Adolescence:  Danger or Opportunity?    In truth, a bit of both. 2/2/2022

The past several years of pandemic and of social and political unrest have, of course, been uniquely challenging for teens (and their families), adding a layer of complexity that has compounded an already challenging phase of life.  During recent times, greater levels of anxiety and depression have been evident in lots of teens and there […]

Medication Management for Adolescent Anxiety 11/20/2020

For a more than a decade there has been evidence in the literature that Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibiters (SSRI) can help teenagers with anxiety disorder feel and function better (Ipser et al., 2009). While these medications are not FDA approved for anxiety in adolescents, it appears clear that medications, in particular in combination with therapy […]

Psychotropic Polypharmacy with Children and Adolescents 11/6/2020

The challenges of addressing behavioral health problems in children and adolescents remain an ongoing dilemma because of the high incidence of youth with significant problems, coupled with the ongoing difficulties for families and providers in accessing and optimizing care in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.   Particularly in the arena of prescribing psychotropic medications, there are […]

Adolescent Substance Abuse in the Time of Covid-19 10/29/2020

While our understanding of the psychosocial impacts of the pandemic remains limited as would be expected of an externality that is constantly changing, there is clear evidence that the rates of substance use among adults in the time of the coronavirus pandemic are increasing (Spagnolo et al, 2020).  Increased use of alcohol has been reported […]