A 16-YEAR-OLD girl that we will call Emily listed her reasons for wanting to die. ‘I feel as if I have no future, I feel really inferior to those bullying me in school, and I am extremely lonely.’ A 17-YEAR-OLD boy that we will call James listed his reason for wanting to die. ‘Alone, no... Continue Reading →
TEENS: What If My Father or Mother Is Terminally Ill?
Most teenagers give little thought to death or taking care of the elderly, as their parents are likely healthy and decades from needing in home health care or a nursing home. Then, sadly a few teens have found themselves in the tragic situation of a parent becoming terminally ill. Imagine an illness that has no... Continue Reading →
TEENS: Coping With My Parent’s Divorce
Divorce is difficult for the entire family, but it is extra difficult for the children. Isolating yourself, trying to cope with such a tragedy will be counterproductive. It is best to talk with your parents, letting them know just how sad and confused you are. Depending on your age, they may explain more fully what... Continue Reading →
TEENS: How Can I Cope With Heartbreak?
Wise King Solomon wrote, “I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and unexpected events happen to them all.” All humans are susceptible to tragedies.... Continue Reading →
TEENS: How Do I Find Privacy?
It might seem as though your parents are always intruding into your business. Let us get this one fact out of the way first. That is their job as your parent. They are concerned about your well-being. Their knowledge and life experience allow them to see things coming around the corner of life that your... Continue Reading →
TEENS – Others Are Spreading Rumors About Me
If you find that, a friend has been gossiping about you, will you find it difficult not to reply in kind and can you calmly go to your friend? You do have inside knowledge of negative information about this friend, are you quick to retaliate? Your answers to these questions will determine if you are... Continue Reading →
TEENS – How Many Friends Should I have?
Some teens feel that their friends are a representation of who they are, or that the friends are what bring them genuine comfort. Some teens collect online friends thinking that the more they have, the better their social standing. Other teens are more practical, in that, they just have a small circle of friends, and... Continue Reading →
TEENS – Death Does Not Get Back at Those Who Hurt You
So What’s Next? Great question; no one knows. People speculate all of the time about what happens next. There are several thoughts you may have about this part of your plan. After all, many who commit suicide have thought about it, ruminated on it, and played it out in their mind over and over before... Continue Reading →
TEENS – Others Do Not Define Who You Are Or Will Be
Who Are You and Do you Like Who You Are? What makes up a person is a combination of three things: Self-Identify, Personality, and Character. Now granted this is very simplified, but bear with me. Your self-identity encompasses your self-worth (what you believe your value to be), self-esteem (how much you like yourself), and self-image... Continue Reading →
TEENS – There Is Hope
Maybe your life up to this point has been a feeling of despair, a sense of hopelessness, believing that there is no way out, with no expectation that anything will ever change. One thing social media and 24-hour news have done is help us to appreciate that everyone is touched by a tragedy of one... Continue Reading →