This is Your Brain on Achievement Culture with Dr. William StixrudWe are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, especially among kids in “high achieving” schools. Neuropsychologist William Stixrud has a front row-seat to the crisis, with unique insight into emerging research on the impact that “achievement-culture” related chronic stress and anxiety have on the adolescent brain. We cover a lot of territory, including:4:20 How the Beatles shaped Bill’s brain7:46 The difference between rich and poor kids’ mental health 8:58 The mental health status of “high achieving kids”10:51 Detailing the adolescent mental health CRISIS13:19 The cruel untruths we tell teens16:52 How stress “sculpts” the adolescent brain18:39 The relationship between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala 21:41 A crazy story about fearing a kid in Iowa23:17 How depression “scars” kids’ brains24:27 The most important indicator of a successful childhood26:58 How fear fuels the problem29:00 The most stressful thing in the universe30:47 Teenagers’ experience of learned helplessness32:53 School policy strips kids of autonomy34:53 Teachers need autonomy too!38:11 The startling paradox of “good schools” Here’s a link to my conversation with Emmy Huefner about her experiences with achievement culture stress.

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