Abstract:Recent shootings at various schools around the country have brought to our attention the dangerous mental health of some of our youth. Rates of major depression and suicide have been increasing dramatically. Drug use, after dropping during the early 1990s, is now on the rise, even among middle school age youth.
Individuals with a history of substance dependence, particularly those in early recovery and those who are older, can exhibit significant cognitive deficits. Individuals with major depression also have significant cognitive impairment. Understanding lectures is difficult enough for students with impaired concentration. The two together create twice the difficulties in thinking and learning.
Presenter Bio:
Rodney received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of North Dakota
and his Masters of Education in Counseling and Guidance, from North Dakota State University.
In addition he has doctoral level course work in Educational Psychology and Counseling from
the University of South Dakota.
He has twenty years professional experience as a Certified/Licensed Chemical Dependency professional. His positions have included direct service, clinical supervision, and program administration. He has been associated with both public and private agencies/programs serving adults, adolescents, families, minorities, homeless, as well as middle and upper socioeconomic levels.
He currently serves as a member of the Mental Health Advisory Committee as well as a past member of the Human Resources Council for Scott County, Minnesota. He also served as a member of a Mental Health Initiatives Committee at Century College. This was an Award for Excellence project designed to research the Mental Health and Chemical Dependency needs and resources of students, staff, and faculty and make recommendations for improvements, additions, and implementation.
He currently is an adjunct instructor at Normandale Community College teaching in Psychology.
Additionally, he teaches at Century College in Psychology and Chemical Dependency and at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, in Psychology.
So, depression, substance abuse and suicide are on the rise. Why? We know this is occurring and we are trying to address the problem but maybe we need to address the reasons why this is happening in the first place. College students know a lot more about the detrimental results of drug use, promiscuity and alcohol abuse since I graduated from college in the early 1980's so one would assume that this knowledge would be effective in students making better choices...yet, statistics show the opposite. Explain WHY.
ReplyDeleteAs long as mind-altering substances are available, a certain amount of the population will be indiscriminately stricken with the serious implications of mental illness and the cycle of addiction.
ReplyDelete