Adolescent Mental Health - 5 Warning Signs That Need Your Attention

By Deborah Clark Ebel

Do you ever look at your teen and wonder, "What's with him (or her)?" If you had your own troubles as a teen, you may silently dismiss your child's negative behavior as a passing phase, hoping that things will improve and that he'll quickly and safely pass through the storm.

Or, on the other hand, you may worry whether things might get worse.

In either case, you must be aware of some signs that your adolescent must be seen by a mental health professional as quickly as possible, and five of those signs are given below.

If your child is thinking or talking about suicide, you must act quickly. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) issued a special press release in 2007 concerning the alarming increase in suicides for young people ages one to nineteen: an 18.2 percent increase from 2003 to 2004. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in the United States for fifteen to twenty-year-olds and the fourth leading cause of death for ten to fourteen-year-olds. If your child or adolescent tells you that he or she feels suicidal or wants to die, take them seriously. Do not think that it is "just a joke" or a way to get attention. You cannot take that chance.

Experimenting with drugs and alcohol during adolescence is not uncommon, and there a lot of reasons they do this. The average age at which boys first try alcohol is 11 years, and for girls it is 13 years. There is no way to know ahead of time who will go on to develop a serious drug or alcohol problem, but the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism tells us that adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. If your teen is showing signs of unusual fatigue, reddened or glazed eyes, personality changes, poor judgment, dropping grades, or troubles with the law, you need to address the problem.

Expressions of worthlessness or guilt on the part of your adolescent may be a sign that he feels that there is nothing left for live for. Telling you that he doesn't feel "good enough", or that he is caught in a situation that he can't get out of, or that he feels devastated or alone in the world may be your adolescent's way of telling you that he wants and needs help.

Some children innocently harm insects or other small animals when they are very young, but most are guided by their parents and teachers to be gentle with animals ("Don't pull the cat's tail) and quickly develop empathy and concern for any pain that an animal may feel.

Unfortunately, some may continue abusing animals and extend that cruelty on to people. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northeastern University tell us that those who abuse animals are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than are individuals without a history of animal abuse. The American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty to be one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder.

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, has very much been in the news of late, as the media has speculated that some celebrities may be suffering from the disorder. Those persons with bipolar disorder suffer through extreme highs and lows in a cyclic fashion. You may have heard that bipolar disorder affects mostly adults, but these days, many children and adolescents are being diagnosed with the disorder. If one or both parents have bipolar disorder, the chances are greater that their children will develop it, and a family history of drug or alcohol abuse may also be associated with bipolar disorder in adolescents. Manic (high) symptoms include the teen being either unusually happy or silly or very irritable, angry, agitated or aggressive, unrealistic feelings about abilities or that he or she has special powers, having an extraordinary level of energy and the ability to function with little or no sleep, and taking part in high-risk behaviors, such as abusing alcohol and drugs, reckless driving, or sexual promiscuity.

Depressive (low) symptoms include frequent crying, sadness that doesn't go away, irritability, not being able to enjoy favorite activities, and major changes in eating or sleeping patterns, such as oversleeping or overeating.

There are more signs to be on the alert for, but if you are concerned that your child may have an emotional or behavioral problem, seek the advice of a mental health professional immediately.

Deborah Clark Ebel is the author of The Forgotten Future: Adolescents in Crisis, due out in early
March. Visit the author's website at www.debebel.com for more information.

www.forgottenfuture.wordpress.com

www.authorsden.com/deborahclarkebel

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9 Signs That Your Spouse Might Be Cheating

By Pearl White

1. He/she starts spending more money without giving any explanation.

2. He/she starts coming home at unusual times and refuses to give any rational explanation.

3. He/she suddenly starts exercising or going to the gym.

4. He/she buys new hot and sexy underwear.

5. He/she buys a whole new wardrobe of fancy and flashy clothes.

6. He/she suddenly changes his/her driving patter.

7. He/she buys a new perfume or cologne.

8. He/she starts a new diet.

9. He/she acts nervously when they are on the phone.

Surviving infidelity is one of the hardest things anyone has to do and the sheer thought of actually offering forgiveness for committing adultery is in complete opposition to the hurt and the pain and the immense hatred of the cheating spouse.

Never loose focus, remember what you have set out to do, catch the cheating spouse and then confront them with the hard evidence.

One thing for sure is that at some point they usually slip up, let something slip and if you have your suspicions you have to bide your time and get the proof before tackling that cheating spouse.

The freedom that we have in our modern world with the general practice of partners enjoying different activities and generally doing their own thing in much of their spare time acts as a catalyst for cheating spouses and this ever increasing number of cheaters has a distinct link to the life we now live.

If you have your suspicions that your partner is cheating don't let it eat away at you or try and push your fears to the back of your mind, prove it once and for all and set your mind at rest.

In forgiveness for committing adultery comes the ability to make the choice, decide whether you want to try and save your marriage or move on with your life without your unfaithful spouse.

Just remember, Cheating Spouses is one of the fastest growing areas in the private investigation field. Please visit our blog.

http://catch-cheating-spouse.blogspot.com

Skin Cancer Warning Signs

By John Grimes

What are the skin cancer warning signs and what can be done to help prevent skin cancer?

In recent years, a lot of attention has been focused on the prevention of skin cancer. Of course, skin cancer is not a new disease but as scientists have learned more about how to prevent it, they realized that early detection is the key. It is important, therefore, that people are aware of what they can do to prevent skin cancer and what to keep an eye out for so that they can catch the cancer in time.

There are two main risk factors for skin cancer. The first is sun exposure. People who live in sunny areas, people who are continuously exposed to the sunlight, or people who were badly sunburned as children are all at a higher risk. Fair-skinned people are high risk as well. It is important that everyone be protected when they go out in the sun. Sunscreen should be worn all the time, even if the day seems cloudy or not that hot. This is especially important for those with fair skin and for children. If you are going to be exposed to the sun for a long period of time, you should try to cover up as much skin as possible with hats, long pants, or jackets. Young children should always wear a wide-brimmed hat when playing out in the sun. The second component of skin cancer risk is genetic. Some people are just more apt to get skin cancer than others. There is nothing you can do about this, but if you know you are at a greater risk because of your family, you should be even more vigilant in checking for skin cancer warning signs.

There are several types of skin cancer, and they all present slightly different. Melanoma is one of the rarer skin cancers, but it is also the most deadly. Catching melanoma early is important, so everyone should make checks of their bodies on a monthly basis, just like a monthly breast exam is recommended for women. One way to remember the warning signs of melanoma is the mnemonic “ABCDE.” The A stands for asymmetrical. Check any moles on your body.
Asymmetrical moles could be malignant. B stand for border. If the border of the mole or mark looks irregular, then get it checked out. C stands for color. Moles that are multiple colors could be cancerous. D stands for diameter. If you have a mole that measures more than 5 mm, it is at greater risk for being a melanoma. E can stand for evolution or elevation. Evolution means how the mole has appeared over time. Has it changed color, shape, or size? This is a sign that cancer might be developing. Elevation means that mole is raised up above the skin. If you have any of these warning signs, you should make an appointment to see your doctor right away.

Skin cancer can present in different ways and a doctor will need to examine you to determine if a mole or area of skin needs to be checked further. A biopsy is usually done and the sample is checked for malignancy.

Early detection of skin cancer is important. Many doctors are including skin checks during yearly physicals. If you are concerned about an area of your body, discuss it with your doctor. They can let you know if more testing should be done.

John Grimes is with AllTerrainco.com - makers of natural sanitizer products for skin care.