Monthly Archives: August 2017

Popular Teens More Prone To Social Anxiety Later On?

New research has suggested that the relationships that people make during their teenage years could have a big impact on their mental health later down the line.

Carried out by the University of Virginia and funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute of Mental Health, the study found that teens who prioritised close friendships at the age of 15 reported lower social anxiety and a higher sense of self-worth, as well as fewer depressive symptoms at the age of 25 than their peers.

And, interestingly, teenagers who were popular among their peers reported higher levels of social anxiety at young adulthood.

The conclusion was drawn that experiencing strong and intimate friendships during adolescence could be beneficial for long-term mental health.

“Being well-liked by a large group of people cannot take the place of forging deep, supportive friendships. And these experiences stay with us, over and above what happens later. As technology makes it increasingly easy to build a social network of superficial friends, focusing time and attention on cultivating close connections with a few individuals should be a priority,” co-author of the study Joseph Allen said.

Social media itself has been criticised in the past for helping to increase feelings of anxiety, in large part because of the compare-and-despair phenomenon. Seeing other people’s lives can make us feel inadequate about our own – which can lead to social anxiety and depression.

If you’re worried and think you need anxiety counselling in Cheshire or elsewhere, get in touch with us today.

21% Hike In Exam Result Counselling Sessions, Report Reveals

A Level exam results have recently gone out and it’s been revealed that the number of students gaining pass grades has dropped for the first time in three years after the new curriculum was brought in.

So it’s perhaps unsurprising that new research from the NSPCC has also just indicated a 21 per cent rise in counselling sessions with Childline and young people worried about their results in the last two years.

The increase was particularly dramatic among those aged between 16 and 18, where counselling sessions were seen to climb 68 per cent in the last two years.

Advice for parents or carers from the charity to help young people manage their feelings of anxiety or depression include not pressuring them to achieve certain grades, encouraging them to take their time to think about what their next step will be, and helping them to consider their choices by writing down lists of pros and cons of their particular options.

“We’d encourage young people not to be disheartened if they don’t get the results they hoped for. It’s important they remember that they have options and that talking to a friend or trusted adult can really help them see this clearly. Childline is also here 24/7 to listen to any young person worried about their results and needing confidential support and advice,” NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said.

Although the number of people gaining pass grades did drop, it was also seen that the number of students scoring either an A* or an A rose by 26.3 per cent compared to 2016.

To finds out more about counselling in Cheshire, contact us here!