10 Tips for Talking to Your Teen About Drinking Adolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 31, 2015Having the serious talks with your kids isn’t easy. Talking to your teen about sex, peer pressure, drugs, drinking and other issues can be awkward and many parents avoid it. But as daunting as the task may be, do not skip these conversations. Teens whose parents talk to them about drinking are much more likely to be…
Bullycide: How to Keep Bullying From Ruining Young Lives Culture & MediaBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 30, 2015A recent case of bullying is that of Ronin Shimizu, a 12-year-old who was allegedly bullied because he was a cheerleader. His family and friends said he was a friendly young man with diverse interests, some of which didn’t conform to gender norms. As a result, he was tormented with homophobic taunts. In a moment…
Super Bowl Is Bettor’s Dream, Addict’s Nightmare Behavioral AddictionsBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 29, 2015Will Idina Menzel go over or under? If you have an opinion on whether the Tony Award-winning singer will take longer than 121 seconds to belt out the Star Spangled Banner before the Super Bowl, you could be a winner.
Problem Gamblers Show Opioid-Related Brain Changes Behavioral AddictionsBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 29, 2015Opioids are a group of powerful drugs and medications directly or indirectly made from a plant called the opium poppy. All opioids reach the brain through sites, called opioid receptors, found on the surfaces of certain types of cells. In a study presented in October 2014 to the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, a team of…
Psychological Abuse Just as Harmful to Children as Physical Abuse Adolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 28, 2015A new study published in the American Psychological Association journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy suggests that psychological abuse during childhood can be just as damaging as physical or sexual abuse.
How Parent Involvement Helps Kids in Addiction Recovery RecoveryBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 27, 2015Parents have a powerful influence on their children’s choices, setting the tone for values and behavior. How can a concerned parent help prevent substance abuse and/or help kids in addiction recovery? The National Institutes of Health offers suggestions including early awareness and intervention, family bonding, and supervision of children’s activities.
Substance Abuse and Sexual Violence: Charlotte Kasl’s 16 Steps for Healing Trauma & PTSDBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 26, 2015Charlotte Kasl, psychologist and author of Women, Sex and Addiction: A Search for Love and Power, has been interested throughout her career in issues such as sexism, classism, racism and homophobia and has written of the connection between sexual assault and addiction, particularly in the lives of women. She has consulted on and contributed as…
Amount Spent While Gambling Can Signal Addiction Behavioral AddictionsBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 25, 2015The amount of money spent while gambling helps predict the appearance of problematic gambling behaviors, researchers from The Australian National University and Southern Cross University have found.
Children Struggle to Control Emotions With Prolonged Exposure to Parental Conflict Adolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 24, 2015Exposure to various forms of adversity, including conflict between parents, can make it more difficult for young children to recognize and control emotions, according to new research from the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.
Is Cosmetic Surgery the New Cheating? Culture & MediaBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 23, 2015Can you imagine yourself getting plastic surgery? If you’re young, you might say no. As you get older, though, you start to think that a little nip, a little liposuction, a little Botox can’t hurt and isn’t going too far. Plastic surgery is more popular than ever. Blame it on our materialistic culture, our youth…