Find out about some awesome programs and opportunities outside of the YouthLine =)
Click the image to visit the website.
COVID-19: Whatever you’re feeling, YouthLine is here for you.
Support ResourcesYouthLine is a free and confidential 24-hour teen-to-teen crisis, counseling, and referral line for youth.
Posted April 11, 2012
Posted April 5, 2012
The following information can be found at http://helpguide.org/mental/bullying.htm
-Don’t blame yourself. It is not your fault. No matter what someone says or does, you should not be ashamed of who you are or what you feel.
-Be proud of who you are. Despite what a bully says, there are many wonderful things about you. Keep those in mind instead of the messages you hear from bullies.
-Get help. Talk to a parent, teacher, counselor, or other trusted adult. Seeing a counselor does not mean there is something wrong with you.
-Learn to deal with stress. Finding ways to relieve stress can make you more resilient so you won’t feel overwhelmed by bullying. Exercise, meditation, positive self-talk, muscle relaxation and breathing exercises are all good ways to manage the stress from bullying.
By changing your attitude towards bullying you can help regain a sense of control.
Having trusted people you can turn to for encouragement and support will boost your resilience when being bullied. Reach out to connect with family and real friends (those who don’t participate in bullying) or explore ways of making new friends. There are plenty of people who will love and appreciate you for who you are.
If you or someone you love is being bullied in any way, please call the YouthLine at 1-877-968-8491 to talk to another teen who is willing and ready to listen to anything you want to talk about and work with you to figure out what steps should be taken to make the situation better. The volunteers at YouthLine truly care and want whoever is reading this to know that you are special and important and do not deserve to be bullied. If you do not feel comfortable calling, you can TEXT teen2teen to 66746.
Posted April 4, 2012
Pretty interesting! Hopefully we don’t actually swallow that many spiders….
Posted March 23, 2012
Have a great weekend!
Posted March 23, 2012
Dear YouthLine,
I’m looking for some help with some issues I have about my gender, but my parents cannot afford therapy sessions. I’ve been at least queer ever since I was about eight and it got to the point around when I was eleven to where I thought that I should have been a girl and that being a guy was not who I am. I started having dreams about being a girl and dressing as one. By the time I was like thirteen I really wanted to see what is was like dressing as a girl, but never got an opportunity since my mom’s clothes were really big on me so I gave up on that. It was pretty stressful with moving around from place to place and school to school since my dad is in the military and I was pretty alone and shy. I looked at girls almost longingly and really wanted to be one. Everything about my body feels wrong except my weight and my eyes, I hate body hair it’s repulsive, I hate how scraggily I look and my physique. I hate my private part more than anything, it’s revolting and I hate looking at it. I started taking less and less showers too because I hated looking at my body and I felt so repulsive. Eighth grade came around at a new school again in LA and I remember my friend saying that I would be a really good looking girl if I was born that way and I remember feeling so sad because I wanted to be beautiful and I wanted to be like any other girl in the world, but that I would never be able to. I kept it a secret from my parents until last year and they thought it was just a stage I was going through and they still do because I never bring it to their attention since they push it aside and refuse to help me. I really need advice from a specialist please help…
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you so much for reaching out to the YouthLine. It sounds like you are in a lot of pain, and the conflict between your body and your mind has you feeling really depressed and lost. To say that what you are dealing with is difficult would be a huge understatement. Right now it may seem impossible to look beyond today, but the fact that you reached out for help shows how strong you are, and we know that if you don’t give up on yourself, and your desire to feel like you belong in your skin, it will get better. Your body doesn’t fit with how you feel about yourself, but you are very aware of WHO you are. Your clarity, conviction and strength are such valuable tools for this road that you have ahead of you. Hold onto them, and use them to make your future what you want it to be.
We encourage you to use this same strength that led you to the YouthLine website, and take it one step further by reaching out to a local LGBTQ center in Olympia. Stonewall Youth is a wonderful program located in downtown Olympia. We feel that one of the most helpful things you can do right now is go somewhere you can surround yourself with people who can share in what you are dealing with. They offer FREE support groups, retreats, and even a Rock and Roll Camp! Their address is 203 4th Ave E # 516, Olympia, WA, and their intake phone number is 360-705-2738 (it says on their website that in order to take part in any of their services you have to go through a quick intake procedure).
As for the long term, it is very important that you find a way to get into some form of mental health counseling. You said in your email that your dad is active in the military, and though we would need more specifics to be sure, that probably makes you eligible for military provided health insurance (possibly TRICARE). It may not be easy, but it would definitely be worth asking your parents to see if you are covered by some form of affordable mental health services. Keep in mind that while you will need your parents’ permission to use their insurance, you are 16 and that means that you have the right to keep everything you talk to your counselor about confidential. A couple of examples of mental health services in your area that you could bring to the conversation with your parents are:
Sea Mar CHC – Tumwater Behavioral Health Center
360-704-7590
-They offer mental health assessments and individual therapy. They accept private insurance AND out of pocket payment.
Thurston County Mental Health
360-867-2602
We imagine that the people at Stonewall can also be helpful with coming up with some creative ways to make services available to you.
We wish you the best of luck. Please keep our phone number (1-877-968-8491) and our texting number (text “teen2teen” to 66746) with you in case you ever need someone to talk to.
Best,
YouthLine
Posted March 19, 2012
Dear YouthLine,
How do I get over my ex boyfriend when I go to a really small school with about 20 of us in our grade and I see him face to face every other day? When I fist started going to this school I didn’t know anyone. The first people I started talking to were my ex boyfriend and his friends. It is a specialized trade school and I’m the only female. All the guys stick together and I was always out by myself being all girly. I have spent the past 7 months with my ex and his friends. So I don’t know anyone else at this school. I don’t know how I’m going to handle the next couple of months untill summer. But luckily I go to another school too. So I ONLY have to see him everyother day and next year I won’t be going to this school. But I still just don’t know how to get over him if I have to be in such a close area with him and I feel like I miss him but I know I wasn’t happy being with him. I think I only feel like I miss him because I’m alone at this school now..
-Emily
Dear Emily,
I am glad that you reached out to the YouthLine! It sounds like you are going through a really tough time right now and on top of that are feeling pretty isolated at school. Breaking ties with someone is hard enough as it is, but I imagine it is even more difficult when you are forced to see that person on a regular basis. Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer on what you should do in order to make this situation easier. Is remaining friends with your ex-boyfriend 1) possible at this point in time and 2) something you are interested in? If so, I would suggest having an honest and open conversation with your ex so that you both can discuss your feelings and establish where you stand, whether a friendship is something you are both interested in, and if so, what that friendship would look like. If remaining friends is possible, it could potentially help the awkwardness of the situation, but that would probably not be the case unless you are both completely over one another and are content with being friends. I am going to assume from your e-mail that since you and your boyfriend broke up, you are no longer hanging out with his group of friends? If remaining friends with your ex and his friends is not an option that you are comfortable with, I would encourage you to consider getting to know some of the other students from the school and trying to make some new friends, especially since you will be there for another few months. In time, this should bring some clarity to whether you truly do miss your ex or if you only feel like you miss him because you are alone at the school with no friends to talk to and spend time with.
In the meantime, remember that your health and well-being are most important and should be a number 1 priority. Going through a break up can be draining and is emotionally very difficult. It can be tough balancing relationships, family and school and somehow managing to stay sane! Be sure to eat regularly, get some form of regular physical activity, and get plenty of sleep.
If you would like to talk on the phone with another teen who can relate and understand the struggles you are going through, please give the YouthLine a call at 1-877-968-8491. The line is open 24/7, but teens are available to answer calls Monday-Friday from 4-9pm. We also have a brand new texting service. If you want to text with a teen, text the words teen2teen to 66746. Best of luck with your situation and in finishing school these next couple months!
Hope to hear from you soon,
-YouthLine