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    Parents Today Worry About Social Media As Much As Radio Worried Parents Years Ago

    Plain and simple, all parents worry. In the 1930’s, they worried about the affects listening to the radio would have on their children’s priorities. In the 1950’s, it was the accessibility of “adult” content on television. It wasn’t until the 1980s, though, that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came up with guidelines for how … Read More

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    After-School Program Seeks to Blunt the Increase in Suicide, Suicidal Ideation Among Depressed Teens

    It’s not just someone obsessed by Columbine. Last year, a seemingly normal teen was found dead from suicide in a Corona del Mar park. Just a few weeks ago, a young man walked into a local South County fast food joint, then into the restroom, where he was found hung. Another was found dead on … Read More

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    Regular Checkups with a Mental Health Professional can help Promote Healthy Choices

    It is an oddity of human nature that we so often fail to react to troubling developments until they reach the level of a crisis. Such was the case with the recent episode involving some local high school students who posted photos online showing themselves doing a Nazi salute in front of plastic cups arranged … Read More

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    When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction

    “Turn OFF the computer!” “Oh my God. Done. You are addicted to that game.” “No more Fortnite. You. Are. Obsessed.” I have heard parents say these things to tweens and teens spending too much time gaming. But how strong is the actual pull of gaming and is it really anything more than a power struggle? … Read More

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    Is Gaming Disorder a Real Addiction, and How Can I Tell if it's Affecting my Child?

    Studies have shown that video games and other addictions, such as alcohol and nicotine, affect neural pathways in similar ways: They all lead to an increase in dopamine levels in specific pleasure centers of the brain. While drugs increase dopamine levels far more than video games, gaming can have a similar deleterious effect of “taking … Read More

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    Video Game 'Disorder' is a Real Thing, and Concern is Growing

    Just when you thought it was OK to play violent video games like “Carmageddon” and “Manhunt” for endless hours, nanny state thinking wants to limit your Xbox activity. But it’s not about that last-century belief that gamers might turn into violent zombies. This time, the warnings are both sobering and serious. The World Health Organization … Read More

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    Hoag Experts Discuss Gaming & Device Addiction in Teens

    Gaming and device addiction is becoming more common in teens. The World Health Organization recently recognized “gaming disorder” as a diagnosable condition. While the addiction is not the same as a chemical one via drugs or alcohol, it can cause similar psychological effects, such as irritability, depression, isolation and anxiety. Hoag invites the community to … Read More

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    OC Hospitals Expand Mental Health Services for Teens Through ASPIRE Program

    CHOC Children’s, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and Mission Hospital have developed a consortium with El Camino Hospital’s After-School Program for Interventions and Resiliency Education (ASPIRE) to expand the availability of teen mental health services in California. The intensive outpatient therapy program, now in its eighth year, is designed for young people ages 13-18 with significant … Read More

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    Hoag Confronts Youth Mental Issues with ASPIRE Program

    Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian will step up its efforts to address youth mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, with After-School Program for Interventions and Resiliency Education (ASPIRE) program. Founded in Northern California in 2010, the program is designed for youth between the ages of 13 and 17 and helps them develop … Read More