The Teenage Mind

The internal experience of the young adult.

by Jann Gumbiner, Ph.D.

Sleepy Teens

Can't get your teen out of bed to go to school? Maybe the problem isn't him. Maybe the problem is his changing body. Read More

An Occupy Theme Song: We Are the Many

Every protest movement needs a song. Songs mobilize and unify people. The lyrics of a song can describe social events, like Country Joe and the Fish singing " What are we fighting for? I don't give a damn, next stop is Viet Nam."

They can list demands and solutions, like John Lennon's, Give Peace a Chance

Social science research is in a sorry state. Just about anything can get published these days. Economists on fishing expeditions use fancy statistics to find correlations between soda and violence. Read More

Divorce Hurts Children, Even Grown Ones

In response to Mark Banschick's September Psychology Today post, "The Intelligent Divorce," there is no such thing. Divorce is bad, plain and simple. I am a psychologist with an excellent education and the daughter of a divorce. In school, I read everything I could get my hands on, academic and anecdotal. I talked to everyone I knew, young and old. Read More

Make Jobs Not War

Mr. Obama, Put Our Youth to Work! A Letter to the President

Dear Mr. Obama,

Media reports claim 12 percent unemployment, but we all know it's worse. These numbers reflect EDD statistics of the recently jobless. But what about those who never had a full-time job? Or those working two part-time jobs with no prospect of promotion? Or those who just gave up? Read More

Is Autism Rising?

Austism as a diagnosis is constantly changing. Read More

History of Cannabis in India

The herbal plant, cannabis, has a long and continuous history in India. The plant has lived in stories of gods and warriors for thousands of years and continues to live today in religious ceremonies and in street stands. Read More

History of Cannabis in Ancient China

Cannabis Sativa is an old plant with a long history. The word, sativa, comes from Latin and means "sown" or "cultivated." And, in fact, the hemp plant, Cannabis Sativa, has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. Cultivated primarily for its strength as a fiber and for its medicinal uses, it has even been grown for food. Read More

Marijuana as Medicine?

Here are some interesting links for more info on Medicinal Marijuana Read More

Does Marijuana Cause Cancer?

Just because no large scale, epidemiological studies show a correlation between marijuana and lung cancer, doesn't mean it can be ruled out. Read More

How Does Marijuana Work?

Curious about how marijuana works on your body? Watch the attached NatGeo video. Read More

Which Is Worse for Your Health: Marijuana or Alcohol?

Defenders of pot often say it is not as bad as alcohol. Is this true? Read More

Is Marijuana Addictive?

A realistic concern for recreational users of marijuana is whether or not they will become addicted. There are no easy answers to this question. In my opinion, the most unbiased book on this and other related topics is The Science of Marijuana (2008). The Science of Marijuana is written by Leslie L. Iverson, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Cambridge in England. Read More

One Woman's Search for Love

When I was in graduate school, we were all wildly curious about love and sex. How do I get and keep a lover? Read More

Does Marijuana Impair Cognition? Implications for Prop 19

California voters have an important decision to make this fall - whether or not to legalize marijuana. Can psychological research help make this decis Read More

The Female Teen Brain: Is Brizendine's Book Science or Opinion?

The Female Brain is a light and entertaining read but it is more Starbuck's Oprah and opinion than serious science. Read More

Letting Go of College Kids II

Fall is here. Your son or daughter is leaving for college. For them it is a new beginning, a time of excitement and exploration - new friends, new studies, new adventures. For you, it is an end. Read More

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind: Adolescent Nutrition

A healthy body and a healthy mind go hand in hand. There is no such thing as a mind/body split. One of the kindest things you can do for your mental health is take care of your physical health. If you feel good physically, the chances are better you will feel good mentally. AA groups know this with their famous acronym –H.A.L.T. - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. This is when we are vulnerable. Read More

Adolescent Obesity

Michelle Obama has launched a new program to fight childhood obesity. Approximately 30 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Fat teens become fat adults and they suffer from diabetes, heart disease, self-esteem issues, and social problems. Read More

Adolescents at Risk for Suicide

After moving vehicle accidents and homicide, suicide is the third major threat to the survival of adolescents (see my previous posts). While the media sensationalizes teen suicide, the actual rate is much lower than believed, about 10 in 100,000 (Berman, Jobes, and Silverman, 2006). Even so, suicidal ideation and threats of self harm should not be ignored. Read More

Happy, Healthy Teens

The second major threat to adolescents, after auto accidents, is firearm related deaths. This includes both homicide and suicide. Males are at much higher risk than females for firearm related deaths, about 10 times more. And, African American males are at much higher risk than Hispanic, White, Asian, or Native American males (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/adolescent2007.pdf). Read More

Happy, Healthy Teens

Now, that the health care bill has passed, I plan to write a series of posts on teens and health. Here are some of my questions. What are adolescent health concerns? And, how will new health care laws address them? What are healthy habits for teens? Read More

Mr. Obama, Put Our Youth to Work!

Dear Mr. Obama,

Media reports claim 12% unemployment, but we all know it's worse. These numbers reflect EDD statistics of recently jobless. But what about those who never had a full time job? Or those working two part time jobs with no prospect of promotion? Or those who just gave up? Read More

Letting Go of College Kids

The college acceptances are arriving. Kids are elated and parents are panicked. Your son cries, "I got in!" You smile and your heart sinks at the same time. "Is he ready?" "Am I ready?" To answer these important questions, I consulted with my very wise colleague, Dr. Roy Bullock. Roy has been giving the Letting Go Lecture to parents at college orientation for the last 20 years. Read More

Teenage Girls, Body Image, and Sports: A Personal Comment

After reading fellow PT blogger, Elizabeth Meyer's piece on women's sports, I am reminded how much things have changed since I was in school ( http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/gender-and-schooling/201002/olympics-and-gender-empowerment-through-sport). When I was in high school there was no such thing as women's sports. Read More

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Donates $1500 to Local Library

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Donates $1500 to Local Library Read More

Once an Alcoholic, Always an Alcoholic?

Bill came to see me because his drinking was scaring him. He said the last thing he remembered was going to the liquor store, picking up a six pack, and getting into his truck. He had no memory of driving home and this scared him. Even though his wife had been begging him for years to get help, it took an alcoholic blackout while driving to scare him into therapy. Read More

What Causes Addiction?

My friend's teenage brother had a very serious drinking problem. He was staying out late, coming home drunk on school nights, and crashing the family car. The problem was so serious that the whole family: the father, mother, 3 sisters, and brother all went to therapy. Once in therapy, the therapist focused on the mother. Read More

Teen Pregnancy, Oprah, and Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin's book is out and she's been interviewed by Oprah and Barbara Walters. Curious about her political ambitions, I tuned into the Oprah interview. Surprisingly, Oprahs's very first question was not about politics but about Sarah's pregnant teenaged daughter, Bristol. Read More

The Marijuana Bill and Youth

City councils are cracking down on pot dispensaries. The city of Dana Point subpoenaed the patient lists from all of its local dispensaries. This decision was upheld by the Orange County courts. Is this a violation of doctor-patient privileged communication? Is this a matter for the ACLU? Read More