By Nicole Nagy I was a prisoner inside my own body. Like many people, I struggle with anxiety and depression, which started when I was a teenager. Somehow I had the will power to document my journey from hospitalizations, suicide attempts, brain surgery and just navigating life. The rest is history inside a book I wrote called Creative Mind: Diary of Teenage Mental Illness. One of the issues I chronicle in my book...
At North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, we not only provide counseling, but we also offer some very innovative programs targeted at specific needs and sectors of our local communities. One of those programs is the Latina Girls Project, which was created to respond to the alarming rate of depression, school refusal, self-harm, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation and attempted suicides by Hispanic girls, ages 12-17. In addition to bilingual individual,...
Recent headlines have revealed an alarming rash of suicides among police officers and veterans. But adults are not the only ones at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 14, and the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 34. One in 12 high school students...
Do your kids tell you that vaping is safe? They couldn’t be more wrong. Not only is it dangerous, it turns out it is potentially deadly. The New York Times reported the following on August 23, 2019: “A patient in Illinois is the first to die of a mysterious lung illness linked to vaping, public health officials announced on Friday.The death occurred as doctors and hospitals nationwide report an increasing number of vaping-related...
By guest blogger Sydney Spilko With the support of same sex marriage becoming more and more popular in the United States, more confusion about these topics may hinder acceptance. If you’re the parent of a gay, bisexual or queer child and are confused about the terminology, this blog post is for you. Here is a listing of various terms to help you understand the state of language usage when it comes to...
By guest blogger Sydney Spilko “Non-Binary.” “Transgender.” “Gender non-conforming.” If you’re a parent, and you’ve heard these terms before, you may be confused about what they mean. As a larger understanding of gender among young people has increased over the past few years, topics, terms and ideas have emerged, and you can be sure that your kids are talking about it. In next week’s blog, we will be talking about sexuality; that is, the...
Feeling sluggish? Kids stuck to their phone or tablet? The first week in August is National Exercise with your Child Week, so it’s a great time to get moving and get healthy! When you have young children, getting in your daily exercise can be challenging. But by including your children in your exercise routines, you’ll stay on track and teach them how to be healthy and take care of themselves, all...
Summer is in full swing, and Long Island is packed with activities for you and your family. If your children aren’t in camp or daycare, it might be stressful trying to figure out what to do on hot summer days. Whether inside or outside, in the water or at a museum, there are many places for the entire family to explore. From kid cafés to baseball games, check out the...
The summer season is upon us, with BBQs, beaches and fun events of all kinds in full swing. Whether your children are spending time in the water, playing sports, or on the playground, their wellbeing is always at the top of your list! Water safety is especially important for infants, including time spent in pools or in open water such as oceans and lakes. According to the Centers for Disease Control...
ADHD has become a popular topic over the past decade. With new treatments and wider availability of mental health services, ADHD diagnoses have been on the rise, so it’s important to know the facts surrounding this condition. Those who are diagnosed with ADHD, which stands for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, often suffer from symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, or a combination of these. Many people believe that ADHD, which is a...