A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
When psychiatrists, psychologists and other clinicians discuss the use and overuse of computer-based technologies in schoolchildren and young people, it is tempting to assume that there is a near-exclusive focus on the negative, pathological and undesirable aspects of this rapidly evolving domain. Such pop-cultural terms like ‘internet addiction’, ‘cyberbullying’ and ‘sexting’, seen in the media [...]
The term ‘sexting’, although relatively new, describes a particular set of behaviours that have been occurring in Australia for over 5 years. The sending and receiving of sexually explicit images via mobile phones or other applications such as instant messaging, email or through social networking sites, has until recently gone relatively unreported. What is concerning [...]
In last month’s newsletter we looked at how the powerful chemicals that drive stress responses in the mind and body can be very detrimental to young people. Before looking at how to combat stress and at the risk of appearing repetitive it is pertinent to reiterate a few points; Stressors are highly individualistic in nature [...]
In many cases, schools deal with these matters in-house, counselling the participants and doing their best to re-call the images. In some cases, police are called. They have two options: use their discretion to warn those involved or press charges. But in Victoria, there are no laws written with teen sexters in mind. ''Pressing charges'' [...]
Voltaire captured this new conception of happiness when he said: “Earthly paradise is here where I am,” and that if paradise is here where I am, then happiness is here and now, not yesterday, and even less in some hypothetical future. Throughout the twentieth century, hedonism’s claims grew ever stronger influenced by Freudianism, feminism, and [...]
In a democracy where freedom of speech and thought is a basic rite, there is and always will be controversy surrounding pornography. A major study from the University of Sydney has shed light on the secret world of excessive porn viewing and the devastating effect it has on users and their families. 85% of males [...]
Frequent social network use releases dopamine in response to online interactions, setting up a potentially addictive cycle, according to Steve Daviss of the Baltimore Washington Medical Center to USA Today."There's good evidence the feedback we get from technology -- the retweets and bings and pings that come out of the phone every time somebody sends [...]
While high levels of emotional intelligence can help individuals navigate the ups and downs of daily life, the perception of high emotional intelligence (EI) can cause them to overestimate their ability to detect deception. EI refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and [...]
Nearly 1500 people have signed an online petition, ''Stop the Lingerie Football League in Australia'', and the Minister for Sport, Kate Lundy, warned the league was an assault on sport.''Our daughters deserve more,'' she said. ''The LFL is about giving viewers an opportunity to perve on women in gear that looks like it's come from [...]
Someday your phone or laptop might truly be smart: It could diagnose your depression based on your Internet surfing patterns. According to researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology, people suffering from depression tend to spend more time chatting and sharing files with others. Two hundred and sixteen undergraduate students were monitored over a [...]
