Kinds of self-injury
March 31st, 2008

Cutting may be the most common way of self-injury, but there are a lot of types such as the following:
- Piercing the skin with sharp objects
- Head banging
- Burning
- Poisoning or overdosing
- Scratching
- Pulling out hair
- Interfering with wound healing
- Pinching
- Biting
- Carving words or symbols on the skin
- Breaking bones
- Hitting or punching
Take note that self-injury is not a suicide attempt The kid does not necessarily intend to kill one’s self, but instead cause harm to the body.
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Teenagers and cutting
March 30th, 2008
Cutting takes a whole different meaning when teenagers associate it with emotional pain. Cutting has been a way to stop their so-called unbearable issues. It is actually self-injury, which results from invalidation. Perhaps kids are made to believe that their interpretation of feelings is wrong or bad. In short, they are not allowed to feel that way so they have to punish themselves by cutting. Most of the time, their parents, guardians or any family members have formerly severely punished them for expression of such feelings and thoughts.
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When teenagers become anxious
March 30th, 2008
When anxiety in teenagers strikes, it is more likely caused by genetics and the environment, particularly the one they had as children. Thus, such as a condition usually result to depression. Anxiety usually brought about by several stress factors like:
- Neglect of parents
- No emotional support from parents
- Academic expectations
- Family responsibility
- Tension at home
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Teenage sadness
March 29th, 2008

Teenage sadness may eventually lead to depression. Though feeling sad is quiet normal, when the emotion seems to be there for an extended period (like months), this could be a very dangerous condition. So how to tell if your teenager is having a kind of sadness you and everybody in the family wants to avoid? Here are the symptoms:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sad mood
- Loss of energy
- Having a hard time focusing
- Isolation from other kids
- Neglect of physical appearance, especially in clothing
- Thoughts of suicide
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Teen anger
March 11th, 2008
Teen anger is not just about behavioral outrage. Some teenagers have problems expressing. They usually suppress their anger and then withdraw. However, most of the time, teen kids who become defiant and very aggressive. They even have the tendency to destroy property. Parents should remember that, teenage anger is more of a feeling or emotion rather than a behavior.
However, there is a positive side of expressed anger. It means that there is an apparent problem with your child. And you know that, teenagers face identity, purpose, questions, relationships and separation.
This anger could be a sign of:
> Depression
> Abuse
> Anxiety
> Grief
> Trauma
> Alcohol or substance abuse
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Adventure therapy
March 11th, 2008
Adventure is part of any wilderness program. Adventure could be a very successful therapy. In fact, it is a separate therapeutic process that has been around for 40 years. The goal of such a therapy is to improve self-esteem and self-concept. It also help to correct both personal and social behavior.
Adventure therapy is the establishment of challenge in a safe environment through series of outdoor activities for groups in order to promote psychological treatment as well as education. Also, the therapeutic process has different techniques and settings to achieve change.
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Understanding teen anger
March 10th, 2008
Anger is actually a secondary emotion. It is a reaction to a more instant primary emotion, which is the trigger situation. Such a situation is mostly unpleasant and very difficult for a teenager to deal with. Anger could be very empowering. Physical stamina increases and then affects the nervous system that sends off hormones throughout the body. An angry teenager mostly feel an increase of strength and apparently lose a mental clarity. Then, there is the mixed emotions of guilt, shame and embarrassment. These feelings are usually the causes of anger, since kids become defensive.
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