Using food as a reward or as a punishment can undermine the healthy eating habits that you’re trying to teach your children. Giving sweets, chips, or soda as a reward often leads to children overeating foods that are high in sugar, fat, and empty calories. Worse, it interferes with kids’ natural ability to regulate their eating. It also encourages them to eat when they’re not hungry to reward themselves.
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Over the past 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many physical and emotional challenges. But has it also adversely affected people’s eating patterns and increased the prevalence of disordered eating? Read more ›
Emergency rooms across the country have seen a surge in the number of teenage girls dealing with eating and other disorders, including anxiety, depression and stress, during the pandemic, a new government report shows.
The report offers up compelling evidence about the kinds of mental health issues that have plagued a generation of adolescents. Read more ›
Eating disorders have a devastating effect on the lives of those affected and are associated with the highest mortality rates of all mental illnesses. While they can affect anyone, there is a higher incidence of people with autism who have eating disorders compared to the general population. Read more ›
MentalHealthLiteracy.org is non profit organization that creates educational, training, and clinical care materials and programs designed for use in schools and care settings to promote mental health literacy, clinical care capacity, self-care and psychoeducation, and evaluation of existing programs and interventions.
Mental health information (products and training programs) are designed to address the needs of youth ages 12 to 25 years, families, educators, health providers, policy makers and others. Read more ›
It can be hard to get kids to agree to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist. In fact this is a common stumbling block for many parents of teenagers struggling with anything from anxiety to ADHD, depression, or an eating disorder. Adolescents need to want to get better, and be willing to work with someone to make that happen. For treatment to work kids need to buy into it, at least a little. Read more ›
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on teaching people strategies to help them live their best and most productive life. DBT is often used to help people with depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorders, addictions, eating disorder, and PTSD. Read more ›
Adolescence is fraught with stressful changes, and the developing body can be one of those challenges, especially if a teen’s body doesn’t meet society’s — or that teen’s — standards.
Negative body image can threaten mental health, according to new research that found teenagers who were dissatisfied with their bodies tended to experience depression as adults.
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Parents are the first to know when their child starts behaving differently. Has your son stopped eating his favorite food, or does he refuse to eat out with friends? Has your daughter drastically increased her exercise regimen, or become obsessed with health foods? These are among the telltale signs that your child, like millions of others, may have an eating disorder (ED). Read more ›
Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it’s probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, but it soon becomes clear that Raina’s tummy trouble coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships.
Dedicated to “anyone who feels afraid, Raina Telgemeier’s funny true story, written for children ages 8-12, is about how she gathered the courage to face — and conquer — her fears. Read more ›
