A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
"I hope she doesn't get bullied," I confided to my husband on our daughter's first day of school. "I hope she doesn't bully," my husband replied. The thought that my darling angel could bully another child had never once entered my head. And when I did think about it I dismissed it immediately. I suspect [...]
Not everything online is evil, nor does danger lurk behind every new app that comes to market. But keeping up with your teens' and preteens' online activities is much like trying to nail jelly to the barn door - frustrating, futile and something bound to make you feel inept. Keep in mind that no app poses [...]
A device which sends tiny electric shocks to the brain to stimulate neurons could one day be at least as useful to people with anxiety and depression as antidepressants, Curtin University researchers hope. The university's Patrick Clarke said small electrical currents were being used to directly stimulate underperforming parts of the depressive brain and numb [...]
Teaching children according to their individual “learning style” does not achieve better results and should be ditched by schools in favour of evidence-based practice, according to leading scientists. Thirty eminent academics from the worlds of neuroscience, education and psychology have signed a letter to the Guardian voicing their concern about the popularity of the learning [...]
Giving someone your full attention in conversation isn’t easy, but it is a skill we can practice and hone. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with somebody who wasn’t listening to you? Could you tell? Have you ever seen yourself nodding and smiling during a conversation while in your mind you were landing [...]
When you think of paranormal experiences it often conjures images of ghosts, aliens or witchcraft. But it can also include hearing voices, out-of-body experiences, or even strong spiritual or superstitious beliefs. Such experiences are quite common – 75% of people in Britain have said that they have had one or more paranormal experiences in their [...]
To limit kids' screen time, try unplugging yourself. In a world where we are constantly tweeting, texting, Googling and checking e-mail, technology addiction is a real concern for today's kids. Yet parents are often unable to unplug from their own digital devices, research suggests. A recent national survey conducted by Common Sense Media, which included [...]
Much like a clock on the wall, our cells have their own 24-hour timeline. When they're in sync, our body clock may act as a protective barrier against mental and physical illnesses. But throw in some jet lag, a night shift or a bout of insomnia, and suddenly the clock's hands are spinning out of [...]
By now parents are familiar with the worrisome finding that the thrill-seeking centers of the adolescent brain can readily outmatch the teenage brain’s emerging rational control systems. I count myself among the adults who find this neurological account of adolescent recklessness to be both clarifying and confounding. It helpfully explains why really thoughtful teenagers sometimes [...]
You get all kinds of happiness advice on the internet from people who don't know what they're talking about. Don't trust them. Actually, don't trust me either. Trust neuroscientists. They study that gray blob in your head all day and have learned a lot about what truly will make you happy. UCLA neuroscience researcher Alex [...]
