The reason behind some parents’ stand against teen therapy is because of the labeling that such activity would categorize their teen as a bad sort, specifically, a juvenile delinquent. However, the need to send your teen off to a trained professional is sometimes inevitable, as certain behaviors and manners exhibited by your teen leads to the fact that he or she does need professional help.

What is teen therapy and what can you expect from it? For starters, teen therapy gives the teen a chance to take charge in the sense that talking to a therapist allows the teen to express his or her thoughts and opinions to a great extent. Further, teens who are into teen therapy will also have the opportunity to have better insights and perceptions with regards to the problems and the challenges they are facing. Teen therapy can also help them sort out their preoccupations about their past and their future.

More than this, a better understanding and a full acceptance of themselves is also another thing that a teen can benefit from teen therapy.

As a whole, teen therapy will pose as an advantage not only to the teens who will undergo it, but also their families and their friends.

Based on an article I read, experts in the field of psychology say that teens who started to become sexually active at an early age have less chances of acquiring delinquent behaviors in early adulthood. The findings contradict the widely held belief that early sexual activity is associated with later drug use, criminality, antisocial behavior, and emotional problems. However, this claim is yet to be supported by obtainable facts. Further, other factors that result to the later onset of delinquency to sexually active teens are also to be considered.

Albeit, the community as a whole will relatively be disturbed by juvenile delinquents, it is still the family that will be directly affected by their teens’ deeds and actions of juvenile delinquency. For their part, it is also the family that plays an integral role in preventing the sprout of juvenile delinquency in their teens because they are the ones who have the primary means to somewhat control their teens.

It is often said that the prevention of delinquency the identification of at-risk teens. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the parents, not only to their teens but to their communities as well, to intervene once they realize that their teens are exhibiting symptoms of delinquency.

Is your child a juvenile delinquent? Click here to find out.

If your child suffers from ADHD, a walk in the woods or time in a park could help reduce the symptoms of the disorder.

So says Sara Miller, a member of The Landscape and Human Health Laboratory of the University of Illinois.

On Tuesday, she presented a program - which the Grundy County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Mazon River Stewardship Initiative sponsored - that showed the benefits of taking your children outside.

“Take ‘Em Out: Why Adults Should Help Children Explore Nature” explained the numerous benefits children can garner by just spending more time in green settings.

“All humans benefit from being outside in nature,” said Miller. “Those that spend time outside are normally more physically active and live longer lives, but those aren’t the only benefits for children.”

Read the full article here.

Research suggests that young adult women exposed prenatally to testosterone have a reduced likelihood of developing eating disorders. The finding, researchers say, provides further evidence that biological factors - and not just social influences - are involved in anorexia and bulimia.In an ongoing study of 538 sets of twins in Michigan, researchers observed that females who were in the womb with male twins have lower risk for eating disorder symptoms than females who were in the womb with female twins.

Previous research has shown that females in the womb with males are exposed to higher levels of testosterone, Dr. Kelly L. Klump and colleagues from Michigan State University in East Lansing explain in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

In order to lose weight, a person must take in fewer calories and/or use up more calories in activity. Traditionally, that means eating a healthy, low-fat diet and getting more regular exercise. Sometimes, diet and exercise aren’t enough. Obese patients who have failed traditional weight loss programs may be candidates for surgery.

Traditionally, gastric bypass has been reserved for adults. However, more physicians are offering the treatment to obese teens. The National Institutes of Health says gastric bypass should only be offered for obese adolescents and teens who have tried to lose weight for at least six months and have not had success with traditional methods. Candidates need to have reached skeletal maturity (i.e., full adult height) and have weight-related health problems.

SYMPTOMS OF CHILDHOOD/ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION

• Drop in school performance
• Weight loss or gain
• Stomachaches
• Insomnia
• Social withdrawal
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Isolation
• Apathy
• Fatigue
• Lack of concentration

Children experiencing a major depressive episode may appear or feel irritable, rather than depressed. These symptoms are sometimes hard to observe and notice for some busy parents or guardians, that is why constant communication and professional help are very important.

Depression may occur at almost any stage of life, from childhood to middle or old age, as a result of a number of different factors that lead to chemical changes in the brain. Traumatic experiences, chronic stress, emotional loss, dysfunctional interpersonal relationships, social isolation, biological changes, aging, and inherited predisposition are common triggers for the symptoms of depression. Depression is classified according to the symptoms displayed and patterns of occurrence. Types of depression include major depressive disorder, bipolar depressive disorder, psychotic depressive disorder, postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and seasonal disorder. Additional types of depression are included under the label of atypical depressive disorder. Many symptoms overlap among the types of depression, and not all people with depression experience all the symptoms associated with their particular type of the disorder.

Most of us who live in industrialized parts of the world know that it is sometimes not friendly. With all the advanced technology that we have and all the things that make life “easier”, all the amenities  of dour modern world we sometimes feel alone and sad, this is just natural and we somehow recover and end up as a better person, with a better understanding of life. But, sometimes for some people, the recovery process does not happen and they stay in the “sad” mood that they are in for long periods of time, sometimes years. This can cause a big problem and the correct term for this is Depression. Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in the modern world and a growing cause of concern for health agencies worldwide due to the high social and economic costs involved.

Treatments for OCD are intended to lower the patient’s anxiety level; some are thought to diminish the compulsions themselves. Alternative recommendations include the following:

* Bach flower remedies: White chestnut, for obsessive thoughts and repetitive thinking.
* Traditional Chinese medicine: a mixture of bupleurum and dong quai, to strengthen the spleen and regulate the liver. In Chinese medicine, obsessive-compulsive disorder is due to liver stagnation and a weak spleen.
* Aromatherapy: a mixture of lavender, rosemary, and valerian for relaxation.
* Yoga: Yogis in India developed a special technique of yogic breathing specifically for OCD. The specific yogic technique for treating OCD requires blocking the right nostril with the tip of the thumb; slow deep inspiration through the left nostril; holding the breath; and slow complete expiration through the left nostril. This is followed by a long breath-holding out period.
* Schuessler tissue salts: for OCD, 10 tablets of Ferrum phosphorica 30X and 10 tablets of Kali phosphorica 200X, twice daily.
* Massage therapy: with special emphasis on loosening the muscles in the neck, back, and shoulders.