Here are a couple websites with some helpful tips for a successful transition into college:
Stress
Know a teen dealing with cancer?
Cancer is one of the hardest things a person could have to go through in their life. Not just for the person diagnosed with cancer, but for the friends and family of this person as well. Teens Living with Cancer is a great website dedicated specifically to teenagers and the hardships they are facing. It is a great website to visit even if you do not have cancer yourself, but want to be able to better understand and support a friend or loved one who does have cancer.
Bullying/Cutting
Dear youthline,
-I’ve been feeling so depressed lately. I have no social life at all. My parents are just making it worst by yelling at me. To top it I’m stressed out about maybe getting into a fight I’ll never win and then getting introuble with my parents. I just don’t know what to do. What should I do about this?
-I’ve been dealing with a lot of stuff. Recently I started cutting myself. I was under a lot of stress and I wanted to know if it actully worked. I considered drugs but I didnt feel that I had a lot of openings to drugs so i went to cutting. Now, everytime I feel uncomfortable I go into a bathroom and use something sharp and start cutting. I told one of my best-friends about it and she told me to stop. But I doubt she has any idea of what I’m going through or feeling. So why should I take her advice? What do I do at this point?
Dear Victoria,
I am sorry to hear that you have been struggling lately, but am very glad that you reached out to the YouthLine. We would love to talk to you on the phone any day at any time to better help you and talk with you about the hard times you are going through. Please feel free to call whenever you would like. Teens are available to answer the phone Mondays-Thursday from 4-9 pm. The number is 1-877-968-8491.
Your safety comes first and is very important, so if you are still having concerns about becoming involved in a fight, I ecourage you to confide in a trusted teacher at school or a counselor. Have you considered talking to your parents about this fight that you are worried about, or anything else going on in your life right now that is making you feel depressed? If you are uncomfortable discussing these things with your parents, I would again encourage that you do talk with someone. As long as the person is someone you tust, it can be a great relief to have someone to confide in and listen to you.
With how hard things have been in your life lately, you show great strength in making the choice to not do drugs. By making this decision, it sounds like you do care about and respect your body and health, but are just having trouble relieving the stress and depression in a healthy and effective way. Although your friend may not be going through the same thing as you, it sounds like she is very concerned for your safety and only wants the best for you. Have you tried opening up to your friend about what is going on so that she can understand the stress and emotions you are experiencing? We are concerned for your safety, so if you ever have thoughts of suicide please call the YouthLine and know that there are people who care about you!
1-877-968-8491
We wish you the best Victoria,
-YouthLine
My brother always calls me fat
Dear YouthLine –
I am 12 years old.
I am 140 pounds.
I always feel fat and my brother always calls me fat,
So I only ate a little bit, then dad got deported to Mexico.
I have been sad and so I have been eating a lot but i want to lose 40 pounds but I feel like food takes away all the hurt inside. I always cry because I feel overweight and ugly, what do I do?
– Elisha
Dear Elisha,
Thanks so much for reaching out to us and opening up about what is going on in your life.
It is completely normal and very common for people of all ages to feel comforted by food, so please don’t feel like you are alone. Being separated from a parent is a very difficult and overwhelming time. I don’t know a lot about your situation, but it is so important that you reach out to other family members, friends, or anyone close to you for support, especially during this hard time. If you feel uncomfortable talking to a friend or family member about your concerns, I would encourage you to possibly talk to a school counselor, or of course you can always call the YouthLine! We would love to hear from you. Teens are available to take calls from 4-9 PM Monday through Thursday. In addition to being separated from your dad, it sounds like you are very concerned with your health and physical appearance. While food can be very comforting, there are other options available that would help you to cope with the pain in a healthy way. You mentioned wanting to lose weight. Exercise is a sure way to help make this happen, and will also most likely make you feel much better on the inside and out! We care about you and how you are feeling. It is important to always take time for yourself and do things that you enjoy. I don’t know anything about your interests, but some suggestions would be reading, drawing, listening to music, writing, hanging out with a friend, taking a walk to get some fresh air…and anything else that you enjoy. Here is a website that I hope is helpful to you.
http://www.something-fishy.org/
YouthLine’s number is 1-877-968-8491.
Best wishes Elisha,
-YouthLine