Generation Next Blog

August 2014

Goodbye to Australia’s favourite clown doctor

By |2014-08-12T08:09:16+10:00August 10th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing, Society & Culture|Tags: , , , , , |

THE life of a man who lived for smiles and laughter will be remembered. On Saturday, Australia's best-known clown doctor and Bowral general practitioner Dr Peter Spitzer, was farewelled as he lost his battle with cancer. Dr Spitzer was fondly known as Dr Fruit-Loop and was the co-founder and medical director of The Humour Foundation. [...]

Government backtracks on Racial Discrimination Act 18C changes

By |2014-08-12T10:00:50+10:00August 5th, 2014|Categories: Society & Culture, Technology|Tags: , , , , , |

The Federal Government has taken contentious changes to racial discrimination laws "off the table" to protect national "unity". - Emma Griffiths via Government backtracks on Racial Discrimination Act 18C changes; pushes ahead with tough security laws - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Teen Alcohol Use

By |2020-11-02T10:09:32+11:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Despite what the media might tell us, it appears that our teens may not be as out-of-control as some of us believe - or at least not in the ways we think they are. Try Googling “teens out of control.” At the time of writing that search query returned 58,200,000 results (in 0.29 seconds if [...]

Seven Things All Mentally Tough People Avoid

By |2014-08-04T03:47:17+10:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , , |

Studies have shown that there is a correlation between mental toughness and self-control. To achieve those long-term goals there are things mentally tough people avoid. In all of these different contexts, one characteristic emerged as a predictor for success. It wasn't social intelligence, good looks, IQ, or physical health. It was "grit," which the dictionary [...]

Introvert or extrovert, normal or abnormal: the problem with personality types

By |2014-08-04T03:36:10+10:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , |

The idea that people can be classified into types has a long history. Writing 23 centuries ago, the Greek philosopher Theophrastus sketched 30 characters that are instantly recognisable to this day. They include the chatterbox, the back-biter, the ungrateful grumbler, the penny-pincher and the patron of rascals. This ancient attempt to sort people into types [...]

Ibuprofen relieves women’s hurt feelings, not men’s

By |2020-11-02T10:24:03+11:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol, Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , |

For years, researchers have known that physical pain relievers such as ibuprofen can also help ease emotional pain, but new research suggests that ibuprofen has contrasting effects on men and women: Men who take the drug report harsher feelings of rejection, and women report feeling better. - Laura Byerley via Ibuprofen relieves women's hurt feelings, not [...]

Australia’s daily alcohol toll: 15 deaths and 430 hospitalisations

By |2014-08-04T03:07:26+10:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol|Tags: , , , , , |

Prof Moodie said is was important to challenge the alcohol industry’s claims that Australia does not have an alcohol problem. “I would like to see sensible restrictions on alcohol advertising, promotions and sponsorship,” he said. - Alexandra Miller via Australia's daily alcohol toll: 15 deaths and 430 hospitalisations.

Mental Health Disorders on the Rise

By |2014-08-04T03:01:09+10:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , , , , |

Experts say that something is changing that makes life seem more challenging for people, especially young people. Anxiety disorders are becoming common, and a study released in January 2010 showed that depression and suicidal tendencies are on the rise on university campuses in Canada and the U.S. - Adrianne Hill via Mental Health Disorders on the [...]

Women who smoke while pregnant could alter their children’s genes

By |2020-11-02T10:26:53+11:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol, Science & Research|Tags: , , , , , , |

The largest study of its kind has shown that smoking during pregnancy could cause epigenetic changes in the fetus, resulting in birth defects and health problems later in life. Christina Markunas of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and her colleagues have found that newborn children of mothers who smoked while pregnant are more [...]

July 2014

Teens Adept At Hiding From Parents Online

By |2014-08-04T03:53:54+10:00July 28th, 2014|Categories: Cybersafety|Tags: , , , , , |

Most youngsters believe their parents are oblivious to their web activities, while some admit to making fake social media profiles and fudging browser histories to deceive tech-savvy ones, a new report shows. Seventy per cent of children aged between 8 and 17 said their parents did not know about all their internet activities, a survey involving [...]

Go to Top