News for Youth
News about mental health issues of interest to young people.
Friends are good for you
Lots of close friends ‘can make you feel happier’ according to the University of Nottingham, People lucky enough to have at least 10 good friends are likely to be happier than those with less than five, according to the study for The National Lottery . It was found that we need to look after our friends if we want to be happy, and happier people tend to have more close pals and make new ones regularly. However having many more than 10 close friends does not make you a happier person—it is more important to maintain the relationships you have.
Children and Stress
Stress can lead to emotional disorders in children. A three year old study found children who experienced three or more stressful events, such as bereavement, divorce or serious illness were three times more likely to develop emotional disorders than those who had not, according to a report published by the Office for National Statistics.
People urged to look after their mental health
Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer has recently under-
lined the importance of looking after our mental health in a speech delivered to students. Speaking on 10 Oct 08 at a Royal College of Psychiatrist’s event in Cultra, Co.Down, he warned that post-primary school that ‘We need to learn to look after our mental health in the same manner as looking after our physical health. Attitudes to mental health have to change, and it is very important that schools take time out to talk about mental health’. He said mental health illness can affect anyone and insisted ‘...it is nothing to be ashamed of’.
Concern over pupils and alcohol
Almost 42,000 pupils have been sent home for alcohol or drug-related reasons in the past four years, it has emerged. Between 2003-04 and the end of the 2006-07 year, a total of 1,930 primary and secondary school children in the UK were expelled and a further 39,890 suspended.
Half severely bullied children attempt suicide poll reveals
Half of the families attending a charity’s support sessions for severely bullied children say their child has contemplated or attempted suicide, a poll has revealed. Anti-bullying charity Kidscape’s survey of 1,200 families attending its SZP assertiveness training sessions across the UK also found 86% said the school had not acted to stop the bullying and 84% said the school had told them their child was ‘too sensitive’. The survey also found 63% of families said the school had labelled them as ‘over protective’, ‘paranoid’ and ‘too sensitive and 48% said their child had played truant at least once because of the bullying. All the respondents said their child’s self confidence had been negatively affected by the bullying and 98% said that the bullying affected the entire family.
Added on 21/4/09