The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

  According to a new report by Common Sense Media,   Teens and Mental Health: How Girls Really Feel About Social Media , nearly half (45%) of girls who use TikTok say they feel “ addicted ” to the platform or use it more than intended at least weekly.   Among girls with moderate to  severe depressive symptoms , roughly seven in 10 who use Instagram (75%) and TikTok (69%) say they come across  problematic suicide-related  content at least monthly on these platforms.   The report surveyed more than 1,300 adolescent girls across the country to better understand how the most popular social media platforms and design features  impact  their lives today.   Among the report’s key findings, adolescent girls spend over two hours daily on TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat, and more than 90 minutes on Instagram and messaging apps. When asked about platform design features, the majority of girls believe that features like location sharing, public accoun...

Teenage mental health is a growing concern, since 2020 studies have revealed that adolescent depression and anxiety has doubled. This is also causing the rise of suicide ideation and   self-harm   as well as youth self-medicating.  Since 2001 we have helped  educate  parents regarding  mental health options   for troubled teens in addition to  therapeutic boarding schools . This is not a decision that is made lightly. Has your teenager’s behavior been  escalating  for  more than a year ? Are they becoming more withdrawn? Depressed or isolated? More common is the following: -Defiance (ADHD, ODD) -Anger, rage -Cell-phone addiction (self-destructs when the phone is removed) -School refusal (skipping classes) -Lacks motivation -Changing peer groups -Substance use (self-medicating) -Self-harm (relieves anxiety) -Change in eating habits -Poor hygiene   Your teenager may be suffering with mental health issues that need to be addressed...

  Talking to Teens About Tragedy   Many of us remember Columbine as if it was yesterday. Since then the number of shootings, including school tragedies is overwhelming. It never gets easier to hear about, but what's more concerning is the impact that it's having on our young people. News is a 24-hour cycle these days not to mention your teen's social media feeds. Any news event about at tragedy will be played and replayed as details emerge. Chances are they will hear about a tragedy before their parents thanks to the internet.   Peers talk, televisions are left on for snippets to be overheard, and social media is a constant source of news. More often than not those facts your child receives about a tragedy won’t be accurate and can fuel anxiety. Teens need hear the facts , and you are  their best source.     How do we talk to our teens about these tragedies?   It's time to turn to the experts.   Dr. Michele Borba, a leading educational psycholo...

Is your teen a victim of cyberbullying? Warning signs your teen might be struggling with online harassment: Appears to be sad, angry or even frustrated after texting or online. Avoids wanting to talk about their digital activity. (At which point you should encourage them to get online with you, have them teach you something about social media - a new app, anything to get them talking. Open the lines of communication as much as possible). Suddenly stops using their digital devices. Becomes abnormally withdrawn from activities they typically like. Finds excuses to not be at school or with friends. Drop in grades, underachieving. Have you exhausted your local resources? Local therapy is not working or your teen is refusing to attend or engage? Keep in mind, cyberbullying is a serious emotional concern. Teen's will go back and re-visit the mean post/comment over and over again and obsess on it. They will eventually become extremely distraught and depressed. Some teens have...

Finding the right therapist. In light of the recent tragedy in Newtown, CT - some are screaming for more gun control.  I am certainly not an advocate for gun, however I don't believe that is the big issue here. Fact is, most drugs are illegal too - yet we see our kids and adults abusing them.  If someone is determined to find a gun and shoot someone - just like if someone is determined to shoot heroin, they will find a way to do it. We need to address the fact that mental illness is a major concern for people and parents.  I know I have parents call and need help with their teens.  Whether you have health insurance or not, you should be able to get mental health assistance.  In some cases, local Universities will have departments that offer free counseling and many parents are not aware that their local United Way may also have resources available at low cost or no cost.  There are options, you cannot let a child or teen continue if they are stru...