Miami Heat's Greg Oden Battled Depression & Alcoholism

/
Miami Heat's Greg Oden Battled Depression & Alcoholism
The Miami Heat’s newest player Greg Oden appeared destined for greatness from an early age. He was one of the most recruited basketball players in high school, ultimately choosing Ohio State. In his one year at Ohio State he led his team to the NCAA championship game and was the 2007 first overall selection in the NBA draft to the Portland Trailblazers. What could possibly go wrong? What followed was not supposed to happen, not to people on the fast track to success like Greg Oden. The passing of a good friend, the pressure to succeed, three devastating knee injuries, a sexting scandal, the tragic death of his dog, losing his cousin to cancer, and being cut by the Portland Trail Blazers is an unimaginable emotional burden to be dealt to a kid in his 20s trying to live out his dream.
Read More

Why I do not Give a Psychological Diagnosis to my Teenage Patients

/
Why I do not Give a Psychological Diagnosis to my Teenage Patients
A psychological diagnosis is about meeting behavioral and emotional criteria, functioning like a check list.  You look at the list of symptoms - persistent sadness, trouble sleeping, constant worrying, etc – you see how many of these symptoms the teen in question displays and if they have a certain number of them you assign the diagnosis.  It is not a difficult or complicated process.  It is almost exclusively descriptive and it does not contribute to my understanding of my teenage patients or how to help them.  It is not useful clinically.  Researchers use diagnosis as a way to run studies on large groups of people who, on the surface, have similar difficulties.  Insurance companies demand the assignment of a diagnosis in order to reimburse.
Read More

Teenagers and Bad Grades: Depression or Bad Behavior?

/
Teenagers and Bad Grades: Depression or Bad Behavior?
Succeeding in high school is an important foundation for teenagers as they transition into early adulthood. It is important to stay informed about your teen’s performance at school by communicating with teachers, administrators, or guidance counselors. Talk to your teenager if report card grades fell below expectations. While a drop in grades could be as simple as your teenager struggling with a new subject or teacher, it could be a red flag for a variety of issues such as attention issues such as ADHD, depression, substance abuse, or bad behavior. Consider all factors to help your teen get back on track as soon as possible.
Read More