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Everyone knows some people who can eat ice cream, cake, and whatever else they want and still not gain weight. At the other extreme are people who seem to gain weight no matter how little they eat. Why? What are the causes of obesity? What allows one person to remain thin without effort but demands that another struggle to avoid gaining weight or regaining the pounds he or she has lost previously?

On a very simple level, your weight depends on the number of calories you consume, how many of those calories you store, and how many you burn up. But each of these factors is influenced by a combination of genes and environment. Both can affect your physiology (such as how fast you burn calories) as well as your behavior (the types of foods you choose to eat, for instance). The interplay between all these factors begins at the moment of your conception and continues throughout your life.

The calorie equation

The balance of calories stored and burned depends on your genetic makeup, your level of physical activity, and your resting energy expenditure (the number of calories your body burns while at rest). If you consistently burn all of the calories that you consume in the course of a day, you will maintain your weight. If you consume more energy (calories) than you expend, you will gain weight.

Excess calories are stored throughout your body as fat. Your body stores this fat within specialized fat cells (adipose tissue) - either by enlarging fat cells, which are always present in the body, or by creating more of them. If you decrease your food intake and consume fewer calories than you burn up, or if you exercise more and burn up more calories, your body will reduce some of your fat stores. When this happens, fat cells shrink, along with your waistline.

Genetic influences

To date, more than 400 different genes have been implicated in the causes of overweight or obesity, although only a handful appear to be major players. Genes contribute to the causes of obesity in many ways, by affecting appetite, satiety (the sense of fullness), metabolism, food cravings, body-fat distribution, and the tendency to use eating as a way to cope with stress.

The strength of the genetic influence on weight disorders varies quite a bit from person to person. Research suggests that for some people, genes account for just 25% of the predisposition to be overweight, while for others the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%. Having a rough idea of how large a role genes play in your weight may be helpful in terms of treating your weight problems.

How much of your weight depends on your genes?

Genes are probably a significant contributor to your obesity if you have most or all of the following characteristics:

You have been overweight for much of your life.

One or both of your parents or several other blood relatives are significantly overweight. If both of your parents have obesity, your likelihood of developing obesity is as high as 80%.

You can't lose weight even when you increase your physical activity and stick to a low-calorie diet for many months.

Genes are probably a lower contributor for you if you have most or all of the following characteristics:

You are strongly influenced by the availability of food.

You are moderately overweight, but you can lose weight when you follow a reasonable diet and exercise program.

You regain lost weight during the holiday season, after changing your eating or exercise habits, or at times when you experience psychological or social problems.

These circumstances suggest that you have a genetic predisposition to be heavy, but it's not so great that you can't overcome it with some effort.

At the other end of the spectrum, you can assume that your genetic predisposition to obesity is modest if your weight is normal and doesn't increase even when you regularly indulge in high-calorie foods and rarely exercise.

People with only a moderate genetic predisposition to be overweight have a good chance of losing weight on their own by eating fewer calories and getting more vigorous exercise more often. These people are more likely to be able to maintain this lower weight.

What are thrifty genes?

When the prey escaped or the crops failed, how did our ancestors survive? Those who could store body fat to live off during the lean times lived, and those who couldn't, perished. This evolutionary adaptation explains why most modern humans - about 85% of us - carry so-called thrifty genes, which help us conserve energy and store fat. Today, of course, these thrifty genes are a curse rather than a blessing. Not only is food readily available to us nearly around the clock, we don't even have to hunt or harvest it!

In contrast, people with a strong genetic predisposition to obesity may not be able to lose weight with the usual forms of diet and exercise therapy. Even if they lose weight, they are less likely to maintain the weight loss. For people with a very strong genetic predisposition, sheer willpower is ineffective in counteracting their tendency to be overweight. Typically, these people can maintain weight loss only under a doctor's guidance. They are also the most likely to require weight-loss drugs or surgery.

The prevalence of obesity among adults in the United States has been rising since the 1970s. Genes alone cannot possibly explain such a rapid rise. Although the genetic predisposition to be overweight varies widely from person to person, the rise in body mass index appears to be nearly universal, cutting across all demographic groups. These findings underscore the importance of changes in our environment that contribute to the epidemic of overweight and obesity.

Environmental causes of obesity

Genetic factors are the forces inside you that help you gain weight and stay overweight; environmental factors are the outside forces that contribute to these problems. They encompass anything in our environment that makes us more likely to eat too much or exercise too little. Taken together, experts think that environmental factors are the driving force for the causes of obesity and its dramatic rise.

Environmental influences come into play very early, even before you're born. Researchers sometimes call these in-utero exposures "fetal programming." Babies of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to become overweight than those whose mothers didn't smoke. The same is true for babies born to mothers who had diabetes. Researchers believe these conditions may somehow alter the growing baby's metabolism in ways that show up later in life.

After birth, babies who are breast-fed for more than three months are less likely to have obesity as adolescents compared with infants who are breast-fed for less than three months.

Childhood habits often stick with people for the rest of their lives. Kids who drink sugary sodas and eat high-calorie, processed foods develop a taste for these products and continue eating them as adults, which tends to promote weight gain. Likewise, kids who watch television and play video games instead of being active may be programming themselves for a sedentary future.

Many features of modern life promote weight gain. In short, today's "obesogenic" environment encourages us to eat more and exercise less. And there's growing evidence that broader aspects of the way we live - such as how much we sleep, our stress levels, and other psychological factors - can affect weight as well.

The food factor as one of the causes of obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans are eating more calories on average than they did in the 1970s. Between 1971 and 2000, the average man added 168 calories to his daily fare, while the average woman added 335 calories a day. What's driving this trend? Experts say it's a combination of increased availability, bigger portions, and more high-calorie foods.

Practically everywhere we go - shopping centers, sports stadiums, movie theaters - food is readily available. You can buy snacks or meals at roadside rest stops, 24-hour convenience stores, even gyms and health clubs. Americans are spending far more on foods eaten out of the home: In 1970, we spent 27% of our food budget on away-from-home food; by 2006, that percentage had risen to 46%.

In the 1950s, fast-food restaurants offered one portion size. Today, portion sizes have ballooned, a trend that has spilled over into many other foods, from cookies and popcorn to sandwiches and steaks. A typical serving of French fries from McDonald's contains three times more calories than when the franchise began. A single "super-sized" meal may contain 1,500-2,000 calories - all the calories that most people need for an entire day. And research shows that people will often eat what's in front of them, even if they're already full. Not surprisingly, we're also eating more high-calorie foods (especially salty snacks, soft drinks, and pizza), which are much more readily available than lower-calorie choices like salads and whole fruits. Fat isn't necessarily the problem; in fact, research shows that the fat content of our diet has actually gone down since the early 1980s. But many low-fat foods are very high in calories because they contain large amounts of sugar to improve their taste and palatability. In fact, many low-fat foods are actually higher in calories than foods that are not low fat.

The exercise equation

The government's current recommendations for exercise call for an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise a day. But fewer than 25% of Americans meet that goal.

Our daily lives don't offer many opportunities for activity. Children don't exercise as much in school, often because of cutbacks in physical education classes. Many people drive to work and spend much of the day sitting at a computer terminal. Because we work long hours, we have trouble finding the time to go to the gym, play a sport, or exercise in other ways.

Instead of walking to local shops and toting shopping bags, we drive to one-stop megastores, where we park close to the entrance, wheel our purchases in a shopping cart, and drive home. The widespread use of vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, leaf blowers, and a host of other appliances takes nearly all the physical effort out of daily chores and can contribute as one of the causes of obesity.

The trouble with TV: Sedentary snacking

The average American watches about four hours of television per day, a habit that's been linked to overweight or obesity in a number of studies. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a long-term study monitoring the health of American adults, revealed that people with overweight and obesity spend more time watching television and playing video games than people of normal weight. Watching television more than two hours a day also raises the risk of overweight in children, even in those as young as three years old.

Part of the problem may be that people are watching television instead of exercising or doing other activities that burn more calories (watching TV burns only slightly more calories than sleeping, and less than other sedentary pursuits such as sewing or reading). But food advertisements also may play a significant role. The average hour-long TV show features about 11 food and beverage commercials, which encourage people to eat. And studies show that eating food in front of the TV stimulates people to eat more calories, and particularly more calories from fat. In fact, a study that limited the amount of TV kids watched demonstrated that this practice helped them lose weight - but not because they became more active when they weren't watching TV. The difference was that the children ate more snacks when they were watching television than when doing other activities, even sedentary ones.

Stress and related issues

Obesity experts now believe that a number of different aspects of American society may conspire to promote weight gain. Stress is a common thread intertwining these factors. For example, these days it's commonplace to work long hours and take shorter or less frequent vacations. In many families, both parents work, which makes it harder to find time for families to shop, prepare, and eat healthy foods together. Round-the-clock TV news means we hear more frequent reports of child abductions and random violent acts. This does more than increase stress levels; it also makes parents more reluctant to allow children to ride their bikes to the park to play. Parents end up driving kids to play dates and structured activities, which means less activity for the kids and more stress for parents. Time pressures - whether for school, work, or family obligations - often lead people to eat on the run and to sacrifice sleep, both of which can contribute to weight gain.

Some researchers also think that the very act of eating irregularly and on the run may be another one of the causes of obesity. Neurological evidence indicates that the brain's biological clock - the pacemaker that controls numerous other daily rhythms in our bodies - may also help to regulate hunger and satiety signals. Ideally, these signals should keep our weight steady. They should prompt us to eat when our body fat falls below a certain level or when we need more body fat (during pregnancy, for example), and they should tell us when we feel satiated and should stop eating. Close connections between the brain's pacemaker and the appetite control center in the hypothalamus suggest that hunger and satiety are affected by temporal cues. Irregular eating patterns may disrupt the effectiveness of these cues in a way that promotes obesity.

Similarly, research shows that the less you sleep, the more likely you are to gain weight. Lack of sufficient sleep tends to disrupt hormones that control hunger and appetite and could be another one of the causes of obesity. In a 2004 study of more than 1,000 volunteers, researchers found that people who slept less than eight hours a night had higher levels of body fat than those who slept more, and the people who slept the fewest hours weighed the most.

Stress and lack of sleep are closely connected to psychological well-being, which can also affect diet and appetite, as anyone who's ever gorged on cookies or potato chips when feeling anxious or sad can attest. Studies have demonstrated that some people eat more when affected by depression, anxiety, or other emotional disorders. In turn, overweight and obesity themselves can promote emotional disorders: If you repeatedly try to lose weight and fail, or if you succeed in losing weight only to gain it all back, the struggle can cause tremendous frustration over time, which can cause or worsen anxiety and depression. A cycle develops that leads to greater and greater obesity, associated with increasingly severe emotional difficulties.
To find weight loss solutions that can be tailored to your needs, buy the Harvard Special Health Report Lose Weight and Keep It Off.

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Why people become overweight - Harvard Health

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Your weight depends on the number of calories you consume, how many of those calories you store, and how many you burn up. These factors are influenced by a combination of genes and environment that contribute to the causes of obesity.

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It often seems that some possess superhuman eating powers allowing them to down an entire pizza while remaining rail-thin. Others only need to think of a slice and gain five pounds. Now one doctor says there's evidence genetics could be behind some of these differences. Regardless of how much you eat, your weight may be out of your hands.
Related: Low-calorie diet could help reverse Type 2 diabetes
"Sure, you need to watch your food consumption, but sometimes people can just look at food and get fat," said Vann Bennett, a biochemist at Duke University.

Bennett led a new investigation that targeted variants of the ankyrin-B gene, found in millions of people, that could leave some people predisposed to being overweight. Prior studies have shown that mice with alterations of the gene gained more weight, even when receiving the same amount of food and exercise as their counterparts. This time, Bennett's team discovered why this happens.

They engineered mice to have several common modifications of the gene found in humans. They observed that mice who had mutations of ankyrin-B took more glucose into their fat cells, which in turn made more fat. Typically, the plasma membrane acts as a barrier to prevent glucose from entering these cells; the alteration kept the gate open.

The change may serve a useful purpose. "Probably this is not always a bad thing," Bennett told Newsweek. "It could help people survive famines in the past. But today we have so much food, that it probably is a bad thing." Our modern diets of fast food drive-thru windows and aisles of packaged snacks make the alteration work against us.

Dieters have long been told to watch their calories and exercise more, but this new finding suggests that a blanket approach doesn't work for everyone. And the study illustrates a common problem for people: increased weight gain as a function of age.

Bennett explains that the mice packed on the pounds gradually, beginning at around 10 months old, which is the equivalent of a 45-year-old person. Our metabolism naturally slows with age, making it harder to maintain the weight of our 30-year-old selves when we're 50. Now add an unruly ankyrin-B gene, and it may seem impossible to stay slim.

While old dieting advice is typically centered around counting calories, there's mounting evidence that a calorie just isn't a calorie, which Bennett affirms. Research has shown that energy consumed from protein impacts our bodies differently than when it comes from sugar, though buzzy plans like the Twinkie Diet have been modeled off the calorie counting approach.

The mice in the study gained more weight when on high-fat diets. Bennett believes this is because once the fat cells received the glucose and start making more fat, they become sensitive to other fats. This means that popular high-fat diets like Atkins might work for some, but could actually backfire for others. "That kind of diet long-term likely would be not good for people with this mutation," he said. "They would tend to put on more fat even though the number of calories is the same."

Despite being studied in mice, the researcher believes further research on this gene, and possibly others, could potentially create a field of customized diets and health plans based on genetics. But although DNA sequencing is becoming cheaper, it's definitely not mainstream yet. Still, Bennett envisions such assessments being performed at birth one day.

For now, frustrated dieters can take comfort with one mantra: It's not you, it's your genes.

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This single gene could be why you can't lose weight

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It often seems that some possess superhuman eating powers allowing them to down an entire pizza while remaining rail-thin. Others only need to think of a slice and gain five pounds. Now one doctor says there's evidence genetics could be behind some of these differences.

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The UK is a country obsessed by the threat of obesity. As the average person's weight has grown, so has coverage of the subject.
The chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, has said we are facing an "obesity timebomb". Culinary celebrities like Jamie Oliver have launched campaigns, in homes and school kitchens, to fight the fat war.

Yet the science of weight gain is less straightforward than the headlines sometimes suggest. Why, for example, do some people seem to eat what they like and not put on weight, while others limit their diet yet struggle to shed their bulk?

In 1967, a medical researcher, Ethan Sims, carried out an experiment at Vermont state prison in the US. He recruited inmates to eat as much as they could to gain 25% of their body weight, in return for early release from prison.

Some of the volunteers could not reach the target however hard they tried, even though they were eating 10,000 calories a day. Sims's conclusion was that for some, obesity is nearly impossible.

It was with this in mind that 10 slim volunteers - who were not dieters - convened in more hospitable circumstances, for a recent experiment devised by the BBC's Horizon documentary. The 10 spent four weeks gorging on as much pizza, chips, ice cream and chocolate as they could, while doing no exercise, and severely limiting the amount they walked.

'Friends hate me'

Medical student Katherine Hanan, 21, says she had never dieted or done very much exercise before the experiment.

"I've always eaten whatever I want to eat and I've always been quite slim. I'm really lucky and my friends hate me," she says.

During the study, Katherine and the other volunteers had to eat double their usual amount of daily calories, which varied from 3,500 for the women to 5,000 for the men.

The outcome of the trial could bolster the theories of Dr Rudy Leibel of Columbia University, New York, who believes we all have a biologically determined natural weight which our bodies make an effort to stick to, whether it is fat or thin.

"The body will constantly tend to try to bring you back to whatever your normal body weight is," he says.

But he does not think this is the full story. There are other issues that influence a person's weight.

"Fifty per cent is down to genes and the rest is probably down to environment. If you get the gene for Huntington's you have the disease 100% of the time. That's certainly not the case with obesity."

The four-week eat-a-thon was easier for some than for others.

Volunteer Thomas Patel-Campbell, a keen sportsman and runner, struggled with the cap on physical exertion that was one of the terms of the experiment.

Snacks and puddings

"Eating that much was pretty easy as I'd been eating more than usual in preparation for my run," he says. "I was one of the two who weren't sick at all. What was difficult was limiting myself to 5,000 steps a day.

"The least I did was when I spent a day at home, only leaving the house to go to McDonald's and the shops. Even that was 8,000 steps."

Katherine described a typical day's menu for her while taking part in the study. She made up most of her calorie intake by eating sugary snacks and puddings.

"I'd wake up and have two pain au chocolats plus a large hot chocolate with cream. Mid-morning I'd have a packet of high-fat crisps or a chocolate mousse, sometimes it might even be a small meal. Lunch would be substantial - shepherds'' pie or something.

"In the afternoon I'd eat half a tub of ice cream. At night it would be almost the same evening meal as before except I'd have a couple of puddings. I'd also drink a pint-and-a-half of chocolate milk with... ice cream every day."

Unlike Thomas, Katherine found her body rejected this enforced gluttony - leading her to vomit each week.

And two other volunteers couldn't even get that far - finding they couldn't consume the full allocation of food each day, failing to hit their calorie targets.

Persistent hunger

After four weeks Katherine had gained 3.5kg - almost a 7% gain in body weight. Thomas, meanwhile, put on 5.5kg - a 9% gain in body weight.

Of the two who struggled to reach their targets, one put on just 0.5kg - a mere 1% gain in body weight, while the other actually saw their body fat percentage go down slightly, despite putting on 5.7kg.

The results highlight the different ways our bodies behave when faced with excess calories.

One expert, Professor Jane Wardle, believes there could be a genetic answer, through what's known as the FTO gene. Adults who have one variant of this gene weigh on average more than everybody else.

Prof Wardle believes the gene can influence appetite, leading some people to not know when they are full. Those without the gene, she thinks, find it easier to say no to food.

"It's kind of effortless because they don't even want to eat. They're not having to exert willpower and self-control whereas for other people, their brain responses to foods that they're exposed to aren't being switched off effectively as a consequence of them already having had enough."

Dr Leibel observes that for some people, such as those who couldn't reach their calorie targets, the appetite hardly fluctuates regardless of how much they want, or are told, to eat.

Muscle not fat

This can work both ways, says Dr Leibel. If someone loses a lot of weight, they often have persistent hunger, even if they are eating enough to sustain themselves.

"Think of it like a thermostat and that each person has a set point," says Dr Leibel. "When it is reduced below that point the body begins to do things that will force it to recover its lost body weight."

And while excess calories can lead many people to put on body fat, one volunteer in the study defied convention by putting on a lot of weight (4.5kg) while his appearance didn't seem to alter. Instead of fat, the weight had gone on as muscle as the volunteer's metabolic rate had risen 30%.

This is another reason, says Dr Carel le Roux, an obesity specialist who oversaw the experiment, why some people appear not to get fat despite eating at lot.

"Studies have shown that this tendency to lay down muscle rather than fat when we over-eat is genetically determined," she says.

For those who did show any signs of having overindulged after the experiment was over, they soon got back to normal, and not through a rigorous diet and exercise regime. Thomas found it happened easily.

"After the first week," he says, "my trousers fitted almost as well as before, and it didn't take long for my belts to be back to the right button hole."

Below is a selection of your comments.

I've always wondered why my sister struggles to lose weight, whilst I never gain weight, no matter how much I eat or what I eat. Over the Christmas period I went through a similar situation to the results of your test.
Rupert Adams, Bedford, England

I'm glad you've published this story. Since I was young I've had friends ask me straight-forwardly whether I was anorexic or bulimic. But the fact is in a house of four girls I probably eat the most! I consider myself pretty lucky; Thinking how hard I find it to increase my weight, it must be a hundred times harder for those struggling with being overweight to do the opposite.
Sarah, Manchester, UK

This is a fascinating article. I, too, have struggled with weight gain throughout the years and have visited hospital dieticians several times all in the hopes of putting on just ten more pounds. One dietician even suggested eating a spoonful of mayonnaise before bed each night! Nothing has worked and my university friends constantly joke how much they "hate" me. After examining family photos, I'm learning to accept that I'll probably be very slim my whole life. I'm glad research is being done in this field, because for some (heavy or slim), calorie intake is not the simple answer.
Ali Pezeshkpour, California, USA

Two years ago I had a big accident. Beforehand I could eat whatever I wanted but never put any weight on. After my accident I have put on two stone. I am eating less but I do not bounce about as much as I used to and am not as active.
Dom Finn, Nottingham

I work in health promotion in the NHS and I have felt uncomfortable for a long time about people constantly being told to eat more healthily and exercise in order to avoid obesity. I believe that many people will need a genetic or chemical treatment to overcome the widespread urge to eat when food is available, and to know when they have had enough.
Mary Anne, Scotland

A very interesting article. A friend of mine once asked me if I would like to be thin and unhealthy or fat and healthy. I opted for the second [obviously]. Health and weight don't go hand in hand - look at rugby players. Most of them are technically clinically obese but are fitter than the average person.
Jacquie, Yorkshire

Don't eat, don't smoke don't drink... what can the working population do? We are becoming self-obsessed ninnies who do nothing but think constantly about our health etc and worry that this government in particular, will not be able to fund our NHS with our money for treatment. I do believe in a healthy lifestyle but have people not got other things to worry about today?
Janet Ostins, Birmingham

Extremely depressing, as I am not one of these very lucky people. We do not know what the ever decreasing quality of food, air, water due to pollution etc is doing to our bodies and how it is affecting our genes. There needs to be a lot more research on this before wide spread condemnation is applied. Granted, some do not help themselves but there are a lot of people out there who eat healthily, exercise, and yet are overweight, and there are lot who eat rubbish, do not exercise, and are stick thin.
Katharine, Liverpool

I'd be interested if this experiment did shed some light on why some people's bodies are more inclined to put on weight than others.

As a tall, exceptionally lean 29 year-old male, who has been trying to gain weight on and off for 13 years, I can't wait until I hit the big 30 as this is when everyone promises me it will happen, whether I want it to or not!
Richard Gaskell, Cumbria

I have always been medically "severely underweight" despite eating crazy amounts of food including two and a half years working in McDonalds where I took full advantage of my staff discount. I have never put any weight on, no matter how hard I try!
Rich, Wales

I would also love to put on some weight. I eat a very healthy and varied diet but most people are very surprised I remain a size 10. Even after my first pregnancy, my size came right back down.

I enjoy food and long for some curves.
Wendi, London

When I was growing up, there was the myth that having started a baby on fruit rather than cereal determined whether one was slim or not.
Candace, New Jersey, US

I think changes in routine, environment as well as diet have a lot to do with changes in weight. Whenever I am on a two-week holiday to my extended family in Malaysia, as well as not going to work, the hot weather (lethargy) and fabulous, nostalgic food in constant supply - my siblings and I pile on the weight. But as soon as we get back to the UK, we seem to fall back into our usual routine and weights, albeit, a little bit heavier each time!
Yong Lee, Maidstone, Kent

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Why do some people never seem to get fat?

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The UK is a country obsessed by the threat of obesity. As the average person's weight has grown, so has coverage of the subject. The chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, has said we are facing an "obesity timebomb". Culinary celebrities like Jamie Oliver have launched campaigns, in homes and school kitchens, to fight the fat war.

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Fun children's crafts, including printable craft templates, for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school kids.

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Bullying shouldn't be confused with friendly teasing or fighting. Megan offers a clear definition of bullying, explaining that three criteria need to be present for a behavior to be bullying:

1: the behavior is done with the intent to harm (physically, emotionally or socially);
2: the behavior is done in a relationship where an imbalance of power exists (power can be a physical difference in size, age or social status)
3: bullying behavior is repeated over time. Bullying takes many forms from physical (punching, hitting, spitting, kicking); verbal (name calling, teasing); and emotional, also called "relational aggression" (non-verbal gestures, social isolation, manipulation of friendships, cyber-bullying). Verbal bullying is the most common form for both boys and girls.

Megan recalled her own experience with bullying. "When I was in high school there was a group of boys who would stand in the hallway by our lockers and mimic my tics as I walked by them. They would call me names like 'twitcher.' This is a classic example of bullying behavior, as it was verbal in nature and done in a low supervision environment. No one ever intervened."

Adults may not be able to distinguish friendly teasing from bullying because the differences are in the relationships between the children. Friends tease in a give and take between equals. All of the participants laugh and smile. Megan advises adults to look at faces. If one child looks scared, uncomfortable or sad, it's a clue that the verbal teasing has crossed a line into bullying. Fighting, another typical playground behavior, is a completely different phenomenon and the distinction is clear. A fight is a one-time conflict, while bullying is repeated. Determining the difference between joshing friends and verbal bullying is subtle. Some children are simply more accustomed to sarcastic comments, competitive prods, edgy jokes and name-calling. What might be clearly over-theline for one child is evidence of friendship and affection to another. Adults should be aware of a child's responses and use that as a guide.

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Bullying Q&A - Tourette Association of America

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Bullying shouldn't be confused with friendly teasing or fighting. Megan offers a clear definition of bullying, explaining that three criteria need to be present for a behavior to be bullying: 1: the behavior is done with the intent to harm (physically, emotionally or socially); 2: the behavior is done in a relationship where an imbalance of power exists (power can be a physical difference in size, age or social status) 3: bullying behavior is repeated over time.

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Bullies Anonymous: Songs For Teaching Musical Play

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(CLASS is seated as if in a meeting, perhaps with MRS. COLLINS and MR.B in front. The music begins.There is some introductory music before the singing begins.This music has 3 distinct parts,and the students can react to each part. For example, when the music begins (part 1), perhaps the class stands.

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explanation bullied school ron kurtus physical

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Being Bullied in School Can Affect Your Grades by Ron Kurtus - Strategies to Succeed in School: School for Champions

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Explanation of Being Bullied in School Can Affect Your Grades.

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"I hate school, and I'm not going back!"

Have you ever had that thought? Lots of kids do. Usually this feeling doesn't last long. But what happens if you feel this way too much? School is a fact of life, and getting an education can help you build the kind of future life you want.

So let's talk about school and what to do when you don't like it.

Signs of School Stress

When you worry about school, it can affect your body. A kid who feels stressed about school might have headaches or stomachaches. You might feel "butterflies" or like you have to throw up.

Having trouble sleeping is also a sign of stress. And if you're not getting enough sleep, you probably feel grouchy and tired during the day. Feeling tired can make your school day seem even worse.

If you're stressed out, you might have a hard time making decisions. In the morning, you can't decide what to eat, what to wear, or what to pack for lunch. You don't want to go to school, so you put off getting your stuff together. And now you're not prepared to go to school, and you've just missed the bus - again! Staying home may seem like a good choice, but it just makes it harder to go to school the next day.

Why Do Some Kids Dislike School?

If you don't like school, the first step is finding out why. You might not like school because a bully is bothering you, or because a kid you don't like wants to hang around with you. Or maybe you don't get along with your teacher. You might feel different or worry that you don't have enough friends.

Sometimes it's a problem with your classes and schoolwork. Maybe the work is too easy and you get bored. Or maybe the work is too hard, or you don't feel as smart as the other kids. Reading or math may be difficult for you, but you're expected to do a lot of it. You may be getting farther and farther behind, and it may seem like you'll never catch up. Maybe you're dealing with worries, stress, or problems that make it hard to concentrate on schoolwork.

When you stop to think about why you don't like school, you can start taking steps to make things better.

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Finding Help

It's a good idea to talk to someone about your problems with school. Your mom, dad, relative, teacher, or school counselor will be able to help you. It's especially important to tell an adult if the problem is that you're being bullied or someone hurts you physically.

Another good idea is to write down your feelings about school in a journal. You can use a journal or diary or just write in an ordinary notebook. It's a great way to let out emotions that may be stuck inside you. And you don't have to share what you've written with others.

If you feel disorganized or like you can't keep up with your schoolwork, your teachers and school counselors want to help. Teachers want and expect you to ask for help when you have trouble learning. If all of your subjects seem really hard, a school counselor can help you sort things out. Special help with schoolwork is available if you need it.

Try not to let the problems go on too long. It's easier to catch up on one chapter than the whole book!

Feeling Better About School

The next time you find yourself disliking school, try this:

First, write down everything you don't like about school.

Then make a list of the good things you enjoy (even if it's only recess and lunch, that's a start!).

Now, what can you change on the "don't like" list? Would remembering to do your homework help you feel more confident if you're called on in class? Can you get help with schoolwork that's hard? Who can you talk to about a worry or problem you're dealing with? Could you find a way to show off your special interests and talents? If you made just one new friend, would you feel less alone? If you helped someone else feel less alone, would you feel even better? Which activities could you try that would help you meet new friends?

Of course, you might not be able to change everything on your "don't like" list. A bully may not simply disappear. Reading may always be a challenge. But that's OK. Focus on what you can change and you might be able to put the cool back in school!

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"I hate school, and I'm not going back!" Have you ever had that thought? Lots of kids do. Usually this feeling doesn't last long. But what happens if you feel this way too much? School is a fact of life, and getting an education can help you build the kind of future life you want.

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Stopping a teen bully seems like it shouldn't be complicated. In the movies, all it takes is a single act. Another teen just has to step up and say, "Hey, that's not okay." But in real life, it's often not so simple to embrace our inner heroes. Friends may suddenly decide not to help. They may even worry about becoming the next victim. What makes a teen more likely to intervene when they witness bullying? A supportive school with trusted teachers and clear guidance from a kid's family both help. That's the finding of a new study.

And knowing what works could help schools support brave teens - and kiss bullies goodbye.

People might think of bullying as one kid shoving another in the hallway. As the victims know, it can be far more than that.

Kelly Lynn Mulvey studies developmental psychology - how the mind develops and how people behave - at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. She describes bullying as "repeated forms of aggression." It also tends to reflect "a power imbalance" between the bully and the victim. That aggression can be physical threats or attacks. Bullying also can be verbal or emotional, as one person tries to wield power over another. No matter what form bullying takes, someone gets hurt. It's not just about the bullied kids, either. Unchecked bullying can hurt the bullies and those watching from the sidelines.

Kids often are told that they need to say something when they witness bullying, and also get a teacher or a parent. But much bullying takes place when adults aren't around, Mulvey notes. Kids get bullied on the playground. Or on the bus. Bullying also happens online - where adults can't see it at all.

"Because adults often are not there to observe it, we need the kids to be the ones to stand up and say it's not okay," Mulvey says. It sounds like a scary thing to do. But peer intervention really works. Speaking up and standing up to bullies tends to reduce the attacks, she says.

Heroes in the making

What might make a teen step in when bullying happens? To find out, Mulvey and her colleagues partnered with several schools in North Carolina. They gave online surveys to 896 sixth- and ninth-grade students. The survey took 40 minutes, but "we had a very high rate of participation," Mulvey says. The students recognized what a problem bullying can be.

All read eight stories about kids bullying each other, either in person or online. For each story they answered a list of questions. Was the person who acted aggressively being a bully or not? Would it be a good idea for someone to step in and defend the victim? If the victim fought back, how okay would that be? The students also were asked how likely they would be to try and stop the bully, and if they would step in if the victim tried to retaliate.

But that wasn't all. They scientists also asked students about their families and schools. The students had to say whether they had a lot of rules at home and how their parents reacted when they did things that were wrong. They were asked whether they liked their teachers and whether the teachers kept good discipline or treated some students better than others. The students also were asked about the social environment at school and if people there felt connected to each other.

A recipe for bravery

Girls, it turned out, were more likely than boys to say that any form of aggression was not okay. It didn't matter if the bullying was physical, verbal or online. Girls also were more likely to think that someone should intervene to stop bullying. Older boys, in contrast, tended to think that physical aggression was okay, and said that they probably wouldn't want to step in.

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Students that said they had teachers they trusted were more likely to say they'd step in to stop a bully.

When it came to actually confronting a bully, sixth graders were more likely than ninth graders to say they would stand up to an aggressor. By ninth grade, Mulvey says, the teens were more concerned about what their friends would think of them. That means they might keep quiet.

Kids' families and school environments also influenced whether someone said he'd stand up to a bully. Students from families with clear rules were more likely to say bullying wasn't okay. They also were more likely to say they would step in on behalf of someone being bullied. And students who felt comfortable at school - with teachers they trusted - were more likely to say they would help stop a bully.

Mulvey and her colleagues published their findings October 16, 2018, in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

From survey to school

"Communication is key," Mulvey says. "We need to help kids feel comfortable communicating with their family as well as teachers." If kids feel supported, she says, they will feel able to "speak up" and challenge bullies "when they see aggression happening."

The findings also imply that anti-bullying efforts should not stop in middle school, Mulvey notes. There often is less emphasis on tackling bullying in high school. Yet her findings suggest that this is where kids may need help most.

Research has largely ignored how and whether teens intervene when bullies attack, notes Nicola Abbott. She's a psychologist at University College London in England. Abbott believes "key for stopping bullying" is getting onlookers to challenge these attacks whenever they witness them.

But she understands why schools and teachers might hesitate to tell kids to step up. "There's a bit of fear around encouraging your child to stand up," she says. Schools and parents may worry that a kid who steps in could end up in a fight. Or that a teen's efforts might backfire if the bully chooses the would-be hero as a new victim. But, Abbott says, "there isn't a great deal of evidence that is the case." Instead, bystanders who step in often can stop a bad situation from getting worse.

Of course, it's easier to say on a survey that you'd stand up to a bully than it is to be brave in real life. Mulvey and her colleagues are working with students now to find out who actually intervenes when a bully attacks. They also hope to figure out if the movies are right - that maybe a single hero can shut down a bully's bad behavior.
Note: This article was updated on February 20, 2019, to correct a misspelling of Nicola Abbott.

Power Words
More About Power Words

adolescence A transitional stage of physical and psychological development that begins at the onset of puberty, typically between the ages of 11 and 13, and ends with adulthood.

aggressive (n. aggressiveness) Quick to fight or argue, or forceful in making efforts to succeed or win.

behavior The way something, often a person or other organism, acts towards others, or conducts itself.

bullying (v. to bully) A group of repeated behaviors that are mean-spirited. They can include teasing, spreading rumors about someone, saying hurtful things to someone and intentionally leaving someone out of groups or activities. Sometimes bullying can include attacks using violence (such as hitting), threats of violence, yelling at someone or abusing someone with violent language. Much bullying takes place in person. But it also may occur online, through emails or via text messages. Newer examples including making fake profiles of people on websites or posting embarrassing photos or videos on social media.

colleague Someone who works with another; a co-worker or team member.

high school A designation for grades nine through 12 in the U.S. system of compulsory public education. High-school graduates may apply to colleges for further, advanced education.

intervention Deliberate action taken to bring about some anticipated outcome. (in medicine) A planned effort to prevent or treat a disease or other condition relating to health or well-being.

journal (in science) A publication in which scientists share their research findings with experts (and sometimes even the public). Some journals publish papers from all fields of science, technology, engineering and math, while others are specific to a single subject. The best journals are peer-reviewed: They send all submitted articles to outside experts to be read and critiqued. The goal, here, is to prevent the publication of mistakes, fraud or sloppy work.

middle school A designation for grades six through eight in the U.S. educational system. It comes immediately prior to high school. Some school systems break their age groups slightly different, including sixth grade as part of elementary school and then referring to grades seven and eight as "junior" high school.

online (n.) On the internet. (adj.) A term for what can be found or accessed on the internet.

peer (noun) Someone who is an equal, based on age, education, status, training or some other features. (verb) To look into something, searching for details.

physical (adj.) A term for things that exist in the real world, as opposed to in memories or the imagination. It can also refer to properties of materials that are due to their size and non-chemical interactions (such as when one block slams with force into another).

psychology (adj. psychological ) The study of the human mind, especially in relation to actions and behavior. To do this, some perform research using animals. Scientists and mental-health professionals who work in this field are known as psychologists.

social (adj.) Relating to gatherings of people; a term for animals (or people) that prefer to exist in groups. (noun) A gathering of people, for instance those who belong to a club or other organization, for the purpose of enjoying each other's company.

survey (v.) To ask questions that glean data on the opinions, practices (such as dining or sleeping habits), knowledge or skills of a broad range of people. Researchers select the number and types of people questioned in hopes that the answers these individuals give will be representative of others who are their age, belong to the same ethnic group or live in the same region. (n.) The list of questions that will be offered to glean those data.

Bethany Brookshire is the staff writer at Science News for Students. She has a Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology and likes to write about neuroscience, biology, climate and more. She thinks Porgs are an invasive species.

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Friendly adults help teens stand up against bullies

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Stopping a teen bully seems like it shouldn't be complicated. In the movies, all it takes is a single act. Another teen just has to step up and say, "Hey, that's not okay." But in real life, it's often not so simple to embrace our inner heroes.

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KidsHealth.org Search Results : fight-bullies - KidsHealth

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KidsHealth is the #1 most-trusted source for physician-reviewed information and advice on children's health and parenting issues. For parents, kids, teens, and educators, in English and in Spanish.

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To the Mom/Dad of the Kid who has Tourette's
Written by Guest Blogger Courtney Norris
He was eleven. Finally sitting in the front seat with me. It had been just the two of us for ten out of eleven of those years. I married Scott the year prior, Andrew moved schools, and we lived in a new home; left our cozy/humble 800 square foot apartment on Watch Street. It faded away in the rear-view mirror as we began our new family with Scott.

At this time, the tics were pretty bad; understandably so. He had been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at the age of seven, but big changes and anxiety always exacerbated his tics. He also suffered from pretty intense ADHD at that time, and we were in a trial and error status trying to figure out how medicine could help Andrew without too many side effects (and without significantly worsening his tics).
We were on our way to football practice; that pungent smell of football pads loomed in the car air. I rolled down the window a bit, felt the warm breeze, and glanced over at Andrew looking out the passenger side window. The energetic boy, typically regaling me with goofy trivia or funny excerpts from his day, was quiet and pensive.

The jerky head shakes were what prompted his coaches to finally come to me inquiring if he was alright. But that day in the car, it was the loud sniffing (quickly sniffing in and out) and the throat-clearing that piqued me. Knowing very well that handing him a Kleenex wasn't going to help, I grabbed a Kleenex in a huff and said, "Here. Try blowing your nose. Are you OK?!"

I knew he was okay. My own sadness and frustration came out sometimes, and not always in a healthy/loving way...unfortunately. Directed AT him. As if he could help it.

And that's when he said it...a pivotal moment in my life as a mother. No; a pivotal moment in my life.

He turned his head from the window and looked right at me. He spoke clearly and slowly:
"Mom, this is your issue now. Not mine. I'm ok with it. I'm ok."
Sometimes I worry about writing of Andrew's Tourette's for fear I'm somehow exploiting my child's challenges in life. But no. He knows. He knows how important growth in awareness needs to happen; he knows that other moms might benefit from understanding they're not alone.

This is part of my life and story.

Scheduling and leaving work for doctor's appointments, three different pediatric neurologists, up late doing research on possible long-term effects from certain medicines, calling insurance companies because they cancelled the only med that seemed to be working properly and how was I going to afford $150 for ten pills as a single mom making entry-level salary?, meetings with teachers to help them understand that he's not trying to be disruptive...please don't isolate him.

And then there's the guilt. The guilt of caring too much...watching how others at church may notice and stare; watching Coach put his hands on Andrew's shoulders "you ok, buddy?"; watching from the car as he walks off ticcing away. Do other people fall in love with his tics the way I do? Likely not as much.

"Here, Andrew, try this! This might work!" And when it didn't, did he feel badly about himself?
So here's the thing. The thing we have to ask ourselves as parents. Are we projecting our own frustration and anger onto our children, in the name of love and protection, without even realizing we're doing it? If so, yes, it can be harmful, but no...we don't have to feel guilty. It's normal. We are not alone.

But we must let go. The more of a non-issue it is to you, the more of a non-issue it will be to him/her. And I know that ain't easy, Momma. Dad, I know it's ultimately because you love him/her. But let's face it...the less issues we have to deal with in this crazy world, the better we will be.

Not all moms have the luxury of their child kindly stating "Mom, stop. You might not be ok, but I am." Not all parents have a child who can clearly articulate such insights. That's why it's important to not feel guilty and to share your feelings with loving/supportive people. And this goes for any weakness, illness or shortcoming we have as parents.

Whether it be your own anxiety/depression, over caring and/or overbearing about your child's weight, just being impatient or unkind to your family sometimes because life is hard and you know they'll love you regardless. Maybe you're a little too involved in the athletic performance of your child. Acknowledge your behavior and seek support.
When it becomes more important to you, than it is for them...that's the red flag.
Many times kids will let us know. "Chill out, Mom! Let me have fun. I'm enjoying this, I'm learning, I love my team...but you are the one making me not want to do it."
However, many times they won't say a word at all, but their behavior yells "back off." Then it becomes our responsibility to transcend our own body, and be a witness to our own selves and our own behavior.
When you can tell that your behavior is irritating your child to the point of them withdrawing, avoiding, etc...a few questions come to mind:
Why am I behaving this way? I obviously want what's best for my child, but it's clearly too much. Is it because I care about what other people think? If that answer is yes, is it because I care about how other people treat my child or is it fear of my reflection as a parent? Maybe it's a little of both.

This isn't to induce guilt.

If you're exuding an attitude or behavior of which you're not proud (even if just 5% of the time), you're not alone. You don't have to conceal the toughest of days. Parenting is the hardest job in the universe, and finding that line between caring and caring TOO much (or maybe even for the wrong reasons) is not only natural, but how we learn as parents. Isolating those feelings from your support system (or even from your own acknowledgement...aka denial) does no one any good. There is no such thing as the perfect parent.

Of course when Andrew taught me that day "Mom, this is your issue now...", I immediately went to "What is wrong with me?! I must be the worst mom!" But in our hearts, we know better. And so do they. Trust that.

It wouldn't be the last time I became overwhelmed and upset with his tics and projected frustration toward him. But those next times I quickly saw my behavior and was able to switch gears. I could see that he really was ok. I was able to see that in this moment, my behavior was based on how I was feeling as a mom: Bummed that he wasn't "growing out of it" like I thought he might. They (the more severe tics) had been waning, almost not noticeable for months...and there they were...back with a vengeance. That anger and frustration and sadness that he would have to continue to explain to others in his adult life about these often very-disruptive tics made my mama heart hurt.

But wait...he's fine. He has zero issue calling out his tics and helping others understand what they mean to his surroundings. He has zero problem making friends and building relationships. As a matter of fact, his friends often find his tics endearing and recognize them as just another thing that makes Andrew special. (He's a talented musician, creative writer, and gifted actor, by the way!)

Don't be afraid of your raw feelings and behaviors as a mom or dad. Take note of them. Reflect on them. Watch your child. Are they happy? Do they have friends? (And this topic; a breath-taker: Andrew tragically lost his best friend, Evan, to cancer in eighth grade. He didn't find his "people" until high school) Are they able to help others understand their tics? Do they display a fervent love for sports/music/theatre/etc.? And one of the most important questions to ask yourself as a parent of a child with Tourette's: Are they bringing up the tics to you? Or are you constantly the one bringing it up?

These are tough questions. And it hurts sometimes. But don't feel badly! And talk to each other about it. Find support. Remember, you are not alone. If you're having a certain feeling, someone else is likely having that very same feeling.
But when it comes time to your child...keep it about them. Kids want to please us. (I know that's a tough one to believe at times. Ha!) But when we are always seeming bummed out or disappointed/upset about something (something that they cannot even control like a mysterious brain uniqueness!), it hurts them.

Be happy with them.

And when I say 'happy with them', I don't mean 'pleased by them'. I mean "be joyful with them." I'm not telling you to be their pal. You are still the parent.
But spend time with them, and be joyful! That's all they really want and need. I can promise you that.

Learn more about the author, Courtney Norris:

Courtney Norris is the woman, wife, and mom of four behind what she'll refer to as a humble little blog called mominthepatch.com.

On a typical day, when she's not wiping baby butts and drying tears (not excluding her own), she's reading about 'eating clean' while eating some cheese. She also spends countless hours worrying about her son, Andrew, in college; and then...chocolate.

Andrew was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome and ADHD at the age of 7. As a single mom until he was 10, what did that mean to Courtney? "It meant years of trial and error, patience, unconditional love, bad mornings; really bad mornings. It meant trusting that everything really would be ok. It meant falling down and getting back up. It meant humility and forgiveness and grace. Lots of grace."

Courtney is ecstatic to contribute her life experiences with the TAA. "I have found comfort, support and encouragement through this organization for the last 12 years. I'm grateful that I'm able to share something of myself to help in their mission."
See the original blog post here

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To the Mom/Dad of the Kid who has Tourette's - Tourette Association of America

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To the Mom/Dad of the Kid who has Tourette's Written by Guest Blogger Courtney Norris He was eleven. Finally sitting in the front seat with me. It had been just the two of us for ten out of eleven of those years.

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Children's Songs and Educational Music for preschool, elementary, middle and high school. Lyrics, mp3 downloads, DVDs and CDs.

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Students at a Vermont high school are winning praise for their efforts to fight back against online bullying. After a burst of negative posts on an anonymous school news app, students at Rutland High School organized a counterattack.

They petitioned the creators of the After School app to take their school's message board down. Then they launched a "Positive Post-it" campaign. Small notes offering praise and encouragement to fellow students were stuck to bulletin boards and windows around the school.

They also petitioned the tech giant Apple to remove After School from its App Store. An Apple spokesman said the company had agreed. The app was removed.

The app's intended use is to help students to form groups tied to a specific school and post anonymous messages about local goings-on.

Instead, comments on Rutland High School's app were "negative, obscene," said Principal Bill Olsen.

Senior Eric Gokee was one of five students who spoke during morning announcements. He introduced himself by saying, "Some of you may know me as the biggest Jew at Rutland High School." He added in an interview a few days later he was voted as such in a survey on the app.

"I never downloaded the app. But I knew what was going on just from my friends. Everyone was talking about it," Gokee said.

Sophomore Molly Engels is president of a student group, Cyber You. It is devoted to responsible Internet use, "It was a big wakeup call to see so many people affected by it in a negative way," she said.

The Rutland students' anti-bullying efforts drew praise from Gov. Peter Shumlin.

After School co-founder Cory Levy defended the app. He called it a "blank sheet of paper" that leaves students to decide what to write on it.

"We've only just gotten to know these students," Levy wrote in an email. "Their parents have had years to shape their morals and build good decision making skills."

John Halligan has been an anti-bullying activist since his son, Ryan, committed suicide in 2003. That was following online bullying by fellow middle school students. He said he had spoken to Rutland students two years ago.

"I'm really proud of these kids," he said. He added that they had gotten the message to "stand up for one another and push back against the bullying behavior."
Critical thinking challenge: What reasoning did the app's co-founder use to avoid accepting responsibility for the abusive way his app was used?

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Students stand up, rally against cyberbullying

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Students at a Vermont high school are winning praise for their efforts to fight back against online bullying. After a burst of negative posts on an anonymous school news app, students at Rutland High School organized a counterattack. They petitioned the creators of the After School app to take their school's message board down.

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NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: You've probably heard it before - 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.' Whoever said that hasn't experienced cyber bullying.

We all know bullying is bad - but experts are now realising cyber bullying can be worse. The problem is, it doesn't stop at school. It can follow you wherever you have access to the Internet, or whenever you have your mobile on.

THANIA, KIDS HELP LINE: It can actually invade your personal space at home as well because it goes outside the confines of physical, face to face bullying. You can be affected when you're reading something about yourself on the internet, it can be very hurtful.

We met Thania last term. She's a counsellor with Kids Help Line. She says she's talking to more kids about cyber bullying every day.

THANIA: It's becoming a big problem and we've actually had a big increase in calls around just cyber bullying, as opposed to bullying in the school.

So what exactly is it? Well cyber bullying is anyone using technology to give you a hard time; that includes Myspace, Facebook, MSN, email, or even your mobile phone. And because it's done from a long way away, bullies don't have to see the consequences of their actions.

THANIA: There are certainly people who would find it a lot easier to pick on someone online because they don't have to see that person face to face, so like you were saying it's a lot easier to type something and be nasty and not have to deal with what's going to happen.

What happens, though, can be just as bad as physical bullying, or worse. Kids often feel alone and overwhelmed by the amount of exposure online abuse can gain. Many also feel powerless to stop it, because it's not always clear who's responsible.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Last term we asked you to head to the Kids Help Line site to fill in a survey on Cyber bullying and the results have been very interesting. Not surprisingly, social networking sites seem to be the most common place for bullying, but scarily, only one third of you have told an adult about it.

So what can you do to stop to this kind of abuse? Kids Help Line say more kids should speak out.

THANIA: For a lot of people I think the best support is people you trust, so anyone in your family and people within the school system you can talk to about what's happening.

Another place where many kids don't realise they can get help is the websites themselves.

THANIA: Get an adult to help you contact myspace or google or whatever online service you're being cyberbullied on to let them know what's going on, because they do take cyberbullying very seriously and want to protect their users.

NATHAN BAZLEY: Finally it's important to remember that while bullying can happen anytime, school is when most kids experience it. I remember I got a pretty hard time in school and I know a lot of my friends did as well. It was horrible and hurtful at the time, but it doesn't last forever.

THANIA: We talk to lots of young people that develop really great coping stratagies and ways to manage their negative emotions associated with bullying, so they end up becoming really resillant and confidant young people when they're adults, and they become very successful adults as well.

Presenter

Now you should also know some sorts of cyber bullying are illegal and can get you in to trouble with police.

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You might remember before the holidays we did a story on Kids Help Line. We found out that 1 in 10 kids your age has experienced some form of cyber bullying. The problem seems to be getting worse as well. Kids Help Line set up a survey to ask you exactly what's happening and now the results are in.

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Learning Objectives

To help kids understand cyberbullying, know when to ignore it and when to report it, and to not engage in cyberbullying behaviors themselves.

Guiding Ideas

Students read Attack on the Overworld, a Minecrafter novel aimed for ages 7-12. It can be done in class, possibly with the help of the audio book, so that students can read or listen along. Attack on the Overworld is the sequel to Escape from the Overworld, which has its own literary lesson plan. In this book, Stevie, an 11-year-old Minecraft boy with a portal to Earth, first learns what cyberbullying is when his Earth friend is being bullied online. The cyberbullies end up hacking into Minecraft (Stevie's world) and turning it to eternal night. While the cyberbullying here sometimes involves fantasy, it opens the doors to let kids talk about cyberbullying safely while also enjoying a book about Minecraft. After the book is read, the teacher can guide the students through some activities. All activities can be tweaked, as needed, to make them the best fit for individual classrooms.

Student Activities

One or more of the following activities could be done:

Discuss what cyberbullying means. Ask students if they've ever experienced it or know someone who has. Listen to their stories. Let students know if they're scared or hurt, it's okay to tell an adult. Also let them know that sometimes it's just best to walk away from cyberbullying. Cyberbullies often want to get a rise out of people - so not engaging with them can sometimes be best. That can especially be the case if they're being cyberbullied by an anonymous person who has no real connection to their lives. If they're being cyberbullied by someone they know, ignoring it can be harder and reporting it might be the best way to get results. Any cyberbullying that could be dangerous - like threatening to hurt someone or putting a person's private information online - should always be reported. If kids are confused about the best way to respond, it's okay to ask an adult and show them what's going on.

Talk to students about how they can be respectful online. Sometimes people say really hurtful things and don't realize they're being hurtful. In other words, not all cyberbullies realize they're cyberbullies! Let's say a kid is talking to someone online, and the other person says something the kid doesn't agree with. The kid could respectfully disagree instead of name-calling or bugging the other person.

At one point in the book, the character Destiny waffles on being a cyberbully. She used to be one, but now feels bad about it. She says, "My mom used to tell me famous quotes about people's different opinions on destiny, and one said, 'Destiny is choice, not chance.'... A lot of things happen to us because of chance, I think... but now I realize it might also mean I can choose what actions I take and my destiny will follow." When you get to this point in the book, ask the students what Destiny means by this. How can kids, even when they're in an unfair situation, choose the best way to rise above it?

Talk to students about how it can also be good to stand up for people they see being cyberbullied. Sometimes just having one ally can make a difference.

As a class, students and teacher can write a pledge on how they want to act online. It can be a list such as (1) be respectful, (2) don't let cyberbullies ruin my day, (3) find the websites that are fun/helpful as opposed to ones that just give negative experiences. Students can also draw pictures on their pledges.

For something a little more creative, kids can write their own story about what they would do if they're Stevie (or any other character in the book) and they have to deal with cyberbullies. What might they say as Stevie to the two cyberbullies? (If students want to put lots of magic and zombies in this story, too, I'd encourage the creativity!) Feel free to have students illustrate their stories. Or, they could write their own Minecraft-themed stories involving cyberbullying.

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Saying No to Cyberbullying | Minecraft: Education Edition

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To help kids understand cyberbullying, know when to ignore it and when to report it, and to not engage in cyberbullying behaviors themselves. Students read Attack on the Overworld, a Minecrafter novel aimed for ages 7-12. It can be done in class, possibly with the help of the audio book, so that students can read or listen along.

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BAYARD - Cyber bullying is a problem parents need to address and one that can be handled through the D.A.R.E. program according to members of the Cobre Consolidated Schools Board at its most recent meeting.

Student representative Hannah Burnette discussed cyber bullying board meeting after the topic originated at a student meeting.

Burnette said students are unsure how to confront cyber bullying and that it seemed like a problem parents should address.

Cobre superintendent Robert Mendoza said parents need to take control over the bad behavior and limit the use of such tactics.

Some board members said that this was also a policy issue. Board member Frank Gomez advised that this could be addressed through the D.A.R.E program.

Mendoza asked Gomez to make another presentation at the student meetings.

Snell Middle School librarian Hannah Wecks talked about the Keep New Mexico Beautiful grant that she recently had received. Her efforts to raise money to plant trees, shrubs and flowers amounted to $80 and therefore she went after a grant where she was awarded $2,400. Wecks said other classrooms and teachers would help in the planting at Snell.

Financial items were discussed and Mendoza said the schools budget returned from the state without changes. He recommended that the board approve the review of August bills in the sum of $399,730.09.

Mendoza also spoke of a few fundraising efforts that Skills USA and the student council were doing. Skills is selling lollipops for attending a state conference while student council is selling boxes of candies for a conference.

Reynaldo Maynes received approval for a request to use Snell and Cobre for a youth wrestling team's practice.

San Lorenzo Elementary School also was going to be used as a polling place in the Nov. 8 election.

Finally, Frank Cordova said that after the Region VIII meeting in Deming next week, he and Toy Sepulveda would be traveling to a school board conference in Albuquerque.

--

©2016 the Silver City Sun-News (Silver City, N.M.)

Visit the Silver City Sun-News (Silver City, N.M.) at www.scsun-news.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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From Albuquerque Journal.

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Cyber Bullying Addressed at Cobre School Board Meeting

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BAYARD - Cyber bullying is a problem parents need to address and one that can be handled through the D.A.R.E. program according to members of the Cobre Consolidated Schools Board at its most recent meeting. Student representative Hannah Burnette discussed cyber bullying board meeting after the topic originated at a student meeting.

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bullying takes on all forms—and with everyone on their phones

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an act of bullying can have far reaching consequences that are harder to erase than ever. but you can help!

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Bullying takes on all forms-and with everyone on their phones, tablets, computers and other devices, an act of bullying can have far reaching consequences that are harder to erase than ever. But you can help!

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Are you being bullied? Do you see bullying at your school? There are things you can do to keep yourself and the kids you know safe from bullying.

Treat Everyone with Respect

Nobody should be mean to others.

Stop and think before you say or do something that could hurt someone.

If you feel like being mean to someone, find something else to do. Play a game, watch TV, or talk to a friend.

Talk to an adult you trust. They can help you find ways to be nicer to others.

Keep in mind that everyone is different. Not better or worse. Just different.

If you think you have bullied someone in the past, apologize. Everyone feels better.

What to Do If You're Bullied

There are things you can do if you are being bullied:

Look at the kid bullying you and tell him or her to stop in a calm, clear voice. You can also try to laugh it off. This works best if joking is easy for you. It could catch the kid bullying you off guard.

If speaking up seems too hard or not safe, walk away and stay away. Don't fight back. Find an adult to stop the bullying on the spot.

There are things you can do to stay safe in the future, too.

Talk to an adult you trust. Don't keep your feelings inside. Telling someone can help you feel less alone. They can help you make a plan to stop the bullying.

Stay away from places where bullying happens.

Stay near adults and other kids. Most bullying happens when adults aren't around.

Protect Yourself from Cyberbullying

Bullying does not always happen in person. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens online or through text messages or emails. There are things you can do to protect yourself.

Always think about what you post. You never know what someone will forward. Being kind to others online will help to keep you safe. Do not share anything that could hurt or embarrass anyone.

Keep your password a secret from other kids. Even kids that seem like friends could give your password away or use it in ways you don't want. Let your parents have your passwords.

Think about who sees what you post online. Complete strangers? Friends? Friends of friends? Privacy settings let you control who sees what.

Keep your parents in the loop. Tell them what you're doing online and who you're doing it with. Let them friend or follow you. Listen to what they have to say about what is and isn't okay to do. They care about you and want you to be safe.

Talk to an adult you trust about any messages you get or things you see online that make you sad or scared. If it is cyberbullying, report it.

Stand Up for Others

When you see bullying, there are safe things you can do to make it stop.

Talk to a parent, teacher, or another adult you trust. Adults need to know when bad things happen so they can help.

Be kind to the kid being bullied. Show them that you care by trying to include them. Sit with them at lunch or on the bus, talk to them at school, or invite them to do something. Just hanging out with them will help them know they aren't alone.

Not saying anything could make it worse for everyone. The kid who is bullying will think it is ok to keep treating others that way.

Get Involved

You can be a leader in preventing bullying in your community.

Find out more about where and when bullying happens at your school. Think about what could help. Then, share your ideas. There is a good chance that adults don't know all of what happens. Your friends can go with you to talk to a teacher, counselor, coach, or parent and can add what they think.

Talk to the principal about getting involved at school. Schools sometimes give students a voice in programs to stop bullying. Be on a school safety committee. Create posters for your school about bullying. Be a role model for younger kids.

Write a blog, letter to the editor of your local newspaper, or tweet about bullying.

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Are you being bullied? Do you see bullying at your school? There are things you can do to keep yourself and the kids you know safe from bullying. Nobody should be mean to others. Stop and think before you say or do something that could hurt someone.

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Bullying: Awareness, Education and Prevention 

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Bullying: Awareness, Education and Prevention 

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People bully their school and class mates for various reasons. This may be for attention and recognition, or to have their way on something, or bad upbringing at home, or... Let's find out more

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Bullying: Awareness, Education and Prevention 

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Bullying: Awareness, Education and Prevention 

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D.A.R.E. America continues to focus on awareness, education, and prevention of bullying involving students at school, in the class and on the playground, and after school. The safety and health of children is the highest priority of the D.A.R.E. program. No one deserves to be the victim of bullying.

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Bullying: Awareness, Education, and Prevention

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D.A.R.E. America continues to focus on awareness, education, and prevention of bullying involving students at school, in the class and on the playground, and after school. The safety and health of children is the highest priority of the D.A.R.E. program. No one deserves to be the victim of bullying.

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Bullying is when someone shows rude or mean behavior to another person. The people who do bullying are called bullies. Bullying is directed repeatedly towards specific and general targets or subjects. Bullying can be defined in many different ways depending on its context. Bullying doesn't have to be physical. It can be things that people say.

The subject of bullying includes picking on people that people see what happens but they don't do anything about it. When witnesses know what to do and they do it, the action becomes part of a process which makes a bad situation better.

Bullying is not only violence against the bullied person. It's also bullying when other people hide it from those in power (teachers, bosses), other people who see it ignore it, or when the bully is helped to get away with it. Bullying can also be saying mean words said to people face to face.

School teachers and staff have tried to learn ways to stop bullying even when they do not see it themselves. They have learned that bullying can be easy to hide.

Some US states have laws against it.

What Happens

Bullying can happen at school, work, at home, on the internet (cyber-bullying) or somewhere else.

A purpose is part of what makes bullying what it is. The process of bullying develops in many ways, including

intimidating (to scare) tactics

steamroller (determined) tactics

devaluing (to put down) tactics

arm-twisting (threat or force) tactics

Bullying may be a combination of one or more of these tactics (techniques). For example, Lance Armstrong explained "Yes, I was a bully. I was a bully in the sense that I tried to control the narrative and if I didn't like what someone said I turned on them." In other words, when someone said something Armstrong didn't like, "We ran over her, we bullied her."

Bullying behavior includes the misuse (harm) of power or position and making comments or threats about job security. The person that is getting bullied then feels insecure (not sure) about themselves.

Bullying also includes moving the goalposts by setting objectives which subtly change and cannot be defined or explained in ways that can be reached.

Culture of Bullying

Bullying happens for a reason. The person is either not getting the attention they want or they are going through a family struggle and want to control someone else. Another possible reason, is that the person does not feel confident about themselves so they bully others to make themselves feel more powerful. Therefore, when the person that is the bully wants to get attention and show who's the best. They will start by saying mean things to students at school, that could possibly result in violence.

Related Pages

Images for kids

In Spanish: Acoso psicológico para niños

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Bullying is a big problem. It can make kids feel hurt, scared, sick, lonely, embarrassed, and sad. Bullies might hit, kick, or push to hurt people, or use words to call names, tease, or scare them.

A bully might say mean things about someone, grab a kid's stuff, make fun of someone, or leave a kid out of the group on purpose.

Some bullies threaten people or try to make them do things they don't want to do.

Bullying Is a Big Deal

Bullying is a big problem that affects lots of kids. Most kids say they have been bullied or teased. Being bullied can make kids feel really bad, and the stress of dealing with it can make them feel sick.

Bullying can make kids not want to play outside or go to school. It's hard to keep your mind on schoolwork when you're worried about how you're going to deal with the bully near your locker.

Bullying bothers everyone - and not just the kids who are getting picked on. Bullying can make school a place of fear and can lead to violence and more stress for everyone.

Why Do Bullies Act That Way?

Some bullies are looking for attention. They might think bullying is a way to be popular or to get what they want. Most bullies are trying to make themselves feel more important. When they pick on someone else, it can make them feel big and powerful.

Some bullies come from families where everyone is angry and shouting all the time. They may think that being angry, calling names, and pushing people around is a normal way to act. Some bullies are copying what they've seen someone else do. Some have been bullied themselves.

Sometimes bullies know that what they're doing or saying hurts other people. But other bullies may not really know how hurtful their actions can be. Most bullies don't understand or care about the feelings of others.

Bullies often pick on someone they think they can have power over. They might pick on kids who get upset easily or who have trouble sticking up for themselves. Getting a big reaction out of someone can make bullies feel like they have the power they want. Sometimes bullies pick on someone who is smarter than they are or different from them in some way. Sometimes bullies just pick on a kid for no reason at all.

Bullying: How to Handle It

So now you know that bullying is a big problem that affects a lot of kids, but what do you do if someone is bullying you? Our advice falls into two categories: preventing a run-in with the bully, and what to do if you end up face-to-face with the bully.

Preventing a Run-In With a Bully

Don't give the bully a chance. As much as you can, avoid the bully. You can't go into hiding or skip class, of course. But if you can take a different route and avoid the mean kid, do so.

Stand tall and be brave. When you're scared of another person, you're probably not feeling your bravest. But sometimes just acting brave is enough to stop a bully. How does a brave person look and act? Stand tall and you'll send the message: "Don't mess with me." It's easier to feel brave when you feel good about yourself. See the next tip!

Feel good about you. Nobody's perfect, but what can you do to look and feel your best? Maybe you'd like to be more fit. If so, maybe you'll decide to get more exercise, watch less TV, and eat healthier snacks. Or maybe you feel you look best when you shower in the morning before school. If so, you could decide to get up a little earlier so you can be clean and refreshed for the school day.

Get a buddy (and be a buddy). Two is better than one if you're trying to avoid being bullied. Make a plan to walk with a friend or two on the way to school, recess, lunch, or wherever you think you might meet the bully. Offer to do the same if a friend is having bully trouble. Get involved if you see bullying going on in your school - tell an adult, stick up for the kid being bullied, and tell the bully to stop.

If The Bully Says or Does Something to You

Ignore the bully. If you can, try your best to ignore the bully's threats. Pretend you don't hear them and walk away quickly to a place of safety. Bullies want a big reaction to their teasing and meanness. Acting as if you don't notice and don't care is like giving no reaction at all, and this just might stop a bully's behavior.

Stand up for yourself. Pretend to feel really brave and confident. Tell the bully "No! Stop it!" in a loud voice. Then walk away, or run if you have to. Kids also can stand up for each other by telling a bully to stop teasing or scaring someone else, and then walking away together. If a bully wants you to do something that you don't want to do, say "no!" and walk away. If you do what a bully says to do, the mean kid is more likely to keep bullying you. Bullies tend to pick on kids who don't stick up for themselves.

Don't bully back. Don't hit, kick, or push back to deal with someone bullying you or your friends. Fighting back just satisfies a bully and it's dangerous, too, because someone could get hurt. You're also likely to get in trouble. It's best to stay with others, stay safe, and get help from an adult.

Don't show your feelings. Plan ahead. How can you stop yourself from getting angry or showing you're upset? Try distracting yourself (counting backwards from 100, spelling the word 'turtle' backwards, etc.) to keep your mind occupied until you are out of the situation and somewhere safe where you can show your feelings.

Tell an adult. If you are being bullied, it's very important to tell an adult. Find someone you trust and talk about what is happening to you. Teachers, principals, parents, and lunchroom helpers at school can all help to stop bullying. Sometimes bullies stop as soon as a teacher finds out because they're afraid that they will be punished by parents. This is not tattling on someone who has done something small - bullying is wrong and it helps if everyone who gets bullied or sees someone being bullied speaks up.

What Happens to Bullies?

In the end, most bullies wind up in trouble. If they keep acting mean and hurtful, sooner or later they may have only a few friends left - usually other kids who are just like them. The power they wanted slips away fast. Other kids move on and leave bullies behind.

Some kids who bully blame others. But every kid has a choice about how to act. Some kids who bully realize that they don't get the respect they want by threatening others. They may have thought that bullying would make them popular, but they soon find out that other kids just think of them as trouble-making losers.

The good news is that kids who are bullies can learn to change their behavior. Teachers, counselors, and parents can help. So can watching kids who treat others fairly and with respect. Bullies can change if they learn to use their power in positive ways. In the end, whether bullies decide to change their ways is up to them. Some bullies turn into great kids. Others never learn.

But no one needs to put up with a bully's behavior. If you or someone you know is bothered by a bully, talk to someone you trust. Everyone has the right to feel safe, and being bullied makes people feel unsafe. Tell someone about it and keep telling until something is done.

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No one likes a bully. Find out how to handle them in this article for kids.

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Bullying in schools and at home come in many forms. It is one of the oldest problems that school kids face. Find out what bullying is, the kinds of bullying in schools these days, and what you can do about it.

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Bullying is being mean to another kid over and over again. Bullying often includes:

Teasing

Talking about hurting someone

Spreading rumors

Leaving kids out on purpose

Attacking someone by hitting them or yelling at them

Bullying does not always happen in person. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens online or through text messages or emails. It includes posting rumors on sites like Facebook, sharing embarrassing pictures or videos, and making fake profiles or websites.

Kids Who are Bullied

Kids who are bullied can feel like they are:

Kids who are bullied have a hard time standing up for themselves. They think the kid who bullies them is more powerful than they are. Bullying can make them:

Sad, lonely, or nervous

Feel sick

Have problems at school

Bully other kids

Kids Who Bully Others

Kids bully others for many reasons, they may:

Want to copy their friends

Think bullying will help them fit in

Think they are better than the kid they are bullying

Bullying is never ok. Those who bully use power to hurt people. Power does not always mean bigger or stronger. Power can also mean popular or smart. Or, the kid doing the bullying may know a secret about the kid being bullied.

Kids who bully can have other problems, too, even when they get older, like using alcohol and drugs, getting into fights, and dropping out of school.

Kids Who See Bullying

When kids see bullying, they may not know what to do. They may feel depressed or worried. They may be absent from school because they don't feel safe. They may join in or stay silent so they won't get bullied themselves. They may stand up to the bully. But the best thing to do is get an adult who will stop the bullying on the spot.

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Find out what bullying means at StopBullying.gov.

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The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team at school, which includes the parent, can also identify strategies that can be written into the IEP to help stop the bullying. It may be helpful to involve your child, when appropriate, in the decision-making process. Such strategies include:

Encouraging your school to enact innovative bullying prevention practices. An example of this involves promoting peer leadership to create a culture among the students of tolerance and acceptance of others.

Identifying a trusted adult in the school whom your child can report to or go to for assistance.

Having the school staff consistently reassure your child that he or she has a "right to be safe" and that bullying is not his or her fault.

Determining how school staff will document and report bullying incidents.

Agreeing, in advance, on how any students doing the bullying will be treated. It is important to recognize that students who bully have a unique set of issues which must also be addressed.

Allowing the child to leave class early, or to sit closest to the classroom door so that he or she may unobtrusively leave first, to avoid hallway incidents.

Holding separate meetings for school staff and classroom peers to help them understand TS.

Including the child's bus driver in any discussions of TS. Bullying often occurs on the school bus, and the driver can be an invaluable ally for your child.

Educating peers about school district policies on bullying behavior, including how students who bully will be treated.

Having the school staff discreetly shadow the student who has been bullied. Shadowing could be done in hallways, classrooms, playgrounds and while students arrive and depart from school.

There are advantages and disadvantages with any of these approaches, therefore working to establish good communication with the school is advisable to promote the best outcomes.

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Bullying Issues - Tourette Association of America

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The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team at school, which includes the parent, can also identify strategies that can be written into the IEP to help stop the bullying. It may be helpful to involve your child, when appropriate, in the decision-making process. Such strategies include: Encouraging your school to enact innovative bullying prevention practices.

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Children's Songs and Educational Music for preschool, elementary, middle and high school. Lyrics, mp3 downloads, DVDs and CDs.

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adding and subtracting fractions advanced

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adding and subtracting integers advanced

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博睿宝宝BrainPOP美国中小学课程

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当儿童发展心理学家乌塔·弗莱斯（Uta Frith）于1960年代开始她的学术训练的时候，她遇见了一群长相俊朗并拥有闪亮大眼、却又似乎与周围的世界彻底隔绝的儿童。她发现他们患有自闭症--一个当时还是全新的诊断。乌塔教授非常想更多地了解这些儿童；而他们也激发了她走上毕生研究自闭症的职业道路。在"世界自闭症日"前夜，揭示了她的毕生研究是如何转变了我们对于这一神秘症状的认识。

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当儿童发展心理学家乌塔·弗莱斯（Uta Frith）于1960年代开始她的学术训练的时候，她遇见了一群长相俊朗并拥有闪亮大眼、却又似乎与周围的世界彻底隔绝的儿童。她发现他们患有自闭症--一个当时还是全新的诊断。乌塔教授非常想更多地了解这些儿童；而他们也激发了她走上毕生研究自闭症的职业道路。在"世界自闭症日"前夜，揭示了她的毕生研究是如何转变了我们对于这一神秘症状的认识。

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What Happened When I Stopped Taking My Medication

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risk factors for mental health conditions

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Healthy relationships support good mental health, while social isolation and poor relationships can be risk factors for mental health conditions

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Depressive disorder, frequently referred to simply as depression, is more than just feeling sad or going through a rough patch. It's a serious mental health condition that requires understanding and medical care. Left untreated, depression can be devastating for those who have it and their families. Fortunately, with early detection, diagnosis and a treatment plan consisting of medication, psychotherapy and healthy lifestyle choices, many people can and do get better.

Some will only experience one depressive episode in a lifetime, but for most, depressive disorder recurs. Without treatment, episodes may last a few months to several years.

More than 17 million U.S. adults-over 7% of the population-had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. People of all ages and all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds experience depression, but it does affect some groups more than others.

Symptoms

Depression can present different symptoms, depending on the person. But for most people, depressive disorder changes how they function day-to-day, and typically for more than two weeks. Common symptoms include:

Changes in sleep

Changes in appetite

Lack of concentration

Loss of energy

Lack of interest in activities

Hopelessness or guilty thoughts

Changes in movement (less activity or agitation)

Physical aches and pains

Suicidal thoughts

Causes

Depression does not have a single cause. It can be triggered by a life crisis, physical illness or something else-but it can also occur spontaneously. Scientists believe several factors can contribute to depression:

Trauma. When people experience trauma at an early age, it can cause long-term changes in how their brains respond to fear and stress. These changes may lead to depression.

Genetics. Mood disorders, such as depression, tend to run in families.

Life circumstances. Marital status, relationship changes, financial standing and where a person lives influence whether a person develops depression.

Brain changes. Imaging studies have shown that the frontal lobe of the brain becomes less active when a person is depressed. Depression is also associated with changes in how the pituitary gland and hypothalamus respond to hormone stimulation.

Other medical conditions. People who have a history of sleep disturbances, medical illness, chronic pain, anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to develop depression. Some medical syndromes (like hypothyroidism) can mimic depressive disorder. Some medications can also cause symptoms of depression.

Drug and alcohol misuse. 21% of adults with a subtance use disorder also experienced a major depressive episode in 2018. Co-occurring disorders require coordinated treatment for both conditions, as alcohol can worsen depressive symptoms.

Diagnosis

To be diagnosed with depressive disorder, a person must have experienced a depressive episode lasting longer than two weeks. The symptoms of a depressive episode include:

Loss of interest or loss of pleasure in all activities

Change in appetite or weight

Sleep disturbances

Feeling agitated or feeling slowed down

Fatigue

Feelings of low self-worth, guilt or shortcomings

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Suicidal thoughts or intentions

Treatments

Although depressive disorder can be a devastating illness, it often responds to treatment. The key is to get a specific evaluation and treatment plan. Safety planning is important for individuals who have suicidal thoughts. After an assessment rules out medical and other possible causes, a patient-centered treatment plans can include any or a combination of the following:

Psychotherapy including cognitive behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy and interpersonal therapy.

Medications including antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotic medications.

Exercise can help with prevention and mild-to-moderate symptoms.

Brain stimulation therapies can be tried if psychotherapy and/or medication are not effective. These include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depressive disorder with psychosis or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for severe depression.

Light therapy, which uses a light box to expose a person to full spectrum light in an effort to regulate the hormone melatonin.

Alternative approaches including acupuncture, meditation, faith and nutrition can be part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Reviewed August 2017

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Depressive disorder, frequently referred to simply as depression, is more than just feeling sad or going through a rough patch. It's a serious mental health condition that requires understanding and medical care. Left untreated, depression can be devastating for those who have it and their families.

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Can Children Really Suffer From Depression?

Yes. Childhood depression is different from the normal "blues" and everyday emotions that occur as a child develops. Just because a child seems sad doesn't necessarily mean he or she has significant depression. If the sadness becomes persistent, or interferes with normal social activities, interests, schoolwork, or family life, it may indicate that he or she has a depressive illness. Keep in mind that while depression is a serious illness, it is also a treatable one.

How Can I Tell if My Child Is Depressed?

The symptoms of depression in children vary. It is often undiagnosed and untreated because they are passed off as normal emotional and psychological changes that occur during growth. Early medical studies focused on "masked" depression, where a child's depressed mood was evidenced by acting out or angry behavior. While this does occur, particularly in younger children, many children display sadness or low mood similar to adults who are depressed. The primary symptoms of depression revolve around sadness, a feeling of hopelessness, and mood changes.

Signs and symptoms of depression in children include:

Irritability or anger

Continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness

Social withdrawal

Increased sensitivity to rejection

Changes in appetite -- either increased or decreased

Changes in sleep -- sleeplessness or excessive sleep

Vocal outbursts or crying

Difficulty concentrating

Fatigue and low energy

Physical complaints (such as stomachaches, headaches) that don't respond to treatment

Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests

Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

Impaired thinking or concentration

Thoughts of death or suicide

Not all children have all of these symptoms. In fact, most will display different symptoms at different times and in different settings. Although some children may continue to function reasonably well in structured environments, most kids with significant depression will suffer a noticeable change in social activities, loss of interest in school and poor academic performance, or a change in appearance. Children may also begin using drugs or alcohol, especially if they are over age 12.

Although relatively rare in youths under 12, young children do attempt suicide -- and may do so impulsively when they are upset or angry. Girls are more likely to attempt suicide, but boys are more likely to actually kill themselves when they make an attempt. Children with a family history of violence, alcohol abuse, or physical or sexual abuse are at greater risk for suicide, as are those with depressive symptoms.

Continued

Which Children Get Depressed?

Up to 3% of children and 8% of adolescents in the U.S. suffer from depression. Depression is significantly more common in boys under age 10. But by age 16, girls have a greater incidence of depression.

Bipolar disorder is more common in adolescents than in younger children. Bipolar disorder in children can, however, be more severe than in adolescents. It may also occur with, or be hidden by, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD), or conduct disorder (CD).

What Causes Depression in Children?

As in adults, depression in children can be caused by any combination of factors that relate to physical health, life events, family history, environment, genetic vulnerability and biochemical disturbance. Depression is not a passing mood, nor is it a condition that will go away without proper treatment.

Can Depression in Children Be Prevented?

Children with a family history of depression are at greater risk of experiencing depression themselves. Children who have parents that suffer from depression tend to develop their first episode of depression earlier than children whose parents do not. Children from chaotic or conflicted families, or children and teens who abuse substances like alcohol and drugs, are also at greater risk of depression.

How Is Depression Diagnosed in Children?

If the symptoms of depression in your child have lasted for at least two weeks, you should schedule a visit with his or her doctor to make sure there are no physical reasons for the symptoms and to make sure that your child receives proper treatment. A consultation with a mental health care professional who specializes in children is also recommended. Keep in mind that the pediatrician may ask to speak with your child alone.

A mental health evaluation should include interviews with you (the parent or primary caregiver) and your child, and any additional psychological testing that is necessary. Information from teachers, friends and classmates can be useful for showing that these symptoms are consistent during your child's various activities and are a marked change from previous behavior.

There are no specific tests -- medical or psychological -- that can clearly show depression, but tools such as questionnaires (for both the child and parents) combined with personal information, can be very useful in helping diagnose depression in children. Sometimes those therapy sessions and questionnaires can uncover other concerns that contribute to the depression such as ADHD, conduct disorder, and OCD.

Some pediatricians start using mental health screens at a child's 11th year well visit and each year after.

Continued

What Are the Treatment Options?

Treatment options for children with depression are similar to those for adults, including psychotherapy (counseling) and medication. The role that family and the child's environment play in the treatment process is different from that of adults. Your child's doctor may suggest psychotherapy first, and consider antidepressant medicine as an additional option if there is no significant improvement. The best studies to date indicate that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is most effective at treating depression.

Studies show that the antidepressant Prozac is effective in treating depression in children and teens. The drug is officially recognized by the FDA for treatment of children ages 8 to 18 with depression. Other medications may be chosen if there are other coexisting illnesses contributing to the depression.

Treating Children With Bipolar Disorder

Children with bipolar disorder are usually treated with psychotherapy and a combination of medicines, usually an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer.

Antidepressants need to be used with caution, as they can trigger bouts of manic or hyperactive behavior in children with bipolar disorder. Managing a child's medication must be part of an overall care plan that includes therapy and routine primary care appointments.

The FDA warns that antidepressant medications may increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents with depression and other psychiatric disorders. If you have questions or concerns, discuss them with your health care provider. Additionally, if your child is placed on these medications, it is still very important to continue to follow closely with the physician and therapist.

Long-Term Outlook

Studies have found that first-time depression in children is occurring at younger ages than previously. As in adults, depression may occur again later in life. Depression often occurs at the same time as other physical illnesses. And because studies have shown that depression may precede more serious mental illness later in life, diagnosis, early treatment and close monitoring are crucial.

As a parent, it is sometimes easier to deny that your child has depression. You may put off seeking the help of a mental health care professional because of the social stigmas associated with mental illness. It is very important for you -- as the parent -- to understand depression and realize the importance of treatment so that your child may continue to grow physically and emotionally in a healthy way. It is also important to seek education about the future effects depression may have on your child throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Continued

Depression in Children: Warning Signs

Parents should be particularly vigilant for signs that may indicate that their child is at risk for suicide.

Warning signs of suicidal behavior in children include:

Many depressive symptoms (changes in eating, sleeping, activities)

Social isolation, including isolation from the family

Talk of suicide, hopelessness, or helplessness

Increased acting-out of undesirable behaviors (sexual/behavioral)

Increased risk-taking behaviors

Frequent accidents

Substance abuse

Focus on morbid and negative themes

Talk about death and dying

Increased crying or reduced emotional expression

Giving away possessions

Sources

SOURCE:

National Institute of Mental Health: "Depression in Children and Adolescents."

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Depression in Children: Symptoms and Common Types of Child Depression

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Yes. Childhood depression is different from the normal "blues" and everyday emotions that occur as a child develops. Just because a child seems sad doesn't necessarily mean he or she has significant depression. If the sadness becomes persistent, or interferes with normal social activities, interests, schoolwork, or family life, it may indicate that he or she has a depressive illness.

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May 7 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, a day meant to raise awareness of the many children, youth, and young adults throughout the country facing emotional and mental challenges. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the commemorative day, and various facilities around the country will celebrate accordingly, with family activities, symposiums, lectures, youth rallies and art lessons.

Yes, art lessons. Art therapy, a quickly growing field combining psychotherapy with art media, provides comfort and hope to youths facing a diverse range of challenges, from childhood neglect to the loss of a loved one. " The biggest advantage is that art can express things that are not expressible verbally," Dr. Sarah Deaver, the President of the American Art Therapy Association, explained in a previous interview with The Huffington Post. "That's a huge advantage for people who don't have the language to talk about what's inside of them."

Children often fall into this category.

In honor of Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, we reached out to an art therapy expert who works primarily with children and adolescents, Gretchen Miller. Miller began her career in the field as the Founder and Art Therapy Program Coordinator of a residential treatment art therapy program with partial hospitalization at The Cleveland Christian Home. She later developed and implemented a clinical art therapy program for Applewood Centers, Inc., within a residential treatment program for adolescent females. Most recently, Miller became a Certified Trauma Consultant through The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC).

We spoke to Miller about her career path and the particulars of working with a younger set of art therapy patients.

Mandala Collage (collage, chalk pastels on paper): "Working within the containment of a circle (mandala) often can be centering and provide a calm space for self-discovery. This mandala was created in an art therapy group for at risk teens to invite exploration around self-esteem. Using magazine photo collage as a material of choice can be a non-threatening approach to encourage teens to explore their feelings, thoughts, and values without anxiety about drawing skills."

For starters, how do you define art therapy?
I define art therapy as the psychological use of art media and the creative process, facilitated by an art therapist, to help foster self expression, create coping skills, and strengthen sense of self. Using the artistic process to help people explore different challenges and things they're facing in their life.

How did you become involved with the field?
I've always been involved in art, since I was a child. In high school I became interested in mental health and psychopathology. In college I started to explore more of the art therapy field. I was very fortunate to go to a school that had an art therapy degree in undergrad. Combining my love of the practice of art and psychology, and getting to help people in need, it was a perfect fit for me. After that I got a graduate degree in art therapy.

Safe House Image (crayons and markers on paper): "Re-establishing safety is an essential component to working with youth who have experienced trauma and loss. Creating spaces and places where a child feels safe or to depicts what safety looks like to him/her not only helps foster protection and security through the art, but allows for empowerment and a sense of control over this environment. This drawing was created in response to exploring what it means to have a safe home with a child who had been exposed to family violence."

How did you get started working with children?
I had some experience as an undergrad doing volunteer placements with youths. I had envisioned myself back then working more with adults, but my real first job was in a residential treatment program serving boys ages six to 16, and at that time, I just wanted experience with people.

Did you end up enjoying the experience?
I enjoy working with adolescents a lot. They're a challenge. They definitely keep me on my toes in that age range. It's just a natural expression for kids to use art. That creativity is very freeing and the imagination is so open at that age. It lends itself so well to the therapeutic process and making art. I love their energy and the inspiration that they bring.

Mask (acrylic paint and markers on paper pulp mask): "Mask making can offer a powerful way to safely externalize emotional states that a child is experiencing. In response to exploring a feeling that sometimes remains bottled up inside; painting or creating a mask can reveal and identify many feelings difficult to describe in words."

What kinds of challenges are the children you're working with facing?
In the past I've worked with children that were in the foster care system or had a lot of behavioral and emotional needs that stemmed from early childhood abandonment or neglect. A lot of times their parents weren't able to take care of them. I then became motivated to focus more on trauma in my work.

From there I started to work with children who had been impacted by domestic violence or who have experienced a loss or death of a loved one, whether through illness or suicide or homicide or accident. Working with those two populations really taught me a lot about how art can be used to heal wounds. Currently I work in a shelter with women and children experiencing homelessness, many of whom are trying to transition out of homelessness and some of whom are vulnerable to human trafficking. We help them strengthen themselves, make themselves less susceptible.

Heart Image (tempera paint on paper): "This painting was inspired by exploring feelings through depicting them as a kind of landscape in nature or weather."

What does an art therapy session with you look like?
I do a lot of group art therapy. I feel the group work really gives the kids a sense that they're not alone. They're not the only kids who are experiencing these reactions or these responses to the painful things that happened to them. A lot of the job is planning which activities would be most helpful at approaching certain problems.

What activities have you found to be most beneficial?
I like to focus on interventions that will provide safety or reestablish safety for the user. That's really important after traumatic experiences. That sometimes leads to working with spaces of containment, symbolically, or through the metaphor of art.

Also, looking at their own physical responses, their bodies' reactions to trauma or whatever difficulties they are experiencing. Maybe they have stomach aches or headaches or trouble breathing. Using the art to help show that, so they can be more connected to how their bodies are responding, and then explore ways of coping through the art to help with those responses. So art that focuses on self-regulation or soothing or relaxation, through painting or drawing, mask making or things like that. Also using art intervention themes that focus on things like sadness, pain, worry, fear, anger. With these kinds of threatening feelings, it's often easier to explore them through art, than to talk about them verbally.

What advantages, in your opinion, does art therapy provide children over other types of counseling or treatment?
Art making is a natural expression for children. They're very open and ready to engage with it. It really helps build that sense of self and emotional expression. Giving them that at a young age, hopefully while they're still in childhood, will hopefully help them be stronger as they move through adolescence and into adulthood, and be more able to develop those coping skills. There's that innate, imaginative ability that's not so censored in them yet. Adults often say, "I can't draw," which isn't important -- art therapy is about the process, not the product -- but it's nice to work with kids who don't have that anxiety.

What kind of progress have you witnessed in your time working with children?
Occasionally I've seen people I used to work with as adults, still in difficult situations and trying to find their way. I've definitely seen the process come full circle. Changes can also be seen within the art that a feeling -- such as worry, anger, or sadness -- is not as consuming as it was depicted before, or the child's sense of self and their ability to cope has strengthened. Art therapy can be a helpful intervention for stabilizing overwhelming emotional states and crisis situations because of the safe containment it provides.

Can you talk a little about the meaning and importance of Children's Mental Health Day?
This year is actually the 10th anniversary, so Children's Mental Health Day has been going on for a while. I think it's very helpful to have a day spotlighting children's mental health. It fosters a sense of hope for recovery and builds resilience for these issues. It also raises awareness to help with prevention and early intervention, helping children to be less at risk for mental health issues. The day also helps to take away the stigma attached to mental illness, getting that out of there early on and getting children more aware of the mental health needs that they may have.

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How Art Therapy Can Help Children Facing Mental And Emotional Challenges

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May 7 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, a day meant to raise awareness of the many children, youth, and young adults throughout the country facing emotional and mental challenges. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the commemorative day, and various facilities around the country will celebrate accordingly, with family activities, symposiums, lectures, youth rallies and art lessons.

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Stop Bullying on the Spot

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

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Stop Bullying on the Spot When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

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Recognising something is not right

For many years, mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, were not discussed openly in the community because of fear, ignorance and stigma. Unlike physical illnesses or conditions that have obvious symptoms that can be observed easily and, as a result, talked about frankly, symptoms of mental health conditions may be deliberately covered up or unintentionally hidden.

Signs and symptoms of a mental health condition may remain unrecognised or attributed to being associated with certain life stages, stressful events, hormones or personality traits.

It's common for people not to discuss mental health conditions with family members or friends. There is even more stigma around mental health in cultures where health issues of any type are not discussed with members of the immediate or extended family and certainly not with friends.

Negative views or stigma about mental health are often due to misunderstandings, cultural beliefs, misconceptions and/or lack of knowledge about mental health conditions and the associated signs and symptoms.

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For many years, mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, were not discussed openly in the community because of fear, ignorance and stigma. Unlike physical illnesses or conditions that have obvious symptoms that can be observed easily and, as a result, talked about frankly, symptoms of mental health conditions may be deliberately covered up or unintentionally hidden.

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By tha one and only awesome Kelly

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Florence

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Smartphones have brought out a massive change in the lives of people. People enjoy great comfort with the advancement in science and technology. People in the present day find things much easier and perceive things based on technology. Smartphones play a vital role in this regard offering users a great platform for communication and access to a wide range of applications.

Human beings face tough challenges to lead life in this contemporary world. And, technology has become the deciding factor for people's standards. Life becomes updated and flexible with facilities to get connected to people and resources at any time. The mode of communication is open through several ways allowing people to enjoy and make best use of advancements. Also, people get better exposure to social life when they use smartphones with many different applications and accessories. People in all industry verticals use smartphones on a regular basis.

Smart Phones and Society

Smart phones are popular among people for the applications they offer to the users. People find it quite easier to communicate with people in a different way and also access different things with the features that smartphones support. People enjoy a lot of benefits in various forms of their daily work. They also get things done in quick time in an efficient manner. Smartphones offer

Better means of communication

Learning options to users

Great exposure to the latest things

Ways to personality development

Simple ways to access applications

Ideas to succeed in business

Platform to grow along with technology

The main thing people do with smartphones is have entertainment and get connected to people all over the world through social media. Entering into social networking platforms gives them a better avenue to get exposed and also improve in all facets of life. Be it any industry vertical, you can see people using the smartphones for their comfort and convenience. Smartphones also help people in their professional life letting them handle things in an easier way.

The development in technology has given people better means to lead their life and enjoy being associated with different things. The applications one can access using their smartphones are unlimited. It is interesting to know more about the applications and use them for accomplishing different works in quick time. People feel prestigious and do not feel inferior in the society when they are aware about technology and technological advancements.

Advancement in technology gives people great ease and also keeps them active. People are able to spend time with family and friends when they finish their works from home. It is important for people to take into account only the positive aspects of smartphones and improve their lifestyle. Too much usage of smart phones also minimizes manual interaction. It is therefore crucial for each and every individual to keep in mind to make efficient use of smartphones and technology. Choose the best smartphone and celebrate using smartphones in great style. It is a boon to have smartphones for our use.

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Impact of Smartphones on the Society - Trffc Media

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Smartphones have brought out a massive change in the lives of people. People enjoy great comfort with the advancement in science and technology. People in the present day find things much easier and perceive things based on technology. Smartphones play a vital role in this regard offering users a great platform for communication and access to a wide range of applications.

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by Florence

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Women college students spend an average of 10 hours a day on their cellphones and men college students spend nearly eight, with excessive use posing potential risks for academic performance, according to a Baylor University study on cellphone activity published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.

"That's astounding," said researcher James Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing in Baylor's Hankamer School of Business. "As cellphone functions increase, addictions to this seemingly indispensable piece of technology become an increasingly realistic possibility."

The study notes that approximately 60 percent of college students admit they may be addicted to their cell phone, and some indicated they get agitated when it is not in sight, said Roberts, lead author of the article "The Invisible Addiction: Cellphone Activities and Addiction among Male and Female College Students."

The study -- based on an online survey of 164 college students -- examined 24 cellphone activities and found that time spent on 11 of those activities differed significantly across the sexes. Some functions -- among them Pinterest and Instagram -- are associated significantly with cellphone addiction. But others that might logically seem to be addictive -- Internet use and gaming -- were not.

General findings of the study showed that:

* Of the top activities, respondents overall reported spending the most time texting (an average of 94.6 minutes a day), followed by sending emails (48.5 minutes), checking Facebook (38.6 minutes), surfing the Internet (34.4 minutes) and listening to their iPods. (26.9 minutes).

* Men send about the same number of emails but spend less time on each. "That may suggest that they're sending shorter, more utilitarian messages than their female counterparts," Roberts said.

* Women spend more time on their cellphones. While that finding runs somewhat contrary to the traditional view that men are more invested in technology, "women may be more inclined to use cellphones for social reasons such as texting or emails to build relationships and have deeper conversations."

* The men in the study, while more occupied with using their cellphones for utilitarian or entertainment purposes, "are not immune to the allure of social media," Roberts said. They spent time visiting such social networking sites as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Among reasons they used Twitter were to follow sports figures, catch up on the news -- "or, as one male student explained it, 'waste time,'" Roberts said.

Excessive use of cellphones poses a number of possible risks for students, he said.

"Cellphones may wind up being an escape mechanism from their classrooms. For some, cellphones in class may provide a way to cheat," Roberts said.

Excessive or obsessive cellphone use also can cause conflict inside and outside the classroom: with professors, employers and families. And "some people use a cellphone to dodge an awkward situation. They may pretend to take a call, send a text or check their phones," Roberts said.

Roberts noted that the current survey is more extensive than previous research in measuring the number and types of cellphone activities. It also is the first to investigate which activities are associated significantly with cellphone addictions and which are not.

Study participants were asked to respond to 11 statements such as "I get agitated when my cellphone is not in sight" and "I find that I am spending more and more time on my cellphone" to measure the intensity of their addiction.

The study noted that modern cellphone use is a paradox in that it can be "both freeing and enslaving at the same time."

"We need to identify the activities that push cellphone use from being a helpful tool to one that undermines our well-being and that of others," Roberts said.

Cellphone activities examined in the study included calling, texting, emailing, surfing the Internet, banking, taking photos, playing games, reading books, using a calendar, using a clock and a number of applications, among them the Bible, iPod, coupons, Google Maps, eBay, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, iTunes, Pandora and "other" (news, weather, sports, lifestyle-related applications and Snapchat.)

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gender difference; educational psychology; numeracy; internet; computers and internet; educational technology; educational policy; education and employment; stem education

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Cellphone addiction harming academic performance is 'an increasingly realistic possibility'

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Women college students spend an average of 10 hours a day on their cellphones, with men college students spending nearly eight hours, according to a study on cellphone activity. "As cellphone functions increase, addictions to this seemingly indispensable piece of technology become an increasingly realistic possibility," researchers noted.

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Social media and the internet can be a fantastic resource for adults and children alike. However, to ensure that the mental health and emotional wellbeing of users is maintained, we need to be aware of potential risks of using it and the rules surrounding the use by children which are there to help protect them. The benefits of social media and the internet cannot be denied, and the ability to gain knowledge and communicate with others from near and far is incredible and has made the world a smaller and more accessible space for people to learn about how other people live. It also provides people of all abilities a platform on which to be heard in a way that they have not previously had. This provides an amazing ability to help with equality and diversity when used appropriately.

One of the cons of this technology is the expectation that we are potentially available 24 hours a day. Emails can be sent from all over the world, messages from family and friends on social media from different areas of the globe can also pop up tempting us to open them as we see the flash or hear the beep no matter what the time.

There can also be a temptation when using the internet for gaming, social media or streaming etc to lose track of time which can lead to lack of human interaction with family and friends. This is where we can start to see the implications on mental health and emotional wellbeing. When we rely on validation through computers rather than our physical interactions this can have a significant negative impact on us physically and emotionally. As discussed earlier the potential to always be available can impact on sleep, it can also be tempting to 'check-in' if we wake in the night, this can be more so for the younger generation as they can be more prone to seeking their validation through the amount of 'likes' they get on their posts, the comments they receive or the followers they have. This can happen as adults too; trying not to take it personally when you don't get the responses you want can have a detrimental impact.

The internet and social media also gives the opportunity for us to compare ourselves to others, from looks, to abilities, to lifestyle etc. The temptation is for people to display their best selves when sharing information on social media etc; this therefore tends not to be a 100% accurate view of reality but the portions of our lives we wish others to see. Keeping in mind the idealised glimpses we get into each other's lives it can set us up for a poor self-image of ourselves as we compare the apparent dull by comparison existence that can be portrayed. We must remember that people share their highs not the mundane that is generally normal life.

The written word can also easily be misinterpreted either due to grammatical inaccuracy or simply not being able to portray the emotions behind the words. Consider when you have a physical conversation, you pick up on vocal intonation as well as body language (smile, smirk, sympathetic look, roll of the eyes etc). This can make a considerable difference to the meaning behind words.

Recognising that age restrictions for games (PEGI ratings) are in place for a reason to protect children from what they can see and what they are emotionally ready to deal with and understand. The same goes for the age restrictions on social media sites; Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr are all age 13, while the WhatsApp age is 16. This is for the protection of children. What we need to be aware of is that we can't always trust the information people present, which could cause vulnerable members of society to be left open. Protection is paramount despite the social pressures that can be evident.

The mental health and well being of us all needs to be a priority, taking time out from the technology based communications and screen time maybe of benefit and allow us to maintain and enhance our physical interactions with those around us who may get to know us on a much deeper level of understanding.

Finding a balance between your emotional well being and mental health is worth perusing. There is no denying the benefits of our technological world, but the balance needs to be there so that we are emotionally and mentally fit enough to enjoy its benefits.

About the author

Lucinda Milne Dip Couns
Awareness in Bereavement Training
Certificate in Autistic Spectrum Disorder
I have worked in the bereavement sector since 2013.
I have a wide variety of experience working with both adults and children covering a range of issues.
I have experience in working with children with additional needs.
View profile

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The pros and cons of technology on mental health and emotional wellbeing

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Social media and the internet can be a fantastic resource for adults and children alike. However, to ensure that the mental health and emotional wellbeing of users is maintained, we need to be aware of potential risks of using it and the rules surrounding the use by children which are there to help protect them.

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Playing sports is a lot of fun. Getting hurt is not. Take these five steps to prevent injuries so you can stay in the game:

1. Wear protective gear, such as helmets, protective pads, and other gear.

2. Warm up and cool down.

3. Know the rules of the game.

4. Watch out for others.

5. Don't play when you're injured.

Let's find out more about each of these.

Wear Protective Gear

/> Protective gear is anything you wear that helps keep you from getting hurt. The gear you wear depends on the sport you play.

Helmets are the most common protective gear. They protect your all-important head while you're playing football, hockey, baseball, softball, biking, skateboarding, and inline skating, just to name a few!

Make sure you're wearing the right helmet for your sport. For instance, don't wear your baseball batting helmet when you're playing football! Your helmet should fit snugly but comfortably, and if it has a strap - like a bike helmet does - you need to fasten it. Otherwise, it will fall off when you need it most.

Other sports require eye protection, mouthguards, pads, wrist, elbow, and knee guards, and a protective cup (for boys only). And don't forget your feet. Cleats are worn in football, baseball, softball, and soccer. These shoes have special rubber or plastic points on the soles to help your feet grip the ground when you run around.

Talk with your parents or your coach to know what gear you need. Then wear that gear whenever you're practicing or playing.

Warm Up

It's not a good idea to just bolt on to the field and start playing. You shouldn't even start stretching until you're a little warmed up. So take a light jog to get loosened up and ready to play.

Know the Rules of the Game

Traffic lights at intersections help prevent crashes between the many cars and trucks that drive on the roads together. This works because drivers know the rules and follow them - at least most of the time. It's the same way with sports.

When players know the rules of the game - what's legal and what's not - fewer injuries happen. You and the other players know what to expect from each other. For instance, you know that in soccer you can't come from behind, crash into a player's legs, and steal the ball. It's legal - and safer - to go after the ball rather than the player.

With sports that use plays, it helps to understand the plays and what your role is in each one. Being where you're supposed to be can help you stay out of harm's way, too.

Watch Out for Others

Some rules don't have anything to do with scoring points or penalties. Some rules are just about protecting other people and being courteous. For instance, in baseball or softball, the batter can't fling the bat after hitting the ball and heading for first base. He or she must drop it so that it doesn't hit anyone. Likewise, a diver would make sure that the pool was clear before diving in. Otherwise, he or she might land on someone else.

One way you can watch out for others is to communicate on the field. For instance, a baseball player in the outfield might yell "I got it" to avoid a collision with another outfielder.

Listening to your coach during a game also can help keep you safe. It's also good to just be courteous, like telling someone his or her shoe is untied. Check your shoes, too!

Don't Play When You're Injured

This is a really important one. If you love sports, it's tempting to get right back in the game, even after an injury. But playing when you're hurt - or before an injury has had a chance to fully heal - is a bad idea. It can lead to an even worse injury, one that might sideline you for a long time.

Be honest with parents and coaches if you've been hurt. See a doctor for your injuries, when necessary, and follow his or her advice about how and when to return to practice and play.

Now you know what kids need to know about staying safe. Hopefully, if you follow rules 1, 2, 3, and 4, you won't need number 5. Or at least not quite as often!

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Playing sports is a lot of fun. Getting hurt is not. Take these five steps to prevent injuries so you can stay in the game: Wear protective gear, such as helmets, protective pads, and other gear. Warm up and cool down. Know the rules of the game. Watch out for others.

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Soccer Safety Tips | Children's Hospital Pittsburgh

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Find soccer safety tips from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to help keep your child safe and injury free this season.

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Taking part in sports and recreation activities is an important part of a healthy, physically active lifestyle for kids. But injuries can, and do, occur. More than 2.6 million children 0-19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries.

Thankfully, there are steps that parents can take to help make sure kids stay safe on the field, the court, or wherever they play or participate in sports and recreation activities.

Key Prevention Tips

Gear up. When children are active in sports and recreation, make sure they use the right protective gear for their activity, such as helmets, wrist guards, knee or elbow pads.

Use the right stuff. Be sure that sports protective equipment is in good condition, fits appropriately and is worn correctly all the time-for example, avoid missing or broken buckles or compressed or worn padding. Poorly fitting equipment may be uncomfortable and may not offer the best protection.

Get an action plan in place. Be sure your child's sports program or school has an action plan that includes information on how to teach athletes ways to lower their chances of getting a concussion and other injuries. Get more concussion safety tips.

Pay attention to temperature. Allow time for child athletes to gradually adjust to hot or humid environments to prevent heat-related injuries or illness. Parents and coaches should pay close attention to make sure that players are hydrated and appropriately dressed.

Be a good model. Communicate positive safety messages and serve as a model of safe behavior, including wearing a helmet and following the rules.

Get HEADS UP to concussion. Get brain injury safety tips and prevention for your sport, including soccer, baseball, softball, football, cheerleading, lacrosse, volleyball, and more.

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Taking part in sports and recreation activities is an important part of a healthy, physically active lifestyle for kids. But injuries can, and do, occur. More than 2.6 million children 0-19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries.

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soccer~ sports~ conditioning~ football~ physical activity~ soccer injuries~ injury prevention~ teamwork~ sportsmanship~ protection~ sports injuries~

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Soccer (known as football outside the United States) is one of the most popular team sports in the world. Soccer also can be a way to encourage children to be physically active while they learn about teamwork and sportsmanship.

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Soccer is the most popular sport in the world for good reason. It's easy to learn at a young age and a great source of exercise. Plus, it's an exciting, fast-paced game that's lots of fun to play.

But soccer is a contact sport, and injuries are bound to happen. Collisions with other players can cause bruises and even concussions. All the running involved in a soccer game can lead to muscle pulls and sprains, and overuse injuries.

To learn how to keep things as safe as possible while playing soccer, follow these safety tips.

Why Is Soccer Safety Important?

With so many people playing soccer these days, it's only natural that some will end up getting hurt. Fortunately, most soccer injuries are minor, but serious injuries such as broken bones and concussions do happen.

Ankle sprains are the most common soccer injury; other frequent injuries include hamstring or calf strains, groin injuries, shin splints, knee injuries (including ACL tears), and concussions. In addition, players can get overuse injuries such as tendonitis and growth plate injuries or stress fractures from playing too much or playing through pain.

Gear Guidelines

Soccer doesn't require a lot of gear for each player other than shin guards and cleats, but it's a good idea to give some thought to all of these important pieces of equipment before you play:

Soccer cleats. Choose a pair of shoes with molded cleats or ribbed soles. Shoes with screw-in cleats may carry a higher risk of injury, so only use them when you need extra traction, such as on a wet field or a field with tall grass. Make sure your cleats fit properly and are laced up tightly each time you play.

Shin guards. If soccer players get lower leg injuries, it's usually because they weren't protected with adequate shin guards. A good shin guard will mold to the shin, end just below the knee, and fit snugly around the ankle bone. Bring your soccer socks and cleats with you when you buy shin guards to be sure that they'll fit properly.

Soccer socks. These are meant to hold shin guards securely in place and should be worn anytime you practice or play.

Other gear. Mouthguards are a good way to protect your teeth, lips, cheeks, and tongue. Mouthguards are recommended for all soccer players. Goalies will want to wear long-sleeved shirts, pants or shorts with padding, and specialized goalie gloves to protect their hands while stopping shots.

Before You Take the Field

Coming into the soccer season in good shape will not only help you be a better player, it will also go a long way toward preventing injuries. Start working out and eating right a few months before the season is set to begin. Better yet, get regular exercise and eat a healthy diet year-round, and then you won't need to worry about being in shape for the season.

Here are some other things to bear in mind before you start play:

Whenever you practice or play, inspect the field to make sure there are no holes or other obstacles, including debris and broken glass. Store extra balls and equipment well off to the sides of the field before you start a game.

Always warm up and stretch before playing. Do some jumping jacks or run in place for a few minutes to warm up your muscles before stretching. Dynamic stretching, which can be part of your warm-up, is a movement-based type of stretching that uses the muscles themselves to bring about a stretch. It's different from traditional "static" stretching because the stretch position is not held. It's a good idea to stretch after a game or practice, too.

Inspect the goals at each end of the field to make sure they're safe. Goals should be securely anchored to the ground, and goal posts should be well padded to decrease the risk of injuries to goalies and players who collide with the posts. Never climb on a goal or hang from the crossbar. Injuries and even deaths have occurred from nets falling onto players.

If the field you will be playing on is wet, use synthetic, nonabsorbent balls. Leather balls can become waterlogged and very heavy, increasing the risk of injury.

During Game Play

Know and obey the rules of soccer. Unsafe play is a major cause of injuries and will lead to you getting carded and maybe kicked out of the game. In fact, some leagues will suspend you for additional games if you are a repeat offender.

Keep your head up and be aware of your teammates and opposing players at all times. Collisions are more likely if you go charging blindly down the field and don't pay attention to other players.

Learn and use proper techniques, particularly when it comes to heading the ball. Heading the ball can injure your head and neck if you don't do it properly. If you don't know where other players are, you run the risk of head-to-head collisions if two of you jump to head a ball. And protect your tongue - keep your mouth closed and your tongue away from your teeth while heading a ball.

If you are injured or feel pain while playing, ask to come out of the game, and don't start playing again until the pain goes away. Playing through pain might seem like a brave thing to do, but it can increase the severity of an injury and possibly keep you on the sidelines for longer stretches of time.

A Few Other Reminders

Make sure there is first aid available at the fields where you play and practice, as well as someone who knows how to administer it.

Be prepared for emergency situations. Have a responsible adult on hand when you play, or have a plan to contact medical personnel so they can quickly treat concussions, fractures, or dislocations, or other serious injuries.

Stay hydrated, particularly on hot, sunny days, by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after games and practices.

If you have any piercings or jewelry, be sure to remove them before playing.

If an opposing player collides with you or does something you disagree with, don't take it personally and don't try to retaliate. Let the referees handle the situation, and never start a fight with another player.

Keep soccer fun. That's why you started playing in the first place, isn't it? Follow some basic safety precautions and stay aware of what's going on around you, and you should be able to avoid most injuries. And that'll keep you out on the field where you want to be./p>

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Soccer is the most popular sport in the world for good reason. It's easy to learn at a young age and a great source of exercise. Plus, it's an exciting, fast-paced game that's lots of fun to play. But soccer is a contact sport, and injuries are bound to happen.

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Due to the wide spread popularity of soccer, injuries are very common

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There are many advantages of playing different sports, among them is being healthy and fit. Group sports entice a lot of people for it helps to make friends and instills team spirit. Due to the many advantages, it is seen that a number of people have turned towards sports to keep themselves fit, physically and mentally. However, along with reaping benefits of sports, one will also have to take protective measures to reduce the risk of injuries. In this write-up, we will concentrate on preventing injuries while playing soccer. Although physical contact between players is not a planned part of the game, the contact is inevitable during a sport like soccer. The injuries can range from minor to major.

If one has to look at the sports from the spectators point of view, it may not necessarily seem to be a sport where one can be seriously injured. This can be attributed to the fact that there are some players who have mastered the art of gliding through the matches without any physical contact with other players. However, this is true for very few players as most of them have suffered cuts and bruises or have crashed into the ground or have bounced off due to a collision with another player. Hence, safety precautions to be taken while playing soccer have gained immense importance.
Prevention of Soccer Injuries
In soccer, there is a sudden and quick change of direction which leads to contact with the other players. At times, some players can become reckless. Therefore, safety measures have to be in place to protect the player.
Using Protective Gear
The soccer equipment has an important role to play in preventing soccer injuries. If one observes the players when they are on the field, it will be noticed that very few players will have taken the pains to wear the entire set of necessary protective gear. However, to protect oneself from injuries, it makes sense to wear the complete set of protective soccer gear.

Soccer Shoes: Soccer shoes are available in three types, namely molded cleats, ribbed soles, and screw-in cleats. It is recommended that one opts either for molded cleats or ribbed soles. The use of screw-in cleats should be limited and should be used when one is playing in a wet field or on a field with tall grass in it. It is often seen that players do not use the right-sized soccer shoes. Using the right-sized shoes will help in minimizing injuries to a good extent.

Shin Guard: It is seen that shins are the most injured part of the body in a soccer match. The shin guard helps in preventing the common soccer injury, namely the injured shin bone. They protect the legs up to the knees. They can be bought in plastic, rubber, and other forms. Often socks are used to cover the shins which lends necessary protection to the lower legs.

Mouthguard: Other than leg injuries, it is the dental injuries that are commonly seen in soccer. Although it is not mandatory to wear a mouthguard, it is recommended that one wears mouth guards to prevent orofacial injuries. This will also help in protecting the other players from concussions, in case of a collision.

Goalie Gear: Goalies are prone to injuries, therefore, they will have to wear the goalie gear to protect themselves from soccer balls, kicks, collisions, etc. Equipment is also available to protect the wrist, hand, and fingers, which can get severely injured when the goalie is trying to prevent the soccer ball from making its way into the goal post. The clothes a goalie wears should have light padding, so that the other parts of the body are protected as well.
Protecting Yourself and Others
In all the excitement of playing soccer, soccer players often do not inspect the soccer field before taking to it. Making sure the field does not have holes or any other obstacle which can cause injury is important. Obstacles, if any, should be stored away from the field to keep injuries at bay.

The goal post should be well padded to prevent head injuries caused by possible and accidental collision with the post. Although goal posts are firmly entrenched in the ground, it is important to lock the posts so that it does not trip on the players.

It is the duty of the coaches to make sure that all the rules of the game are followed, while the game is being played. At the same time, it is the duty of each player to make sure that he adheres to the rules of the game. It will not only help in preventing injuries to other players but also to oneself. One of the rules followed by most of the leagues is not to use the sliding tackles from behind. This has caused serious injuries in the past, therefore, it has been prohibited.

Care should be taken when one is using heading techniques. There have been many injuries when a player has tried to head the ball and hurt another player in the process. It can also lead to neck injuries due to the impact. Along with head and neck injuries, one has to make sure that one protects the teeth, mouth, and tongue while heading the ball.

Along with taking care when one is heading the ball, one should be careful and avoid head-on collisions. The first precautionary measure that has to be taken is not to charge down the field without paying attention to the position and movements of other players. The next measure is to keep the head up and always be attentive of the players from your team as well as from the opposing team.
Some Essentials Not To Be Overlooked
Now is the time to check the measures that have to be taken to avoid personal injuries during soccer. The first measure that is to be taken is to maintain the fitness levels. If one is not at the optimum fitness level, the chances of injuries rise incredibly. One must have a fitness program in place, which will include aerobic exercise along with strength training. The other aspect of the fitness program is flexibility. If one has not trained in a long time, it is best to increase the training period gradually. This will help in building up the fitness levels.

Stretching is an important part of the fitness regime, which is a 'must do' part of the precautions to be taken when one is playing soccer. However, it is commonly seen that most players do not stretch before as well as after the game. When the muscles are stretched properly, tearing and pulling of ligaments and muscles are prevented. Hence, stretching has to be a part of the warm-up as well as cool-down. However, before you stretch before a practice or a game, it is important that you warm up the muscles a little. If the muscles are cold, it increases the chances of injury manifold.

Dehydration is often the cause of muscles cramps. Therefore, it is important that the player is well hydrated. However, it does not mean that one gulps down huge quantities of water at one go. Water should be consumed by sipping small quantities. Often, dehydration causes cramps. In case of a cramp, it is best that the player leaves the field and comes back only after the cramping feeling has subsided completely.

Following basic soccer ethics will go a long way in preventing soccer injuries. Here is a list of DOs and DON'Ts:

Passing negative or personal comments about the players from the opposing team can insinuate a verbal battle, which in turn can turn physical and violent. Hence, it is necessary that one refrains from passing any hurtful comments.

Often fights between team members ensue because a particular player does not pay attention to the spirit of the game. At the end of the day, it is important to note that one is after all playing only a game. Avoid cheating in the game. When a match is lost, you will learn from the mistakes, which will help in improving your game to a large extent, rather than cheating and winning the game.

As a sports player, each soccer player should have and display sportsman spirit, which is the most important soccer etiquette. This should clearly be evident in case of a defeat. Defeat should be accepted with dignity. It is important that the opponent team is congratulated on their win. While accepting the congratulatory wishes, the winning team members should refrain from taunting the members of the opposing team and remember it is 'just' a game.

Players should avoid getting into brawls on the field as well as off the field. Often it is small spats which become ugly. All that happens on the soccer field is best left there itself.

In spite of taking all the required soccer safety precautions, accidents are bound to happen given the nature of the game. Hence, it is important to have first aid kits handy in case of an untoward accident so that the basic treatment can be handed out to the player before he gets proper medical attention. Last but not the least, it is the duty of the players to protect themselves and the other players during the game of soccer and avoid any untoward incident.

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All About Soccer Safety: Precautions to Avoid Injuries

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In contact sports, the number of sports injuries is always on the higher side. Taking safety measures while playing contact sports will ensure that one does not suffer from grievous injuries, and is also able to avoid causing injuries to other players.

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Three years ago, during a routine check-up for my oldest son, Jack, then 10, our beloved pediatrician looked Jack straight in the eye and said: "I hope when I see you next, you're not playing soccer anymore."

My perfectly healthy kid, sitting on the exam table in his soccer jersey, was dumbstruck. So was my wife.

Our doctor's warning -- one he now gives to all his young patients and their families -- came from his years of caring for a steadily increasing flow of kids suffering serious, sometimes life-altering concussions from playing soccer. "If I don't get this information across," he told me, "even at the risk of upsetting people, I've failed. I haven't done my job."

According to Dr. Robert Cantu, one of the country's top specialists in youth sports injury, soccer is right up there behind football in the incidence of reported concussions in kids. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 10,000 kids land in the emergency room every year for soccer-related brain injuries.

But at the same time, following our doctor's orders seemed unthinkable.

My wife and I have raised three soccer-mad kids in a soccer-mad New Jersey town in an increasingly soccer-mad nation. From fall through spring, our evenings and weekends are consumed by practices and games; our home decorated with the requisite smelly pile of cleats, shin guards and bits of astroturf. And then comes all the laundry...

We know the benefits of team sports are huge and long-lasting, and when our kids were little, we thought we were doing the right thing by steering them away from football, especially after a tragedy in 2008, when a 16-year-old from our local high school died from a concussion and brain hemorrhage he got on the field. Soccer seemed like the "safe" alternative.

But as our kids got older and bigger and their play became more intense, our pediatrician's warning kept creeping back into our minds. My wife saw two girls collide over a header; one of them left the field in an ambulance. A teammate of my son's fell hard after going up for a header. The headaches and dizziness from his concussion lasted months, took a toll on his schoolwork and has kept him from playing soccer ever since. Of the 17 boys on Jack's current team, at least three have had concussions within the last year.

Believe me, I get it: soccer's a contact sport. Kids can get hurt. I'm not looking to bubble-wrap my kids, but I'd be lying if I said my wife and I weren't increasingly uneasy while watching from the sidelines.

During the World Cup last year, we cheered along like everyone else, but also winced when players like Germany's Christoph Kramer took brutal blows to the head but were allowed to keep right on playing. Kramer was apparently so disoriented that when the final whistle blew, he had to check with a referee whether the game was over or not. What kind of lesson was that teaching my kids?

That's when I read about a fledgling movement led by Brandi Chastain and other former members of the United States women's World Cup team who were trying to ban heading for kids aged 14 and under. (Heading, of course, is the deliberate striking of an airborne ball with your head. Though brain injuries can also be caused by falls or players colliding into one another, leaping up for a header can often cause those accidents.)

Just a few years ago Chastain had defended heading in kids soccer, but she explained to me why she'd changed her mind. She was now the parent of an 8-year-old soccer player. She'd also heard from her World Cup teammates, several of whom have lingering symptoms from concussions they had suffered on the pitch. But most of all, Chastain said the emerging science about head injury and concussions had convinced her this was the right move, and one that wouldn't fundamentally alter the game she loves.

She said young players can still practice heading, but just use a softer ball instead. She'd rather see young players re-double their focus on foot-skills and then, when they're 14, she says heading can be safely introduced into their game.

Dr. Cantu, who's actively a part of Chastain's campaign, said there's some evidence showing that heading the ball a lot -- around 1,000 times a year -- can cause brain injury, even if those headers aren't causing noticeable concussions. In addition, he said kids' brains are still developing, so any blows to the head can damage crucial nerve fibers before they're fully formed. Finally, kids experience what Cantu calls "the bobble-head effect": their heads are disproportionately large compared to their bodies, and their relatively weaker neck muscles can't protect their heads as much as full-grown adults can.

For those reasons, even though he admits the conclusive evidence of harm is still lacking, he thinks eliminating heading from kids' soccer is the prudent way to go.

Very few soccer programs have taken this advice. Cantu and Chastain say change needs to come from the top, from governing bodies like FIFA or the U.S. Soccer Federation. Those organizations wouldn't comment to me on any plans they might have, in part because of pending litigation against them over allegations by a group of soccer-parents that they've not done enough to prevent head-injuries.

So what's a soccer parent to do?

My wife and I haven't seriously considered telling our kids they can't play anymore, because we think the benefits still outweigh the risks. But we have told them to avoid heading the ball. To Jack, this is a sacrilege, but he says he'll comply. Chastain believes if enough parents speak up about their concerns, things might change, but heading is still part of her own 8-year-old son's league.

So this weekend, we'll be out at the games, watching our kids succeed and fail, their faces red with exertion. Frankly, it is one of the joys of our lives. My wife and I can talk our kids' ears off about the value of hard work and dedication, but we don't have to say a word when they're out there with their teammates, absorbing those same crucial lessons on the field.
Watch William Brangham's PBS NewsHour report on this topic here:

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Three years ago, during a routine check-up for my oldest son, Jack, then 10, our beloved pediatrician looked Jack straight in the eye and said: "I hope when I see you next, you're not playing soccer anymore." My perfectly healthy kid, sitting on the exam table in his soccer jersey, was dumbstruck.

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Researchers looked at the number and cause of concussions reported among soccer players at a sampling of 100 high schools across the U.S. between 2005 and 2014. They calculated that there were 627 concussions among girls and 442 among boys. Most of them were caused by physical contact with another player rather than "heading," or hitting the ball off the head.

The study found that for every 10,000 "athlete exposures" -- a student participating in a soccer game or practice -- there were 4.5 concussions among girls and 2.8 among boys. The study found that the rates of concussions in girls' and boys' high school soccer had risen over the nine-year study period, although the concussion rate during competitive play among girls dropped in the most recent season (2013-2014).

"The rate is certainly much lower than football. Football is more than double that," said Sarah K. Fields, an associate professor of communication at the University of Colorado-Denver and an author of the study, which was published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics.

Even though high school football has soccer beat in terms of concussion risk, soccer is still the second leading cause of the head injury among female athletes. For boys, soccer was the fifth leading cause of concussions.

Soccer has widely been regarded as a safer sport for children and teens than football, boxing or even baseball, but several recent tragedies suggest otherwise.

Curtis Baushke died last year in his early 20s after being knocked unconscious three times in his 14 years of playing soccer, The New York Times reported. Although his death was attributed to a prescription drug overdose, Baushke suffered migraines and depression following his head injuries. A postmortem examination of his brain revealed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease that has been linked to head injury.

Concussions can cause memory loss, irritability and sleepiness, which were among the most common symptoms found in the current study. These problems can last up to several months. And reports are now starting to trickle in that soccer, like football and boxing, can also lead to lasting brain damage.

"There has been a discussion in the soccer world for the last year or so about how to lower the rates of concussions, like in every other sport," Fields said.

What Fields and her colleagues found in the current study suggests that the most effective way to reduce concussions could be to enforce rules against rough play. About 52% of concussions in girls and 69% in boys were because of physical contact between players -- in many cases, elbows and shoulders hitting the head, Fields said.

"If we can enforce the rules and minimize player-to-player contact, that could get rid of 60% of concussions, plus that would reduce other injuries," such as sprained ankles and wrists and torn ligaments, Fields said.

According to FIFA, soccer's governing body that sets the rules for both professional and youth leagues, only shoulder-to-shoulder contact is permitted. However as soccer has grown in popularity in the U.S. in the last several decades, "we've allowed it to become more of a contact sport," Fields said.

Chris Nowinski, founding executive director of the Sports Legacy Institute, a nonprofit focused on research and prevention of brain trauma, agrees with the importance of enforcing these rules. "The fastest way to make high school soccer safer is to limit rough play," he said. "Right now, there are potentially more collisions being allowed than should be."

In order to make these changes, Nowinski said, safety needs to be seen as more of a priority in soccer among governing bodies, such as U.S. Soccer and state athletic associations.

A spokesman for US Soccer said they are not commenting on the study or the issue at the time because of current litigation.

Although the governing bodies for football, ice hockey and lacrosse have made their sports safer for the brain, both at the professional and youth levels, soccer has lagged behind, he said. "Soccer has been hiding until the spotlight is on them," Nowinski said, who played football for Harvard University in the late 1990s, when it was "fine to shove your helmet into someone else's helmet."

However, it may not be possible for soccer to avoid the spotlight any longer. In the last year and a half, there have been a number of high-profile cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy among soccer players, including Curtis Baushke, Nowinski said. One of the most recent was Hilderaldo Bellini, a soccer star from Brazil, who was found after his death in 2014 to have sustained this type of brain damage.

"With CTE, you have a picture of a damaged brain and the story of how it destroyed someone's life," said Nowinski, who suffered a concussion in 2013 as a professional wrestler that forced him to retire.

In addition to calling for enforcement of the existing rules, Nowinski and the Sports Legacy Institute are campaigning to ban heading, at least by players younger than 14.

The current study by Fields and colleagues, as well as previous research, found that this practice is associated with about a third of concussions in high school and among younger players. The current study also found that about 10% of concussions were due to soccer activities such as defending, goaltending and chasing loose balls.

Although heading does not appear to pose as big a concussion risk as rough play, the Sports Legacy Institute supports banning it among younger players for practical reasons. "A lot of people support not hitting children in the head," and there is already support from prominent soccer players, coaches and doctors, Nowinski said. It will be harder to change the soccer culture at the high school level, he added.

Nowinski and Fields agree that it doesn't appear that wearing helmets will be part of the answer to reducing concussions in soccer. Even in football, there are questions about how much helmets have reduced the risk of concussion, though they have served their purpose to reduce skull fractures. "It actually increases head-to-head contact because people are less careful," Nowinski said.

Soccer players occasionally do wear helmets. Alexandra Popp, goalie for Germany, wore one in the third-place match against England in the recent Women's World Cup, but it was actually to protect her cuts, Fields said.

There are also reports that headbands, which look not unlike 1980 sweatbands, can reduce the risk of concussions, but the data so far are not convincing, Fields said.

Another concern the current study raised is why girl soccer players had more concussions than boys, which wasn't always the case. "Initially this was surprising to us," Fields said. Although the reasons for the difference are unclear, it could be because women's necks are thinner and less strong than men's, and thus less able to soften the force of a hit to the head. Another reason might be that women are more likely to report pain and symptoms related to concussions than men are, Fields said.

In her experience, Fields has noticed pushback from soccer leagues at the notion of enforcing rules against rough play and penalizing players for it. "They don't think contact can be ratcheted down. I disagree because I've played (in an amateur soccer league) for 40 years, and I've watched the game change (and) become safer for the lower body," Fields said.

Parents can help ensure their kids play soccer as safely as possible by having their kids play for teams and coaches that encourage technical skills rather than physicality, Fields said. They can find these teams and coaches by talking with other parents and going to see games.

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study looks at concussions in youth soccer - cnn

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Study looks at concussions in youth soccer - CNN

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Researchers looked at the number and cause of concussions reported among soccer players at a sampling of 100 high schools across the U.S. between 2005 and 2014. They calculated that there were 627 concussions among girls and 442 among boys.

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Technology in the Classroom

Some of us may remember classrooms without technology -- computers were just on the horizon and if they were present, students shared usage of one or two. Along with the increase in availability of technology in education comes the wide-spread application -- from learning games to taking notes, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, and other devices have become a vital part of our day-to-day teaching.

Have you ever wondered what impact all this technology usage is having on our students and their ability to function socially? You may have noticed students have a hard time putting down the tablet or seem more comfortable communicating with a character in an online game than they are with their classmates. What role does technology play in our students' social development, and how is it impacting these skills?

Social Skill Importance

Before we dive into the relationship between social skills and technology, let's talk a bit about what social skills are and why they matter. Social Skills are the tools we use to interact with others. Most of the time we're not thinking about our social skills too much. Think back to the last time you met up with friends. You probably used a good deal of positive social skills you learned along the way, like making eye contact, smiling and laughing at appropriate times, pausing at the right time during conversations, and answering/asking questions at a relatively even distribution. Did anyone actually 'teach' you these skills? More than likely, you simply picked them up along the way. How did this happen?

In bits and pieces as you interacted with others, you began to notice and adapt to their social cues, which are subtle verbal or nonverbal actions that let you know what would be acceptable or unacceptable. These include things like facial expression, tone of voice, body language, and direct wording. Let's say you're talking to your friend about a new job and you suddenly notice her eyebrows raise and she looks alarmed. Though she isn't telling you outright, you will probably notice these cues and ask her what's up.

Social cues are important for many reasons but mostly because they help us navigate social situations. Your students need to learn and develop these skills in order to interact in a society -- to make and maintain friends, get a job, talk to the bank teller, and so on. How do they develop these skills? You guessed it, they learn them by interacting with others.

Social Skills and Technology

Now that we understand it's important for our students to develop social skills, let's go ahead and take a look at how technology impacts their development. As you probably guessed, spending an extended amount of time in front of a screen prevents children from spending time in front of another person. This limits their practice in social skill development. They aren't getting practice having two-way conversations, for example, or learning how to negotiate differences. Too much technology can impact the development of other important social skills, such as:

Leadership skills

Empathy

Conflict resolution

Communication

Expression of emotions

When students spend an excessive amount of time interacting with technology instead of peers, they don't get to 'practice' social skills. This can have negative consequences, both in class and out.

Consequences of Too Much Tech

Researchers know that children without strong and established social skills may be at risk. When students don't learn how to navigate their way socially, they feel isolated and alone. Often technology is used as a self-soothing device, helping young people pacify their fears and anxieties instead of learning coping mechanisms. Excessive technological use can also:

Lead to depression and anxiety

Cause social isolation

Result in low academic achievement

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negative effects of technology on social skills - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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Negative Effects of Technology on Social Skills - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Some of us may remember classrooms without technology -- computers were just on the horizon and if they were present, students shared usage of one or two. Along with the increase in availability of technology in education comes the wide-spread application -- from learning games to taking notes, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, and other devices have become a vital part of our day-to-day teaching.

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Kids ages eight to 18 are becoming more addicted to technology, and it is leading to negative consequences, such as the need for instant gratification, poor face-to-face interaction and risk of depression.

Children between the ages of eight and 10 years old spend more than seven hours a day using technology, and teenagers average more than 11 hours, according to a 2010 study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

A report by Common Sense Media shows in 2011, 10 percent of kids under age 2 used a mobile device and now in 2017, 38 percent of children under 2 have used a mobile device.

Screen time can lead to stress because chronic stress created from looking at a screen changes hormone levels, which increase irritability. This change in hormone levels can lead to depression, according to Psychology Today.

Lone Peak High School student Nick Johnson said he sees how technology is changing the way people communicate face to face.

"All of my friends having phones is annoying because sometimes me and my friends want to get together and play a basketball game, and one kid will go off and just want to play games on his phone," Johnson said. "People get caught up in the games or new technology."

A study done by FCD Educational Services found those who use too much technology are more likely to develop the same brain chemistry as substance abusers.

The next four sections will cover technology and instant gratification, face-to-face interaction, risk of depression and a different use of dopamine in the body.

Instant gratification leading to technology addiction
The need for instant gratification is more likely to lead someone to addictive tendencies or behaviors, according to BYU psychology graduate student Lee Essig. He said people have a way to cope or escape hard things in life. The coping method might be through overeating, excessive exercise, pornography or social media.

"This instant gratification we seek may initially be motivated by a desire for pleasure, but once our brain has learned where we turn for pleasure, it will begin to use the same neural pathways as a response to pain, fear, anger, sadness," Essig said.

The coping mechanisms initially used for pleasure or gratification have become a way to escape the pain or frustration in life, according to Essig.

"When we're stressed, upset or feeling down, we're more likely to turn to any of these behaviors in order to not feel those negative emotions," Essig said. "This is what leads to compulsive or addictive behaviors. It's not so much about gratification as it is an escape from pain."

Essig said video games, social media, technology and Netflix are not necessarily bad, until used as a crutch to cope with emotions, stress or difficulties in life.
Face-to-face interaction

Nate Johnson, father of four children who currently attend Lone Peak High School, said there is a good use for technology in helping kids learn faster, but there is also a bad side to it.

"Instead of a kid coming home and interacting with people, they hop on an electronic device, and that is a real challenge," Johnson said. "With good media, there is also bad media, so finding the balance to let them enjoy it and grow from those things is hard."

He said there is a significant issue, not so much for the younger kids, but for teenagers. Children are picking up the phone to text or Snapchat instead of picking up the phone and speaking to someone.

"That is the challenge because the real world isn't done electronically," Johnson said. "We have to communicate in person, so whether it is face to face with their peers or parents, kids are hindered from developing relationships because kids are used to just texting."

To help kids with technology addiction, parents can teach kids how to pick useful and age-appropriate media, according to Common Sense Media.
Risk of depression
An article about childhood obesity and depression published in the International Journal of Child Health and Human Development said kids have a lack of motivation for activity due to overuse of technology. Certain behavior, moods or thoughts that come from sedentary activity are correlated with depression.

The article also stated that 30 percent of the 1,500 kids in the study used the internet for three or more hours a day and were diagnosed with depression. The research recommended children participate in more physical activities.
Different use of dopamine in the body
BYU psychology graduate student Thomas White said dopamine is the feel-good chemical the body releases when pleased about something.

"It makes sense that if you enjoy technology, then you are likely to feel the effects of dopamine," White said.

He said children aren't using dopamine correctly; they are just seeking happiness using unsocial methods such as technology to get that "natural high" - normally achieved through face-to-face interactions.

White said herecommends people seek a variety of methods, such as in-person social interaction, to get thenatural high from dopamine and not just from technology.

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Technology may have negative social effect on kids - The Daily Universe

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Kids ages eight to 18 are becoming more addicted to technology, and it is leading to negative consequences, such as the need for instant gratification, poor face-to-face interaction and risk of depression. Children between the ages of eight and 10 years old spend more than seven hours a day using technology, and teenagers average more than 11 hours, according to a 2010 study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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With the proliferation of technologies that are able to overcome the obstacles of time and space (e.g., airplanes, cars, the Internet), one would think that these tools would be used to gain an understanding of other cultures, meet people all over the world, maintain and strengthen familial relationships, communicate effectively with others, and help people to become more socially adept. However, some technological advances cause people to be distracted, overly stressed, and increasingly isolated. Many people are involved in an abundant number of relationships through technology, but sometimes the quantity of these associations leaves people feeling qualitatively empty. Obviously, technology has had a profound impact on what it means to be social.

Society is likely on the cusp of a social revolution, during which it will be important to redefine socially appropriate and acceptable behaviors (with regard to digital or virtual interaction). We are at a point in history where very few people have given critical thought to new social realities created by technology and what those realities mean for the individual and society. In this section we closely examine a few social technologies that influence leisure. The section first looks at virtual communities, social networking sites, and today's communication tools. Then we critically reflect on gaming and television. Think about how each technology affects your social life and social skills. Keep in mind that these are only a few of the technologies that may affect you socially. A comprehensive list is not feasible here.

A study of students and information technology found that 85 percent of undergraduates surveyed used social networking sites (Salaway et al., 2008) (see figure 8.2). Many of the respondents reported using such sites daily. Figure 8.3 indicates how undergraduate students use social networking sites. This report found indications that use of these sites is increasing yearly. Let us now look critically at whether this trend is positive.

The use of social networking sites has both positive and negative consequences. It is amazing how someone can find a long-lost friend through a social networking site, enabling them to reconnect. In a society where people have become quite mobile and family and friends are often geographically separated, it is convenient to keep in touch through technology.

However, one need not look far to find problems associated with social networking sites. There is a lively debate about whether Internet addictions are real. To me it appears to be a real problem (perception is often reality in a social context) with which people have to grapple. Some assert that these Web sites contributed to cheating on significant others, often leading to divorce. People have been fired from their jobs or put under pressure because they use these sites at work or because something is posted on a site that undermined the person's professional standing.

Although divorce and loss of employment are serious issues, perhaps they are not as common as other problems that have the potential to stem from social networking sites. Narcissism-excessive interest in one's appearance and in oneself-is sometimes manifested on social networking sites. These Web sites have been found to be an avenue for people to display their narcissistic traits online (Buffardi & Campbell, 2008). I often wonder whether people use these sites to display their popularity to the world rather than use them as a vehicle to develop meaningful relationships.

Creating meaningful relationships is often about sharing our lives with others, and technology can allow us to do so through photos, videos, text, and music. In conducting research for my doctoral dissertation, I looked at how eight senior citizens used technology and how it affected their lives. My hope was to find that they used technology to stay in touch with friends, family, and people with similar interests. Although the participants did use e-mail to stay in touch with family and friends, almost all of the study participants talked about how vapid chat rooms and discussion boards seemed to be. Most had tried chatting a few times and then gave up because they viewed it as a waste of time (similar reasons were given by undergraduates in the ECAR study who did not use social networking sites). However, one participant was a chat room monitor for a fantasy baseball site. As he spent more time in that chat room he began to realize that it was not as shallow as he first imagined. People were in that virtual community because of a shared or common interest. Gradually he got to know people and care about their lives. He was eventually able to meet some of these new, online friends in person and said they connected as if they had known each other for years.

While working on my dissertation I visited many chat rooms and discussion boards that catered to older adults. After visiting many such sites, I began to be discouraged because of the inane nature of many of the conversations. However, I stumbled on one online discussion board in which two World War II veterans wrote about their experiences in the war. They also lamented the fact that where they lived, there were no more veterans of that war left. They felt alone and isolated, but this chat room was a forum where they fit in again. They were able to share similar interests and experiences.

Gaming and Social Development

Perhaps overcoming a sense of isolation is one of the greatest features of online communities and virtual worlds. Someone might feel like an outcast in her own community or family but might find someone online with similar hobbies, pursuits, and interests. Consider someone who enjoys photography as a serious leisure pursuit. This person would be able to share that passion with people all over the world by using the Internet and its powerful tools (e-mail, video chat, discussion boards, online video, family Web sites). However, simply sharing common interests and pursuits with people through technology does not necessarily have a positive impact on social skills and social development.

Gaming is an instance where you may encounter potentially serious social setbacks. I lead a group of Boy Scouts who share a love of a certain online virtual world game. This game seems to be all they talk about. When given other opportunities for deep, respectful, meaningful conversation, these boys are sometimes rather inept. Although linking their online gaming to poor social skills might be spurious, studies show negative social impacts of some video games. One study tested whether high exposure to video games increased aggression over time. It was found that playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physical aggression in both Japan and the United States-for boys and girls (Anderson et al., 2008).

Television and Social Development

However, linking video games to poor social skills and behaviors often misses the bigger picture. People might participate in other activities (take football, for example) in which the social problems that arise from the activity may be the same or even worse than those of gaming. Evidently it is not enough to simply blame the medium. In fact, in many instances, gaming may aid in relationship building. The 13th Annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card (Walsh & Gentile, 2008) indicated that 75 percent of gamers play with other people. Since my family received a Wii as a gift, we have spent countless hours of enjoyment playing together. Naturally, overindulgence in this one activity would have deleterious results, but the limited time we do spend playing together seems to strengthen our family.

Television is another technology that has mixed reviews with regard to social skills and social lives. Some researchers suggest that spending a limited amount of time watching wholesome programs can strengthen families and friendships. Others believe that television contributes to the downfall of social values in this country. It does seem that many people spend less time with others in their community than they do with the people they watch daily on television. Television tends to be a passive medium, which requires little skill and thought on our part (although some programming bucks this trend). Therefore, television provides little opportunity for meaningful interaction while watching. Watchers simply sit there and ingest what is presented to them without having to respond or react to another person. Obviously this can have serious effects on people's social skills because viewers are not practicing how to relate to and deal with other people.

Exposure to what is viewed on television can have some other serious effects on people's social lives. For example, exposure to television shows with sexual content may increase the chance of teen pregnancy (see figure 8.4) (Chandra et al., 2008). Furthermore, when some people see violence, sex, and all manner of lasciviousness on television, they may be prone to mimic the behavior and think that it is acceptable. Were everyone to copy the social behaviors portrayed on television, our society would lack morals, and many levels of individuals' lives would be destroyed.

It is apparent that technology has the potential to harm or enhance your social skills and social life. The key is to analyze how technology affects you socially. Do technologies help you build positive, meaningful relationships, or do technologies hinder this process? Are you better able to communicate, listen, and share because of the technologies in your life? Do you use technologies to improve your relationships and build new ones? Are you letting a few choice people know who you are and what you contribute to this world, or are you merely distracting yourself with shallow pursuits? Does technology increase or decrease your concern for others, your compassion for others, and your desire to serve them? Such are the critical questions regarding technology and social development.

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Technology can have positive or negative impact on social interactions

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With the proliferation of technologies that are able to overcome the obstacles of time and space (e.g., airplanes, cars, the Internet), one would think that these tools would be used to gain an understanding of other cultures, meet people all over the world, maintain and strengthen familial relationships, communicate effectively with others, and help people to become more socially adept.

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Many of the same employees who helped drive Google and Facebook to the pinnacle of the digital universe have stepped away from the tech giants and are now launching a campaign to warn people - particularly parents - of the perils of overusing the platforms. The contention of the Center for Humane Technology - a non-profit established by Silicon Valley technologists, is that the web's most popular tools may be causing us more harm than good and that it is taking a toll on the mental and physical well-being of millions of Americans.

With the changes smart technology and social media have made in our culture, it's not surprising that there are some naysayers. But there are legitimate concerns regarding mental health and our increased use of technology. Let's face it, you're reading this on a screen. Your browser probably has multiple windows pulled up, one of them very possibly being Facebook. Maybe you have another screen on in the room playing a video - this author certainly does.

With this rapidly advanced increase in time spent on devices we've experienced in the last 20 or more years, everyday life has completely changed for western society. And naturally, there are some positive and negative consequences to that. Some of these consequences are so extreme, however, that we are forced to ask: is this helping or hurting our mental health? Is it more of a cause or more of a solution to our mental health issues? I want to examine both the pros and the cons and hopefully help to answer this question in a way that brings insight and motivation to live a healthier life.

The Ways We Suffer Due to Technology

Studies show that pre-teens and early teenagers using smartphones more frequently have trouble focusing and that symptoms and effects of disorders like ADHD worsen. While some believe that that social media can decrease loneliness, some studies seem to point toward a connection between depression and smartphone/social media usage. Even if depression isn't a direct result of technology usage, there are still arguments for things that lead to depression resulting from too much smartphone usage - such as isolation from the real world and addiction to the fast-paced nature of the internet.

So perhaps it is through this instant gratification and high-speed absorption of information that people become more privy to distractions and more interested in their devices than what exists outside of their screens. In other words, this may be how devices and technology feed the symptoms of mental disorders. They offer pleasurable distractions but in doing so halt users from functioning at their best with the physical world they live in.

Of course, personal technology is expected to be owned and used in everyday life as part of the western world. This, unfortunately, means that the symptoms of these disorders and mental health problems are fed ad nauseum and automatically just by interacting with the world in common day-to-day ways! And while we have more medication to treat mental illness than ever, that is still a risky path to tread down, which we'll cover a little more below.

The Ways We Prosper at Technology's Hands

Since smartphones are so common and keep people occupied, mental health professionals have taken their work to smartphone users in the most literal way. Smartphone apps are being developed to monitor behavior and connect those struggling with mental illness to community and professional counseling services.

From patients to doctors, technology has come to the aid of mental health in a variety of ways, working in preventative and cautionary ways in addition to recovery measures. Not just behavior monitoring apps, but remote therapy with professional counselors, programs used by medical professionals that find medical records over the cloud, and more. Technology may sometimes hurt our overall mental health, but it has been somewhat helpful as well.

Technology has also done a lot in the terms of medical care as well, which has given us more tangible insight into mental illness. We can test medications and see how they affect brain development over long and short periods of time due to radiology technology and brain scans. Meaning, we can physically watch how a mentally ill brain works as opposed to a healthy one, and then how medication helps or hurts that. Technology is also responsible for the mass production of important medication as well.

In Comparisons?

Bradley University has provided a quick summary of some of the pros and cons of technology in relation to mental illness. It seems that although technology is usable by mental health professionals, it can also feed negative symptoms of mental health illnesses. Multiple studies seem to back up the claim that social media can lead to depression, however, according to this report by Bradley, none of those are validly conclusive yet.

On the other hand, mental health care isn't cheap or easy to come by. Some professionals don't believe health insurance plans offer efficient mental healthcare in general, which may leave apps or technology as the next best thing for those who want to connect with a medical professional or mental wellness community.

Still, it would seem to some that the rapid advance of technology has come too soon for us to be able to handle. It appears as though the negative consequences of technology have come too fast to be counteracted without serious damage to many individuals' mental health. Thankfully, however, the mental health problems being caused by technology are becoming increasingly known about, and mental health professionals are working harder than ever to change them. Additionally, mental illness is becoming less demonized and caring for it is looked on favorably, where it wasn't always in the past.

So what do you think? After comparing both sides, do you think technology helps us more than it hurts us? Or is it the other way around? Is there a safe middle ground? Are there aspects we missed? Your thoughts are valid and important to us - let us know them in the comments below.

Noah Rue is a journalist and a digital nomad, fascinated with the intersection between global health, personal wellness, and modern technology. When he isn't frantically updating his news feeds, Noah likes to shut off his devices, head to the beach and read detective novels from the 1930s.

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Is Technology Good or Bad for Mental Health?

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Some people suggest that the web's most popular tools may be causing us more harm than good and that those technologies are taking a toll on the mental and physical well-being of millions of Americans. But what about the demonstrable good that comes from the use of digital mental health and other technologies?

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It's undeniable that modern technology - like computers and smartphones - has improved all of our day-to-day lives. But just like eating a whole cake at once , too much of a good thing can turn it into a bad thing.

How plugged in are we? Let's crunch the numbers:

81% of UK citizens in 2016 used a mobile device to access the Internet on the move.

In 2017, 90% of households in Great Britain had Internet access.

69% of UK citizens aged 16 to 74 use the Internet for participating in social networks. Social media sites, such as Facebook, is more addictive than people thought.

Only 4% of UK citizens in 2016 had never used the Internet.

The Internet keeps us connected to friends and makes mental health care more accessible, making us much happier in the long run, but it has been shown that heavy Internet users are 2.5 times more likely to be depressed. Plus, having a social networking profile may negatively alter the psychological well-being in young women.

Obviously we can't go back now, so it's necessary to keep some strategies in our back pockets to keep the computers from taking over. Just switch off your phone every once and a while and avoid screens before bedtime. Take a look at this infographic for more ways to unplug and unwind.

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The Impact Of Technology On Our Mental Health [Infographic] | Daily Infographic

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It's undeniable that modern technology - like computers and smartphones - has improved all of our day-to-day lives. But just like eating a whole cake at once , too much of a good thing can turn it into a bad thing. How plugged in are we?

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You love your video games, but how much is too much? Find out in this article for kids.

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Connecting with other teens online may be fun. But spending too much time on the Internet could lead to health problems, a new study reports. Heavy Internet use appears able to put teens at serious risk of high blood pressure, it finds.

As the term suggests, high blood pressure exerts extra outward pressure on vessel walls. With exercise, blood pressure increases. At rest, that pressure should return to a relatively low, background level. But in some people, it remains relatively elevated, even at rest.

High blood pressure in children and teens often continues into adulthood, says Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow, who led the new study. That's a problem, she says. Persistent high blood pressure can trigger serious health problems, from kidney disease and memory loss to eye damage and heart disease or stroke.

Cassidy-Bushrow works at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Mich. As an epidemiologist, she investigates causes of illness.

Obesity and diets high in salt are among factors known to boost blood pressure. But researchers worry that other, less obvious, factors also may play a role. Previous studies had linked screen time - watching television or playing on a computer - and high blood pressure. One possible reason: Teens on screens get less exercise, Cassidy-Bushrow says. But Internet use also has been linked to depression and obesity. And that's for Internet use, specifically, not just screen time as a whole, she points out.

What might make Internet use more dangerous? It isn't passive, like watching TV, Cassidy-Bushrow explains. There's also the growing risk of cyberbullying, which can make it more stressful than other types of screen time.

What's more, Internet connections are available in 98 percent of U.S. public schools. With cell phones and other mobile devices, the Internet can be as close as the touch of a button for most tweens and teens. And it's available around the clock. Frequent Internet use has been linked to anxiety, addiction and social isolation. All of these are associated with high blood pressure in adults.

So the researchers recruited 331 adolescents, aged 14 to 17, to study whether Internet use might influence blood pressure in teens.

In the lab, the scientists measured each teen's blood pressure, height and weight. They used some of these data to calculate each teen's body mass index, or BMI. BMI is one way to look at whether somebody is over- or underweight. The teens also answered questions about how much time they spend on the Internet. This included both the number of hours per day as well as the number of days per week.

Nearly all of the teens had used the Internet during the week before their lab visit. Most reported accessing the Internet both at home and at school. Most also reported moderate to heavy Internet use. The researchers defined heavy use as two or more hours each and every day. Moderate use involved less than two hours a day on five to seven days a week. Light users accessed the internet for less than two hours a day and on no more than four days a week.

Four out of 10 teens used the Internet more than two hours every day. Nineteen percent of these heavy users had high blood pressure. That's compared to just seven percent of light users. Another four in ten teens reported moderate use. These teens had moderately high blood pressure.

The findings appear in the October 2015 Journal of School Nursing.

"It's an interesting study," says Ellen Wartella. She is a psychologist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. But, she points out, the study has a major limitation: The researchers measured blood pressure only once for each teen. However, she notes, "We know it varies considerably." So a single data point for each person may not accurately reflect a teen's average daily blood pressure.

Cassidy-Bushrow agrees that more research needs to be done. However, she adds, single blood-pressure readings have been used in other studies. For now, she recommends that school nurses screen students for high blood pressure and moderate to heavy Internet use.

Education and training for teens, teachers and parents also could help ensure that teens find a healthy balance in their online life, she says. That could go a long way in helping protect the health of people growing up in this digital age.

Power Words

addiction The uncontrolled use of a habit-forming drug or uncontrolled and unhealthy habit (such as video game playing or phone texting). It results from an illness triggered by brain changes that occur after using some drugs or engaging in some extremely pleasurable activities. People with an addiction will feel a compelling need to use a drug (which can be alcohol, the nicotine in tobacco, a prescription drug or an illegal chemical such as cocaine or heroin), even when the user knows that doing so risks severe health or legal consequences.

adolescence A transitional stage of physical and psychological development that begins at the onset of puberty, typically between the ages of 11 and 13, and ends with adulthood.

anxiety A nervous disorder causing excessive uneasiness and apprehension. People with anxiety may even develop panic attacks.

behavior The way a person or other organism acts towards others, or conducts itself.

body mass index ( BMI) A person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. BMI can be used to measure if someone is overweight or obese. However, because BMI does not account for how much muscle or fat a person has, it is not an accurate measure.

bullying (v. to bully) A group of repeated behaviors that are mean-spirited. They can include teasing, spreading rumors about someone, saying hurtful things to someone and intentionally leaving someone out of groups or activities. Sometimes bullying can include attacks using violence (such as hitting), threats of violence, yelling at someone or abusing someone with violent language. Much bullying takes place in person. But it also may occur online, through emails or via text messages. Newer examples including making fake profiles of people on websites or posting embarrassing photos or videos on social media.

cyber A prefix that refers to computers or to a type of system in which computerized or online communication occurs.

depression A mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and apathy. Although these feelings can be triggered by events, such as the death of a loved one or the move to a new city, that isn't typically considered an "illness" - unless the symptoms are prolonged and harm an individual's ability to perform normal daily tasks (such as working, sleeping or interacting with others). People suffering from depression often feel they lack the energy needed to get anything done. They may have difficulty concentrating on things or showing an interest in normal events. Many times, these feelings seem to be triggered by nothing; they can appear out of nowhere.

digital age A term used to describe the modern era with widespread use of computers and reliance on computing.

epidemiologist Like health detectives, these researchers figure out what causes a particular illness and how to limit its spread.

high blood pressure The common term for a medical condition known as hypertension. It puts a strain on blood vessels and the heart.

obesity Extreme overweight. Obesity is associated with a wide range of health problems, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

psychology The study of the human mind, especially in relation to actions and behavior. Scientists and mental-health professionals who work in this field are known as psychologists.

social (adj.) Relating to gatherings of people; a term for animals (or people) that prefer to exist in groups. (noun) A gathering of people, for instance those who belong to a club or other organization, for the purpose of enjoying each other's company.

sodium A basic building block of table salt (a molecule of which consists of one atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine: NaCl).

tween A child just approaching his or her teenage years. Tween is a term usually used for 11- to 12-years olds.

Citations

A.P. Stevens. " Explainer: What is anxiety?" Science News for Students. October 22, 2015.

B. Brookshire. " Hands-free but still distracted." Science News for Students. May 14, 2015.

S. Ornes. " Back off, bullies!" Science News for Students. May 12, 2015.

A.P. Stevens. " Stress for success." Science News for Students. March 20, 2015.

A. Bridges. " Screen time can mess with the body's 'clock'." Science News for Students. February 9, 2015.

K. Kowalski. " Watch out: Cell phones can be addictive." Science News for Students. September 17, 2014.

J. Raloff. " Screen time: Most U.S. teens overindulge." Science News for Students. July 31, 2014.

H. Westrup. " Loneliness can breed disease." Science News for Students. April 19, 2014.

S. Ornes. " Kids with 'adult' problems." Science News for Students. July 2, 2012.

E. Sohn. " Internet generation." Science News for Students. October 16, 2006.

Learn more about high blood pressure here, from the National Institutes of Health.

Original Journal Source: A.E. Cassidy-Bushrow et al. Time spent on the Internet and adolescent blood pressure. The Journal of School Nursing. Vol. 31, October 2015, p. 374. doi: 10.1177/1059840514556772.

Alison Pearce Stevens is a former biologist and forever science geek who writes about science and nature for kids. She lives with her husband, their two kids and a small menagerie of cuddly (and not-so cuddly) critters.

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Connecting with other teens online may be fun. But spending too much time on the Internet could lead to health problems, a new study reports. Heavy Internet use appears able to put teens at serious risk of high blood pressure, it finds. As the term suggests, high blood pressure exerts extra outward pressure on vessel walls.

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Complex, challenging, and ambitious, video games have come a long way since the simple arcade titles of the 1970s-and evidence is mounting that the benefits of play go well beyond entertainment and improved hand-eye coordination. In honor of National Video Game Day (today), here are 15 ways games are programming better people.

1. Video games are producing better surgeons.

While you may think you want your surgeon reading up on the latest medical research instead of playing games, you might want to reconsider: a study of laparoscopic (small incision) specialists found that those who played for more than three hours per week made 32 percent fewer errors during practice procedures compared to their non-gaming counterparts.

2. Video games could help people overcome dyslexia.

Some research points to attention difficulties as being a key component of dyslexia. One study has shown dyslexics improved their reading comprehension following sessions of games heavy on action. The reason, researchers believe, is that the games have constantly changing environments that require intense focus.

3. Video games could improve your vision.

"Don't sit too close to the television" used to be a common parental refrain without a lot of science to back it up. Instead, scientists are discovering games in moderation may actually improve-not strain-your vision. In one study, 10 weeks of play was associated with a greater ability to discern between different shades of grey. Another had participants try to play games using only their "lazy" eye, with the "good" one obscured. Those players showed significant, sometimes normalized improvement in the affected eye.

4. Video games could help make you a better leader.

Because certain genres of games reward and encourage leadership traits-providing for "communities," securing their safety, etc.-researchers have noted that players can display a correlating motivation in their real-world career goals. Improvising in a game can also translate into being faster on your feet when an office crisis crops up.

5. Video games could pique your interest in history.

Many games use actual historical events to drive their stories. Those characters and places can then spark a child's interest in discovering more about the culture they're immersed in, according to researchers. Parents who have obtained books, maps, and other resources connected to games have reported their children are more engaged with learning, which can lead to a lifetime appreciation for history.

6. Video games can make kids more active.

While some games promote a whole-body level of interaction, even those requiring a simple handheld controller can lead to physical activity. Sports games that involve basketball, tennis, or even skateboarding can lead to children practicing those same skills outdoors.

7. Video games might slow down the aging process.

So-called "brain games" involving problem-solving, memory, and puzzle components have been shown to have a positive benefit on older players. In one study, just 10 hours of play led to increased cognitive functioning in participants 50 and older-improvement that lasted for several years.

8. Video games might help ease pain.

It's common to try to distract ourselves from pain by paying attention to something else or focusing on other body mechanisms, but that's not the only reason why games are a good post-injury prescription. Playing can actually produce an analgesic (pain-killing) response in our higher cortical systems. The more immersive, the better-which is why pending virtual reality systems may one day be as prevalent in hospitals as hand sanitizer.

9. Video games can help you make new social connections.

Gamers are sometimes stigmatized as being too insulated, but the opposite is actually true. The rise of multi-player experiences online has given way to a new form of socializing in which players work together to solve problems. But studies have shown games can also be the catalyst for friends to gather in person: roughly 70 percent of all players play with friends at least some of the time.

10. Video games can help improve balance in multiple sclerosis patients.

Since it is a disorder affecting multiple nerves, multiple sclerosis patients often have problems with their balance-and no medications have been conclusively proven to help. However, one study showed that MS patients who played games requiring physical interaction while standing on a balance board displayed improvement afterward.

11. They can help improve your decision-making skills.

We all know someone who seems to have a faster CPU than the rest of us, able to retrieve information or react in a split second. For some, that ability might be strengthened through gaming. Because new information is constantly being displayed during play, players are forced to adapt quickly. In one study, players who were immersed in fast-paced games were 25 percent faster in reacting to questions about an image they had just seen compared to non-players.

12. Video games can curb cravings.

Players preoccupied with indulging in overeating, smoking, or drinking might be best served by reaching for a controller instead. A university study revealed a 24 percent reduction in desire for their vice of choice after playing a puzzle game.

13. Video games can reduce stress.

While some games are thought to induce stress-especially when you see your character struck down for the umpteenth time-the opposite can be true. A major study that tracked players over six months and measured heart rate found that certain titles reduced the adrenaline response by over 50 percent.

14. Gamers might be less likely to bully.

Though the stance is controversial, some researchers have asserted that action games may reduce a bully's motivation to-well, bully. One study that had players assume the role of both the hero and villain showed that those controlling the bad guy's behaviors displayed a greater sense of remorse over their actions.

15. Video games can help address autism.

Gamers using systems that incorporate the entire body to control onscreen movement have been shown to be more engaged in celebrating victories with their peers, which runs counter to the lack of communication people with autism sometimes present. A study also showed that sharing space with multiple players can also lead to increased social interaction for those with the disorder.
This story originally ran in 2017.

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15 Surprising Benefits of Playing Video Games

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Complex, challenging, and ambitious, video games have come a long way since the simple arcade titles of the 1970s-and evidence is mounting that the benefits of play go well beyond entertainment and improved hand-eye coordination. In honor of National Video Game Day (today), here are 15 ways games are programming better people.

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WASHINGTON - Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children's learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research on the positive effects of video game play to be published by the American Psychological Association.

The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the effects of violent media on youth. An APA task force is conducting a comprehensive review of research on violence in video games and interactive media and will release its findings in 2014.

"Important research has already been conducted for decades on the negative effects of gaming, including addiction, depression and aggression, and we are certainly not suggesting that this should be ignored," said lead author Isabela Granic, PhD, of Radboud University Nijmegen in The Netherlands. "However, to understand the impact of video games on children's and adolescents' development, a more balanced perspective is needed."

The article will be published in APA's flagship journal, American Psychologist.

While one widely held view maintains playing video games is intellectually lazy, such play actually may strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory and perception, according to several studies reviewed in the article. This is particularly true for shooter video games that are often violent, the authors said. A 2013 meta-analysis found that playing shooter video games improved a player's capacity to think about objects in three dimensions, just as well as academic courses to enhance these same skills, according to the study. "This has critical implications for education and career development, as previous research has established the power of spatial skills for achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Granic said. This enhanced thinking was not found with playing other types of video games, such as puzzles or role-playing games.

Playing video games may also help children develop problem-solving skills, the authors said. The more adolescents reported playing strategic video games, such as role-playing games, the more they improved in problem solving and school grades the following year, according to a long-term study published in 2013. Children's creativity was also enhanced by playing any kind of video game, including violent games, but not when the children used other forms of technology, such as a computer or cell phone, other research revealed.

Simple games that are easy to access and can be played quickly, such as "Angry Birds," can improve players' moods, promote relaxation and ward off anxiety, the study said. "If playing video games simply makes people happier, this seems to be a fundamental emotional benefit to consider," said Granic. The authors also highlighted the possibility that video games are effective tools to learn resilience in the face of failure. By learning to cope with ongoing failures in games, the authors suggest that children build emotional resilience they can rely upon in their everyday lives.

Another stereotype the research challenges is the socially isolated gamer. More than 70 percent of gamers play with a friend and millions of people worldwide participate in massive virtual worlds through video games such as "Farmville" and "World of Warcraft," the article noted. Multiplayer games become virtual social communities, where decisions need to be made quickly about whom to trust or reject and how to lead a group, the authors said. People who play video games, even if they are violent, that encourage cooperation are more likely to be helpful to others while gaming than those who play the same games competitively, a 2011 study found.

The article emphasized that educators are currently redesigning classroom experiences, integrating video games that can shift the way the next generation of teachers and students approach learning. Likewise, physicians have begun to use video games to motivate patients to improve their health, the authors said. In the video game "Re-Mission," child cancer patients can control a tiny robot that shoots cancer cells, overcomes bacterial infections and manages nausea and other barriers to adhering to treatments. A 2008 international study in 34 medical centers found significantly greater adherence to treatment and cancer-related knowledge among children who played "Re-Mission" compared to children who played a different computer game.

"It is this same kind of transformation, based on the foundational principle of play, that we suggest has the potential to transform the field of mental health," Granic said. "This is especially true because engaging children and youth is one of the most challenging tasks clinicians face."

The authors recommended that teams of psychologists, clinicians and game designers work together to develop approaches to mental health care that integrate video game playing with traditional therapy.

Article: "The Benefits of Playing Video Games," Isabela Granic, PhD, Adam Lobel, PhD, and Rutger C.M.E. Engels, PhD, Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen, The Netherlands; American Psychologist, Vol. 69, No. 1.

Isabela Granic can be contacted by email, cell: 011.31.6.19.50.00.99 or work: 011.31.24.361.2142

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes more than 134,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.

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WASHINGTON - Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children's learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research on the positive effects of video game play to be published by the American Psychological Association. The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the effects of violent media on youth.

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