Risk factors
20 Posts
When a child is injured or traumatized in some way, it’s not unusual for the parents to also experience some emotional impact from the trauma. This is called secondary traumatic stress (STS).
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While social media does have some positive influences on society, including allowing us to connect more easily with friends and family, it also has potential negative impacts, especially on kids.
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As parents, it’s critical we educate ourselves on the opioid crisis and risk factors so that we can have honest conversations with our children to protect them from this risk.
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Unstable family relationships, changing environments, and exposure to trauma all contribute to the increased risk of mental illness for kids in foster care.
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Sometimes in all our efforts to raise awareness and advocate for our kids, adults forget that young people themselves have tremendous power to change their worlds and the lives of those around them.
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Since ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders in young people, and marijuana is one of the most commonly used illegal substances, it’s no surprise there is cross-over between the two.
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Turn on the news or check your phone updates and it seems like we are being inundated with the news of traumatic events around the world, in our hometowns, and in our…
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Not only do children who live in poverty struggle to have their basic needs met but they are also at risk for higher levels of mental illness.
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While society’s idea of family may include myriad combinations of gender, age, race, background, and socio-economic status, we remain fixated on attaining perfection. And in large part, we do that to ourselves through social media.
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While our teens are not in close physical proximity to one another, they are connected nearly constantly through technology. But is that connection enough to satisfy the emotional needs of our teens? There’s a wealth of research data that says it is not.
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According to a national study, between 6 and 35 percent of the young people in this country have experienced some form cyber bullying. It’s being recognized as a new form of violence, and it has potentially devastating consequences.
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Recognizing these risky behaviors can help identify a problem before it becomes more difficult to treat, and before any long-term or permanent damage has been done.
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Occasional stress is a disruptive but normal part of a child’s life. Trauma is much more severe and complex, and it is critical to deal with it in a different way for the sake of the child.
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When the winter blues become much more, it’s known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and left untreated, could lead to serious complications.
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Attempting to identify the “bad person(s)” or “bad kid(s)” who are then labeled as a “bully” leaves much to be desired in addressing the underlying problems associated with bullying.
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It's critical to determine if what our children are experiencing is part of the normal range of back-to-school nerves, or indicative of a larger mental health problem.
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Children may already be exhibiting symptoms of mental illness before entering school, but the stress, anxiety, and relational challenges schools create may contribute to or intensify those symptoms.
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While others enjoy the fun and festivities, a child struggling with depression or anxiety can feel conflicted and stressed during the holidays.
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For a child contending with a frenemy, the impact on their mental health can be even more severe, including anxiety and low self esteem, which can begin to affect family relationships.
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Bullying is a frequent and unwelcome part of childhood and adolescence, and can have a negative impact on a child’s mental health. What do you do when you suspect your child is being bullied or bullying others?
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