Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). Bullying: a silent epidemic by sushi_error April 20th, 2009, current and former students and residents of Columbine, Colorado marked the tenth anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings. For many in this small town, the Columbine massacre etched bloody wounds that may never heal. At the same time, many question the motive of both shooters, seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Both boys had completely different...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). Friends and Family of Those Suffering From a Mental Illness by LaFin Having a family member or friend living with mental illness can be hard at times, but there are some ways to make things easier and improve communication. It’s hard to know what someone else is going through, especially in respect to mental illness, but you can try to educate yourself on the subject, be caring and understanding and at the same time help them...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). The Pros and Cons of Understanding your Mental Disorder By Gidig About 9.5% of all adults in the United States have a diagnosable mood disorder. Mental disorders include major depressive disorder, bipolar depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, ADHD, and others. Psychiatrists, doctors, and other health professionals can give you information on these disorders but thanks to the Internet we are now...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 5 (Sept. 2007). Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) by drowningangel Several times a week, the TeenHelp staff gets questions regarding sexually transmitted diseases and infections: what they are, how to prevent them, and the symptoms you may have if you do contract one. This month, we are addressing what is becoming a commonplace issue for teenagers around the world - STDs and STIs. ...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 4 (September 2007). What To Do If You Are Feeling Suicidal by Xamed (Jas) If you are feeling suicidal right now, I want you to first ask yourself the following questions: Have you thought about how you would do it? Do you have what you need to carry out your plan?

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 4 (September 2007). How suicide can affect survivors by Mel and Xamed (Jas) Suicide has a heart wrenching effect on its survivors. A survivor of suicide is defined as one who has lost a loved one to suicide. That said, the effect a suicide has can reach far beyond survivors and extend to an entire community. When a person commits suicide, their community is left to survive in the wake of a death - a chosen death. They are usually unable...

Help For Writing Argument Essays By TheDragon This just is mainly advice I want to try and hand out for writing a good essay. These are just some points I've picked up along my learning journey. 1. Know Your Story or Question It's actually been proven that about 3/4 of children doing higher education (not college or university) do not actually read questions. Always make sure to read the question and to understand what they are asking. If they want you to construct an argument then...

Breaking Up By: MechanicGodCreation and Katrina In the midst of a breakup, we've all felt as though there is no one else out there who has ever experienced such heartbreak. You may feel as though life is forcing you to start over, but reassure yourself that in time, things will be okay - there are people out there who have been through this before and are willing to help. Though breakups are often very difficult to deal with, time will may not heal you, but it will certainly help you to...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 10 (March 2008). Exam Planning by Chazzz It’s just that time of year when all of your examinations are flooding in and you’ve got a heap of work to get done. With little time to get it all done, things can get quite stressful. It’s true; most of us procrastinate. We leave our work until the last minute, then have a mad rush to get it all together in time. This only results in stress and possibly suffering grades. While work can begin to...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 12 (May 2008). Choosing a Candidate by Vessol It's hard to write a news article for a monthly issue. Why, you may ask? It's hard mainly because the news changes faster than the weather. What's up-to-date one day is old news the next, and lets not even get into months. When I was thinking of writing an article, I turned on the TV to get a brief idea. As many of you know, the dominating thing in the media lately is the 2008 Elections. As...

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). 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...