First treatment center for Internet addiction opens in the U.S. We are evidently behind other countries in recognizing and treating this problem. Internet addiction isn’t officially recognized as a mental disorder. However, the recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders cites “Gaming Addiction” as an area for further research. Here’s hoping …
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Father-Daughter Dance before dying
Dr. James Wolf is losing his battle with pancreatic cancer. He has 4-6 months to live. His mission in life has been to make a difference. He’s got nothing to worry about because he’s done that for the most important person, his daughter, Rachel.
Charlie Brown is good for your mental health
Why watching Charlie Brown could be much better for your children than movies like Kung Fu Panda, Wreck It Ralph, Turbo and Planes. Tough lessons about failure and humility vs “You can do anything” movies that reinforce the cult of self esteem. Younger generations often suffer from narcissism because they take it for granted that …
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The Predator Test
I watched Headline News’ hour long special on Children’s Safety and the Predator Test with my two kids. HLN’s Kyra Phillips put 20 children to the test, seven of which failed. My 10 year old would have passed but my 6 year old fell for it hook, line and sinker. Teaching “Stranger Danger” can be …
Does your child watch too much TV?
The top predictor of how much TV a child watches is how much the parents watch. Just one more lesson proving our kids emulate what we do rather than what we say or tell them to do.
Don’t ignore sibling aggression
Turns out it ranks just as damaging as peer to peer bullying. What many consider as a normal, healthy aspect of growing up is anything but healthy. This is especially prevalent and needs attention during the summer months when siblings are home alone or spend increasing amounts of time together.
Depression leading cause of disability in the U.S.
The CDC released a study that says suicide now kills more Americans than car accidents. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2030 Depression will be an epidemic. I think we’ll all agree with this doctor who says we’ve got a major problem on our hands.
Conquering Childhood Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders are the most common mental health issues effecting kids and teenagers. However, they are usually untreated, undetected or misdiagnosed. Rather than viewing your child as fragile and shielding them from stress and fear-producing situations the key is exposing them to feared stimuli or situations. Think of it as inoculating your child. Exposure to …
Boston Marathon
The bombings at the Boston Marathon are terrifying from a distance. For my family it hits close to home not because we knew one of the victims. If you search the archives of my blog you’ll see a picture of me and my wife after she ran the Boston Marathon a few years ago. I …
Violent video games
Studies on the effects of youth playing violent video games continues to be murky. It’s pretty clear that it leads to an increase in aggression in the short term but researchers are unsure if it directly leads to longer term effects such as those who continue to act out or engage in violence seen in …