Aaron Weiner, PhD

07/03/2024

Here's a new infographic for parents covering the top 5 addiction-related concerns for teens in 2024: alcohol, THC, va**ng, gaming, and social media. It includes:

- Red flags a problem may be developing
- Action items for parents
- Websites (with embedded links) I like for additional resources

https://www.weinerphd.com/big-five-teen-addiction-concerns

Please feel free to share it around if it's useful!

And also, I'd love your feedback: is something like this useful? Should I make more of these?

06/29/2024

Thanks to Parents.com for including me in their coverage of health concerns related to teens using energy drinks - particularly those that leveraging a desirable brand identity (like Starbucks) and that lean into wellness-based tropes.

As a side note - it's a daring move for Starbucks to release their own iced energy drink line after what happened recently with Panera Bread's lemonade (for those not aware: https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/07/food/panera-charged-lemonade-discontinued/index.html). Hopefully this has a happier ending...

06/19/2024

Teens and tweens often experiment with their independence and decision-making, but how can parents distinguish between normal exploration and a problem that requires attention? Join Dr. Aaron Weiner on June 24 at 7:00 PM CST for a live webinar addressing “The Big 5” most common addictions among teens and tweens—alcohol, THC, gaming, social media, and ni****ne.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from Dr. Weiner, a licensed psychologist and master addiction counselor. Secure your spot now and empower yourself with the knowledge to help your child navigate these challenges.
https://www.weinerphd.com/parenting-webinars/p/the-big-5-addiction-concerns-what-can-parents-do

For any questions, email [email protected]

06/13/2024

Psychologists are always focused on mental health, and right now, there's a serious issue we need to address: teenagers overusing screens. The Surgeon General has issued a warning that excessive screentime, especially social media, is critically harming youth mental health, calling it “the defining public health issue of our time.”

Teens and screens notoriously share a complex relationship that can jeopardize long-term mental health and well-being. Here's how we optimize the benefits and mitigate the risks.