Teens Using Very Potent Form of Marijuana
Razi Berry Nearly one in four Arizona teens have used a highly potent form of marijuana known as marijuana concentrate, according to a new study by Arizona State University researchers. Teens consuming highly potent form of marijuana Among nearly 50,000 eighth, 10th, and 12th graders from the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey, a biennial survey of […]
Ability to Describe Negative Emotions Could Protect Against Depression in Teens
Razi Berry Teenagers who can describe their negative emotions in precise and nuanced ways are better protected against depression than their peers who can’t. That’s the conclusion of a new study about negative emotion differentiation, or NED–the ability to make fine-grained distinctions between negative emotions and apply precise labels– published in the journal Emotion. Adolescents […]
Adolescent Cannabis Use and Long-term Effects on Brain
Razi Berry About one in five Canadian adolescents uses cannabis (19% of Canadians aged 15-19), and its recent legalization across the country warrants investigation into the consequence of this use on the developing brain. Recent cannabis legalization in Canada warrants investigation into the consequence of use on the developing brain Adolescence is associated with the […]
30 Year Outcome Study on Adolescent-onset Anorexia
Razi Berry A study that started in 1985 followed some 50 people who had become anorexic in their teens. It shows that 30 years later, the majority were healthy but some had persistent eating disorders. The study, published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, was carried out at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Study started […]
Screen Time Linked to Increased Anxiety in Children
Razi Berry A recent study further supports the idea that too much screen time could be detrimental for children and teens. The study showed that too much gaming, television, and screen time on smartphones is linked to higher levels of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. These associations were noted in children as […]
Children Taking Multiple Drugs May Be at Risk for Drug-Drug Interactions
Razi Berry A recent research study from the University of Illinois at Chicago estimates that 20 percent of children regularly use a prescription medication, and that one in 12 of those children are at risk of a harmful drug-drug interaction (DDI).1 Adolescent girls are at the highest risk of these adverse events. Researchers looked at […]
ADHD Drug May Have Psychotic Side Effects
Razi Berry A recent study reviewed existing evidence associating various psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations as well as problems with concentration and anxiety with methylphenidate, a common drug used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).1 Methylphenidate is more commonly known as Ritalin. It is estimated that around 5% of children and adolescents […]
Binge Drinking Lowers Working Memory in Adolescents
Razi Berry A recent study from Columbia University Irving Medical Center notes that binge drinking impairs working memory in the teenage brain.1 This study may help explain why adolescents who binge drink are 15 times as susceptible to alcoholism as adults. Teen Brains Vulnerable to Addictive Behaviors It is well known that the brains of […]
5 Tips to Prevent Social Media Addiction (it Could be Damaging Our Brains)!
Razi Berry There is growing concern surrounding social media addiction, especially in children. This concern is reasonable, and more and more researchers are beginning to study the similarities between technological addiction and drug addiction. The variable-reward of ‘Likes’ The feeling that people get when they see a ton of likes on an Instagram or Facebook […]
ADD/ADHD Medications Account for Many Calls to Poison Control
Node Smith, ND A study facilitated by the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Centre at Nationwide Children’s Hospital saw more than 156,000 phone calls to US Poison Control Centers specific to ingestion of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) drugs.1 The calls were all pertinent to individuals 19 years of age […]