Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 12 (May 2008). Seeking Support by St@rG@zer I have been with TeenHelp under various user names since 2005, and I have been a member of TeenHelp's wonderful staff in the past. While being around I have noticed something about rape victims that I'd like to share. I would also like to raise awareness, raise confidence and offer support information for rape victims who use or are guests TeenHelp. I have an older sister who was brutally and...

Having Unfair Expectations of the Child We Once Were By CanadaCraig If you were abused in some way when you were a child - that abuse was being understood by you AS a child. And if you are now 15 years old it is UNFAIR of you to try to apply your 'adult logic' to what you went through as a child. But we do that all the time. And we have no right to do that. But worse than that - we often shame the child we once were - and blame them for 'things' that are NOT THEIR FAULT. "I should...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 10 (March 2008). Loving Yourself by .Infinity. (Mel) As we go through life, we all go through different things. We go through different experiences, different obstacles, different phases and so on. Many times, mostly every time, the things that happen during each situation can make a huge impact on how we see ourselves. May it have been something someone said, something you couldn't do or whatever, either negative thing can cause you to have...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 10 (March 2008). Coming Out by .Infinity. (Mel) Growing up, discovering your sexual orientation may be one of the most difficult things you will go through. Not knowing how you feel can be quite confusing. As important as knowing your sexual orientation is, coming out to those close to you is also something that may be quite important to you. When you do know how you feel, however, coming out may be quite nerve wrecking. This article will...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 9 (February 2008). Valentine's Day Gift Ideas by .Infinity. (Mel) That time of the year is here again! With Valentine's Day just around the corner, gift ideas for your wonderful partner are probably rushing through your minds. What should you get for your partner, though? What will he or she like? What's over the top? These are just very few of the questions that you may be asking yourself at the moment. While sometimes dazzling expensive...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 9 (February 2008). Depression by *xxjessxx*, Katiee & .Infinity. (Mel) An introduction - What is depression? Depression is an illness that affects your body, as well as your mood, thoughts and behaviors. As your self-esteem levels tend to change, your eating and sleeping patterns can change as well. Despite what some people say, depression isn’t just something where you can just “pull yourself together” from. It takes a lot of time and...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 9 (February 2008). Abuse by .Infinity. (Mel) Abuse is one of the most common heard terms around the world these days. We hear about it in television, from people we know, and most of all on the Internet. To abuse or mistreat something or someone is a very unlawful act, one which usually has horrible results. Though many things can be abused or mistreated, the main target for such a thing is usually children. Whether the child is young,...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 7 (December 2007). Internet Safety by Gidig **This article consists only of guidelines; there may be other precautions that you could take. While taking all of these precautions does NOT guarantee you'll be completely safe, doing them would be a step in the right direction and can help a great deal in keeping you safe.** We have all heard about Internet safety time and time again. We hear it from our teachers, parents, schools and friends....

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 7 (December 2007). Self Harm by *xxjessxx* Self harm is a technique that some people use to try and cope with the things that are going on in their lives at that time. For some people expressing how they feel through emotions is way to painful, so they choose to let this pain out in a physical way - by hurting themselves. People who do this may feel angry, worthless, pathetic, frustrated, alone or depressed. Although these feelings make us...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 6 (November 2007). Friendship and Forgiving by .Infinity. (Mel) In your lifetime you will meet many people. Within these people you meet, you will often befriend someone. Sometimes during a friendship you may have a few disagreements, which at some point may cause arguments. These arguments can be small, but at other times they can be fairly large. While sometimes the argument may end quickly, at other times it may never end. Never-ending...