Girls, Anxiety, and Co-rumination

Stephane Vervalle

Fancy words like "co-rumination" just mean talking excessively among a group of your peers about what's bothering you and making you anxious, worried or depressed. Research out of the University of Missouri-Columbia found, in a six-month study of how adolescent boys and girls co--ruminate, that there's a distinct negative result of this obsessive behavior. The group studied were third, fifth, seventh and ninth grade students, both boys and girls.

The constant re-hashing of problems led to "increased depression and anxiety," according to the study's author, Amanda Rose. Girls, rather than boys, were the ones who seem to suffer the most. While boys who engaged in this behavior "developed closer friendships across the school year," they did not experience the depression and anxiety that came as a result to the girls.

The professor's opinion is that this excessive discussion of problems tips the balance and results in "emotionally unhealthy" behavior. Talking about problems is a good thing, but not when it's done to excess or seems to be the exclusive topic in discussions.

The one thing that the professor didn't mention is that previous studies in social psychology have focused on how groups can affect individual behavior. The question of "contagious anxiety" needs to be considered, too.

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Technorati Tags: teens, depression, anxiety, health and wellness

Is Lindsay Lohan in Freefall?

childstarlets.com

Child actors haven't fared very well. You can count the truly famous ones on probably just your 10 fingers, but for every one you know, there are who knows how many unknown demi-stars who've hit the end of their run. Remember Buffy, the blonde little girl on Family Affair? Dead of an overdose in 1976. I heard they bleached her hair almost weekly. There are others you know better.

What about Judy Garland who, as a child actress, it's rumored, was fed pills to keep her weight down and her energy up? There are many more. I've met some of them in psychiatric hospitals or at special TV appearances. They all had one thing in common; they were sad little children when they weren't in front of the camera.

Lindsay Lohan and her recurrent problems with substance abuse, even after rehabs, is the latest to hit the front pages and websites of newspapers and other media. A talented, attractive and troubled young woman is now spiraling out of control. Who's going to catch her and how did it happen?

First of all, these kids aren't allowed to be kids or normal in many ways. Many of them support their families when they're still in elementary school and they are kept in forced isolation because of their fame. Do they have friends or hangers-on who tell them just what any kid wants to hear? Sure, everything they do is great, isn't it?

I once rode in a plane with a very famous child athlete and couldn't believe how immature she was. It was really shocking, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected her to "act her age" because I don't think she ever got an opportunity to do that. She went from event to event for almost the entire year.

What's the reason child stars may use drugs and alcohol, anyway? It's a way of numbing the grind from work, appearances, the paparazzi, and the demands of their agents, managers, and other handlers. Everyone wants a piece and there's little left for the "star" in this equation. I see them very much like boxers who are used up and thrown away when they can't fight anymore or race horses who don't have the fame of those who win the Derby.

Child stars, and Lindsay Lohan was one of them, are commodities who have to produce and I imagine there is little peace for them.

Instead of being shocked or calling her all sorts of names, say a prayer for Lindsay and all of them and don't throw that stone.

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Technorati Tags: Lindsay Lohan, stress, depression, alcohol abuse, DUI

Terrorism: Turning Bad to Good

Photo Credit: M Jones

The world we live in often presents more challenges then we feel capable of handling. They come in terms of just trying to get through the problems we face in our homes, on our jobs, our community and planning for our futures. Sometimes, it can seem like it's raining rocks and then something else comes along to put it all in perspective.

The recent terrorist attacks in England and Scotland have added that perspective. When we consider how our lives are different from those living in Europe, everything we're going through doesn't seem so bad. It's another example of good from bad. We can find the good in this terror, if we look for it.

Of course, you are anxious about all of this. It's natural to feel anxious when someone attacks places and people that aren't in war zones. How should we all respond?

Let this be a reminder to reconsider that old saying, "Count your blessings." You do have them and now is the time to sit down and think about them. Hug your loved one, plan something nice for yourself and let yourself kick back a bit and enjoy the simple things of life.


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Technorati Tags: glasgow, terror attack, airport, stress, anxiety