4 Troubled Teens Blog

Physical exercise elevates the mood of people with serious mental diseases, according to a new study from Indiana University.

Dr. Bryan McCormick placed monitors on study participants and also paged them at random moments to inquire about their mood and activities:

• Most of the participants, who lived in psychiatric hospitals, were sedentary.
• The least active had the least positive moods.
• Walking was a particularly effective activity for elevating the moods of participants.

This study appeared in the Journal of Social Psychiatry.

Labels: mental_health, mental_illness, exercise

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A Finnish study of more than 7,000 teenagers concluded that inactivity in young people is linked to increased anxiety and depression, as well as to emotional and behavioral problems. Inactive boys and girls suffered from more attention and social problems, such as rule breaking, than teens who exercised often. Inactive girls reported more sleep problems.

"Adolescence is a complicated and sometimes difficult stage of life - emotionally, mentally and physically," the study's author, Marko Kantomaa, said. "Compounding that with negative mental and emotional effects brought on by physical inactivity does not help young people ease into adulthood. Physical activity could be a highly effective and relatively easy way to help that transition."

This study appeared in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Labels: emotional_issues, behavioral_issues, exercise

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Yoga and troubled youth are two terms that few people would put together. But the Denver (Colorado) Children's Home has, and it's getting great results.

"Thirteen-year-old Jatay Phillips had never tried yoga before. She's dealing with anger issues while at the Denver Children's Home. Phillips says yoga helps her control her temper. 'Yoga, it relaxes me and there's not so many things rushing through my mind,' said Phillips."

Chris Bradford, a 17-year-old former gang member, said yoga had helped him learn how to handle stress. Dr. Ann Bortz, a psychologist with the Denver Children's Home, said students in the home have been more relaxed, and facility has experienced fewer discipline problems, since the yoga program was started. Source: 9News

Mount Bachelor Academy, a private boarding school for troubled teens in Oregon, offers mindful meditation to support attention and executive function/brain development. Learn more at http://www.mtba.com/yoga.html.

Labels: exercise, yoga, peace

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Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse wants to know how exercise can help prevent drug or alcohol abuse. The possible connection was first brought to her attention through a study that reported that teens and tweens who exercised were half as likely to smoke and 40 percent less likely to try marijuana than were their sedentary peers.

"The best evidence: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit."

Volkow invited 100 exercise and neurobiology experts to a two-day conference where she announced that a $4 million research grant was being made available for further research. Though it has yet to be proved, initial studies show that the benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health and appearance. Source: Associated Press

Labels: prevention, addictions, exercise

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Alec Morales immigrated to America from Puerto Rico when he was a senior in high school. The culture shock of a big school, rough neighborhood, and new language caused him to act out. Fortunately, someone steered him to boxing, where his skills developed quickly. He turned pro by the time he was 18. Now, he shares what he learned as a teen with a new generation of at-risk teens in his community.

"In Morales' mind, boxing will help those young people find a way out of the life into which they were born. Boxing instills structure and discipline through training. Training forces boxers to keep a strict diet and exercise regimen. A strict regimen leaves no time for drugs and mischief."

All of the trainers in Morales' program are certified by USA Boxing, the governing body for amateur boxing. Currently, Morales' gym is the only certified amateur club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Read more at CentreDaily.com.

Oftentimes, kids who are struggling with being overweight or obese hide their feelings by engaging in risky behaviors. Read how you can help your child change their behaviors to improve all aspects of thier lives.

Labels: exercise, discipline, structure

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