Generation Next Blog

November 2019

10 surprising ways to help an anxious child calm down

By |2021-03-03T16:26:30+11:00November 4th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety|Tags: , , , |

When we think about support for anxiety, as with most mental health conditions, we're most likely to think of therapy and other fairly cerebral measures. But when someone is in the midst of an anxious situation, their ability to think and reason is severely impaired because their brain is being flooded with adrenaline. This is [...]

Report shows illegal practices against students with disabilities in Australian schools

By |2019-11-04T11:58:05+11:00November 4th, 2019|Categories: Disability|Tags: , , , |

More than 12% of students with disability are being refused school enrolment, and over 40% are being excluded from school events and activities. These are some of the findings from a survey published today by the national organisation Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA). More than 500 young people with disability, and families [...]

Should I let my kid climb trees? We asked five experts

By |2019-11-01T13:13:22+11:00November 1st, 2019|Categories: Nature Play|Tags: , , , |

We often remember childhood as a time when life seemed infinite and adventures in our backyard felt expansive, as if we were exploring other worlds. Climbing a tree was its own adventure. You could discover what you were capable of, while also getting the chance to see the world from a different vantage point. Of [...]

October 2019

Primary school boys exhibiting more emotional problems, with flow-on academic impacts

By |2019-11-01T13:13:22+11:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|Tags: , , , |

A new study into emotional and behavioural problems in Australian schoolboys aged eight to nine years old has found new and concerning trends in both the incidence and the impact of these problems, but no definitive cause. The Murdoch Children's Research Institute's Childhood to Adolescents Transition Study (CATS) found that one in five boys in [...]

Overall time on social media not related to teen anxiety and depression, study finds

By |2021-03-03T16:26:45+11:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Depression, Social Media|

The argument has raged back and forth in recent years on the presence and nature of a link between youth social media use and mental health outcomes. In an eight-year longitudinal study recently conducted by Brigham Young University, one finding stood out: the sheer amount of time spent using social media did not correlate to [...]

‘My friends are taking MDMA at raves and music festivals. Is it safe?’

By |2019-11-01T13:13:22+11:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol|Tags: , , , |

My friends are taking ecstasy at raves and music festivals. Is it safe? — Anonymous Key points no drug use, including ecstasy, is 100% safe festivals can present unique risks look out for friends, know the risks and where to get help. What is ecstasy or MDMA? Ecstasy is a slang term for drugs meant [...]

What is ‘attachment’ and how does it affect our relationships?

By |2019-11-01T13:13:23+11:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |

Research across many years and many cultures has found around 35-40% of people say they feel insecure in their adult relationships. While 60-65% experience secure, loving and satisfying relationships. How secure or insecure we are with our romantic partners depends, in part, on how we bonded with our parents at a young age. From the [...]

For people with a mental illness, loved ones who care are as important as formal supports

By |2021-03-03T16:27:08+11:00October 21st, 2019|Categories: Mental Illness|Tags: , , , |

People living with mental illness often require support from carers, such as family and friends, on a long-term and somewhat unpredictable basis. But these support networks are not always in place. Geographical or emotional distance from family members, conflict with friends, and the tendency for people with mental illness to withdraw from others means these [...]

Building empathy is more important than ever

By |2019-10-22T11:13:06+11:00October 21st, 2019|Categories: Society & Culture|Tags: , , , |

Empathy isn't always what people think of when considering important factors in leading a good and successful life. It's difficult, uncomfortable, and doesn't seem to yield any immediate, tangible gain for either the giver or the receiver. Like many words to do with emotions it's also fuzzy; hard enough to define, let alone quantify. Despite [...]

Are we teaching children to be afraid of exams?

By |2021-03-03T16:27:26+11:00October 21st, 2019|Categories: Anxiety|Tags: , , , |

Some Australian students are reportedly shunning Year 12 exams in favour of more favourable, and less stressful, pathways to finishing school. These reports come amid warnings of rising rates of anxiety and depression among young people, with psychologists calling for better mental health support services in schools. Experts say exam stress could be making depression [...]

Go to Top