Entries Tagged 'michael carr-gregg' ↓

The QLD Government has just released a toolkit Working Together, A toolkit for parents to address bullying aimed at parents and teachers so they are better equipped to deal with bullying.

Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson said “This toolkit for parents complements the toolkit for schools released earlier this year. Most importantly the toolkit has been informed by the questions asked by parents during the Action Against Bullying Education Series conducted across Queensland by Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.”

The National Centre Against Bullying defines 5 different types of bullying:

1. Physical bullying, including hitting, poking, tripping, pushing or damaging someone’s belongings.
2. Verbal bullying, involving name calling, insults, homophobic or racist remarks and verbal abuse.
3. Social bullying, where lies or rumours are spread, or someone plays a nasty joke, mimics, or deliberately excludes someone else.
4. Psychological bullying, where someone is threatened, manipulated or stalked.
5. cyber bullying, where someone uses technology (for example, email, mobile phone, chat rooms or social networking sites) to bully verbally, socially, or psychologically.

The toolkit gives parents information on how to identify various types of bullying, including cyber bullying, methods of dealing with bullying and how to work with schools to keep their child safe.

Mr Wilson said the toolkits were just one initiative of the Queensland Schools Alliance Against Violence (QSAAV), formed in February 2010 to provide advice on best practice measures to address bullying and violence in schools.

“In addition to the toolkit for parents Dr Carr-Gregg has recorded a series of informative webisodes on bullying and their role in supporting their children and working with schools,” Mr Wilson said.

The 6 webisodes are readily available through the Department of Education and Training (DET) website and the topics covered are:

• What is bullying?
• What are the signs your child may be bullied?
• How do you support your child?
• How can you work with the school?
• What if your child is the bully?
• What is cyber-bullying?

 Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, adolescent psychologist and Generation Next speaker said “many bullies don’t know at a conscious level, that their behaviours are abusive, but unconsciously they know they are taking away the target’s power. Australian research says that 1 in 6 students are bullied weekly and are bothered by it. 54% of Year 7 students say they feel unsafe at school.”

Mr Wilson concluded by saying “It is a positive and practical outcome for schools and parents that will help them to keep children safe in our schools.” he said.

Working Together, A toolkit for parents to address bullying and the 6 webisodes can be found here: http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/behaviour/qsaav/index.html

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: Queensland State Government; Department of Education and Training

There is an increasing trend for fashion houses to glamorise death. The obsession with beautiful dead women has seen a number of recent ad campaigns idolise death, murder and suicide in women’s fashion. Young girls are being told that you can even look sexy when you are dead.

Taking the theme of ‘dead women are sexy’, Gucci recently featured a new ad campaign shot in Marrakech which showed models lying lifeless in the desert sand.

More disturbingly are the more graphic ads which further suggest that the model’s demise has been the result of male violence. Ads like Duncan Quinn show a man in a smart suit who has clearly strangled a woman. She is wearing nothing but sexy underwear and is lying motionless on the bonnet of a car.

Another ad by Dolce and Gabbana (later banned in Italy) featured a woman being pinned down by a man while a group of men looked on (waiting their turn?) the scene looked like a gang rape, and yet it was actually selling shoes.

Author of Getting Real and Generation Next speaker, Melinda Tankard Reist is a long standing campaigner for the portrayal of sexualisation and violence against women in the media to be banned.

“All these images and messages make a mockery of global campaigns to stop the abuse of women. They feed violence, fuel violence and contribute to an environment which every day becomes more dangerous for women and girls” she said.

Now to suicide – The South Korean fashion label Lewitt recently engaged American photographer Ryan McGinley to make a video promoting their brand of clothing.

It featured Australian model Abbey Lee Kershaw and was apparently inspired by Alice in Wonderland. However the clip depicts Kershaw jumping from a tall building rather than falling down something. Her climb to the top of the building, hesitation before jumping and free fall as she tumbles down over the building all feature multiple changes of wardrobe.

But Alice in Wonderland wasn’t climbing a very tall building with the intent of throwing herself off, oh no, she fell down a rabbit hole and it was an accident.

Adolescent psychologist and Generation Next speaker Dr Michael Carr-Gregg commented that it seemed like an odd concept for promoting fashion to young women in a country that boasts one of the world’s highest female suicide rates. Odder still, given that seven models have committed suicide in the last 2 years (4 by jumping), including South Korea’s Daul Kim who committed suicide in November 2009.

The data showed that 18.7 out of every 100,000 South Korean women committed suicide in 2008 while suicide rates in other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries remained stable (source: World Health Organisation 2008).

Julie Gale, founder of Kids Free 2B Kids suggested calling for a protocol where these themes are not used. Just like newspapers have an ethic of not reporting suicides. She went on to say that the Advisory Group on Body Image set up by Youth Minister Kate Ellis in March 2009, should be looking into advertising which depicts acts of self harm such as suicide as glamorous and something to aspire to.

At the time of the launch she said “The Advisory Group will help to develop a new Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct on Body Image, and provide advice to the Government on a national response.”

“Young Australians are telling us loud and clear that they are concerned about negative body image and the impact that it has on them, their friends and the community,” said Ms Ellis.

“This is a very complex issue and the Government believes the most affective approach is to work in partnership with the media, health sector, fashion industry and young people themselves to develop a national approach to tackle negative body image in a coordinated and targeted way.”

Melinda Tankard Reist, when talking about suicide and body image said “now Lindsay Lohan, soaked in blood, is showing us you can still sell yourself as a sex object while threatening to kill yourself.”

She added “self harm is the highest cause of hospital admission for girls aged 13 to 19 in Australia. Should it be treated so lightly? Should it be seen as something you do if you want to be seen as hot and sexy? Branding yourself with blood as some kind of artistic statement?”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. Melinda Tankard Reist. Kids Free 2B Kids (Julie Gale)

At the centre of popular culture lies popular (pop) music, it has always been the music of the next generation, as young people come into their own they begin to express themselves through their clothes, interests, friends and music.

In modern times, the mass media has become a major instrument for the spread and dissemination of popular-culture to young people.

In Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, John Storey equates pop culture with Mass Culture. This is seen as a commercial culture, mass produced for mass consumption. This definition can also be applied to today’s music industry and the phenomenon that encompasses it.

Popular music is present almost everywhere, and it is easily available through the radio, ipods, the Internet, and new technologies, allowing adolescents to hear it in diverse settings and situations, alone or shared with friends. They use music in their process of identity formation, and their music preference gives them a means to achieve group identity and integration into the youth culture.

Much of the music today no longer has sexual innuendos where the imagination joins the dots. Today the lyrics are graphic and vulgar, this is seen in songs by artists like Lady Gaga “I’m educated in sex, yes … I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”, or Katy Perry with “Sex on a beach. We get sand in our stilettos. We freak and we’re cheap”.

The content of pop music is highly sexualised and seems to know no bounds. Music by R ‘n’ B singer Rihanna is considered by some experts in the music industry to be soft porn.

Music producer Mike Stock (part of Stock, Aiken and Waterman) thinks children are at risk from the pop stars who peddle porn. He has condemned raunchy clips as “sexualising” children.

“The music industry has gone too far,” he said, “99% of the charts is R ‘n’ B music and 99% of that is soft pornography.

“Kids are being forced to grow up too young. Look at the videos, I wouldn’t necessarily want my young kids to watch them. It’s not about me being old fashioned. It’s about keeping values that are important in the modern world. These days you can’t watch modern stars like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga with a two-year-old.”

Research has found that nearly 42% of songs contain very explicitly sexual language. Lyrics revolve around topics such as sexual promiscuity, rape, death, homicide, suicide, and substance abuse. Rap music in particular often carries messages of violence, racism, homophobia and hatred towards women as well as drug, tobacco, and alcohol use – all of which are glorified.

Generation Next speaker and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the classification system needed to be toughed to stop the “skankification of this generation”.

“Mike Stock is right – it’s amazing that the Senate inquiry a few years ago actually recommended that the TV stations review the classifications, but when they redid their Code they didn’t change a single word,” he said.

Kids Free 2B Kids director Julie Gale said research has found sexualised video clips can impact on children’s self-esteem after just ten minutes exposure.

“The recommendation of the Senate inquiry two years ago should be followed through, they should not be in children’s prime viewing hours,” she said.

The Senate’s report Sexualisation of children in the contemporary media, published in June 2008 recommended that broadcasters review their classification of music videos specifically with regard to sexualising imagery.

Australian recording artist Kate Ceberano has also said artists needed to take more responsibility, “Artists need to be responsible for how they use sex to sell their products. There’s a fine line between beauty and hard core.”

In November 2009 the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement on the “Impact of Music, Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth”

Research by the AAP showed that popular music effects schoolwork, social interactions, mood and affect, and particularly behaviour. Exposure to violence, sexual messages, sexual stereotypes, and use of substances of abuse in music videos might produce significant changes in behaviours and attitudes of young viewers.

It is estimated that over 60% of young people watch music videos on a regular basis, with 7% of these watching them before they go to school.

In studies performed to assess the reactions of adolescent boys exposed to violent rap music videos or sexist videos, participants reported an increased probability that they would engage in violence, a greater acceptance of the use of violence, and a greater acceptance of the use of violence against women than did participants who were not exposed to these videos. Researchers also found an association between music-video–watching and promiscuous sexual behaviours.

The American Academy for Pediatrics recommended that the music-video industry produce videos with more positive themes about relationships, racial harmony, drug avoidance, nonviolent conflict resolution, sexual abstinence, pregnancy prevention, and avoidance of promiscuity.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics. They Sydney Morning Herald

25% of young people aged 16-24 experience mental health problems
75% of young people hospitalised in 2007-2008 was due to mental and behavioural disorders
30,706 young people were prescribed antidepressants in 2008*

The growing pressures associated with teenage years is increasing and taking its toll on the young people of today;  life is complicated and life style choices challenging.

There seems to be 4 main areas which affect adolescents; anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders, although they are not medically linked they often have similar symptoms.

The growth of mental health issues among the young has seen 30,000 families a year affected. It is clear that the stigma that goes with mental health needs to be dropped in favour of validating and helping teenagers with the issues they are now facing.

Adolescent psychologist, author of “Surviving Adolescents” and Generation Next speaker, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg says that the most important thing for a parent to remember is to keep the lines of communication open on all levels especially emotionally, “if children and adolescents feel loved within the family, that there is a place for them at home, they may still push boundaries but their risk-taking will be less hazardous. So rather than just monitoring their behaviour, keep tabs on their emotional life. Look for changes away from a familiar or predictable pattern of behaviour.”

Dr Carr-Gregg points out several warning signs to watch out for:
Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
Gloomy clothing, writing and music
Poor hygiene and grooming
Hopelessness
Decreased interest in doing ‘stuff’
Persistent boredom and or low energy
Social isolation
Guilt and low self-esteem
Increased irritability, anger or hostility
Disruptive behaviour at school
Alcohol and drug abuse

If the current movement continues then 20% of adolescents will have experienced depression by the age of 18, and yet many of them will not seek medical help for their condition.

The practice of helping  young people deal with their mental illness using medication grew in the 1990’s. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare publication Australia’s Health 2010, published by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, this trend has continued to grow with 30,706 young people under 18 years of age being prescribed with antidepressants in the 12 months to June 2008. In the same period, 4,000 children under 10 years of age were also given mood-stabilising drugs, with a staggering 500 of them under the age of 5 years old.

Research has shown that antidepressant medication (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – SSRI) can help stabilise children over the age of 12 years old. It is most effective when used in conjunction with other treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy as part of an overall mental health plan.

Many parents feel they have failed if their child resorts to medication, however Steve Hambleton,  Australian Medical Association vice president said “there is a whole lot of resistance from parents and the individual but it doesn’t mean you have failed or you should give up,”  he added “it can be a useful part of the clinical regime.”

Kids & Co.  set up by clinical psychologist Anna Cohen offers psychological assessments and a treatment service to adolescents and their families who are experiencing difficulties. Ms Cohen said “we really believe there is a place for medication for teenagers, but not for all teenagers. If we have a chemical change on our brain, the medication puts that back into a healthy balance.”

She added “the problem is, a lot of parents have heard lots of horror stories about kids on medication and there’s often a comment made to me that young people on antidepressants are more likely to suicide – but that is not the case. There is a huge stigma attached to it. It’s terrifying to acknowledge that your young person is depressed.”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: Sunday Telegraph

* Australian Institute of Health and Welfare publication Australia’s Health 2010, Australian Department of Health and Ageing

headspace is supporting this series of national seminars relating to the health and wellbeing of young people.

The next Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People 2010 Seminar will be held in Sydney on Friday September 10, 2010

WHAT: Topics this year include major and current issues

• Cyber-bullying
• Drugs and Alcohol
• Body Image & Eating Disorders
• Teen Depression
• Resilience
• Sexualisation, Consumerism, the Media and Mental health

Feedback from our previous event:
• ”It was very insightful. I got such a lot out of hearing from the wonderful line up of speakers you organised for us. I congratulate you on putting such a powerful line-up and message together.”
• “Thank you again for organising such a great event- it was a wonderful success and hopefully the start of many more in the future!”
• “Congratulations and thank you on a well informed and planned conference. My colleague and I loved it. I know next year I would like to send my middle years staff.”
• “The day was a very valuable one and I know that there will be more teachers from our school attending the next one.”
• “The conference speakers were engaging and stimulating and to be honest I have thought of little else since…! It was extremely uplifting to listen to people who love what they do, who are passionate about young people, passionate about their area of expertise and who are generous enough to share their knowledge, insights and understanding to improve the lives of others. Congratulations to everyone involved, I for one have been moved into action and inspired to act!”
• “Thanks once again for such a wonderful conference. I got so much out of it. I plan to use much of the info I gained on the day on a whole school basis. It’s great to have practical info that can be adapted to a school setting.”
• “It was a terrific seminar and every speaker was dynamic and to the point, well worth having a second one. I will share the details with colleagues.”
• “It was wonderful to learn in such a funny and stimulating way. The power of humour…! I will tell all colleagues about what a great professional event it was and how they can possibly get to the next one.”
• “Thank you for your vision, passion and dedication for the wellbeing of young people.”
•  “It was a terrific seminar and every speaker was dynamic and to the point, well worth having a second one. I will share the details with colleagues.”
• “Again thank you for a wondrous seminar.”
• “I will promote the next conference for you, as last week was fantastic!”
• “Thanks for putting on a great conference.”
•  “Thank you so much for your part in organising the wonderful event…..It was inspiring to hear such a collection of speakers on the one program, all most informative and entertaining. I …. shall be passing on the information to others.”
•  “The event WAS wonderful and I am happy to see that you are hosting another so soon.”

 
95% of the delegates felt that the seminar was definitely worth attending

Australia’s leading experts in one event:
• Michael Carr-Gregg, Adolescent Psychologist and Beyondblue Ambassador
• Dr Sloane Madden, Expert in Body Image and Eating Disorders, The Children’s Hospital, Westmead
• Paul Dillon, Drug and Alcohol Research and Training
• Susan McLean, Cyber safety Expert
• Lyn Worsely, Psychologist, Developer of The Resilience Doughnut
• Evelyn Field, Psychologist, Author of Bully blocking, National Centre Against Bullying
• Dr Ramesh Manocha, GP, Mental Health Researcher, University of Sydney

For Education, Health and Welfare Professionals:

“The Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People 2010″.
Date: Friday, September 10, 2010
Venue: Mathews Lecture Theatre, University of New South Wales, Randwick, Sydney
Time: 9am-5pm

To look at the full programme, download the brochure or register go to Generation Next

Or phone 1300 797 794

Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha

We read the story – about an 11 year old girl in the US, Jessi Slaughter, who received a tirade of threats after posting a video of herself on YouTube.

We saw the pictures – the freeze frame of what looked like a traumatised child in her bedroom in floods of tears.
 
On the surface it looked like she was the victim of yet another case of cyber-bullying led by a group of ‘trollers’ – people who use the internet to deliberately provoke reactions by baiting their victims.

“How can we let this happen to an innocent young child?” we all said!

Jessi’s post is at Watch Haters… Piercing… StickyDrama =D here see all 4 minutes and 36 seconds of her rant – but be warned despite the fact Jessi is only 11 years old, the language is extremely graphic.

She has an attitude which is way beyond her years and completely defies logic or a sense of reality. She tells her ‘haters’ to “suck her nonexistent p…s. Suck it and get AIDS and die,” and ends her video post with “it’s a big f*** to all those haters, OK”.

It seems that her actions invited negative attention and provoked a backlash. Perhaps she was not aware that posting a video, filled with expletives, onto the internet would create such commotion. It reinforces the importance of parental supervision regarding teenage activities on the net, it also highlights the need for education about the harmful effects of new media in school as well.

Leading adolescent psychologist, Generation Next speaker and author of “Real Wired Child” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, points out that “parents need to understand that there are potential dangers in life not just in the technology but also in young people’s inability to always predict the consequences of their actions.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Public Education and Media Education states that “the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that exposure to mass media (i.e., television, movies, video and computer games, the Internet, music lyrics and videos, newspapers, magazines, books, advertising, etc) presents both health risks and benefits for children and adolescents.”

They feel that educating both young people and parents is very important and that “media education has the potential to reduce the harmful effects of media. By understanding and supporting media education, pediatricians can play an important role in reducing the risk of exposure to mass media for children and adolescents.” (American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Public Education. Media Education. Pediatrics. 1999;104:341–3).       

Her behaviour seemed aggressive and quite bizarre; being under the impression that she was some kind of celebrity with fans.

“You hater bitches, you’re just jealous of me because I’m more pretty than you. More people like me, I have more fans, yeh and all that shit” I’m perfect and you’re not. No one can be this pretty with no make-up on… Just stop hating on me. I’m just a normal girl who’s perfect in every way.” 

So where were her parents in all this and why were they not aware of their daughter’s behaviour? Her mother said she doesn’t use the computer and hasn’t seen the clip, while her father added to the furore by posting a rant of his own.

Dr Helen McGrath – a contributor to the Commonwealth Government’s Cyber-safety Joint Committee commented that it was unrealistic to expect parents to keep an eye on their children 24/7 and that the burden lay with schools to give young people the tools to look after themselves.

“It really comes back down to making sure they understand what they’re getting into,” she said.

However Professor Matt Warren, the head of Deakin University’s School of Information Systems said a “child isn’t ethically aware of what they’re doing,” they are too young to understand the implications of what they are “getting into”.

He added “parents will be concerned about their child going out all hours, but they don’t care about them staying on the internet all hours.”

If ever parents needed a reason to censor their children’s internet activities, Jessi Slaughter is it. 

Cyber bullying is a real concern and for more information you can access either:

Cybersmart   or  Cybersafetysolutions

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: news.com

25% of students are bullied at school
95% of students are bulled more than once

A new study just released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found that there is compelling evidence that young people who indulge in bullying at school go on to participate in further anti-social behaviour as they get older. This includes taking drugs, criminal acts and violent tendencies.

“Those who bullied in adolescence were three to four times more likely to be involved in anti-social behaviour and physical violence by their early 20s,” Dr. Lodge said.

“It seems that once they’re on this trajectory or pathway, it’s something that stays with them into adulthood.”

On the other hand, young people who have been victims of bullying are more likely to suffer from depression, higher absenteeism, lower academic achievement, physical and somatic symptoms, anxiety and depression, social dysfunction, and alcohol abuse in later life.

“What we found with the victims is that once they were established in this role, abuse was likely to continue,” Dr. Jodie Lodge said.

“They also experienced a number of social adjustment problems during adolescence and by their early 20s, were more likely to have higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress.”

Adolescent psychologist and Generation Next speaker, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said “we know bullying has been linked with self-harm and attempts at suicide so it’s a very, very serious issue and we need to address it.”

In Australia, there is currently no agreed definition for bullying; however, the most commonly cited definition is the ‘repeated oppression, psychological or physical harm, of a less powerful person by a more powerful person or group of persons’ (DEST 2006).

Bullying often occurs because of differences between the bullies and the victims, such as culture, ethnicity, age, ability or disability, religion, body size and physical appearance, personality, sexual orientation, and economic status (Rigby 2009).

The researchers found that bullying differs between males and females; both engaged in verbal abuse and insults with boys taking it to a physical level by becoming physically violent while girls tended to operate on a more indirect/covert psychological and emotional level, through social isolation and smear campaigns (texting, SMS and cyber bullying).
 
Dr. Lodge, who presented the findings at a conference recently, said the study followed 1,000 young people at 3 points in their lives; when they were 12 years old, again at 13 years of age and finally once more when they had entered adult life at the age of 23 years old.

She concluded that bullies tended to perform poorly academically and were more likely to drop-out of school, while both bullies and victims suffered academic and social problems and generally had fewer friends.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies

Both the medical and teaching professions are learning more about the damaging effects of ‘sexting’ and cyber bullying. They are also learning how to deal with the impact that new technologies are having on teenagers. 

Leading experts including Cyber safety expert Susan McLean, adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and medical professional Dr Ramesh Manocha have come together for a series of seminars being held all around Australia.

These Seminars, organised by HealthEd, bring teachers and doctors up to speed on the rapidly changing ‘online’ world that teenagers are living in. The seminars highlight the dangers of emerging new technologies and how they are harming our teenagers on a physical mental, emotional and spiritual level. In fact all aspects of young people’s well being are under attack.

Doctors and health professionals are attending The Mental Health & Wellbeing of Young People seminars which focus on the internet’s potential effect on mental health among young people, and the harmful effect cyber bullying is having on teenagers including, depression, addiction and suicide.

Dr Ramesh Manocha said “cyber bullying is emerging as the main issue in schools at the moment, and the evidence clearly indicates that it is not only an unpleasant experience but in fact poses a risk the mental health and wellbeing of the victim”.

“It’s a clear example of how technology in the hands of those without the necessary maturity and understanding can become an unchecked, destructive force. We urgently need to educate our young people about how to use the internet positively while avoiding its many pitfalls” he added.

Dr Manocha said there was an ignorance in medical circles about these new teen troubles “most GPs don’t know enough to even ask the questions of young people, whether they are being exposed to the negative impacts of the internet”.

Increasingly teenagers are seeking the help of GPs and psychologists after becoming victims of cyber bullying. Ms McLean pointed out that doctors needed to understand online issues in order best treat their patients.

“You don’t want doctors to talk about Mybook and FaceSpace (instead of MySpace and Facebook),” she said.

Teachers and social workers are attending Generation Next Public Seminars which offer anyone involved in working with young people the opportunity to hear leading experts discuss the dangers of the internet and its ‘antisocial’ uses by our young people.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, an adolescent psychologist and author of Real Wired Child: What parents need to know about kids online said “schools need to help young people develop their moral compass as they stroll through the back alleys of ‘Cyberia’. While most adults can relate to schoolyard bullying, they have no context for understanding how the behaviour manifests itself in the virtual world”.

Former Senior Constable with the Victorian police and Cyber Safety expert Susan McLean said “previously schools did not become involved in things that occurred ‘out of hours.’ It was not their business or concern, however with cyber bullying, harassment and sexting, where the parties involved are often from within the same school or neighbouring schools, the problem is firmly thrust into the hands of the school accompanied by the often unrealistic expectations from parents, that they ‘solve’ the problem”.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

Source: HealthEd

6 Australians take their lives by suicide every day
65,000 attempted suicides each year
1 suicide every 4 hours
1 attempted suicide every 8 minutes

It is a tragic thing when someone takes their own life. To feel so desperate inside that they opted for total oblivion as the only way out is not how a life should end.

Our community, society and government is sorely lacking in providing both the help and positive constructive attitude that is needed towards mental health issues.

It is not only the loss of a life that is the tragedy here, but also the ongoing affect it has on the lives of those loved ones and friends who have been left behind. These often include young people.

The stigma still associated with suicide and mental health means that many people suffer in silence,  unable to talk about the grief and trauma they are facing as they come to terms with their loss.

The many demands on our youth today means that some young people are now affected by mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, this can lead them to a inconsolable state of mind where suicide seems the only way to release their pain.

Young people can feel isolated and alone, more funding and a change in the community’s attitudes to mental illness is needed if these teenagers are to access the help they so desperately need.

Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people, second only to car accidents. In rural areas twice as many young males commit suicide as their city dwelling counterparts.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, psychologist and Generation Next speaker says parents should trust their instincts if they feel their teenager is showing signs of depression but has no explanation for the cause of their behaviour. He suggests they should seek professional help immediately.

Young people may have feelings of hopelessness because of relationship break-ups, family problems, sexual, physical or mental abuse, drug or alcohol problems, mental illness (including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia), major loss and grief such as a death, and any serious problem that is difficult to solve and won’t go away.

In compiling the recently published report  The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia, the Senate inquiry committee heard 248 submissions from people left devastated by the suicide of someone close. In many cases they did not get the support and care that their grief warranted.

Organisations such as Beyondblue, Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Australia are all working to change the perception of mental illness within the community.

The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia recommendations:

• A 5 year media campaign to de-stigmatise suicide in the community as a whole
• Compulsory training for police, paramedics and emergency hospital staff
• Improved date collection
• relaxing guidelines on media reporting of suicide
• establishing protocols for follow-up support of people in hospital after attempting suicide
• considering short-term accommodation centres for people discharged from hospital after a suicide attempt, and
• providing affordable help lines accessible via mobile phones.

Mr Michael Dudley, chairman of Suicide Prevention Australia said “there is a crying need for the federal government to get serious about mental health funding and suicide prevention,” Dr Dudley said yesterday. ”We are watching and waiting. The question is, for how long?”

”This is not an election issue,” Mr McGlaughlin, chief executive of Suicide Prevention Australia said ”this is a whole of community issue and a matter of life and death.”

For information or help contact the following organisations:

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Beyondblue on 1300 22 4636

Youthbeyondblue on 1300 22 4636

Suicide Prevention Australia on (02) 9568 3111

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: parliament of Australia, Senate.

Leading child psychologist and Generation Next speaker Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, has taken a stand and thrown down the gauntlet to Bonds in response to their soft cup bra for 8 year olds which has just hit the shops.

“I call on the company to withdraw the product and if they don’t, urge all parents to boycott them.  I’m so disappointed a company like Bonds would do this after the Best and Less example” he said.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the bra, which is mildly padded in a child’s size eight, was an example of the “adultification of children”.

“It blurs the line between what is a little girl and what is a woman, and in doing so violates an important societal norm that states that children should not be seen as sexual objects,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.

He is not alone in his call to arms against the sexualisation of children and is joined by many leading experts in the field including clinical psychologist Amanda Gordon, Generation Next speaker and Sexualisation expert Maggie Hamilton and the parent lobby group Kids Free 2BKids.

Maggie Hamilton warned that “Tweens wear sexy clothing because companies encourage them to believe this will help them take their place in the world… Companies know how much tweens want to be teenagers and use this to sell the products teen girls enjoy – make up, music and fashions. However with teen products come teen aspirations”.

Amanda Gordon, who authored the Australian Psychological Society’s submission to the 2008 inquiry, accused Bonds of cashing in on the sexualisation of children.

“They see this as where the dollars are and I’m saying: shame, take more responsibility for our little girls because when it’s Bonds, it says it’s reasonable and normal and it’s not,” Ms Gordon said.

However, there are also those who believe that there is a need for this kind of garment, with recent studies finding that some girls are reaching puberty before their teenage years.

One such study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition found a link between high meat consumption and early puberty in girls. Another study in Denmark found that the average breast development was at 9 years and 10 months old.

Anders Juul, head of the Department of Growth and Reproduction at the University hospital in Copenhagen, a world leader in the study of hormones and growth said “if girls mature early, they run into teenage problems at an early age and they’re more prone to diseases later on”.

His concern was not that girls were developing earlier but rather he was concerned about the adult world this exposed them to at such an early age. “We should be worried about this regardless of what we think the underlying reasons might be. It’s a clear sign that something is affecting our children, whether it’s junk food, environmental chemicals or lack of physical activity.”

The worry then is not that 8 year old girls need a soft padded bra, but rather how the bra is marketed to them. For some it is a necessary development, for others it is seen merely as a fashion accessory.

For many girls it is the “ tweens” answer to becoming an instant “teenager” allowing them to emulate the idols that are presented to them by the media, such as Miley Cyrus who has taken to wearing clothing way beyond her years. It is a quick way to look and act older.

The 2008 Senate Inquiry into the Sexualisation of Children in the Contemporary Media Environment heard convincing evidence that a generation of young people were being harmed by this growing trend.

The more recent report by psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos “The Sexualisation of Young People” confirmed that “By over-emphasising their sexuality through fashion, it may make it harder for girls to value themselves for other aspects of their identity”.

Bonds insists that the product line “was driven by consumer needs”.  General Manager Kate Hann argued that girls were maturing earlier and needed a bra to suit their age and development.

“Typically, the first change a girl will notice is what is known as budding of the breast area. Our research indicates girls at this stage are looking for light support and concealment of developing breasts/nipples,” she said.

A convincing argument against the Bonds bra has to be the comments by Clive Hamilton, former head of the Australia who published the 2007 report Corporate Pedophilia, he said the bra would only serve to make a young girl look older.

“It is designed to make an eight-year-old look as though she has budding breasts,” Mr Hamilton said. “In our research, paedophiles told us that the presentation of eight-year olds in bras justified their activities.”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: The Sunday Mail (QLD)