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Articles from January 2009

• Modern Rites of Passage in the Wilderness: Guiding Young People to a Sober Adulthood

  Much of what you read about wilderness therapy speaks of the life skills young people learn in the wilderness, such as communication, teamwork, and understanding natural consequences, which teach them to build positive relationships and pull themselves out of the pitfalls of adolescence. And all of that is certainly true. But equally, if not more important, is the broader opportunity in wilderness therapy for young people to mark their transition into adulthood. more...

• Mental Health Experts: Teen Suicide Rates Remain Disturbingly High

  Between 1993 and 2003, the nation's teen suicide rate experienced a steady decline, but that positive trend ended with a stunning 18-percent spike in 2004. Experts had hoped that the data for 2005 (which was released in a Sept. 3, 2008 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association) would be more in line with the 10-year decline; when the report was released, though, the data proved to be less than encouraging. more...

• Teens Enticed by Herbal Substances That Might Not Be Safe

  Teens may be attracted to herbal supplements for a variety of reasons. The drugs can be relatively easy to acquire, they are not illegal, and they appear to promise significant (and safe) results. When it comes to medications and supplements, though, equating herbal with harmless can be a decidedly dangerous thing to do. more...