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Children today are under enormous pressures rarely experienced by their parents or grandparents. Many of today's children are being enticed to grow up too quickly and are encountering challenges for which they are totally unprepared.

"Cutting" is a visible sign to the world that you are hurting.

It's more effective to reward your child for being "good" (appropriate) than to punish him for being "bad" (inappropriate).

A tantruming toddler is a little ball of writhing muscle and incredible strength. It's like trying to carry a greased pig past a slop bucket.

The challenge of adolescence is to balance the right of the parents to feel they are in charge with the need of the adolescent to gain independence.

If you are headed in the wrong direction as a parent - you are allowed to make a U-turn.

Children mimic well. They catch what they see better than they follow what they hear.

The more 2 parents differ in their approaches to discipline, the more likely it leads to trouble for the child.

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice. (Peggy O'Mara)

"To be a man, a boy must see a man."  (J.R. Moehringer)

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Depression in Young People (part 2)

 

Robin Williams apparently had several “demons” tormenting him:

  • ADHD
  • substance abuse
  • depression
  • bipolar
  • obsessive compulsive

and he finally could take it no more and he ended his life several days ago.

Experts estimate that approximately 25% of all women will experience clinical depression in their lifetime and 15% of all men. A typical high school of 1000 students is likely to have 100 kids suffer depression each year.

Depression in young people was not identified by psychiatrists until 1989 but it is now the opinion of some experts that the rate of depression in young people exceeds the rate in adults

There is often a difference in symptoms of depression between adults and teens making diagnosis more difficult for young people:

Typical Symptoms of Depression in Adults:

  • tend to be sad
  • stay sad
  • sleep less
  • eat less
  • decrease in libido
  • no change in anxiety
  • no change in physical problems

Frequent Symptoms of Depression in Teens

  • tend to be angry, irritable, act out
  • cycles in & out frequently
  • sleep more
  • eat more
  • libido seldom impaired
  • increased anxiety
  • complains of somatic symptoms

The increased irritability for teenager suffering depression results in frequent family conflicts and the important question that needs to be addressed is “are the symptoms just teenage angst or depression”

THE GOOD NEWS –  recovery rate for single episode depression is high

THE BAD NEWS – each episode increases the risk for another

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

This full day or 2 evening workshop will introduce you […]

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+ A Parent’s Guide to the Teenage Brain

  A teenager’s brain is not just an adult brain […]

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+ Reading Rescue

A program for children with reading problems

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+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

This workshop will present the facts, myths, misconceptions, controversy and […]

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Contact

2720 Rath Street, Putnam, Ontario
NOL 2BO

Phone: (519) 485-4678
Fax: (519) 485-0281

Email: info@rickharper.ca

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Parents' Comments

“We are foster parents who took in a 13 year old girl (going on 18!) and she ran us through the wringer. Rick helped us learn how to set limits that made the difference.”

(G.E. – Strathroy)