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By Abby Ohlheiser of the Washington Post

March 1

If you’re a parent of a young child, chances are that someone on Facebook has sent you an alarming post about the “Momo challenge,” a game illustrated by a disturbing photograph of a woman, in which participants are blackmailed into completing increasingly dangerous tasks. Maybe that post says that Momo is the latest “trend.”

Momo was perfectly tuned to set off alarms in the mind of any parent: There’s something online that you don’t know about, and it’s about to kill or traumatize your child. Just one problem: There’s little evidence to confirm that the Momo challenge is real. Although multiple deaths are often attributed to the challenge in warnings about it, none has been confirmed.

The panic over Momo followed a familiar pattern established by other supposedly viral “challenges” — the condom challenge and Tide pod challenge, for example — that caused a lot of hand-wringing but few, if any, documented injuries. The viral spread of this kind of story may say less about the danger these challenges pose to young people and more about the fear that the Internet inspires in parents.

[The ‘Momo Challenge’: A sinister threat to young people or an urban myth?]

On Feb. 17, a parent anonymously sent in a warning about the Momo challenge to a Facebook group for the town of Westhoughton, England. “I’m deeply alarmed I have discovered when I collected [my kid] today … the teacher asked to talk to me. She said [my kid] had made three kids cry by telling them that ‘Momo was going to go into their room at night and kill them.’” The post contained a description of the challenge and urged other parents in town to talk to their kids about bad people online.

That post soon became an article in a local paper. It was then picked up by national tabloids like the Daily Mail and Daily Star. Many of those reports focus on a particularly dark detail from the legend of the challenge: that its ultimate goal is to persuade participants to kill themselves on camera. “Suicide game hits Britain,” read one of the Star’s headlines.

As word of the Momo challenge spread, the Mail followed up with stories advising parents on how to handle it.

As local police stations and parents began picking up on the viral warnings and issuing their own, more legitimate outlets like the BBCalso jumped into the fray. And then, the warnings spread to America. A Florida news station claimed Momo was “the latest trend on social media.” Kim Kardashian shared one of the posts going viral that warned about it.

Whatever their intention, the person who put up the anonymous Westhoughton Facebook post set off a chain of events that made warnings about the Momo challenge go viral — even if there’s little evidence to suggest that the disturbing prank is popular at all among the kids that concerned parents are now rushing to protect. As New York Magazine wrote in an examination of the latest panic, it’s “a little strange that we’re once again talking about Momo in 2019. Strange, but given the way the web works, not that surprising.”

Momo has spread online not as a viral threat to children, but as a panic-induced news topic about a perceived viral threat to children. And like many viral challenges, Momo has spread on kernels of truth about the real dangers of the Internet for young children, appended to a repeated pattern of bad reporting on dangerous viral trends targeting children — which often turn out to be not trending at all.

Last year, a viral panic about the condom challenge spread through Parent Internet, warning about a “trend” encouraging kids to snort a condom up their nose and pull it out of their mouths to get views on social media. The Post traced the origins of that story, which generated headlines across the country, to a presentation attended by a small group of San Antonio parents in March 2018.

The presentation mentioned the condom challenge as an example of a dangerous viral teen challenge. Educators in San Antonio gave the same presentations for years. But on this date, a local news crew was present. Their report on the presentation was then aggregated by news outlets across the country, who focused in on the condom challenge and deemed it “every parent’s worst nightmare,” “the latest dangerous social media trend” and “trending” among teens.

[The condom challenge wasn’t the latest teen craze. Here’s how it went viral anyway.]

It wasn’t trending. Instead, The condom challenge was briefly popular on YouTube in 2013, thanks to a couple viral videos of people attempting it. The Post found no evidence that anyone on YouTube had tried the challenge for years. Instead, search results were full of videos warning about it. The same pattern has been repeated with the Tide pod challenge, the deodorant challenge and, to some extent, the Bird Box challenge.

Momo is similar: It is true that an extremely creepy image of a woman with bulging eyes and black hair has become a modern monster of online culture, one that has been in and out of the news cycle as reports and warnings pop up about the challenge. But the details that bolster its legend as something parents should be worried about don’t hold up. As The Post reported in September, when the challenge previously made the news, three deaths are often attributed to the challenge, but none of those reports has a proven connection.

Another warning, posted first to Facebook and then reposted to Twitter (where it has tens of thousands of retweets) claims that videos showing Momo are rampant on YouTube and YouTube Kids: “It doesn’t come on instantly so it’s almost as if it waits for you to leave the room then comes on in mid show. It’s been seen on Peppa Pig, LOL DOLL, those surprise eggs, and a few others.” But when The Post attempted to find any of these videos, we came up short. Instead, several popular YouTube videos warned about the possibility of a Momo scare in videos targeting kids. In others promising to show “proof” the rumors were real, the proof was often less than convincing.

But this warning, too, feeds off real concerns about what children are exposed to on YouTube. The Post reported earlier this week on parentswho were finding disturbing, violent clips spliced into videos targeted to children on the platform. But there’s no evidence that Momo videos trying to trick children into self harm are viral on YouTube or YouTube Kids. If they exist at all, they’re extremely hard to find. In a statement, YouTube also denied that Momo was spreading across their platform.

[A pediatrician exposes suicide tips for children hidden in videos on YouTube and YouTube Kids]

“After much review, we’ve seen no recent evidence of videos promoting the Momo Challenge on YouTube,” the statement reads. “Videos encouraging harmful and dangerous challenges are clearly against our policies, the Momo challenge included. Despite press reports of this challenge surfacing, we haven’t had any recent links flagged or shared with us from YouTube that violate our Community Guidelines.”

YouTube also announced that it would demonetize (or prohibit ads on) all videos about the Momo Challenge, including those from news organizations and YouTube creators commenting on the spread of the panic, the Verge reported.

As the Guardian noted, one of the more disturbing things about Momo’s viral spread as a warning to parents is the seriousness of the underlying topic of suicide. Samaritans, a Britain-based suicide prevention organization, told the Guardian that they were concerned all the coverage of the Momo challenge was “raising the risk of harm” for vulnerable people. “These stories being highly publicised and starting a panic means vulnerable people get to know about it and that creates a risk.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, risk factors associated with suicide may include mental disorders such as clinical depression, previous suicide attempts, a barrier to accessing mental health treatment, physical illness and feelings of hopelessness or isolation. Those who need help, including children, can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Both Kelly Hindman and Lisa Ibekwe are now open for scheduling appointments in our new Alpharetta/Roswell office.

We have officially got a second location in the Roswell/Alpharetta area.  We will be accepting new clients for February 1, 2019!  We will be conveniently located near Avalon, Wellstar North Fulton Hospital, Roswell HS, Centennial HS, Blessed Trinity, Alpharetta HS, and a variety of middle schools and elementary schools.  The new location is:

1041 Cambridge Square, Suite B

Alpharetta, GA 30009

First, we’d like to thank all of our clients and referral sources for having the trust and faith in us to serve you well.  You all have referred to us and trusted us SO much that it is almost overwhelming.  So with that in mind, we’d like to announce that we are NOT moving, but rather we are ADDING a second location to Alan Behrman & Associates, PC.  We will be adding more spectacular therapists to our already amazing staff.  We do have an area in mind, but we aren’t disclosing that just yet until we have all the details finalized.  We are shooting for a late winter/early spring opening date.  The location will be in Fulton County and we will start taking appointments for that location hopefully by early January.

Originally posted and written by Dr. Joe Accardi:

Drum roll please! Congratulations, you have decided that the time to change your life has arrived. No more low self-esteem, problem relationships, or feeling out of control. You have made the decision to take charge of your life, to shake things up, to change. You are going to begin therapy.

You have found a psychotherapist, psyched yourself up, and are ready to begin, or so you think. Butterflies begin to set in. Questions arise. Is this something you really want to do?

Are you really ready to open up your life up to someone you don’t even know? What will they think of you? What if therapy doesn’t help? It’s all new and maybe even a bit embarrassing. You may ask yourself, “What have I done?”

Take a deep breath and relax, as you prepare yourself for your first time in psychotherapy it is quite normal to wonder what the experience will be like. And there are plenty of examples to draw upon. From the comical to the serious, we’ve all heard or seen depictions of characters being involved in therapy. It is a favorite topic of many stand-up comedians, interview shows, and other venues. How close to reality are they? Let’s take a look.

Your First Time

At some point anyone going into therapy must start somewhere. That initial first step is always the same: finding a therapist. Information on this important topic is covered in another article but suffice to say your first session will depend on who you have selected. Beyond that, there are some general things you must take care of when you have your first appointment. These include:

• Where your therapy will take place: As silly as this may sound, many clinical practices may use satellite offices for therapy. It is never wrong to know where you are going.
• Type of therapy; group or individual: This should have been discussed during your initial intake. If not, ask. There is nothing more disappointing than to expect an individual session with your therapist and then walk in to a group session.
• Appointment time: Obvious, right?
• Completing necessary paperwork: Be sure to bring copies of the information the office needs. Ask them in advance what it is they will want.
• Cancellation policy: Just in case.
• Completion of other items
• Allow an additional 15 minutes before your appointment to complete everything.
• Try to relax.
• Use the restroom.
• Bring a bottle of water with you.

Behind Closed Doors

There you sit, wondering to yourself if anyone else in the waiting room recognizes you. You hope not. Then the door opens and your therapist invites you inside. He or she then gently close the door behind you inviting you to sit down, and makes sure you are as comfortable as possible.

Again, you may be given the opportunity to clarify any questions you may have or even ask new ones. Thus the dance begins. As it is with most new relationships you will probably react in one of two ways. You will be quiet and reserved, answering only those questions you are asked. Or, you may be like others. In an effort to break the ice you may just start talking a mile a minute. Not to worry, your therapist has seen it all, and is fully prepared to let you get settled in.

The goal for most first sessions is to establish what it is you and your therapist will be focusing on. Depending on your issues this exploratory time may be completed during the first session, or in some instances it can extend beyond that time into another session.

Your therapist may take notes or even tape your time together. If they do tape your time you can expect them to ask your permission to do so. These notes serve as reminders to the therapist of your thoughts and reactions to certain things. In addition, most professional therapists are required to maintain a record of some kind that covers your interactions, treatment, and progress. These records are always private and shared only with your permission.

All of this, and it is only the first session.

Let the Therapy Begin

Although many people do not recognize it, all of the goings on during that first session serve an important therapeutic end. That is to establish your comfort level, to get you involved, and to begin to build a level of trust between you and your therapist.

Depending on the direction of the type of therapy used by your therapist several options may occur. Mot therapist will begin by asking you what are known as open ended questions. This method involves the therapist in shaping a question that asks you to tell a story about an event or people in your life. For example, the therapist may know or suspect that as you experienced your childhood the dynamics of your family played an important role. They might as you this, “Tell me what it was like for you growing up?”

Many clients may be hesitant to say too much, but a good therapist will soon put your mind at ease and encourage you to let the words flow. What your therapist is looking for are:

• Self-descriptions of your experiences
• Opportunities for additional insight on your part.
• Clarification of issues.

Over Time

The steps described above are very general in nature, but do point out that the work you do in therapy is a process. While it may not always the most comfortable of directions, never the less it can be an exciting process of self-discovery. As you and your therapist dig deeper there will be discoveries made about how and why you react in certain ways as well as offering you the opportunity to try reacting differently.

For however long it takes you to achieve your goal you and your therapist will continue to work on you getting it right.

Happy New Year and welcome to our new and improved website. With a new year comes new changes to Alan Behrman & Associates, PC.
Read More “A New Year a new site.”

We are extremely happy to announce that we have added a new therapist, Kelly Hindman, to our staff effective immediately.  Read More “We are extremely happy to announce that we have added a new therapist,”

We have recently added a concierge-style service to our list of ways to help our clients. Often clients need immediate help, Read More “New Concierge-style services now being offered!”

I was fortunate enough to be an All-American high school football player. I was lucky enough receive a full-scholarship to a major university to play football. Read More “A Gymnastics Career and Retirement: A Parent’s Perspective”