First, you need to ask yourself why you are cutting. Are you cutting to cope with the pain in your life? Or are you cutting to end your life? If your answer is the second one of the two, we encourage you to call us at 403.264.8336 for a one-on-one conversation.

If you use cutting as a coping mechanism or a way to deal with pain, that is much bigger question. Do you have a counselor or someone you can talk to? We really think that having an adult in your life that provides some great support is a great place to start. On the short term, you could try some other activities to substitute for the cutting. For example: writing in a journal, going for a walk, watching TV, going on the computer or putting an elastic band around your wrist and snapping it every time you have an urge to cut. Some folks put ice on the area they cut. Sometimes talking to someone can also be helpful which is why we are here.

We encourage you to call ConnecTeen at 403.264.TEEN (8336), email us and/or chat with us at www.calgaryconnecteen.com anytime you feel like harming yourself. We are trained youth volunteers who can help you in the moment you feel like self-harming, even if it’s just having a listening ear for a little while.

No one ever wants to be in a situation like this. What you can do is try to ignore what he/she said about you. The more attention you pay to the negative rumour, the more you will begin to believe it. Ignore it, and you will not believe it. You can also ask your friend why he/she spread the rumour about you. It could be possible that you had an argument and he/she spread a rumour to “get back at you.” If that is the case, one of the best things you can do is talk about it. Maybe you can talk about it with an adult as well. Do you have a guidance counselor or a coach or a family member who you trust? It always helps to know that you have someone in your corner you can trust and talk to.

Sometimes when friends spread rumours about others, they may do it without realizing how much of an impact it has on the friend. This is why I suggest you reach out to us via phone, email or chat: 403.264.TEEN (8336) or visit us at www.calgaryconnecteen.com. We can help you brainstorm some new ways to cope.

If you are comfortable talking with them, have you considered simply telling them? We know that this sounds difficult, but if you are friends with him/her, it will be much easier than you think. If you are friends with the person, you probably have a good idea of how he/she will react, so it will make it easier to decide whether you can talk to him/her about it.

If you are not comfortable telling them directly, would you be able to maybe text them or email them? That way, you won’t feel uncomfortable or nervous when speaking with them face to face, and are still able to tell them how you feel.

Telling someone that you like them is always going to be risky: they can either say they like you back, or may reject you. The pros and cons should definitely be taken into consideration.

Call us at 403.264.TEEN (8336) or chat with online and we’ll try to help you come with a plan of action together.

There are many resources available to help and support you through this difficult time. If you are comfortable approaching your parents, this can be an awesome first step. They will be able to offer their support and you will know that you have someone who loves and cares for you. But sometimes parents don’t know all the answers or they are uncomfortable with some subjects. If that’s the case, there are other options.

If you have a family doctor, it would be a good idea to go and see them. They will respect your privacy and will be able to help you or give you a referral to a doctor who specializes in helping teenagers with depression. If you do not have a family doctor, speaking to your school guidance counselor is also a good idea or option. They will often be able to point you in the right direction.

Depression is a tough one because sometimes it is situational and time and some talking with good listeners is enough. But sometimes you need more support such as medications and only a Doctor can help with that.

Access Mental Health is a good resource as well. They are able to connect you to professionals in the mental health field that may be able to help you. They are available at 403.943.1500 (ext. 1).

Call us at 403.264.TEEN (8336) if you need to talk or chat with us at www.calgaryconnecteen.com. And if you and the peer support volunteer think it is a good fit you can share a little information and we can get you in to see one of our counselors at Distress Centre free of charge.

It’s pretty difficult for parents to even begin to understand the struggles of a teenager. They may talk about remembering what it was like, but the world is a different place. Any frustration you may feel is quite normal.

In general, it’s good to consider the way you approach your parents. Depending on how comfortable you are with them, you may want to consider letting them know you are having problems talking with them and then discuss ways that both you and your parents would like to communicate. You can have weekly “meetings” at home and talk about whatever is bothering you or you can simply sit your parents down and talk to them.

From our experience, parents want the best for us and sometimes it is difficult for them to communicate their intentions, therefore conversing openly is extremely important.

The Community Resource Team is a great support in matters like this. They can be reached at 403.299.9699. They specialize in working with youth and families and can sometimes even come and meet at your house or in your neighbourhood just to help.

If you just need someone to talk to, please call us 403.264.TEEN (8336) and one of our trained volunteers will be more than willing to help you.

To be the victim of bullying is a terrible thing for anyone. We encourage you to talk to a trusted adult or a close friend. Although it may feel that the bullying will get worse if you speak to someone about it, it is often the only way to get it to stop. There has been research done that says that the rates of bullying decrease when it is reported.

Bullying often occurs when the bully feels he/she needs to exert his/her power on to someone else because he/she is not able to control things in his/her own lives. Although that knowledge doesn’t make your situation any easier, it can help in trying to understand things.

There are many resources available that may be able to assist you in getting additional support. Some are:

www.teamheroes.ca
www.b-free.ca

And the Alberta-wide 24-hour bullying support line: 1-888-456-2323

Call or chat with us if you need more support or ways to cope. We can be reached at 403.264.8336 or www.calgaryconnecteen.com

Being gay or lesbian is absolutely okay! Developing an identity is an extremely important part of growing up, and sexual identity is just one part of who you are. Figuring out who you are attracted to is normal and experiencing sexual attraction to your same sex is also normal. One of the best and toughest part of being a teen is you can try on identities and take your time figuring things out.

Remember that you have the right to choose your own label. Determining if you are gay or lesbian is a challenging situation to be in. There are many social pressures involved, like whether your friends or family will accept you or not. There are many resources available to help you sort through this.

Calgary Outlink is a great resource. They have a youth group called Inside Out that runs every week and this group is one option and can help you feel at ease by knowing that you have peers you can speak to who have had similar questions. You can contact them at 403-234-8973. You are also more than welcomed to speak with us at 403.264.TEEN (8336) or www.calgaryconnecteen.com

Having an addiction is a very difficult thing to deal with and everyone deals with it in their own ways. The first step is admitting that you have an addiction or a problem and want to stop. For that, we applaud you.

One of the first things that you can try to do is put the substance somewhere it is inaccessible when you have the urge to get high. When you don’t have the substance around you, you are able to focus on other activities instead. You can go out for a walk, talk to friends or take a shower. Sometimes the friends we are hanging out with make addictions worse. Is there one friend or one group of friends that seem to be the ones you use with all the time? Maybe you need to think about limiting the time you spend with them as a way of decreasing your use.

Getting support from friends and family could also go a long way in stopping an addiction. Reaching out for help and support from people you can trust is such a powerful tool and we hope that you are able to use it. Lots of times we use when we are with certain.

There are many treatment options available to you also. However, they all depend on what you prefer. The best place to call is 2-1-1, Information and Referral. They will be able to identify what your needs are and will be able to put you in touch with the best treatment option for you.

If you want to talk to someone first, call us at 403.264.TEEN (8336) or chat with us at www.calgaryconnecteen.com

Having nowhere to go is a tough situation for anyone to be in. First off, is there anything that you can do to stay at home? Would you be able to speak with your parent or caregiver and come up with some sort of agreement? How about getting someone from the Community Resource Team to help? They can be reached at 403.299.9699. They specialize in working with youth and families and can sometimes even come and meet at your house or in your neighbourhood just to help talk things through and come up with some options.

If you are not able to talk to your parents or caregiver, is there a friend that you can stay with while you get things sorted out?

Age is a very important factor in a situation like this. If you are under 18 years old, you are still considered a child and most likely, Child and Family Services will need to be involved. They can be contacted at 403.297.2995. They are there to help and can sometimes be a great resource and support.

There are some short-term shelters available for youth. They are:

Avenue 15 – 403.229.3408
Exit Youth Shelter – 403.509.2323

For a complicated situation like this we would love to have the chance to help you out. Give us a call at 403.264.TEEN (8336) where we will be able to brainstorm with you and come up with some options.

I’d like to start off by saying that if you are in any immediate danger please don’t hesitate to call the police. This is not okay on any level and we want to ensure that you get some support right away. That being said, you can always call us at 403.264.TEEN (8336) if you aren’t comfortable calling the police right away.

The Community Resource Team (CRT) is based out of Calgary and they specialize in working with youth. Their number is 403.299.9699, and this is 24-hour support service that would be able to help you.

Another resource you could use is Connect Family & Sexual Abuse Network, (www.connectnetwork.ca) their number is 403.237.5888 and their toll-free number is 1.877.237.5888.

If none those sound suitable, have you thought about speaking to a trusted friend or adult? Also, schools Guidance Counsellors are great for giving support and for ensuring you are helped. They do a great job accessing resources and making sure that you have support in all areas affected.

If you’d like to chat with us, please don’t hesitate to call or chat online, and we will be more than happy to help you out.