financial Needs
One indication that your teen may be using drugs is an increased need for money. This may be evident because of an increase in their requests to borrow money, offers to work around the house for cash, or money disappearing from purses and wallets. Teens that become suddenly invested in selling or pawning things like video games and other electronics may also have a problem that needs parental attention.
Parents and their involvement in their teenager’s lives are still the best deterrent to drug use. Providing a supportive environment with clear expectations helps set the stage for drug-free teen years. But it is equally important to know the signs that your teen is in trouble and how to help them through whatever problems they are facing.
by Jan Hamilton, MS, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Everyone knows that teenagers often have bigger appetites because of their rapid growth. Teenathletes, who can burn through as many as 5,000 calories a day, need even more food than their peers. If they don’t get enough calories it affects their energy level and can impact their athletic performance. In some cases, insufficient calories may even cause problems with their overall growth. But it isn’t enough for teen athletes to eat enough calories; it is also important that they are taking in the right mix of nutrients and have a relatively balanced diet.
Breakfast
Parents can help support the nutritional needs of their teen athletes by starting each day with a healthy breakfast. Have carbohydrate and protein filled choices such as whole grain bagels, peanut butter, eggs, yogurt and oatmeal available for a quick and healthy breakfast at home or on the go.
Diet
Everyone needs to eat a balanced diet but for teen athletes this is even more important. Their bodies are still growing which means they need the right mix of nutrients to support that growth while also providing the building blocks to boost performance and repair minor injuries. According to KidsHealth.org, a teen athlete’s diet should be 60-65% carbohydrates, 12-15% protein, and 20-30% healthy fats. Each of these three is equally important to your teen athlete’s development and performance. Carbohydrates provide the main fuel source for their body, while protein helps build muscle. Fats like those found in avocados and fish are critical to athletic performance because they provide the fuel for sustained energy.
Hydration
Teen athlete’s need to pay particular attention to their water intake and be diligent about keeping themselves hydrated. Drinking water throughout the day as well as before, during, and after physical exertion is the best way to maintain the optimal level of hydration in the body. When teen athletes become dehydrated, they may feel more tired, have less energy, and be less able to perform as expected on the field.
Calories
While there is no set amount of calories that all teen athletes need each day, the requirements are higher for teens that are active in sports or other physical activities. On average, teen athletes may need 2,000 calories more per day than their less athletic friends. The actual number is dependent on the person however and varies based on weight, sport, and age. The best way to determine the right amount of calories for your teen athlete is to work with a registered dietitian.
Snacks
One of the best ways to help teen athletes get the balanced diet and number of calories they need is to ensure they have healthy, energy boosting snacks available throughout the day. If your teen has practice directly after school they may be hitting their worst energy slump of the day just as practice is starting. Depending on what time lunch period is, it may have been 3 or more hours since their last meal and by the time practice is over, they may have gone for seven or more hours without anything substantial to eat. Pack snacks in their sports bag for before and after practice to ensure they have the energy to power through. Healthy and energy-boosting snack choices include nuts, dried fruits and fresh fruits and vegetables.
How much do you know about ADHD? Odds are that unless you or one of your family members are one of the 13 million Americans living with the condition, you probably know less than you think and much of what you know may be incorrect. The organizations behind the ADHD Awareness Coalition are working to change that with this year’s ADHD Awareness Week theme. The focus of this year’s campaign is education and information. People across the country will be urged to “Get the Facts about ADHD”.
For those with ADHD, the stigma attached to the diagnosis remains a real problem. Decades of scientific research and the acceptance of ADHD as a legitimate diagnosable condition by the medical and mental health communities have not changed the fact that many people continue to question whether or not ADHD is real. You would not tell a diabetic that they should be able to control their blood sugar themselves and if they can’t it is because they aren’t trying hard enough. And yet, for many with ADHD, this is the message they are consistently given about their condition. Changing how people view ADHD can change the lives of those who live with it and open up opportunities for them to thrive and contribute in new and different ways.
In recognition of ADHD Awareness Week, here are the seven facts you need to know about ADHD as outlined by the ADHD Awareness Coalition. For more information about the coalition or ADHD Awareness Week, visit http://www.adhdawarenessweek.org/.
1. ADHD is Real
ADHD is a brain-based disorder caused by a neurotransmitter imbalance. Although ADHD symptoms can be varied in different individuals, it is a diagnosable condition that is listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). It is recognized by every major medical, psychological, and educational group in the U.S including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institute of Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the U.S. Department of Education.
2. ADHD is a Common, Non-Discriminatory Disorder
An estimated 13 million children and adults in the U.S have ADHD. These people span every race, age, gender, religion, and socio-economic group. According to the CDC, 9.5% of children in America have been diagnosed with ADHD which means almost 1 in every 10 children is living with the condition. Although it was initially thought to be a childhood condition that resolved after adolescence, new research has shown that many adults continue to be impacted through their lifetime.
3. Diagnosing ADHD is a Complex Process
There is a specific diagnostic criterion for ADHD that doctors and mental health professionals use to determine whether or not an individual has ADHD. However, the incidence of co-existing conditions whose symptoms can mirror or mask ADHD symptoms make this process difficult. While there is not an ADHD blood test that will definitively determine whether or not someone has ADHD, there are tools and testing available to diagnosticians that enable diagnosis.
4. Other Mental Health Conditions Often Occur Along with ADHD
It is very common for someone with ADHD to also have some other mental health disorder. One of the most prevalent co-existing conditions is anxiety disorders which impact 30% of children and 25-40% of adults with ADHD. Depression is also common amongst those with ADHD and will affect almost 70% at some point in their lifetime. Those with ADHD are also more likely than those without ADHD to have a sleep and substance abuse disorders.
5. ADHD is Not Benign
ADHD can impact almost every area of a person’s life. For children, it can cause issues in school, with learning, in social development, and in building and sustaining relationships. For adults, it can affect employment, relationships, financial management, and health management. People with ADHD are more likely to get traffic tickets, be in traffic accidents, get divorced, and develop substance abuse problems.
6. ADHD is Nobody’s Fault
ADHD is a highly genetic neurological disorder. Things like family history, gender and environmental toxins may be factors that increase the likelihood of someone developing the condition. It is not caused by sugar, television, bad parents, bad teachers, lack of morals, food allergies, or laziness.
7. ADHD Treatment is Multi-Faceted
Most people with ADHD use a combined approach to treatment which may include psychotherapy, medication, coaching, behavior modification, and education.
Doorways specializes in the treatment of ADHD for teens, tweens and young adults. If you suspect your child has ADHD, please contact your family medical practitioner.
Why do teens cut themselves? Read more to find out. Image via WikipediaOn a good day, it can be difficult for parents to understand their teenagers. The teen years can be a mix of intense emotions, physical changes, peer pressure, and hormonal overload that can leave teens feeling like visitors in their own bodies. Lacking the emotional maturity and coping skills to deal with this onslaught, some teens turn to cutting and other destructive behaviors for relief. For parents everywhere, this terrifying trend is impossible to understand. To help, here are the basics.
On a good day, it can be difficult for parents to understand their teenagers. The teen years can be a mix of intense emotions, physical changes, peer pressure, and hormonal overload that can leave teens feeling like visitors in their own bodies. Lacking the emotional maturity and coping skills to deal with this onslaught, some teens turn to cutting and other destructive behaviors for relief. For parents everywhere, this terrifying trend is impossible to understand. To help, here are the basics.
What is Self Harm?
Any behavior that involves deliberately inflicting injury on your own body is considered self harm. This includes behaviors like cutting, head banging, and burning. Teenagers use these behaviors as coping strategies to deal with intense emotions that they don’t know how to handle. It is important for parents to understand that self harm behaviors are not suicide attempts, although they can be a cry for help.
Common forms of self harm include severe scratching, cutting, poisoning, carving into skin, hitting, piercing the skin, biting, and burning. It is common for people who self harm to use more than one method to cause injury. The most common locations for self injury are those that are easily reached including legs, arms, and the front of the body.
Why Do Teens Hurt Themselves?
For some teens, self harm provides a respite of some sort. It may be an outlet for intense emotional turmoil or it could offer a release of mounting tension. In some teens it even brings a sense of calm and quiet.
Self harm can also be an expression of control in a world that feels completely of control or a distraction from emotional pain. Teens may use self harm as a way to release emotions, to give their internal feelings an external representation. In some cases, self harm is a cry for help, while in others it is simply a way to attract attention and manipulate other people.
What Causes it
There is no specific condition that causes teens to self harm. While teens are the most prevalent sufferers, people of all ages may use self injury as a mechanism for dealing with difficult emotions. Self harm can also manifest in people who are suffering from mental illnesses like depression or eating disorders.
There are, however, some risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a teenager turning to self harm as an emotional outlet. These factors are:
Age – Teenagers in the highest risk age group
Mental Health – People who struggle to manage negative emotions, have difficulty with impulse control, and who suffer from specific mental illnesses are more prone to self harm.
Life Experiences – Teens who suffered abuse, neglect, or loss during their childhood are more likely than their peers to self harm.
What to Watch For
Most teens that self harm are secretive about their struggle because they are confused and ashamed by their own behavior. Signs to watch out for are scars, cuts, scratches, wounds, burns, and broken bones. Teens who wear long sleeves and pants in summer or claim clumsiness as the reason for their injuries may be trying to hide their self injuries.
How to Get Help
If you have a child that is harming themself, consult your medical practitioner and request an evaluation. These professionals can help guide you in raising the issue with your child and getting them the help they need. Psychotherapy is the most common treatment for self harm which may include individual counseling for your teen and family group.
Does your teenager have OCD? Read more to find out.
It can be difficult in this age of acronyms to know when your teenager’s behavior is appropriate for their developmental stage of life of when it’s something that a parent should be concerned about. With anxiety disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it is even harder to find. The difference between the two is the impact it has on the child’s daily life.
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that causes those who suffer from it to experience persistent anxiety, fear, or distressing thoughts and/or exhibit a ritualized behavior as a method to control their anxiety. For example, a child might be so afraid of germs, they wash their hands every 15 minutes. The obsessive nature of these thoughts and their compulsion to perform the ritual interfere with the teenager’s daily life.
Someone who is afraid of germs may develop a ritual that involves washing their hands a certain number of times at certain points over the course of the day. A child who is worried about their house burning down may develop a ritual involving checking their smoke alarms and fire extinguishers to ensure they are operating. It is important to remember that someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder does not believe they can control their compulsions and that these rituals offer only a temporary respite from their anxiety.
People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, both children and adults, may realize that their behavior is out of the ordinary but this is not always the case in children. OCD may be accompanied by other conditions including depression and eating disorders and affects the same number of males and females. In many cases, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder first presents during adolescence or the teen years.
What Causes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a brain disorder. Research has shown that it does tend to run in families but there is no clear indication of why one person develops the condition and another doesn’t. But the truth is clear, that OCD is no one’s fault, and especially does not occur because of something a parent did, or did not do.
What are the Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
A person suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder will display many of the following symptoms:
Repetitive thoughts that are distressing or cause anxiety about several different things. Common obsessive topics include germs, dirt, crime, sexual acts, cleanliness, violence, or hurting others.
Ritual behavior patterns associated with their obsessions that they complete over and over to alleviate the anxiety. Rituals can involve actions like repetitive hand washing, locking and unlocking doors or windows, counting, and performing things in a specific way again and again.
Performing rituals can be distressing and are not a source of comfort or pleasure although they do alleviate feelings of anxiety temporarily.
Obsessive thoughts and rituals occupy at least one hour a day and impact the person’s daily life.
Symptoms may come and go over time and it is not uncommon for people suffering from OCD to use avoidance techniques to try and keep their anxiety from being triggered.
How is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Diagnosed?
As with many mental health conditions, start with your medical provider who can rule out any physical conditions that may be contributing or causing the symptoms. This doctor can refer you to a mental health practitioner for diagnosis and treatment.
How is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treated?
Traditional treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder involves both medication and exposure therapy. This type of therapy is often combined with cognitive behavioral therapy to provide desensitization and alternative coping strategies. Recent research supported by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health shows that children and teens respond most effectively to treatment with antidepressants in conjunction with therapy.
If you are concerned that your child or teen is experiencing obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, work with a professional who can assess your child’s behavior and advise you on the appropriate course of action.
Generalized anxiety disorder most commonly affects those between adolescence and middle age. Image via Wikipedia
Overview
Everyone worries about things, even children and teenagers. Whether the worry is over the upcoming history test, getting a date to the prom, or making the soccer team, anxiety is a normal part of everyday life. However, in some people, normal everyday worries can become excessive and everyday things can cause severe anxiety. This type of anxiety is called Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and it affects about 3% of the U.S.population each year, including one in eight children.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by exaggerated anxiety and unwarranted worry about everyday problems. People with this disorder may obsess about the worst case scenario in every situation and are unable to stop their anxiety from spiraling out of control. Women are two times as likely to have the disorder and it most commonly affects those between adolescence and middle age.
Teens and young adults with the disorder may not do as well in school, may be susceptible to substance abuse problems, and may struggle with social milestones if it is not treated. However, with the right combination of treatment, support, and assistance, children with GAD can learn to manage their symptoms and successfully navigate their lives.
Symptoms
People with GAD experience consistent, persistent, chronic worry or anxiety about things that do not warrant this level of anxiety for more than 6 months.
One of the key differences between the anxiety everyone experiences and GAD is that everyday anxiety is temporary and GAD is not. Adults and children with GAD can experience heightened anxiety all day, every day and it can interfere with their normal activities. It is common for those with GAD to use avoidance as a tool for managing their anxiety. An adolescent who is experiencing temporary anxiety will respond to comforting words, reassurances, and a list of the reasons they don’t need to be anxious. The anxiety of a child or teen with GAD will not be soothed by these techniques.
In addition to the chronic nature of the anxious thoughts and feelings someone with GAD experiences, there are also some physical symptoms that are often present with the disorder including:
Unexplained fatigue and problems sleeping
Restlessness, edginess, and irritability
Gastrointestinal problems including nausea and diarrhea
Difficulties concentrating and headaches
Causes
Generalized anxiety disorder has no known cause but stress, traumatic events, heredity, and biological factors may contribute to its onset. It is relatively common and can affect people of all ages. Although it generally develops gradually over time, many people with the disorder cannot remember a time when they did not experience some level of anxiety.
Treatment
Many people with GAD respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or a combination of both. Therapy can be beneficial in helping a person with the disorder to identify their triggers and modify their thought patterns and behavior. Techniques for easing anxiety and promoting relaxation can also be beneficial to those with GAD.
It is very common for people with GAD to have a co-existing disorder. Depression, substance abuse, and other anxiety disorders are commonly seen in those with the disorder. Getting diagnosis and treatment for any co-existing conditions is an important part of overall treatment for GAD.
Statistics about college students and substance abuse are cause for alarm. According to a report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse atColumbiaUniversitypublished in 2007, half of all college students binge drink and/or abuse both prescription and illicit drugs. One out of every four college students meets the medical criteria for substance dependence which is two and a half times the national average. When you factor in the long term consequences of these behaviors and the cost of college tuition, many college students are on a very expensive road to nowhere.
There are severe short term consequences of these behaviors as well. Researchers estimate that 1,700 college students die each year from unintentional alcohol related causes. The incidence of acquaintance rape, drunk driving, assault, and other serious criminal acts has been shown to increase significantly when alcohol is present. As many as 80% of all campus arrests are alcohol related.
Are things getting better or worse?
There are several studies that have been tracking college age substance use over the last 10-15 years and the findings are not encouraging. The percentage of college students who drank in the fifteen year period from 1993 to 2005 was relatively stagnant at 70% and the percentage of binge drinkers remained constant at 40%. And this is the good news.
The first area where a significant increase has been noted is in the number of students who binge drink frequently, rising 16% from 1993 to 2001. Increases were also noted in the number of students who drink more than 10 times a month (25%), those who get drunk three or more times a month (26%), and those who drink with the sole purpose of getting drunk (21%). This means that although the number of college students who are drinking hasn’t increased, the ones who are drinking are drinking more and drinking more often.
The second area where a significant increase is emerging is in the use and abuse of prescription drugs. The increases in the use of these substances are so high they almost seem outlandish with increases of 450% in the use of drugs like Xanax and 343% in the use of drugs like Vicodin and Percocet. Adderall, which is the prescription drug that has gotten the most press for abuse by college students, actually has the lowest percentage increase from 1993 to 2001 at 93%.
The third area where increases tell a disturbing story is in the use of illicit drugs. In the 15 year time span between 1993 and 2005 the percentage of college students using illicit drugs saw significant increases in all areas. The use of marijuana on a daily basis more than doubled while the use of all other illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy, and hallucinogens increased by 52%.
It is clear to see that the programs and systems put in place over the last two decades to turn the tide of drug and alcohol abuse by American college students are failing. This means more college students are suffering the consequences of these risky behaviors.
Who is at the highest risk?
Research from the Monitoring the Future organization indicates that there are some subgroups within the college environment which have a higher incidence of substance abuse and therefore are at a greater risk for developing substance abuse problems. College students who participate in the Greek system and belong to fraternities or sororities are more likely to abuse substances and participate in risky behavior than their non-Greek peers. Almost 90% of those students who participate in the Greek system drink alcohol compared to 67% of other students. Students in the Greek system are also more likely to binge drink, 67% vs. 37%, drink and drive, 33% vs. 21%, and smoke marijuana, 21% vs. 16%. Another subgroup at a higher risk is incoming freshman, 45% of whom were classified as heavy drinkers in 2001.
Male college students are more likely than female students to have used any illicit drug in the previous 12 month period and for most of the individual illicit drugs, male students were twice as likely as their female counterparts to have used that drug in the last year. Male students also use marijuana and alcohol on a daily basis at a rate twice that of female students. All these statistics indicate that male students are at greater risk of substance abuse problems during their college career.
Other research indicates that there are regional differences in the use of alcohol and all drugs that may put some students at higher risk than others. Students in the Northeast and West have a higher incidence of illicit drug use across the board. The use of methamphetamines, crystal meth, and ecstasy is the highest in the Western states. Alcohol use and abuse, including the highest prevalence of binge drinking, occurs more in the Northeast andMidwest.
Consequences of Abuse
The consequences of substance abuse by college students can be both significant and severe. Statistics show that the incidence of criminal activity like assault, vandalism, acquaintance rape, and driving under the influence increases with the use of alcohol or other substances. In 2001 alone, more than 1700 students died as a result of alcohol related injuries. The number of students who hurt themselves as a result of drinking went up by 38% between 1993 and 2001. Arrests on college campuses that were alcohol related increased by more than 20% from 2001 to 2005 and accounted for more than 80% of all campus arrests in 2005. Almost 100,000 students in 2001 alone were victims of an alcohol related rape or sexual assault and nearly 700,000 were assaulted by another student who was binge drinking.
The academic consequences of these behaviors cannot be understated. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Task Force on College Drinking, one of the main impacts of alcohol use on college campuses is failure to meet academic obligations. As many as 25% of college students have experienced some academic problem because of their alcohol use including failing tests, skipping classes, falling behind on class work, missing deadlines for papers and projects, and getting lower grades than expected.
The link between alcohol consumption and grades is so significant it can be used as an indicator. The findings of a survey conducted over a 3 year period that included almost 100,000 students found that the number of drinks consumed per week directly correlated to the student’s grade point average as follows:
Students with A averages consumed 4 drinks per week
Students with B averages consumed 6 drinks per week
Students with C averages consumed 8 drinks per week
Students with D or F averages consumed as many as 10 drinks per week
These findings make it easy to see why there is also a direct relationship between alcohol consumption and college drop-out rates.
Students who abuse alcohol or other substances are not the only ones impacted by their behavior. Other students on campus are consistently subjected to circumstances that impact their college experience because of substance abuse by others. Almost 60% of college students have had to miss sleep or found themselves unable to study because of another student’s drinking or drug use. The safety of students is also compromised by the use of alcohol or drugs by other students. Almost 30% of students report being insulted or humiliated by another student and 15% have had personal property damaged by someone else’s intoxicated negligence. These students also find themselves as the victim in many of the crimes mentioned above.
What Makes College Students So Susceptible?
When students make the transition from high school to college, it can be the most challenging experience of their young lives. The volatility of this time period puts students at risk as they search for new social connections and try to find their place in their new environment. Additionally, there is this mainstream idea that part of the college experience is drinking, experimenting, and behaving with reckless abandon which leads many students to seek out these experiences as soon as they arrive on campus. College students are also in the highest risk age group for heavy alcohol consumption and experimentation with the use of multiple substances.
College students also find themselves dealing with new kinds of stress and pressures that they may be unprepared to handle including financial obligations and responsibility, making major life altering decisions, and separating from parents and other support systems. Students also look to alcohol and drugs as the means to ensure social acceptance and as tools to create confidence when they are feeling unsure and insecure in their new environment.
Living arrangements do seem to play a part in determining whether or not a student will use alcohol or other substances. Students who live at home and commute to college are less likely than those who live in residence halls to abuse alcohol. However, hovering parents who continually insert themselves into their child’s life can keep college students from achieving the appropriate level of maturity they need in order for them to transition into responsible adults. Parents who make major decisions for their college age child and regularly rescue them from the consequences of their actions don’t allow them space and opportunity to learn how to make the right decision in difficult situations.
College students are also less likely to seek help, even when they are in very real trouble, because of the social stigma associated with alcohol dependence and drug addiction.
Conclusion
The abundance of research on substance abuse by college students shows that the situation is not improving. Despite efforts to curb alcohol use and access to illicit drugs on college campuses, the prevailing public attitude that drinking and experimenting with drugs are part of the college experience continues to undermine the ability to make real, lasting changes. Students are engaging in risky behavior like unprotected sex, driving under the influence, and experimentation with all types of drugs in alarming numbers and many students are paying a steep price for this self-discovery. As long as it remains socially acceptable and even socially commendable to participate in binge drinking and swap study time for sorority parties, it will be difficult to make the high in higher education mean what it used to mean.
It isn’t uncommon for children and teens to be anxious about social situations and interactions as they move through the different stages from child to adult. Given that their bodies are constantly changing, the hormonal effects of puberty, and the rapid succession of milestones these adolescents are going through, it is no wonder that they don’t always feel comfortable and worry about how other people are perceiving them. But for some adolescents and teens, the common anxiety experienced at these stages can become all encompassing and even debilitating. These adolescents may develop social phobias, also referred to as social anxiety disorder.
For teens with the social phobia, social anxiety disorder, the fear of rejection, humiliation, being embarrassed, or having others develop a negative opinion of them becomes excessive. This makes anything requiring social interaction or that singles out the child a challenge and can lead to avoiding interactions altogether. Adolescents with social anxiety disorder have difficulty meeting new people, standing up to give a report or solve a problem in front of the class, participating in physical activities and sporting events, and even doing things that seem simple like eating in public.
For parents, it is important to remember that children with social anxiety disorder may respond to situations disproportionately. In situations where they are not faced with any actual physical danger, they may respond as though they are and experience the same physiological changes like sweaty palms, a racing heart rate, and the activation of their fight or flight reaction. These can be actual Panic Attacks. Simply telling the teen that they don’t need to be afraid may not alleviate the fear they are experiencing.
Symptoms
An estimate from the National Institute of Mental Health indicates that about 12% of those adolescents who call themselves shy may actually have social phobias. One of the primary ways to differentiate between typical teenage shyness and social anxiety is that shyness doesn’t generally lead to debilitation or consistent avoidance behavior. The primary symptoms of social anxiety are:
Excessive fear and/or anxiety of any individual or group performance like presenting an oral report or participating in a concert with the school chorus
Intense fear of social situations and difficulties with social interactions like meeting new people, unstructured conversations, and talking on the phone
Inability to actively participate in conversations with peers
Excessive concern about how others perceive them and fear related to the negative opinions of others
Fear of being humiliated or embarrassed which often leads to anxiety about being called on in class or having to participate in classes like gym or music
Panic attacks resulting from social situations or experiences (Physical symptoms like a racing heart rate, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, feeling nauseous, sweating, or blushing)
Causes
There are no specific causes of the social phobia, social anxiety disorder. Like many other anxiety disorders, it develops as a result of a combination of factors including genetics, environment, and life experiences. Some people may be genetically predisposed to a certain type of temperament, like being shy. Factors in the environment have a big influence on our perspective and socially anxious parents or siblings model those behaviors for the children and teens in their lives. If a child watches a parent continually avoid a specific situation or sees them experience intense fear or anxiety about social interactions, it can reinforce any social anxiety the child is already experiencing. Life experiences also play a big part in the development of an anxiety disorder. A teenager who is shy and self-conscious may be more likely to develop social anxiety if he is bullied or ridiculed at school.
Treatment
Most social anxiety disorder can be effectively treated with cognitive behavioral therapy that seeks to address the sources of the anxiety and teaches other strategies for managing these kinds of fears. It may also be helpful for adolescents and teens with the condition to participate in group therapy with others in their age group as this can provide a safe environment that enables them to build social skills and practice positive interactions.
Many adolescents and teens with social anxiety may also have another condition. It is important to the success of treatment to know if there are other co-existing conditions so that they can be treated appropriately.
People with social anxiety can learn to manage their fear and make great strides in participating more fully in their own lives. Parents can support their adolescents by getting them the right help, offering encouragement, and helping celebrate small successes that will build confidence and self esteem.
Most people have heard of anorexia, but have you heard of “Drunkorexia”? Though not an official diagnosis, this term refers to food restriction and alcohol consumption. It has become more prevalent among young adults. It is especially common in college students that are trying to keep themselves thin. Parents should be aware of this issue so that they can help their adolescents overcome it so that it does not take over their life. Catching this early is the key to making a full recovery before it begins to get out of hand.
What Is” Drunkorexia”?
“Drunkorexia” is a combination of excessive alcohol consumption and eating disorder behaviors. Generally, college age students will skip meals during the day in order to keep their weight down and the calories that they save is spent on alcohol. A new study conducted by the University of Missouri that found girls are much more susceptible to this combination than guys.
People that are “Drunkorexic” will purge the alcohol they consume in the attempt to not gain weight
Double Downsides
The problem that teens and young adults are facing is that “Drunkorexia” causes double downsides. While inadequate nutrition is something that can cause many health issues, the over consumption of alcohol poses many risks as well. They will not only reap the physical repercussions of anorexia or bulimia, they will also have issues with alcohol abuse including alcohol poisoning and malnutrition. While intoxicated, teens and college students are also much more likely to fall victim to physical or sexual abuse.
What to Look For
It is a good idea to educate yourself about this disorder, especially if your college student has a history of eating disorders or drinking. There are a few signs that you can look for that will help you to recognize Drunkorexia in your adolescent. Here are a few of these signs:
Frequently skipping meals
Spending a lot of money but having nothing to show for it
Most college campuses have recognized that eating disorder behaviors are a wide spread issue and they offer classes on nutrition and healthy living. They offer many counseling services to students to educate them on the risks involved with both eating disorders and alcohol abuse.
Also, there are counseling programs that will offer help to adolescents that are already sunk into the “Drunkorexic” trap. Whether you have issues with binge drinking, anorexia, bulimia, or a combination, help is available. Most adolescents will not admit to themselves that they have a problem. It often takes the help of a friend or parent to get them the help they need.
Doorways offers many treatment options for those who are dealing with eating and alcohol disorders. Counseling is typically needed to overcome these disorders and when you choose Doorways as your treatment provider, you will be able to get the help that you need in a faith-based setting. This is definitely great news for those that are dealing with “Drunkorexia. “
PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, used to be something associated only with war veterans and abuse survivors but it can affect anyone who experiences a traumatic event. Even though teens and adolescents may show different symptoms than adults , they can suffer from the same disorder and usually require treatment to overcome the challenges it presents. Understanding the causes and contributing factors can help parents identify when their children need help and how to get them the help they need.
What is PTSD?
Post traumatic stress disorder describes the development of a set of symptoms following a traumatic experience. Everyone who is impacted by trauma may feel extreme stress and suffer from strong emotional responses, difficulties with normal activities like sleeping, eating, and concentrating, and anxiety or fear related to the circumstances of the event. However, not everyone impacted by trauma also develops PTSD.
Those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder will have symptoms for a month or longer and their symptoms don’t abate with time. In some cases, symptoms do not start directly following the event and may actually get worse as time passes.
What Causes PTSD?
Experiencing a traumatic event like a car accident, natural disaster, violent crime, or physical assault can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is not necessary for someone to be injured or even to have directly participated in the event in order to develop PTSD. In some cases, merely witnessing an event can lead to the disorder. It is important to note that not everyone who experiences trauma will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder just like not everyone who has the same experience will respond in the same way.
One theory about why some people develop PTSD has to do with our bodies fight or flight response, the chemical reaction triggered by fear or danger. This physiological response is meant to enable us to protect ourselves and respond in critical survival situations. But in some people, a traumatic event disrupts this response, causing the same kind of chemical reaction in circumstances where it isn’t necessarily warranted. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, severe stress, fear, and danger when there is no external cause of those feelings.
There are some risk factors that can elevate someone’s likelihood of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These risk factors include previous experience with traumatic events, a history of mental illness, lack of social support after the event, and being injured as part of the event. There are also factors that can make someone more resilient and thereby reduce their risk of PTSD including strong post-event support, feeling positive about how they handled the event, and specific coping strategies for dealing with stressful events.
What are the Symptoms of PTSD?
Regardless of when PTSD develops, there are some characteristic symptoms that develop after the experience. People may experience any combination of these symptoms.
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Mental images of the event or it’s aftermath
Avoidance of people, places, or things that are reminders of the event
Unwillingness to talk about the event or discuss what happened
While teens and older adolescents may show symptoms similar to adults, they may also act out and become disruptive and destructive. In young children and some adolescents, PTSD can cause a different set of symptoms including bedwetting, forgetting how to speak, refusing to speak, repeatedly acting out the traumatic event, and having unusual separation anxiety from parents or other adults.
How is PTSD Diagnosed?
PTSD is diagnosed by a doctor, psychiatrist, or psychologist based on a personal interview. In order to be diagnosed, a person must display a certain set of symptoms for at least one month. The set of symptoms must include one symptom related to re-experiencing the event like nightmares or flashbacks. They must also be experiencing at least three avoidance symptoms like refusing to talk about the event or to participate in any activity relating to the event. Additionally, the person must suffer from at least two different symptoms showing hyper-arousal like irritability and edginess.
PTSD is treatable and sufferers can make a complete recovery but it doesn’t generally resolve without assistance. PTSD is most commonly treated with counseling or therapy and in some circumstances medication to treat underlying depression or other conditions may be used to help mitigate the effects of the disorder. If you are concerned that your teen or young child may be suffering from PTSD, schedule an appointment with their doctor to rule out any medical causes of their symptoms and get a referral for a qualified practitioner.
In order to protect teenagers from sexual abuse, it is important that both parents and teens understand what constitutes sexual abuse. While it is broadly defined as abuse that can be considered sexual in nature, some acts, like date rape or sexual advances from an adult are generally considered by everyone to be forms of sexual abuse. But things like voyeurism, exposure to pornography, and exhibitionism that do not involve direct physical contact between a teen and a perpetrator are also forms of sexual abuse and can be as devastating s physical abuse to the victim.
Although most teenage sexual abuse is committed by an adult in a position of power, it is also important for teenagers to understand that the perpetrator doesn’t have to be an adult for sexual activity to be considered abuse. Teenagers need to be aware that being drunk, drugged, afraid, or otherwise incapacitated does not make sex consensual. Even if they don’t fight back, unwanted sexual advances and forced sexual activity is sexual abuse and is illegal.
Statistics
Amongst teenagers, girls are more likely to be the victims of sexual abuse and 1 in 4 girls will have been sexually abused by the age of 18. The majority of teenage sexual abuse victims know their abuser. The most common type of abuser is a family member or someone who has close ties to the family. More than 50% of females who are raped in theU.S.are raped before they turn 18 and teenagers account for more than half of all reported sexual abuse in this country. Abuse victims have an increased risk of being abused again and teens between 16 and 19 are more than 3 times as likely as anyone else to be the victim of sexual abuse. The majority of sexual abuse against teenagers happens in their own homes. Teenagers also make up almost a quarter of sexual offenders.
While the report rate for sexual abuse across all ages is about 50%, this statistic drops to 31% amongst teenagers. Due in part to anxiety about the social stigma of being a victim and fears of retribution, many teens choose not to report their abuse in an attempt to forget it happened at all. Other factors like mediocre arrest rates, conviction rates below 20%, and short prison sentences may also deter victims from stepping forward.
The Signs
It is very common for victims of teen sexual abuse to have changes in behavior and to exhibit the same symptoms as a teen who has survived a traumatic event. Common behaviors seen in victims of teen sexual abuse include:
Discussing sexual knowledge or language that is not age appropriate
Preventing Sexual Abuse
The best way to help prevent your teen from becoming the victim of sexual abuse is to arm them with information. Understanding what constitutes sexual abuse can help teens identify and avoid dangerous situations. Discussing the topic openly lets your teen know that if something does happen, they can come to you for understanding and support. Help your teen practice saying no and empower them to be the boss of their own body. Just as with smaller children, don’t force teenagers to hug or have physical contact with family members or any other person if it makes them uncomfortable. Give them the absolute right to say no if they do not want someone touching them and you will empower them to say no when it matters most.
How to Get Help
Sexual abuse is traumatic and can cause serious issues with sexuality, self esteem, trust, loyalty, and the development of healthy relationships. Teens who have been victims of sexual abuse may be struggling with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, cutting, and other self harm or self destructive behaviors. The first step is to find the right practitioner who can provide the treatment and support needed to overcome the effects of the abuse. Together with this professional, parents and friends can create a caring, understanding support system to aid in recovery.
For many parents, it is difficult to understand why an adolescent who has their whole life in front of them, would consider ending it prematurely through suicide. As children make the transition to teenagers, they become more private and generally stop sharing their thoughts and feelings as openly with their parents. This can make it even more difficult to gauge when normal teenage angst develops into clinical depression, an anxiety disorder, or suicidal tendencies.
Many factors may contribute to teen suicide. Compared to the stress and pressures of adulthood, teenage problems may seem small and unimportant to us. Things like not fitting in at school, being bullied, and losing friends and first loves are just a normal part of growing up to most adults. It is often hard for us to remember that these normal things often carry a huge emotional toll for teens. We know that her boyfriend breaking up with her isn’t the end of the world, but it can feel that way to her. We can see that not making the basketball team doesn’t mean he won’t be successful in life, but it can feel that way to him.
As the third leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 24 and the fourth leading cause for those aged 10 to 14, suicide is a serious issue for teenagers. A survey of high school students showed that more than half of them had thought about suicide and almost 10% admitted to trying it at least once. No matter how well-adjusted you think your teen is, it is important to know the warning signs and when to intervene to keep your child safe.
Who is at Risk?
Adolescence and the teen years are a time of turmoil and rapid change. Between forming their own identities, learning to deal with new sexual feelings, struggling to figure out where they fit in, and the pressure to perform in school, teens can easily become overwhelmed. If teens feel like they don’t have a reliable support system or if they lack healthy outlets for dealing with their tumultuous emotions, it can leave them feeling disconnected and alone both of which increase the risk of suicide.
For many teens who attempt or commit suicide, this desperate act comes directly after a stressful event in their lives like the end of a relationship, death of someone close to them, parental divorce or separation, or something they perceive as a life altering failure like being cut from a sports team or doing poorly in school.
Teenagers, especially girls, who were subjected to any kind of abuse as children are more likely to attempt suicide. In general, girls are more likely to think about suicide and are twice as likely to attempt suicide as boys. However, boys are four times as likely to succeed. The risk of suicide increases when there are guns in the home which means parents need to maintain safe storage practices for all firearms even when their children have grown into teens.
Here are other factors that increase the risk of suicide in adolescents and teenagers:
A psychological problem like depression or bipolar disorder. 95% of people who commit suicide were mentally ill when they took their life.
Recurrent unpleasant feelings like isolation, distress, hopelessness, worthlessness, and irritability.
Learning how to handle emerging sexuality including homosexuality in an unsupportive environment.
Previous suicide attempts.
A family history of mental health problems or suicide.
Being a victim of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
The Warning Signs
In order for parents to be able to protect their children from suicide, they need to know what to watch for. Here are some of the warning signs that your teen may be suicidal.
Drastic changes in personality, appearance, sleep habits, or appetite.
Relationship drama with a girlfriend/boyfriend.
Withdrawing from friends, social groups, and activities.
Unexplained drop in grades.
Participating in rebellious and/or dangerous behavior
Running away from home or giving away personal items that are important to them.
The most important thing parents can do is talk to their children and listen when their children talk to them. Many teenagers who contemplate suicide feel like no one understands them or cares about them. Talking to your teen about their lives, expressing your love for them, and ensuring your teen knows you are there to help, no matter what problem they are facing, all help reassure them that you are there, that you care and that you want to understand.
When your teen opens up, don’t minimize, judge, or dismiss their concerns. Regardless of whether or not you think her failure to make the cheerleading squad is a life or death situation, she might and downplaying her emotional reaction only shows her you don’t understand what she is going through.
Pay attention to your parental intuition. If you feel like something is wrong, don’t downplay your own emotions either. Ask your teenager about what is going on in their lives, what they are concerned about, and share your concerns with them. Talk in specifics rather than generalities. Listen to what they say and don’t say. Don’t talk over them, interrupt them, correct them, or be dismissive of their concerns or problems. Ask the other people in their lives like teachers, counselors, and friends. Don’t shy away from the “s” word. If you are concerned about suicide, ask directly and invite your teen to participate in an open discussion on the topic. Get help right now. If you have concerns about suicide and think there is a possibility of your child being a danger to themselves, don’t wait. Find a mental health professional to assess your child today.
No matter what statistics you look at, it’s clear that substance abuse by adolescents is a major public health concern. Although recent years have seen the percent of adolescents who are abusing substances level off, there are some disturbing trends in which teenagers are using and how early they are starting to use. When you consider that 90% of adults with substance abuse problems started using before they turned 18 and 50% of those adults started before age 15, the trend towards younger and younger adolescents experimenting and becoming regular users becomes even more important.
To many adults, the experimentation with drugs and alcohol that occurs during the adolescent years seems like a normal part of growing up. But using drugs and drinking alcohol aren’t just inappropriate because they are breaking the rules, they can result in very serious consequences to both their future and their health.
During this phase, teens can have a hard time forming cause and effect connections between choices they make today and the long term consequences of those choices. Substance use can further lower inhibitions resulting in a string of bad choices. From the increased risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident to the increased likelihood of developing a lifelong addiction, substance abuse during adolescence is life threatening and needs to be treated accordingly.
The daily use of marijuana increased in 3 of the 4 high school grades year over year and was the highest it has been since the early 80’s amongst those in the senior class.
Although cigarette smoking has been declining in recent years, those declines have stalled amongst high school students indicating that smoking may soon be on the rise again.
While marijuana is the drug of choice for high school students, prescription drugs and the abuse of over the counter medication are now number two in 12th graders. Although non-medical use of drugs like Vicodin and Adderall has not increased in recent years, usage statistics remain high.
Ecstasy, which had seen years of decreasing use, increased last year in 8th graders.
Overall, alcohol use has continued to decline year over year.
Risk Factors
While there is no way to determine which adolescents will try drugs and alcohol or which will become addicted to one of these substances, there are some risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing a serious drug or alcohol problem. These factors include:
Being part of a family with a history of substance abuse problems
Being depressed
Having low self esteem or feeling as though they do not fit in anywhere
Drug availability in the community
Learning disabilities and mental health conditions
Poor academic performance
Being part of an unhealthy social group
Warning Signs
There are several warning signs that parents can use to determine if their teenager is in danger. As many of these signs can also point to problems other than alcohol or drug abuse, it is important to discuss any concerns with a medical practitioner to rule out physical causes.
There are several physical signs like unexplained fatigue, ongoing health complaints, bloodshot eyes, glazed over gaze, and a cough that lasts for weeks and won’t go away. From an emotional standpoint, adolescents who exhibit sudden changes in personality, rapid mood swings, increasingly irresponsible behavior, and general lack of interest, especially in things that they were previously interested in should be evaluated. Other warning signs include starting fights with family members, breaking rules, dressing differently, withdrawing from friends and family, swapping current friends for a different group of friends, skipping school, and requiring significant disciplinary action on a regular basis.
How to Help
There is no question that one of the most effective tools parents have in preventing their teens from abusing drugs and alcohol is the relationship they have and are able to maintain with their teenager. Parents should initiate discussions on the dangers of substance abuse, be honest, open, and invite their teen to participate. Parents need to provide a good role model for teenagers to follow by exhibiting responsible behavior, communicating often, and raising issues as soon as they develop in a calm and supportive way.
Research has shown that parents are in fact the “Anti-Drug” and are the main deterrent against experimenting with drugs and alcohol during adolescence. The key is building a solid relationship that encourages open communication. Remain a visible presence in their daily lives by being involved, supporting them in their interests, and attending their activities like games, plays, and concerts. Be clear, consistent, and fair in setting rules and expectations. Overly harsh and restrictive rules often have the same result as no rules at all, an increased risk of substance abuse. Overall, remain an active and interested participant in their lives and be available when they need advice, support, or help as they navigate the challenges of adolescence.
Doorways LLC, a Phoenix Teen and Young Adult Counseling Center Seeks to Provide over 200 New Beanie Caps and Blankets to Tumbleweeds Center for Youth
On any given day there are over 1800 homeless youth living in the streets of Maricopa County and very few places for them to turn to for help. One of those places is Tumbleweeds Center for Youth which provides emergency shelter, counseling, and educational and employment assistance to over 3,000 homeless young people per year.
Doorways LLC, a counseling clinic in Phoenix that specializes in working with teens and young adults, is inviting the community to join them in helping out homeless teens by dropping off donations of new beanie caps and lightweight blankets at their clinic located at 1825 E. Northern Ave. Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85020.
“Living on the streets is difficult enough, but living on the streets in the winter can be even more so. By providing homeless youth with their own beanie cap and lightweight blanket that they can take with them we can fill an unmet physical need and in a small way help with their emotional and spiritual needs as well,” says Jan Hamilton, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Founder of Doorways.
Donations of new “Beanies and Blankets” will be accepted through December 20th, 2011. The donations will be delivered to Tumbleweeds prior to Christmas Day.
For directions or any other information go to www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602.997.2880.
About Doorways LLC.
Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Therapists at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide and more. For more information, visit http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602-997-2880.
It isn’t uncommon for people of all ages to get a little down as fall changes to winter, the days get shorter, and the temperatures drop. In most places around the country, the long, fun, sunny days of summer are gone and the bleak, cold days of winter loom ahead for months. But for some people, the transition from season to season can cause a type of depression that is much more serious than being bummed out that summer is over. This condition is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is a type of depression and it affects more people, of all ages, than you might think. Current estimates indicate that about 6% of people, including adults, teens, and children, have Seasonal Affective Disorder.
For parents of teenagers, it can be enough of a challenge to figure out what is natural teenage moodiness and what is a mental health concern. When the source of the moody behavior is Seasonal Affective Disorder, it can be even more challenging because the condition is rare in children and teens. The average age for onset of the illness is 20 and more females than males are affected.
The main thing that differentiates Seasonal Affective Disorder from depression is the seasonal pattern. A teenager with this condition will only experience symptoms for the same few months every year. The most common form of the disorder is winter depression which affects people as the seasons shift from fall to winter. There is also a form of the disorder called summer depression that begins in the late spring and runs through the summer.
What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?
The cause of SAD is unclear but lack of access to sunlight is suspected to play a part in the disorder. When the amount of sunlight decreases or increases, it may affect the way our body and brain produces chemicals. People with SAD may be more sensitive to these chemical and hormonal shifts. These theories are supported by research that shows a person inNew Hampshireis seven times more likely to have SAD than a person inFlorida. Anecdotal evidence that people with SAD who spend the winter months in a place with more access to sunlight do not experience symptoms.
Who is at Risk for Developing SAD?
While anyone can get this disorder, there are some factors that increase the risk of developing it including:
Family history – If you have a close relative with SAD you may be more likely to develop it.
Gender – More women have been diagnosed with the disorder than men.
Location – People who live far from the equator, either north or south, are more likely to have SAD.
Mental Health – Those people with depression or bipolar disorder may find that their symptoms are worse depending on the season.
What are the Signs and Symptoms?
The signs and symptoms of SAD are the same as those for depression but are only experienced during a specific season. These symptoms include:
Loss of enjoyment in activities, socializing, and pastimes
Lack of energy
Changes in sleep patterns
Problems with concentration
Changes in eating habits that includes craving high sugar foods
How is it Treated?
There are several ways to treat SAD in teenagers. The first type of treatment involves increasing the person’s exposure to full spectrum lights during the months when they experience symptoms. These types of light bulbs mimic daylight and can relieve symptoms. If simple exposure to more light isn’t sufficient to alleviate symptoms, light therapy may be used. This approach uses special lights as well but concentrates the light in a light box or light panel. The person with SAD sits in front of the lights for a specific amount of time each day until the seasons change again. Psychotherapy and medication may also be used to treat teens with SAD.
In the frenzy of planning, shopping, wrapping, decorating, entertaining, and visiting that often punctuates the holiday season, it is no wonder that many parents find the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day to be one of the most stressful of the entire year. Unfortunately, as our stress level increases, we often increase the stress level of those around us while also becoming less able to see the signs of stress the other members of our families’ exhibit. Without some blatant flashing sign like a school suspension, angry outburst, or emotional meltdown, we may be too wrapped up in our own holiday stress to notice that our teens are having a tough time too.
Teenagers have their own set of holiday stress, especially if they are part of a family that is struggling financially, dealing with a separation or divorce, or facing the holidays without a loved one for the first time. Stress impacts teens in many of the same ways it impacts adults. They can experience physical symptoms like headaches and insomnia. They can struggle emotionally and suddenly have a short fuse and be quick to anger. They may turn to unhealthy behaviors like binge eating as a way to cope with their stress.
What Can Parents Do to Help?
The first and most important thing is to notice if your teenager is stressed. According to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in Americastudy(http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/national-report.pdf) , while almost half of teens report being more stressed out from one year to the next not even 30% of parents noticed. Pay attention for the signs that your teen is worried and then work together to determine the source of their stress. Sometimes, just knowing that they aren’t alone can make a huge difference in how much stress they are experiencing.
Here are some other strategies parents can use to put the whole family on a stress-reduction diet for the holidays.
Share
Be honest, but be reassuring. It may be tempting to take this opportunity to over share with your teen and unload all your adult problems, worries, and concerns onto your teens. Resist that temptation by remembering that even if they are taller than you or have a moustache, they aren’t adults yet and don’t need to be burdened with adult issues.
Breathe
Institute a 2 minute breathing break a couple times a day where the whole family gets together and focuses on breathing. Just a couple minutes of deliberate, mindful breathing can wash away worry and alleviate accumulated stress.
Move
With all the holiday hustle and bustle, it is easy for everyone to get out of the habit of exercising. Since exercise is great for soothing stress, get everyone moving by turning on their favorite music and daring them to dance. Get off the couch and go for a walk or rearrange the living room, just get everyone moving and burning off some of their stress.
Give
The holidays are a time of giving, but often that means giving presents. Holiday stress over how many presents they will get, who will get the most, what they want that they won’t get, and feeling guilty for wanting things the family cannot afford can be soothed with a simple shift in priorities. Take time out of shopping and shipping to volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, nursing home, or any other venue that allows everyone in your family to give some of themselves and change their outlook on the holiday season.
Experts From Doorways, The Only Mental Health Treatment Center In Phoenix That Focuses Exclusively On Helping Teens And Young Adults, Have Earned The Highly Sought After Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Certification!
(Phoenix, Arizona) December 8th, 2011- Experts at Doorways LLC, a mental health treatment center that focuses exclusively on helping teens and young adults in Phoenix, Arizona, have earned the prestigious Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) certification from the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals.
Jan Hamilton, PMHNP-BC, Sam Lample, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Rachel Daberkow, MS., Registered Dietician, have all earned the CEDS certification. Less than 200 mental health providers in the US have earned this certification.
The certification can only be earned by “health care professionals who have met rigorous educational requirements, have accumulated a minimum number of hours of qualifying work experience, have successfully passed a written examination covering the eating disorders field, have made a commitment to stay abreast of current developments in the field through continuing education, and have agreed to comply with the association’s ethical principles.”
Doorways, and its experts, are one of the few mental health treatment centers in Arizona certified to help teens and young adults with eating disorders. They also specialize in treating teens and young adults with issues such as depression, cutting, sexual abuse, trauma, ADD/ADHD, substance abuse and more.
Please keep our certified experts in mind for upcoming stories involving eating disorders in teens and young adults. They are here to help!
About Doorways LLC.
Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Therapists at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide and more. For more information, visit http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602-997-2880.
Sarah assists Trina in the office on Fridays and occasional evenings. She is studying for her Master’s in Social Work at Arizona State University and has experience working with adolescents through active participation in the Young Life ministry.
Doorways is contracted with Grand Canyon University to provide confidential, professional, Biblically-based counseling services to students on campus. Effective immediately they have expanded their hours of availability as well as are now offering nutritional counseling. Appointments may be scheduled through the counselor on campus, or by calling and identifying yourself as a GCU student. There is no charge to students of Grand Canyon University for use of on campus counseling and nutritional services. On campus services offered include counseling for
A registered dietitian will be on campus every Tuesday from 2:00-4:00 PM and will be available to advise students on a variety of issues.
The dietitian is available at Grand Canyon University to provide nutritional advice for:
Athletes
Vegetarians
Internationals confused about American food
Allergy sufferers,
Disordered eating or eating disorder clients,
Weight management, need for weight loss or gain,
Diabetes, and other medical conditions
Workshops are also available on topics such as hydration, how to eat healthy in the cafeteria, dorm room snack ideas, how to avoid the freshman 15 and more.
Other counseling and nutritional services are offered off-site at Doorways, LLC. Cost for offsite services will be the responsibility of the student and include treatment and help for:
Psychiatric Evaluations
Family Counseling
DBT Support Groups
Medication Management
For more information about counseling services at Grand Canyon University, click here: GCU Brochure
As the first few days of 2012 roll by, many people will be talking about and setting their New Year’s resolutions. However, even those who set resolutions don’t always expect them to be successful. The statistics don’t lie; 35% of those who make resolutions don’t even make it through the first day. But, statistics go both ways. According to a study completed at the University of Scranton, almost half of those who set resolutions go on to achieve some degree of success as opposed to only 4% of those who think about setting goals, do not commit to a specific resolution.
If you are interested in helping your teen set and stick to a couple New Year’s resolutions, think about making it a family affair. Setting goals together fosters the type of supportive environment that helps people succeed at making life changes. Even if each family member has their own set of resolutions, you can act as accountability partners for each other and work together to stay on track. In addition to the family unity benefits that this type of activity can offer, getting teenagers to start thinking what they want to achieve will help them develop the skills needed for long-term planning.
If your teen is resisting participation, talk about why goals and resolutions are important from your perspective. Then listen to their objections thoughtfully. If you cannot convince them to get on board, seek some kind of compromise. Resolutions and goals must be sincere to be attainable. Forced or begrudging participation may result in a list of resolutions, but it isn’t likely to result in long term change.
To help both parents and teens set their resolutions, we pulled together a list of some of the more common resolutions to provide each group a place to start. As you work through the list and determine your own resolutions, remember that being sincere about the resolutions you set and believing that you can succeed are the two factors that will contribute most to your success.
Ideas for Teens
Commit to helping out around the house in one new way every week.
Commit to being more helpful to your family or more social at school.
Make yourself available take over the care of the family pets.
Make a commitment to turn on the TV less.
Decide to be nicer to your brothers and sisters, especially if they look up to you.
Decide to read more, and to read just for fun. Set a goal for how many additional books you want to read next year.
Resolve to ask for help when you need it and take help when it’s offered.
Resolve to volunteer and give some of your time to someone else.
Commit to being more organized and make a plan for how you will get organized and stay that way.
Commit to taking school seriously.
Ideas for Parents
Resolve to be a healthier family and set a good example for your children.
Commit to eating dinner together at the table several nights a week.
Decide to focus on getting more quality time with both your children and your spouse or significant other.
Choose a home improvement project or a vacation that they family can plan and undertake together.
Resolve to enforce your own rules.
Commit to helping your children establish and adhere to their own boundaries.
Decide that when interacting with your teen, you will listen more than you talk.
Commit to saying one sincere, positive thing about each member of your family every day.
Choose to focus on the good decisions your teens make at least as much as you focus on the bad decisions they make.
Resolve to get your teen or your family whatever help they need to overcome their challenges and make it through their struggles successfully.
More than ever before, the media is all around us. We experience it on our TVs, on our computers, on our smart phones, in our newspapers, and on the radio. It is our primary medium for both communication and entertainment. For teens, this is even truer. The majority of their lives, including a significant portion of their social interaction, is guided and supported by different kinds of media and the messages that media provides.
The messages that seep into their lives through these media platforms are both subtle and pervasive. They can alter opinions, change minds, encourage new experiences, and set expectations about the world outside our family. These messages are both good and bad and teens may struggle differentiating between the two.
Obesity –The Kaiser Family Foundation pulled together the most significant research on childhood obesity and media usage from the last 30 years and presented it in a fact sheet entitled The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity. Although this analysis found that there are several factors that contribute to the obesity problem, media usage plays an important role.
Exposure to advertising – An article from the American Academy of Pediatrics highlights the dangerous and unhealthy messages our teenagers get from advertising about food, body image, smoking, alcohol use, nutrition, sex, and obesity. Because advertising highlights benefits without showing negative consequences it can create unrealistic expectations for the outcome of specific behavior.
Violence – The Kaiser Family Foundation also produced a fact sheet on the relationship between media violence and behavior. Although no study has established a definitive link between media violence and violent behavior in teens, there is adequate evidence to support a causal relationship between media violence and aggressive behavior.
Sex – A study conducted by the RAND Corporation found that teens with significant exposure to sexual content in the media were more likely to become sexually active and had a greater risk for teen pregnancy.
What Parents Can Do
The American Academy of Pediatrics says there are some steps parents can take to minimize the effect media has on their teens. The most important factor is to stay involved and participate with your teen, especially when they don’t want you to. For most teenagers, elimination of media, if it were even possible, is not necessarily the right solution. Media is so pervasive in our culture that providing teens with the skills necessary to question, evaluate, analyze, and discuss the messages they see in media is more effective than outright bans. By teaching them to process the messages they are being bombarded with everyday, parents are giving them the tools to mitigate the impact of media on their lives.
Parents can also work with their teens to create a media plan that includes watching TV and movies together, limiting media time, restricting programs and content that are not appropriate and setting aside media free time for school work and family meals. Parents can also limit media usage by keeping televisions, video games, and computers in common areas and out of bedrooms.
The question for parents used to be, “do you know where your children are?” Now, that question may be changing to “do you know where your child’s cell phone is?” Research on teens and texting seems to support growing concerns amongst members of the medical and mental health community that there may be a price to all this texting that cannot be mitigated with any unlimited plan.
The Numbers
A study published in 2010 by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Master of Public Health program found that heavy usage of texting and other social connection technology is associated with higher rates of unhealthy behaviors. They determined that teens and adolescents who sent more than 120 texts per school day fell into a category called hyper-texters.
This group was:
40% more likely to have tried cigarettes
41% more likely to have used illicit drugs
55% more likely to have been in a physical altercation
2x as likely to have tried alc
ohol
3.5x as likely to be sexually active
When the study data was collected, only about 20% of teens fell into this hyper-texting group. However, according to a poll taken at the end of 2010 by The Nielsen Company, the average teen now sends almost 3,400 texts per month which equates to about 113 texts per day. This means that most teens are either already hyper-texters or are nearly there.
The Concerns
While the statistics are enough to raise the concerns of every parent, there are also concerns about the long term effects these technologies will have on the health and development of teens. The constant interruption caused by receiving a hundred text messages a day makes it difficult to study, focus, and retain important information. Some doctors are concerned that teens will develop repetitive motion injuries that impact the development of their arms, hands, and thumbs and even lead to permanent damage. There are also concerns amongst those who see to the mental health of our teens that some aspects of being constantly connected to peers and parents may negatively impact teen’s social and emotional development as well.
What Can Parents Do
The most important thing for parents to do is remain involved. This means monitoring social networking use and experience, monitoring text message logs, and setting guidelines about texting in school or after bedtime. Keep communication lines open and make sure you listen significantly more than you talk. Set a standard for responsible technology use in your house and then provide a good example for your teens to follow.
If you are the parent of an adolescent, it is likely that you will experience problems communicating with them at some point before they become adults. This is one of the most common problems parents and teens have to overcome and is often the root cause of other problems.
Teens are going through one of the most significant transitions of their lives; they should be learning to make their own decisions, take responsibility for their actions, and to become independent from their parents. This can be stressful, confusing, and frustrating for them and you as they struggle to handle situations and make decisions without the confidence that comes from experience. When parents take this struggle and frustration as a personal rejection or label it as just a bad attitude, it can close the door to effective communication at a time when teens need that two way interaction more than ever.
One of the most common mistakes parents make is forgetting that effective communication involves both sending a clear message and trying to receive the message as intended. Parents need to be able to listen more than they talk. This can be a challenge when it feels like your teen is being evasive, belligerent, or withdrawn and may feel impossible when it seems like they aren’t listening to you.
Open the door to meaningful communication with your teen by:
Being willing to let them talk with you about everything and nothing. Make sure you have a strong reliable communication channel for the important stuff by using it even when there isn’t anything of great importance to say.
Focusing on your teenager, show them you are interested in their life and engaged in your conversation with them by giving them your full attention, listening without judging, and being as respectful to their views and opinions as you expect them to be of yours.
Using supportive, engaging language that shows you are listening and invites your teen to ask for advice, seek support, and turn to you in times of trouble.
Making sure you stay on the same page by using your own words to restate important points your teen makes to confirm you have a shared understanding.
Involving your teen in decision making and troubleshooting as a team.
Maintaining a daily connection by spending time together, even if it is only a few minutes before bed or the length of the car ride to school.
Using shared interests and activities to provide teens with a pressure-free platform to talk. It isn’t always easy for them to bring up sensitive issues or to talk through things they are struggling with when they are on the spot.
Respecting your teen’s privacy. This helps foster independence and creates a bond of trust that increases the likelihood that they will come to you when it really matters.
Talking to your teen with respect as you would talk to another adult to help them learn how to communicate and interact like one.
Make sure that door stays open by avoiding the following:
Talking down to your teen, demeaning their ideas, or using every conversation as a chance to criticize them. You, of course, can disagree and hold to your own standards and expectations of conduct, but let them know that you value what they say and think.
Talking over your teen or interrupting them when they are speaking to you.
Dismissing your teen’s point of view or their concerns.
Being judgmental, criticizing their friends, belittling their beliefs, or overriding your teen’s opinions.
The bottom line is that you want to be the rock they rely on, the person they know they can always turn to when they are struggling or in trouble. In order to be that person for them, they need to have confidence that you will listen, you won’t fly off the handle, and you will help them find the right solution to their problem. The keys to fostering that type of relationship are being reliable, listening, staying calm, and helping them figure out how to solve the problems that matter to them.
When we are overtired, everything in our life suffers. We are moody and irritable which affects our personal relationships. Our ability to concentrate and focus is compromised, making it difficult to learn, retain, and recall information. We lack energy which makes exercise and physical activity difficult. We drive when we are drowsy which endangers our lives and the lives of everyone else on the road. For teens and adolescents, sleep deprivation can cause these problems and more at one of the most crucial developmental periods of their lives.
Why Sleep Matters
Sleep is as important to our health as breathing clean air and eating healthy food. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), there is a relationship between how much sleep you get, the quality of the sleep you get, and your overall health. If you don’t get enough sleep, it can impact your hormone levels, impact the way your body handles insulin, and increase your risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and becoming obese. In addition to the health risks, sleep deprivation is also the primary cause of drowsy driving and has a detrimental effect on grades and scholastic achievement.
The Facts about Teens and Sleep
If your teen is staying up late and struggling to drag themselves out of bed in the morning, it isn’t because they are being lazy or disobedient; and simply telling them that they need to go to bed earlier isn’t likely to fix this issue. Our biological sleep patterns shift when we are teens making it difficult to fall asleep before about 11:00PM. Because teens need as much as nine hours sleep each night, this biological shift makes it difficult for teens to get the sleep they need and still get up for school on time.
Teens are not getting the sleep they need. One study cited by the National Sleep Foundation showed that 85% of teenagers are getting less than 8.5 hours of sleep on most school nights despite the fact that many teens actually need more than nine hours of sleep every night. Another study showed that 26% of high school students are sleeping less than 6.5 hours a night which is causing a serious sleep debt to accrue.
The Dangers for Teens
The list of problems that sleep deprivation contributes to is long and varied. While most of these problems affect anyone who isn’t getting enough sleep, the consequences to teenagers can be different than those for adults. Here are some of the problems the National Sleep Foundation and the American Psychological Association sleep deprivation in teens can cause:
Problems with learning including difficulty concentrating, listening, problem solving, remembering, and with behavior. Sleep deprivation can lead to aggressive and inappropriate behavior including outbursts, anger, and impatience.
Acne.
Increases the likelihood of overeating and making bad food choices which when combined with hormonal changes caused by lack of sleep contribute to weight gain and obesity.
Increases the use of caffeine and nicotine.
Increases the risk of being involved in a drowsy driving accident.
May be linked to depression and other mood disorders.
The best way to combat sleep deprivation in teenagers is to make sleep a priority and encourage them to follow a consistent sleep routine. Helping teens learn to use naps appropriately, create a good sleep environment, and stick to a schedule can decrease their likelihood of being sleep deprived while also teaching them the skills they need to be good sleep managers throughout their lives.
Doorways is available by contract to provide confidential, professional, onsite counseling (counceling) services to schools and universities, community organizations, associations and more. Onsite services offered include counseling for:
A dietitian is available to go to your site to provide nutritional advice for:
Athletes
Vegetarians
Internationals confused about American food
Allergy sufferers
Disordered eating or eating disorder awareness
Weight management, how to lose or gain weight
Diabetes, and other medical conditions
Workshops are also available on topics such as hydration, how to eat healthy in the cafeteria, snack ideas, how to avoid the freshman 15 and more.
Other counseling and nutritional services are offered off-site at Doorways, LLC for teens and young adults. Cost for offsite services vary. Please contact Doorways for more information about counseling for teens and young adults-ages 13-25. Additional services offered at Doorways include:
Psychiatric Evaluations
Family Counseling
DBT Support Groups
Medication Management
For more information about onsite counseling services for your school, university, business, or organization contact Doorways at 602-997-2880.
It’s no secret that eating disorders are a real and pressing problem for today’s teenagers. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), there are more than 24 million Americans with eating disorders and only 1 out of every 10 of those people will receive any treatment. ANAD indicates that more than 80% of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, begin in adolescence. Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness amongst adolescents and it carries a mortality rate twelve times that of any other cause of death for females between 15 and 35.
When you consider the life-long consequences and life threatening danger faced by people with anorexia nervosa, it is clear to see that early detection is critical. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a coach, a best friend, or a boyfriend, it is more important than ever for everyone to know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of anorexia. Understanding what to look for and knowing what to do could help save the life of someone you love.
What Anorexia Nervosa Looks Like
Everyone has seen pictures of people with the tell-tale emaciation that can be caused by anorexia nervosa. But there are many other signs that someone in your life has this eating disorder that are less overt.
Food consumption and weight management become an obsession. This is not your teenage daughter complaining that she looks fat today. This is an all encompassing obsession with how much food they eat and how many calories and fat grams each bite of food they take contains that can take over their life.
Food consumption decreases to starvation levels. People with anorexia nervosa may stop eating around other people, start making plans that result in them missing regular mealtimes, and use extreme portion control to limit their caloric intake.
Irregular growth and loss of hair. While it may seem strange to have both excess growth and abnormal loss, both can be seen in someone with anorexia nervosa. Lack of nutrition can cause hair to become brittle and fall out while lack of body fat can signal the body to grow more hair in an attempt to regulate body hair. This abnormal growth appears as a fine layer of hair on the face and body.
Overuse and abuse of laxatives, diuretics, and diet pills.
Consistently low body weight paired with a refusal to maintain a normal weight. This is an important distinction as some people who do not have an eating disorder may be perpetually below their ideal body weight. But someone who has a body weight more than 15% below their ideal weight who also refuses to gain enough to maintain a normal weight may be anorexic.
The Real Dangers of Being Anorexic
Anorexia nervosa takes an immediate toll on the body that results in abnormal weight loss and nutritional deficiencies. But it also causes other problems that can take longer to be seen and may have life-long impacts. It creates a type of mental fog that makes it difficult to concentrate and regulate mood fluctuations. It causes irregularities in the cardiovascular system including slow, uneven pulse rates, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, and dizziness. It also impacts the musculoskeletal system and can lead to stunted growth rates, an increase in bone fractures, and osteoporosis. It can result in abnormalities in thyroid function that cause fatigue, hair loss, and low body temperature. It can lead to dependence on laxatives or other pharmaceuticals that result in life-threatening conditions like electrolyte imbalances and dehydration. Overall lack of specific nutrients like potassium can also be immediately life threatening.
How You Can Help
The best way to help someone with an eating disorder is to be there for them and provide the support they need to regain their health throughout the various stages of recovery. That starts with speaking up when you have concerns and following through until you are no longer concerned or the person in your life gets the help they need. We at Doorways have trained counselors to treat teens and adolescents struggling with eating disorders such as Anorexia.
It is a common misconception that it takes years to die from anorexia nervosa. If you are concerned about someone in your life, don’t wait; they may have less time than you think.
The pressure to be thin in order to fit in is more extreme for today’s teenagers than it was for their parents and grandparents, often resulting in the development of eating disorder and the need for teen counseling. The obsession with weight that so often contributes to the development of eating disorders like bulimia is starting younger and younger. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) found that almost half of girls in 1st-3rd grade wish they were thinner and by age 10, 80% of those girls will be afraid of getting fat. By the time they reach college, more than 90% of them will have been on a diet at some point in their lives and 25% of them will be using the binge and purge cycle associated with bulimia as a way to manage their weight.
Statistics show that more than 80% of eating disorders start before age 20. As many as 4% of women will struggle with bulimic behaviors at some point in their lifetime and since people with bulimia can be any weight, this eating disorder can be harder to spot than others like anorexia. It is common, however, for people who are anorexic to also use bulimic behavior to control their weight.
What Bulimia Looks Like
People with bulimia can be any weight- from the kind of underweight associated with anorexia to obese. Like other eating disorders, those with bulimia are often afraid of being overweight, obsessed with weight management, and always trying to lose weight so that they will be happier with their body. However, the behaviors people with this disorder use to address those fears don’t generally result in weight loss by themselves. Bulimic behaviors follow a cycle that starts with the binge. During a binge, people will eat excessive amounts of high-calorie food in a short period of time and feel like they have no real control over their eating. After bingeing, the person feels ashamed, disgusted, afraid, or guilty for consuming so many calories and purging feels like a way to rewind the clock and undo the damage. Purging, which can occur through vomiting, abuse of laxatives, excessive exercise, or starvation, often relieves the anxiety and helps alleviate the negative emotions caused by bingeing.
The shame associated with bulimia often results in secretive behavior and people with the disorder may go to great lengths to hide their abnormal eating habits and purging behavior. There are however, some signs that can point to a problem with bulimia, if you know what to look for. People with this disorder are often preoccupied with food, may exercise compulsively for hours each day, frequently go to the bathroom directly after eating, and may take an excessive number of diet pills, diuretics, or laxatives. There are physical signs as well, but they can be more difficult to spot. They may have broken blood vessels in their eyes and swollen salivary glands at the corners of their mouths caused by vomiting, small calluses or cuts across their knuckles from inducing vomiting, and problems with their teeth like excessive decay, gingivitis, or loss of tooth enamel.
The Real Dangers of Being Bulimic
Like other eating disorders, bulimia can be dangerous and even life-threatening. People with bulimia may experience problems with constipation, dehydration, hemorrhoids, and even pancreatitis. Excessive vomiting can lead to serious damage to the esophagus including tearing and rupture in addition to permanent damage to teeth and gums. Overuse of laxatives or diuretics can result in electrolyte imbalance, and dehydration.
How You Can Help
People who have eating disorders need the support of those around them. If someone you know has an eating disorder, the best way to help is to educate yourself about the disorder and provide the support they need throughout their recovery.
March 15th-May 3rd, 2012. Enrollment is now open for a new adolescent DBT Group in Phoenix, Arizona. Join anytime during session. Read more below:
Who: This group is recommended for male and female adolescents ages 13-17 who are struggling with their emotions and want to learn how to take back control of their life. The group exercises are fun and interactive and through them kids learn how to handle stress, be more self confident, regulate mood swings, communicate their feelings and more.
What: This Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group is an interactive and educationally based group that explains the DBT coping skills to help young adults replace unhealthy and problematic behaviors.
When: Thursdays, March 15 – May 3, 2012, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Open enrollment, can join any time during 8 weeks.
Where: Doorways, 1825 E. Northern Ave, Suite 200, Phoenix, Arizona
Cost: $45 per session, $360 total. Pay only $300 if paid in full by March 16.How: To sign up or for more information call Trina at Doorways, 602-997-2880 or email her at trina@doorwaysarizona.com.
Doorways is celebrating Certified Nurses Day, March 19th by honoring its board certified nurses. The following nurses are being recognized for their professionalism, leadership, and commitment to excellence in patient care:
Board Certification of nurses plays an increasingly important role in the assurance of high standards of care for patients and their loved ones. Nursing, like health care in general has become increasingly complex. While a registered nurse (RN) license provides entry to general nursing practice, the knowledge-intensive requirements of modern nursing require extensive education, as well as a strong personal commitment to excellence by the nurs
Doorways encourages national board certification for all its nurses. Patients are encouraged to inquire whether there are certified nurses on staff when they visit a hospital or their primary care provider. There are many nursing certification specialties such as medical-surgical, pediatric, pain management, cardiac vascular, oncology, hospice, case management, emergency nursing, critical care and many others. Many nursing certification bodies exist to serve the full range of specialized nursing care offered in the contemporary health care system; national nurse-certifying bodies should be accredited by either the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) or the National Organization for Competence Assurance (NOCA), or both.
Please join Doorways and the nation’s national nursing certification organizations in honoring those hardworking, dedicated nurses for their professionalism, and a job well done!
About Doorways LLC.
Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Therapists at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide and more. For more information, visit http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602-997-2880.
Certified Eating Disorder Specialists Available for Interview in Conjunction with 25th Annual National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Feb 26th- March 3, 2012
According to statistics, more young women in the US die from anorexia nervosia than from any other cause. That’s why it’s so critical that we raise awareness of eating disorders in the United States.
February 26th- March 3, 2012, marks the 25th annual National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAwareness Week) in an effortto bring public attention to the critical need to raise awareness and funding to battle eating disorders in the U.S.
Who: Certified Eating Disorder Specialists from Doorways, LLC, the only organization in Phoenix that specializes in the outpatient treatment of teens and young adults with mental health issues.
What:National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, February 26- March 3rd, 2012
Story Ideas:
How do you know if someone has an eating disorder?
What do you do if you suspect someone has an eating disorder
How can you get help for someone has an eating disorders
For females between 15- and 24-years-old-old who suffer from anorexia nervosa, the mortality rate associated with the illness is 12 times higher than the death rate of all other causes of death
We live in a culture saturated with unrealistic body-image messages and almost all of us know somebody struggling with an eating disorder.
Eating disorders are serious illnesses, not lifestyle choices
As many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. battle anorexia or bulimia. And as many as 13 million more struggle with binge eating disorder. Millions practice disordered eating due to an obsession with dieting
Four out of 10 Americans either suffered or have known someone who has suffered from an eating disorder
40% of newly identified cases of anorexia are in girls 15-19 years old
There was a significant increase in incidence of anorexia from 1935 to 1989, especially among young women 15-24
There has been a rise in incidence of anorexia in young women 15-19 in each decade since 1930
Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting and taking laxatives
Girls who diet frequently are 12 times as likely to binge as girls who don’t diet
42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner
81% of 10 –year-olds are afraid of being fat
The average American woman is 5’4” tall and weighs 140 pounds. The average American model is 5’11” tall and weighs 117 pounds
Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women
46% of 9-11 year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets and 82% of their families are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets.
About Doorways LLC.
Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Therapists at Doorways specialize in treatment for eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, depression, ADD/ADHD, self-harm, suicide and more. For more information, visit http://www.doorwaysarizona.com, or call 602-997-2880.
If you have grown up in this culture, you probably associate quite a few things with fatness and quite a few of the opposite traits with thinness. Almost every audience comes up with the same lists:
Fat:
Lazy
Depressed
Sick
Out of control
Loser
Bad
Thin:
Productive
Confident
Healthy
Disciplined
Sexy
Good
Even though these associations are not something people from other cultures (or other times in history) believe, they are so strong and unquestioned in our own time that they form the basis of our weight stereotyping, bias, and stigma.
To test your own associations, go take the Weight version of the Implicit Attitudes Test. The test does not measure whether you inflict weight bias on people, but rather how strongly you have been taught to associate certain concepts with weight.
It might be surprising to know that weight stigma hurts both thin and fat people. In my work with people of all sizes who are struggling with disordered eating, it is clear that a huge factor in their misery is almost always the worry that they will be humiliated and rejected because of their weight – no matter what their weight is. I have had people sitting in my office who look like they walked straight out of a fashion magazine who are convinced they are not thin enough, not perfect enough, and not good enough (and some of them are absolutely accurate about the impossible standards of their world of ballet or modeling or a really bad relationship). Others have endured a lifetime of negative stereotyping and discrimination as fat children or adults, and can’t imagine loving the bodies they blame for the meanness of other people. Still others have witnessed the humiliation of a friend, a parent, a sibling– and are petrified about such a thing happening to them.
So some of them have had actual experiences of weight stigma, some of them give themselves the experience of stigma within their own minds, and some are convinced that it is only a matter of time before the axe falls unless they perfect their bodies to some mythical state. No one feels safe, because everyone has times when we feel something from the “fat” column.
When I work with clients, we have to figure out a way to handle both the real and the self-inflicted experiences of weight stigma , so that s/he can get unstuck and recover. Part of this work is to change one’s own mind about what fat and thin means. Part of it is to change other people’s minds.
And so today in the spirit of changing other peoples’ minds, I ask that we stop for a moment and question this weight stigma stuff, and why we keep it around.
It seems obvious that the diet (i.e., the weight cycling) industry wants to keep it around because how else would you sell a program that never works, over and over again, and not worry about the consumer getting hip to the fact that it is useless? But even though it is a big honking industry (most recently estimated at over $60 billion), most of us are not making money from it and would be fine if it suddenly went out of business. In fact, most of us would be much better off economically with our $500- 1000/year safe in our own pockets rather than the weight cycling industry.
So what about the rest of us who aren’t profiting off this industry? Why would we perpetuate weight stigma? When you look at the lists of traits associated with “fat” and “thin,” what strikes me is that they are such normal human states and traits. Is there a week that goes by when you don’t feel like some of Column A and some of Column B? But the “fat” traits are painful to experience – they are the things we feel when we miss the deadline, can’t get motivated, find ourselves rejected, or are diagnosed with a health problem. We would prefer not to feel them at all, and when we are promised that just by losing weight, we will become a Whole New Person (free of all the “fat” traits!), we think that would be a pretty great deal. That promise sucks us in. We cave to the illusion that life does not have to sometimes feel bad, and we perpetuate the myth that by changing our bodies, we can avoid ever feeling bad. In fact, if you feel bad, it must be your own fault.
The truth is, few people live only in the “Thin” column. And actually, when you think about it, doing so might make you pretty insufferable. It may be the reason some people can be so immensely clueless about the weight stigma they are inflicting on others – being cut off from your own human vulnerability makes it more possible to justify “punishing” other people. Only someone who refuses to identify with the person across from her who is suffering, would add to that suffering.
There are people who understand that weight stigma is causing suffering but feel like it is somehow going to make people care about their health. Like a person will start exercising to lose weight, but not to become more healthy, so we have to keep trying to stigmatize higher weight and promote weight loss.
It is true that people are social animals, and are very punished by being stigmatized. But punishment is famously unpredictable as a motivator. The things people do to leave the stigmatized group are often not at all conducive to their health. Injecting poison into your skin, slicing up healthy body organs, starving yourself, taking drugs, and even repetitive weight loss attempts, are things that make people sicker. Even though I don’t think people would go through half of what they do in the name of weight loss just to have lower blood pressure or better triglycerides or a lower risk of a stroke, I would argue that the net effect of the attempt to leave the stigmatized group is actually less health. Weight loss is not like trying to quit smoking. Weight cycling makes you sicker and fatter. And if your weight loss takes the form of an eating disorder you have a one of the deadliest psychiatric illnesses to battle.
And what about the health burden of weight stigma itself? Historical studies of cultures where higher weight is not stigmatized show that people at higher weights were just as, or even more, healthy than the thinner members of the community. And perhaps the most robust finding in all of epidemiology is that social support is the holy grail of health. How can removing social support – and making people sicker – be a path to making people healthier? How can the US government telling people that we are trying to eliminate them in a generation make them healthier?
The truth is, there is no reason to demonize people of certain weights. The far more effective message is that people can find things to do that support their health at whatever size they are. After all, the same practices and environments support health for thin or fat people. If the same cafeteria feeds the thin kids and the fat kids, why can’t we talk about what is on the menu that supports the health of all the kids? Why do we have to argue that the food has to change so we can have no fat kids? Why can’t we argue that the food should be healthy for the kids–period? We can work to create environments that support people in their efforts to thrive and make lasting efforts to take care of their bodies. Part of creating that environment is ridding it of the pollution of weight stigma.
I grew up during times of great social upheaval, and I have seen a lot of change when it comes to social stigma. Though the world is far from perfect, it is a very different place now than it used to be if you live together without being married, or get divorced, or have a baby as a single parent, or work as a female airline pilot, or get around in a wheelchair, or raise kids as gay parents, or love someone of a different race or religion. Stigma is a kind of fashion. We can change what is fashionable. We can make weight stigma incredibly uncool. Because it is.
So what are you going to do today to end weight stigma, in your mind, and in the world?
Deb Burgard, PhD is a psychologist specializing in eating, weight, and body image concerns. She practices in the San Francisco Bay area, blogs for ASDAH, and is the creator of Body Positive.com.
Everybody Knows Somebody. Get involved in NEDAwareness Week 2012, February 26-March 3! Visit the NEDAwareness Week homepage to register today and learn more about how you can do just one thing to help raise awareness about eating disorders and become part of the solution. NEDA’s Helpline number is: 800 931-2237
These tips are adapted from You’re Amazing! A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self
by Claire Mysko (Adams Media)
Girls today are told they can do anything. Unfortunately, the message they’re often getting is that they have to do everything–and please everyone while they’re at it. All this pressure is adding up to big time stress. According to The Supergirl Dilemma, a study conducted by Girls Incorporated, more than half of girls in middle school reported that they often feel stressed. By the time girls get into high school, that number jumps to 74%. One third of all girls in grades 3- 12 said they often feel sad and unhappy.
When girls get caught up in the quest to be supergirls, they are less likely to feel confident in themselves and more likely to struggle with low self-esteem and poor body image. Here are five tips to help the girls in your life tackle The Supergirl Dilemma.
Does the pressure to do it all sound familiar? Supergirls and Superwomen hear the same voice, and it says “you’re not good enough.” Remember to give yourself a break and take time for healthy stress relief. If we want to break this damaging “super” cycle and set positive examples, we have to start with ourselves.
Teach girls to be savvy and critical media consumers. Resist the urge to simply lecture about what you think is inappropriate. Instead, ask them what they like about the movies and TV shows they watch and the magazines they read. What do they dislike? Talk about the difference between fantasy and reality by showing girls real examples of retouching. Point out how often retouching is used to make models and actors look artificially flawless.
Encourage girls to exercise their bragging rights. Girls are often hesitant to talk about what makes them amazing because they don’t want to be seen as conceited or they feel like they’re not perfect enough to be proud of themselves. Turn that thinking around by challenging girls to take pride in all of their amazing qualities, not just their achievements. Ask a girl what makes her amazing. If you get a sheepish shrug or an “I don’t know,” press on. You can spark the conversation by sharing a few of her qualities that you think are amazing, but don’t let her off the hook until she can say this sentence out loud: “I’m amazing because…”
Discuss the value of making mistakes and taking healthy risks. Many girls are so focused on being perfect and doing things “right” that they miss out on valuable opportunities because they are so afraid of failure. Share a mistake you made or a risk you took in life that helped you get where you are today.
When girls talk about the pressures they feel, the best thing you can do is listen. Don’t judge, interrupt, or get upset. Remember that what girls need most of all in their lives are supportive adults who take the time to hear what they’re saying.
Amazing Girl
Asks questions
Makes mistakes and learns from
Talks about her feelings, fears, hopes, and dreams
Tries new things
Supports other girls
Is proud of her accomplishments, no matter how big or small
Knows three trusted adults she could turn to if she had a problem
Knows how to set boundaries and say no
Takes care of her body, mind, and spirit
Super girl
Is afraid of not knowing the “right” answer
Makes mistakes and agonizes over them
Keeps it to herself when she’s stressed or sad
Doesn’t take on new challenges
Is jealous of other girls’ successes
Feels like no accomplishment is good enough or big enough
Wants adults to think she is happy, even if she doesn’t always feel happy
Sometimes does things she doesn’t want to do if she thinks people might like her more for doing them
Wishes she could be smarter, prettier, more popular, more athletic- -the list goes on
Everybody Knows Somebody. Get involved in NEDAwareness Week 2012, February 26- March 3! Visit the NEDAwareness Week homepage under Programs & Events to register today and learn more about how you can do just one thing to help raise awareness about eating disorders and become part of the solution. National Eating Disorders Helpline: 800 931-2237
Sport participation can be a very positive experience for an individual in that it can aid in developing self-esteem, a sense of competence, and physical conditioning, in addition to providing opportunities for healthy competition. At the same time, there are aspects of the sport environment that can increase a person’s risk for developing disordered eating. This concern, however, should not be misconstrued to mean that sport participation should be avoided. It is not sport or sport participation that needs to be avoided, but rather the risks often found in the environment.
Eating Disorders: What They Are and What They Are Not
Eating disorders are not simply “disorders of eating.” Also, they are not simply a misguided attempt to be thin; nor are they simply a sport participant’s means to reduce body weight or body fat in an effort to enhance sport performance. They are mental disorders that manifest themselves in a variety of eating and weight-related signs and symptoms. They are not caused by sports or coaches, although sports and coaches can increase the risk of developing such a disorder or exacerbate an existing disorder. Rather, they are potentially life-threatening disorders with multiple determinants and risk factors, including socio-cultural, familial, and personality factors, as well as genetics.
Identification difficulties.
Athletes are probably more at risk for developing eating disorders than non-athletes because they experience the same eating disorder risks as non-athletes but also face additional risk factors within the sport environment. Because treatment cannot occur until the athlete has been identified as symptomatic, a risk to athletes is that identification is more complicated in the sport environment. Several issues can make identification more difficult. One of these is the (mis)perception of eating disorder symptoms as “normal” or even desirable. For example, dieting, weight loss, and excessive exercise are eating disorder symptoms. However, in the sport world, where leanness and hard training are desirable traits rewarded by many coaches, such symptomatic behaviors, along with perfectionism, are apt to be viewed as traits of a good athlete. Even physiological symptoms such as amenorrhea may be viewed as “normal.” The aforementioned symptoms are even less likely to be viewed as symptoms when the athlete is performing well, because there is often a “presumption of health” with good sport performance.
Recommendations for Coaches
Coaches are in the ideal position to identify symptomatic athletes because they spend so much time with them. It is therefore important for coaches to be aware of the physical/medical and psychological/behavioral signs and symptoms of disordered eating. (See Table) Additionally, coaches have considerable influence with their athletes. Thus, their comments about weight are very powerful. As tempting as it may be to focus on loss of body weight or body fat to enhance sport performance, athletes and coaches need to be aware of issues regarding not only sport performance but also health. Sport performance is like most human behaviors in that it is determined by multiple factors. Leanness for some athletes is probably one of them, but it is one that is likely to increase the risk of disordered eating. Focusing on the other factors such as mental preparation, confidence, and physical factors such as endurance, strength, etc. is less likely to increase the risk. Other than genetics, the factor that probably plays the greatest role in sport performance is (good) health, and other than genetics probably the greatest contributor to good health is good nutrition. Additional information is available to coaches on managing disordered eating from the NCAA Coaches Handbook : Managing the Female Athlete Triad (NCAA, 2005). To download the manual, go here, then follow the link to Female Athlete Triad Prevention. Eating Disorders in Sport (Thompson & Sherman, 2010) provides a thorough discussion of the above topics.
Everybody Knows Somebody. Get involved in NEDAwareness Week 2012, February 26- March 3! Visit the NEDAwareness Week homepage under Programs & Events to register today and learn more about how you can do just one thing to help raise awareness about eating disorders and become part of the solution. Helpline: 800 931-2237
References
National Collegiate Athletic Association. (2005). NCAA coaches handbook: Managing the female athlete triad. Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Thompson, R.A., & Sherman, R. T. (2010). Eating disorders in sport. New York: Routledge.
Table. Disordered Eating: Signs and Symptoms
Caution: The fact that an athlete displays some of the characteristics below does not confirm that the athlete is engaging in disordered eating. However, the likelihood increases as more signs and symptoms are evident. Also note that this is not a complete list of symptoms, but rather includes the most common ones.
These tips are adapted from Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat? The Essential Guide to Loving Your Body Before and After Baby (HCI Books)
by Claire Mysko and Magali Amadei
Take weight out of the equation. This might seem like a radical suggestion considering that pregnancy weight gain and post-baby weight loss are such hot topics of conversation among mothers-to-be and new moms. To add fuel to the fire, weigh-ins are often the center of every visit to the doctor. But truthfully, there really isn’t any reason you need to keep track of your weight. If you know that it could become an unhealthy fixation, tell your OB or midwife that you prefer not to discuss the number unless it becomes a medical issue. When it is necessary to be weighed, you can step on the scale backwards and remind the physician’s assistant that you don’t want to be told your weight. You’ll discover that there are plenty of other interesting—and more substantive–things about becoming a mother that you can talk about than the number on the scale.
Choose a health care provider who is sensitive to food, weight and body image issues. Most women have struggled with poor body image and many have personal experience with disordered eating. That means we need to find prenatal and postpartum healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and compassionate when it comes to these issues. We’ve heard from women who ended up in the examination room—and sometimes even the delivery room—feeling belittled and unsupported by their own doctors. The best way to avoid this scenario is to push through whatever shame you might be feeling and be upfront with your OB or midwife about your history and your pregnancy-related body image fears. If you’re met with criticism or any other reaction that makes you feel uncomfortable, remember that you are well within your rights to walk out that door and find another doctor who will treat you with more respect. Of those we surveyed, 73% of pregnant women with body image issues and histories of eating disorders and disordered eating said they had not discussed this history with their OBs or midwives. It’s time to break that dangerous silence.
Be aware of the triggers of pregnancy. The incessant counting, comparing, and measuring that happens during those nine months and beyond can tap into some of the very vulnerabilities that are linked to eating disorders and food and weight obsessions. Perfectionism, loss of control, feelings of isolation, and memories of childhood often bubble right to the surface. But if you’re getting the support you need, you’ll have a better chance of weathering those storms without resorting to self-destructive habits. Resist the urge to shut down or close off. Remember that there is nothing shameful about asking for help. It’s the most courageous thing you can do for yourself and your baby. Look at your recovery as an ongoing process that will help you reach your full potential as an individual and as a mother.
Break the cycle of body hatred. Allow yourself to celebrate the fact that your body is working some serious magic right now. Before you get stymied by stretch marks or focused on flabby skin, take time to reflect on how you will teach your child—in your words and in your actions—that you appreciate your body. We have the power to help future generations grow up placing a higher value on good health than on weight and physical appearance. But before we can pass along those positive attitudes, we must first embrace them for ourselves.
Everybody Knows Somebody. Get involved in NEDAwareness Week 2012, February 26- March 3! Visit the NEDAwareness Week homepage under Programs & Events to register today and learn more about how you can do just one thing to help raise awareness about eating disorders and become part of the solution.
This week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week and the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) is encouraging everyone to join the fight against eating disorders by just doing one thing to help spread awareness because everyone knows someone who is affected by an eating disorder. Spreading awareness about these disorders is one way we can help the people in our lives that are affected by them. It doesn’t matter if you are a parent, a teacher, a teenager, a business owner, a politician, or the bagger at the grocery store. There is something you can do this week to spread awareness and support the people around you that have anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or any other eating disorders.
The Stats
According to NEDA, an estimated 11 million people across the country are struggling with either anorexia nervosa or bulimia every day. The battle they are waging is for survival and too many of them are losing the fight. The mortality rate for girls between the ages of 15 and 24 who have anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the mortality rate for these girls from all other causes of death. The number of Americans who have binge eating disorder (BED) is believed to be in the millions, but similar to the other eating disorders, experts believe that cases are underreported.
Despite the fact that each of the three primary eating disorders can cause serious, life-long health problems and premature death, only 1 in 10 receive treatment according to the National Association for Anorexia and Associated Disorders (ANAD). Funding for eating disorder research continues to lag behind funding for other disorders, especially when you consider the ratio of dollars spent on research per affected individual. NEDA indicates that in 2008, the National Institutes of Health provided $7M in research funding for eating disorders which affect 10 million Americans. That same year, more than $400M was provided for Alzheimer’s research and almost $250M for research into schizophrenia which affect 4.5 million and 2.2 million people respectively. This means that tax payers funded $113 of research per individual with schizophrenia, $92 per individual with Alzheimer’s, and $0.70 per individual with an eating disorder.
Just One Thing
This week is all about spreading awareness and NEDA is encouraging everyone to do just one thing to help with the fight because even doing just one thing makes a difference. They offer the following suggestions for things you can do to join the fight.
Speak Up! You can volunteer to be a speaker in your community during awareness week. NEDA provides pre-written presentations for volunteer speakers to use.
Post It! Spread awareness by posting to your social media sites and using your social network to encourage others to get involved.
Speak Out! Become a media watchdog and join with others who write letters to media outlets about their coverage of eating disorders.
Give It! NEDA provides Healthy Body Image resources like Teaching Kids to Eat and Love Their Bodies Too!! that you can pay to have donated to a middle school in your area.
Print It! Go the NEDA Awareness Week website and register to participate. Once registered, you will have access to a bunch of great resources including toolkits for a variety of people. Download and print kits to give the educators at your local school, coaches of local teams, and parents you know to help spread the word.
Join the fight this week against eating disorders by doing just one thing to make a difference. Your contribution, whether grand or small, will make a difference in the lives of people you know because everyone knows someone who is affected by an eating disorder.
Many people may only associate bingeing with bulimia but there is a new eating disorder recently accepted for inclusion in the DSM V that relates specifically to people who only experience the bingeing side of bulimia. The new disorder, called Binge Eating Disorder (BED), is more common that anorexia or bulimia and affects about 5 million women and 3 million men in the U.S. according to The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). Unlike the other primary eating disorders, BED affects both genders and all races.
Although people with anorexia may also have bulimia, neither of those disorders co-exist with BED. It is important to understand that although people with bulimia and people with BED both experience uncontrollable eating binges that are often followed by feelings of guilt and shame, the similarities end there. In binge eating disorder, there is no purging which is why many of those with BED are overweight or obese.
What Binge Eating Disorder Looks Like
The main element of binge eating disorder is the ravenous cravings that drive those with the condition to binge, often in secret, at all times of the day and night. People with this condition suffer from body image issues and may use food to handle emotional upset, stress, and other psychological problems. It can be difficult, even for experts in eating disorders, to differentiate between binge eating and overeating.
Someone with BED will binge, eating large amounts of high calorie food in a short time frame which results in negative emotions and anxiety about weight gain.
Because people with the disorder don’t participate in other unhealthy behaviors to rid themselves of the extra calories, they gain weight, which feeds their negative self image and causes more emotional stress.
This starts the cycle all over again as they experience binge cravings to deal with the stress and unwanted emotions.
Binge eating disorder is not characterized by an occasional episode of overeating, but rather by a compulsion to eat in order to satisfy the specific cravings currently being experienced.
The Real Dangers of Binge Eating Disorder
For people with binge eating disorder the real danger is that bingeing will result in obesity and the person will face the myriad of associated health problems including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, gall bladder disease, heart disease, and cancer. Additionally, people who have binge eating disorder have a higher incidence of some mental illnesses like depression. The negative emotions and secretive behaviors that are part of the disorder can also make those with the condition feel isolated and alone especially when combined with the societal pressures of being overweight in a world where you are supposed to be thin, to diet, and to lose weight.
How You Can Help
The best way to help someone with an eating disorder is to be understanding, supportive, and patient as they work through their recovery. For people with binge eating disorder, the prognosis is good. ANAD indicates that some initial studies into the treatment of BED show a 50% remission rate with medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.
As teens stretch their wings and start functioning farther and farther from the family unit, some parents struggle both with letting go and with finding ways to entice their teens back into the nest for a little family time. The bonds created by shared experience are just as important to teens as they are to toddlers. If your family has children of different ages, one of the best ways to have fun as a family is to have family game night.
Family game night provides the one thing you need to entice your teen, fun. It may not be the kind of fun that comes from holding a controller or looking at a laptop, but it may be enough to get them to the table. Once the game starts, your teen’s competitive nature and the sense of family togetherness will keep them coming back for more. While the main goal is spending time having fun together, family game night also offers some valuable life lessons that everyone, even Mom and Dad, can benefit from. As an added bonus, you might make a lifelong memory or two as you battle over the Monopoly Board or trounce each other at Trivial Pursuit.
According to Scholastic.com, the lessons learned on family game night don’t come from playing the educational game with the highest teacher rating or from stocking the shelf with every new game on the market. The lessons about life are taught in small ways just by playing a game together. From how to communicate to taking turns, these life lessons serve as good reminders for everyone in the family and reinforce important messages that many teens need to hear.
Lesson 1: Play by the Rules
Life is like a board game in that there are specific rules that everyone is expected to follow. In life, these rules are represented by laws, company policies, school policies, and family expectations. During family game night, when you play a board game, it is easy to see that when everyone plays by the rules, the game runs smoothly and everyone has the same chance to win or lose. This is an important message for teens whose world is often too complex for them to see that they same thing is true. When everyone follows the rules, things run smoothly and everyone has the chance to win.
Lesson 2: Learning How to Win and How to Lose
One of the most valuable lessons that playing games together during a family game night can teach younger children is that sometimes they will win and sometimes they will lose and they are okay, either way. It doesn’t matter which as long as they do their best and take their win or their loss gracefully. Many teens and their parents can benefit from revisiting this lesson. At the end of the day, everyone has days where they are the winner and everyone has days that they are the loser and remembering that can make it easier to be thankful for the wins and to let go of the losses.
Lesson 3: What Comes Around, Goes Around
In a board game, just like in real life, if you make a move that knocks your brother back to start, it is very likely that he will be looking for a chance to do the same to you. If you slip your sister a get out of jail free card just because she needs it, she is more likely to spot you a $100 to buy a little plastic house on your property. It is one thing to say that you should do unto others as you want them to do unto you; it is another to see your sister’s sadness at losing the game after you sent her back to start every time you could.
To get your family excited about family game night, pick a date and then have everyone nominate a game or two to be played. Hand out voting tokens as the night approaches and let everyone vote for the games they want to play. The two or three games with the most votes make the cut. Make sure you have some great snacks on hand and let the family set the flow and pace of the night. Focus on having fun with your family and you will be amazed at what everyone learns along the way.
What impact does your stress have on your family? Image via Wikipedia
Stressed out. Anxious. Worried.
If you were asked which members of your family are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, which would you choose? Most of us would choose ourselves, our spouses, or our partners. We, the parents, are the ones who are worried about paying bills, anxious over the economy and stressed out from being overworked, underpaid, or unemployed. If you picked yourselves, you are definitely right and possibly wrong at the same time. By picking yourselves, you are indicating that you are part of the 33% of adults that are routinely experiencing a high level of stress and who would know better than you, right? However, you may also need to pick your kids, especially if you are one of the 33%. Because whether you believe it or not, if you are stressed, your stress is rubbing off on your kids.
Do you know how your kids act when they are stressed out? If you are like most parents, you probably don’t. The majority of us don’t think our children are overly stressed or worried, even though 1 in 5 of them is experiencing a high degree of stress. This disparity between what parents think children are feeling and what children are actually feeling is one of the key findings from the 2010 Stress in America survey published by the American Psychological Association .
The APA survey also found that almost 70% of parents feel their own stress has little to no effect on their children. The children’s responses, however, tell a different story. When asked how they feel when their parents are stressed, tweens and teens indicated that they feel sad, depressed, worried, frustrated, annoyed, and helpless.
Our kids are also better at reading us than we are at reading them. You may not be able tell when they are stressed, but you can be sure that they know how you act when your stress begins to boil over. Almost all children can point to the specific behaviors their parents exhibit when they are stressed out and worried. Teens cite things like yelling, arguing with others, having no patience, irritability, and being too busy to spend time with them as signs of parental stress.
Signs You Are Stressed
You may think you know how to tell when you are stressed out but the signs are not the same for everyone and there may be subtle cues on the way from stressed to burned-out that you are missing. The keys to helping everyone in your family reduce their stress level and learn to manage stress more effectively are to understand how stress affects each family member and to help each other see the signs before stress boils over and becomes burn-out. Here are some of the most common signs of stress in both adults and children.
Attitudes about work or school change becoming more critical and comments about work or school are sarcastic and/or cynical.
Patience decreases or disappears. Things like traffic, waiting in line, or delays cause immediate responses and angry outbursts.
Everything irritates you. From the sound of the clock ticking in the kitchen to the way your husband clanks the ice cubes in his glass together when he drinks puts you on edge.
You feel lethargic and don’t seem to have the energy you need to do housework, schoolwork, participate in sports, exercise, visit with friends, or do other activities you normally enjoy.
Things feel hopeless. Everything seems to be an insurmountable obstacle from a chemistry test to weeding the garden.
Everyone keeps asking you if you are ok.
Even good things don’t make you happy.
Your sleeping and/or eating habits have changed. You are either sleeping too much or too little, eating more than you should or not at all.
Make stress management a family affair and talk to your kids about the signs of stress, what is stressing them out, and ways you can all work on managing the stress of the family together. Just remember, talking about stress and how to manage it isn’t a license to discuss all your adult problems with your kids. You can work as a family to learn to manage stress better without stressing your kids out more by unloading all of your adult problems onto them.
You know your teenager is struggling and for whatever reason, you don’t seem to be able to help. You know you need to find a mental health professional that has the right skills and experience to provide the support and assistance your teen needs. You know you would do anything to help them find their way through the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. What you don’t know, is how to get your teen the help he or she needs in order to overcome their obstacles.
There are several factors you need to consider when looking for a therapist, counselor, or other mental health professional to work with your child. In order to develop a short list of people who might be a good fit for your teen, follow these steps.
1. Know What You Need
If you are looking for someone to help your teen, odds are you will want someone who specializes in or has experience with working with teenagers. While this isn’t the most important factor in selecting a professional, it is a good starting place to create a list of candidates. If your child has a very specific need like treatment for an eating disorder or help with a mental illness like bipolar or depression, you may want to target professionals that specialize in helping with that issue.
2. Consider Comfort Levels
In order to find the best fit for your teen, you need to consider the type of person they are going to be most comfortable working with. Do you need a male or a female? Do you need someone older or younger? Do you need someone who is more authoritarian and commanding or flexible and fluid? Look at the type of teachers, coaches, and other non-parent adults that your child has a good connection with for clues about what kind of counselor will be a good fit for them.
3. Ask for Referrals.
Your teen’s medical provider is a good place to start as many family practice providers and pediatricians have experience working with the local mental health professionals and can recommend those they think would be a good fit for your child. You can also reach out to other parents, friends, and even coworkers for referrals.
4. Schedule a Session.
Once you have a list, call each person on it to see if you can come in and talk to them and get a feel for whether or not they will be a good fit for what your teenager needs. Some professionals provide a brief free consultation for this purpose while others charge a fee for this initial visit. Use this time to find out about their education, certifications, experience, philosophy, and expertise. You will also want to determine if their services are covered by your health insurance plan.
Following these steps will make it easier to find a mental health professional that is a good fit for your teen. The most important factors in choosing a mental health professional for your teenager are how comfortable your teen is with the person and how well they can connect with each other.
Do you know if your teen is being bullied? Image via Wikipedia
It is on the news. It is on the web. It is in your child’s school. You know that bullying is a problem and are confident you could help your child if they were being bullied. You may be right; but the reality is, you might not even know that it’s happening. Studies have shown that although almost 50% of children are bullied at some point in their life, less than half of them will talk to their parents about what is happening. If the bullying is happening in cyberspace, that drops to 5% according to StopCyberBullying.org. In order to protect your child, you need to know what to watch for and when to step in and take a stand for your child while teaching them to stand up for themselves.
Here are 7 signs your child may be the victim of bullying.
1. They Stop Being Social
Tweens and teens are, by their very nature, social creatures. They have entered the part of their adolescence when the opinions of friends and peers become more important than those of their parents and families. If your formerly social teen suddenly stops spending hours on the phone, texting at dinner, posting everything to Facebook, or playing their favorite online game, you should take that as a big red flag. Watch for a suddenly shrinking social circle, unwillingness to participate in activities like dance classes, sports, youth groups, or extracurricular activities they have always enjoyed.
2. Acting Out at Home
When teens are unhappy, stressed, or struggling with issues they can’t fix, like being the victim of a bully, they often lash out at the people who love them like parents and siblings. This is a normal response called transference and is a red flag for parents. Pay attention if your teenager’s attitude toward family members radically changes and they start lashing out angrily at younger brothers and sisters or you.
3. Avoiding School or Other Places
Teens who suddenly resist going to school without any stated reason may be struggling with a bully. This holds true for other places as well, especially if it is a place where they generally spend time with their friends or other teens their age.
4. Grades Take a Nosedive
If your A and B student suddenly starts getting D’s and F’s, you may need to consider that they are being bullied before exacerbating the problem by getting angry, imposing punishments, or otherwise responding to the grades themselves.
5. Unexplained Illnesses
If your otherwise healthy teen suddenly seems to be sick with generalized, non-specific symptoms all the time, it can be a sign that they are being bullied. It is important to have them checked out by their pediatrician or family doctor in order to rule out any medical conditions, but if the doctor can’t find an underlying cause, it may be the stress of being bullied. Feeling unwell can also give teens a way to avoid going to events or interacting with people, which is another red flag.
6. Changes in Habits or Routines
If your child’s eating habits, sleeping habits, or other routines radically change overnight, it may be a red flag that they are being victimized by a bully. Teens may suddenly eat much more, stop eating, sleep all the time, have trouble sleeping, and/or experience nightmares as a result of being bullied.
7. Depressed, Hopeless, Suicidal
Teens who are being bullied can become very depressed and sad and express a feeling of hopelessness about the world and their lives. They may talk about suicide and blame themselves for things that are not their fault. While teenagers can be moody, wild shifts in mood accompanied by changes in outlook and attitude may be more than just hormones.
If you suspect your child is being bullied, talk to them, talk to their medical provider, talk to the school, and keep talking until you feel confident that your child’s well-being is not being endangered by another child’s bullying behavior. If bullying is confirmed, you will want to find a counselor who can also help you and your teen process the effects of bullying on their self esteem.
Some guys doing intimidation in Instituto Regional Federico Errázuriz, Santa Cruz, Chile (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You get a phone call at work from your daughter’s school. The Vice Principal would like to meet with you as soon as possible about a bullying incident involving your daughter. Your heart sinks as you promise to be there as soon as you can. You wonder if she is ok, worry about the long term ramifications she will face from being bullied, try to figure out what she is getting picked on for and think back over her whole life to see if there is something more you could have done to protect her.
It never crosses your mind that your daughter isn’t the one being bullied; she is the bully.
We as parents struggle to see anything but the best in our children and often it doesn’t seem possible that they could be the one hurting someone else. Unfortunately, the numbers don’t lie which means there are 2.1 million sets of parents out there who have a child who is a bully. Parents are essential to the prevention and elimination of this kind of behavior and that includes all parents, not just those of the children who are the victims. Parents of bullies may be the key to turning the tide against this pervasive crime being committed against and by our children everyday.
How Can You Tell if Your Child is a Bully?
The first thing parents need to do is come to terms with the fact that their child is engaging in behavior that is unhealthy for them and damaging to others. An adolescent that is bullying others is not necessarily a “bad kid” and being the parent of a bully doesn’t automatically mean that you are a bad parent. People engage in bullying behavior for a reason and the most important thing you can do to help your child is to uncover that reason.
If you are concerned that your child may be bullying others, there are some things you can look for. Bullies lack empathy and struggle feeling or finding sympathy for others. Bullies believe that aggression is a valuable tool for dealing with other people and often exhibit a belligerent attitude. Bullies like to be the leader, the one in charge, and the one who makes and enforces the rules. When they win, they like to lord it over those they beat and when they lose, it is everyone’s fault but their own. They are impulsive and may exhibit bullying behavior toward siblings. Bullying behavior includes any verbal, social, physical, or online action that is repetitive and intentionally harmful.
What Makes Children and Teens Bully Others?
The perception that every bully is a social outcast who is lashing out at others in an attempt to repair or elevate their own self-esteem is outdated. While this does describe some bullies, it also contributes to the idea that popular, socially-adept adolescents with intact families aren’t bullies, which is not the case. Teenagers bully others for a variety of reasons many of which start at home. If your child is being bullied or has been bullied by someone at home, they may model that behavior and bully others. Children who never learn or lack empathy may become bullies because they don’t take the feelings of the other person into account. Whatever the reason, adolescents need to be taught that this behavior is never acceptable.
How Does Bullying Affect the Bully?
Being bullied can have devastating, life-long affects, but being the bully can also cause long term problems. Children who bully others are more likely to struggle in school, to smoke, to drink, and to engage in criminal behavior into their adult years. When children bully others and experience no repercussions, it reinforces the idea that this behavior is acceptable and that being mean-spirited, dismissive, and degrading to other people can be a source of power. This is a dangerous lesson that underlines how important it is for parents to stand up, step in, and speak out.
How Can You Help Your Child?
Here are some things you can do to help your child see that bully behavior is not acceptable and encourage them to stop participating or engaging in things that are intentionally damaging to others.
Treat the issue as seriously as it is. It isn’t a phase or something they will grow out of. You need to reinforce the idea that intentionally causing harm to others is never acceptable.
Work with your child to uncover the reason for their behavior. It may be helpful to seek the services and expertise of a medical practitioner, counselor, or therapist. This is also a great time to connect with your child’s teachers, school counselor, or other school resource to talk about any problems or difficulty in school.
Model the behavior you want your child to emulate. Be empathetic, show sympathy for others, don’t fly off the handle and lash out in anger.
Help your child develop positive problem solving skills.
Never allow bullying behavior to continue in your presence no matter who is doing the bullying.
Talk to your child away from their peers; don’t bring up this or other sensitive topics in front of others.
See the new documentary called Bully as a family and use it as a way to start and/or continue the conversation.
Bully is a huge problem in schools today. Image via Wiki.
It is on the news. It is a big topic at our schools. It is the subject of legislation in almost all 50 states. All this attention on something that has been going on as long as there have been people on the planet seems like an overreaction to some and another example of how today’s parents are coddling their children to others. While this attitude may seem insensitive and callous, it isn’t usually malicious or ill-intended. To many of these people, being bullied was just part of growing up, almost a rite of passage that everyone had to deal with in one way or another.
But times have changed and even though the need for some people to bully others remains, today’s bullies are not the bullies from your childhood.
Parents and grandparents of today’s children sometimes struggle to understand why bullying has become such a big deal. They look back to their childhood and see themselves overcoming being bullied, standing up to their bully, walking away from their bully and becoming the bigger person. In this light, it is easy to see why people still view bullying as a part of childhood that builds character and teaches valuable life lessons. However, this nostalgic view of childhood doesn’t fit when superimposed on the lives of children living today.
For previous generations, most bullying happened on the playground, in the park, on the walk home from school. The places you could be bullied were limited, often to those few locations where there were no adults to intervene. You could, in theory, kick your bully in the shins and run home to safety. You always knew who your bully was because he or she was the one standing in front of you acting mean. Bullying wasn’t really a private matter because it had to be done in person. Even going after someone in the bathroom carried the risk of others walking in and intervening. Being a bully was a bad thing and even if the bully had some henchmen, he was the social outcast and the others banded around you when you took your stand.
As a child or teen today, you are generally bullied everywhere except the playground including inside the classroom, at lunch, at home in their bedroom, and in cyberspace. There is no limit to where or how often someone can bully you because they no longer have to be standing in front of you in order to harm you. This also means that it is very easy to bully anonymously which removes much of the social pressure not to do it to others. You can still run home, but you won’t feel any safer there because the way your bully can do the most damage is less likely to be physical than it is to be mental, emotional, and social.
The nature of bullying today, especially cyber bullying, lends itself to private attacks that are both pervasive and unrelenting. Today’s bullies are also more likely to travel in packs and less likely to be the social outcasts. They are often popular with lots of friends, which only increases the power they have to hurt others. Rather than feeling surrounded and supported by all the other kids on the playground who are being bullied by the bad kid, you feel isolated and alone as if you are the only one this is happening to.
Trying to chalk bullying up to a normal part of growing up or downplay the damage it does to the children of today doesn’t make the problem go away, it just makes it harder for the children and teens in your life to come to you and ask for help. If you know someone you think may be a victim of being bullied, encourage them that they are not alone. Don’t be afraid to talk to a teacher, parent, or healthcare professional to seek help. We all need to do our part to raise awareness that bullying is happening. In time, hopefully we’ll be able to recreate the cultural norm where once again, bullies aren’t celebrated, but called out for their behavior.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and this year the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (NCADD) has chosen underage drinking as the focus for the annual awareness campaign. This is a pervasive problem that can have catastrophic, life-long consequences for our nation’s youth. The statistics are shocking and show that our children are using alcohol early and abusing it long before the leave for college. The good news is that the percentage of teenagers using and abusing doesn’t seem to be increasing. The bad news is that it doesn’t seem to be declining either. With nothing less than the lives and futures of our children at stake, we as a society cannot continue to shrug it off or sweep it under the rug.
The Facts
By age 10, 10% of our children have started drinking.
By age 13, that number more than triples, approaching 33%.
Teens that drank before they were 15 are 5 times more likely to have a problem with alcohol dependence in the last year than those who waited until they were old enough to drink legally.
In 2006, almost 30% of American teens between the ages of 12 and 20 report drinking during the past month, with 20% binge drinking and 6% drinking heavily.
Binge drinking is common amongst teenagers who drink and 25% of students drank more than 5 drinks in a row within the past 30 days.
College students suffer around 600,000 alcohol-related injuries each year and alcohol-related injuries claim the lives of 1,700 college students each year.
There are 100,000 alcohol-related sexual assaults or date rapes committed against college students each year.
Children of alcoholics may be as much as 10 times more likely to become alcoholics as their peers.
The Dangers
Statistics show that underage drinking increases a person’s risk of having an alcohol problem later in life.
Alcohol abuse increases the risk factor for developing cancer of the mouth, larynx, and esophagus as well as liver disease.
Underage drinking is one of the main causes of death from injuries which is the leading cause of death for Americans under 21.
Each year, underage drinking and alcohol-related injuries take the lives of 5,000 people, 38% are car accidents, 32% from homicide, and 6% from suicide.
Teenagers are more likely to participate in risky sexual activity when alcohol is involved which results in unplanned and unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, date rape, unplanned pregnancy, and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
Prevention Tips for Parents and Teens
Parents – Talk to your teens about the dangers of alcohol. Help them understand the consequences and why it is illegal for people to drink before they are 21.
Teens – Don’t be afraid to say no. Don’t let someone else make your decisions for you.
Parents – Be a good role model and set a good example. Your teen is more likely to listen to you if you are practicing what you preach.
Teens – Talk to your parents. Ask questions and make sure you understand the real dangers of drinking.
Parents & Teens – Agree on how you will both handle situations that arise where your teen is present at an event where other teens are drinking alcohol. By agreeing ahead of time, teens won’t need to be afraid that their parents will freak out, call the police, and ground them until college, and parents will understand how critical their reaction is to maintaining the lines of communication.
Go Alcohol Free
As part of the awareness campaign, NCADD is inviting all Americans to engage in an alcohol-free weekend from April 6 to April 8, 2012 to help spread awareness about alcohol abuse and underage drinking. For more information about Alcohol Awareness Month, visit NCADD’s website.
Workshop Topic: Eating Disorders: Ineffective Coping and Misleading Values
When: August 20-23, 2012
What: This workshop will explore how maintaining an eating disorder involves the combination of a seemingly effective, yet ultimately ineffective coping strategy coupled with an extrinsically based value set. Specifically the presentation will examine the primary and secondary eating disorder functions and how they fuel body image distress. Values will also be explored in the context of both a maintaining factor and a treatment component. Upon completion of the workshop, learners will be able to:
Identify two eating disorder functions that could be used in treatment planning.
Understand body image distress from a CBT perspective to guide body image treatment.
Recognize the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic values to increase self-direction in persons with eating disorders.
Now Hiring: Adolescent & Young Adult Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist PT, Independent Contractor
Doorways LLC. is a faith-based counseling organization in Phoenix, Arizona, that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment focused exclusively on adolescents, young adults and their families. Providers at Doorways
What type of counseling is right for your teen? (Image via Wikipedia)
