Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Oh My!

We have come a long way in a short time.  These days trolls are lurking everywhere.  You don’t need to see a new study which shows that teenagers who spend hours a day on social media are at an increased risk of suffering from poor sleep and symptoms of depression.  Recently, the British released a study of 14 year old girls who were found to have a 50% increase in depression when they used social media at least five hours a day!

Among boys, the heaviest social media users showed a one-third increase in depression and its related symptoms.  The gender difference has been noted among psychologists as “alarming”.  The bottom line here is this…teens that reported using social media most (especially girls) almost universally have problems sleeping and suffer from some type of depression.

New York area child psychologist Dr. Steven Sussman is NOT trying to change the world…just help your kid(s) cope with the “social media bombardment”.  Growing up you could not possibly have seen this coming.  Dr. Sussman has dealt with it for years.  Please call him for an appointment at his Staten Island or Mountainside NJ office at (908) 217-8106.

Your Complicated Teen.

Maybe we should say just teenager…which one is NOT complicated.  Come on, think back to your own teenage years!  The parents of today’s Baby Boomers rarely sought out therapy for their complicated teen.  It was a completely different time.  If they did, the sessions were generally done privately and not in groups.

Why do today’s teens with social problems often fall behind from individual therapy?  The Journal of Clinical Psychology did an interesting study on this problem.  Over a 20-year period they reported that group therapy was more effective with children and teenagers than other forms.  It reports that the average child or adolescent treated by group treatment was better off than 73 percent of those who were not.

Dr. Steven Sussman believes in group therapy for teenagers.  It is not “one size fits all,” but over the decades he has discovered that kids who suffer from things like bullying, shyness, anger management, and many other issues are better off in a group setting.  Contact New York/New Jersey child psychologist Dr. Steven Sussman to discuss a session at (908) 217-8106.

Here Kid, Memorize this and Go Home.

Have you ever felt that way about your child’s school?  Schools in the New York City area and throughout the country are established to turn out students and send them back into the real world.  As a child psychologist I often hear about “the shutdown learner”.  A child simply shuts down rather than doing classwork or homework.

When I hear about these traits, I look for some of the signs such as –

1.  Unusual obsession with the computer

2.  Instructions are meant to be disobeyed or completely ignored

3.  Can’t understand the written material presented

4.  Plenty of negative self-talk

5.  Simply giving up academically

Please do me and, more importantly, yourself a favor.  Go to my website sussmankids.com and visit the ODD tab.  Here, you will find an article on “shutdown disorder”.  It may be one of the most helpful reads you have ever had.  After that, please give a call at (908) 217-8106 and we will talk about it at my Mountainside NJ or Staten Island NY office.

Today’s Kids and Screen Time.

It is a discussion that has gone on for more than 60 years and several generations.  What is the effect of television on adolescents?  Television (and screen time in general) plays a major role in the lives of our children.  It can entertain and inform, of course.  It can also influence our kids in many undesirable ways.

On screen characters are often exaggerated stereotypes that distorts the every day lives of the common person.  Women, the elderly, and kids in general do not appear as often as they do in real life.  The more hours that our youngsters spend looking at a screen the less time they will spend on homework, exercise, family interaction, and social development.

The discussion is as old as the “boob tube” itself.  How do you handle the delicate balance of real life and sitting in front of a screen for hours every day?  New York/New Jersey child psychologist has some very specific thoughts about this topic and others.  Why not arrange a consultation at his Staten Island or Mountainside NJ office by calling (908) 217- 8106.

What is an Adolescent?

Tweens and teens and adolescents oh my!  What an important time in the life of your kid(s).  The age of adolescence is defined as the years between 10 and 19.  For most, it begins with the physiological onset of puberty.  It ends when your child shows it ends…it has been that way for generations.

If you don’t already know there are three stages of adolescence.  They are –

1.  Early…it usually ends at about 14.

2.  Middle…the mid-teenage years of 15 to 17.

3.  Late…ages 18 to about 21.

Because adolescents are not “babies” they are stubborn and willful by and large.  There is someone in the New York City area who has spent decades developing techniques that are “teen friendly”.  He is NYC and NJ child psychologist Dr. Steven Sussman.  This is a very vulnerable time in your kid’s life.  It may be time to meet Dr. Sussman at his Mountainside NJ or Staten Island Office by calling (908) 217-8106.

Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat…oh my!

Our kids are bombarded by social media.  When moms and dads of today’s kids were growing up they were discussing the messages that Seinfeld was delivering…quite a difference, huh?  There are many good things to say about the prevalence of social media in our everyday lives.  People of all ages can stay in touch as never before.

What about some of the negatives?

1.  The constant hate speech

2.  Cyber bullying

3.  Sleep deprivation

4.  Identity theft

5.  Violent images

Yes, it’s a Brave New World Mr. Huxley and we need to work together to minimize the negative impact of social media.  I am Dr. Steven Sussman, one of New York and New Jersey’s top child psychologists.  Let’s discuss the challenges together at my Staten Island or Mountainside, NJ office.  Please call me for an appointment at (908) 217-8106.

You May Find it Easier to Write it Than Say it.

This is a true fact in many areas of human communication.  How many times have you lacked the courage or eloquence to put your feelings and needs into words?  So, what do you do?  Often you will write it down and send it (these days) in the form of an email.  It is much easier to edit before hitting send…not so easy when it comes from your mouth!

As it pertains to the behavior of the most important people in your life…your kids…this is especially true.  You want to say it correctly and seek the answers that are vital to you in succeeding at the most difficult job in the human race…raising a child to adulthood.  Forget those that say underwater welding…that’s a piece of cake compared to this!

Would you please take some of the most important minutes that you may ever spend and visit my website www.sussmankids.com.  On the front page there is a tab called the intake form.  Please fill this out and submit it to me.  My name is Dr. Steven Sussman.  I have been a renowned child psychologist in NYC and New Jersey for many years.  Let’s exchange emails.