Department of Health
John J. Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner

Healthy Behaviors

Healthy Behaviors

Printable Brochure

Your future starts now!

You may not realize it, but you’re already planning for your future. You’re figuring out your likes, dislikes, interests, and values. Planning for your future is an ongoing process that includes learning, discovering, setting goals, taking risks, making choices and reflecting on those choices.

Discovering your interests and talents

Taking the time to think about your interests and abilities is the first step toward discovering what it is you want to do now as a teen, or even later when you become an adult. You can start by asking yourself the following questions:

• What are some subjects that interest me?
• What special skills or talents do I have?
• What would I like to learn more about?
• What would I like to change in my community or in the world?

Getting Experience

Once you have some ideas of what you would like to do or learn more about, the next step is to find opportunities that give you experience and teach you about the field you are interested in. Whatever it is you want to do, there is help out there. Here are some suggestions:

Get involved at school

Your school is a great resource with many clubs and activities you can join. Examples include student government, band, orchestra, choir, journalism, athletics, and clubs for the arts, drama, science, math or languages.

Community Organizations

There may be organizations in your community that offer programs. Many cities or communities offer sports leagues that are open to kids from different areas. Your local library, community centers, parks and recreation programs may have information about a variety of different opportunities.

Give back to your community

Dedicating your time and talents to a good cause in your community can be a great way to develop your interests and skills, while helping others at the same time. Some people volunteer because they want to change their community or world we live in, or to address an issue they think is important. Sometimes people volunteer to help others in need.

Every year millions of teens work part time or summer jobs. Having a job is a great opportunity to gain experience and valuable skills while earning some money at the same time. Many teens have jobs in areas such as babysitting, fast food, retail, and newspaper delivery—these, as well as other jobs, can teach you a great deal about leadership, time management, and responsibility.

Tobacco

Don’t smoke – Here’s why.

Tobacco is addictive, meaning it is hard to stop using it. It contains nicotine, a drug that affects the brain. It goes through your bloodstream and reaches your brain in seconds. At first, it makes you feel good, but in less than an hour these good feelings go away and you start to feel nervous or moody. Since you want to feel good, you reach for another cigarette. Just like you crave pizza or chocolate, your brain begins to crave nicotine. But even though you are usually able to resist your cravings for your favorite foods, it is much harder to stay away from another cigarette. Eventually, you become hooked. And the younger you are when you start smoking, the more likely you are to become strongly addicted.

This may not be the first time you’ve heard that smoking can make you sick. It can cause diseases like cancer and emphysema, make your bones weak, and keep your heart from working right. But did you know that some symptoms start as soon as you smoke your first cigarette – no matter how young you are?

Alcohol

How can it hurt your body?

Alcohol can cause short-term and long-term damage to your body.

Brain

Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, loss of memory, and even blackouts.

Heart

Drinking alcohol could cause your blood pressure to rise, increase your heart rate, cause your heart to beat abnormally, and can increase the size of your heart.

Stomach

You're putting empty calories into your body, which could cause weight gain. If you drink too much, you may vomit because alcohol is toxic. Drinking alcohol can also cause stomach ulcers and cancer.

Liver

Drinking alcohol could cause diseases such as cirrhosis (sir-o-sis). It can also cause hepatitis (inflamed liver) or even liver cancer, which weakens the liver's ability to clot and keep our blood free from poisons and bacteria.

Reproductive System

Heavy drinking can cause painful periods, heavy flow, discomfort before your period (PMS), and irregular periods (not getting your period when you're supposed to). Drinking also raises the risk of getting sexually assaulted and having unsafe sex.

What are the signs of addiction to alcohol?

Alcoholism is a disease where a person drinks too much alcohol on a regular basis and depends on alcohol to solve their problems. Even young people can have an alcohol problem. If you can relate to any of the items listed below, you should think about how alcohol is affecting your life and talk to an adult you trust for help.

• Alcohol has become more important than your schoolwork, family activities and relationships, or friendships.
• You use alcohol to escape from things that make you unhappy
• You drink when you're mad at your parents, family, or friends.
• You can't control your drinking once you start. Even if you decide you'll only have a few drinks, you end up having a lot.
• When you drink, you act like a different person than when you are sober.
• When drinking with friends, you can drink more than anyone else.
• You have blackouts or events you don't fully remember after drinking.

Don't be afraid to talk to someone if you or someone you know has these signs. People want to help you. Talk to your parents, doctor, school counselor, or another adult you trust.

Drugs

Drugs are substances that change the way your brain and body works. Drugs can be swallowed, inhaled, smoked, or injected. Whichever way drugs are taken, they end up in your bloodstream and go to all parts of your body. Many drugs are illegal, meaning it is against the law to have them. Here's the real truth about illegal drugs:

• Drugs wear off, but they can cause life-long damage to your body.
• Many drugs are addictive, which means it can be really hard to quit.
• Drugs affect your mind, making it harder to make safe choices and defend yourself in dangerous situations.
• Drugs are toxic and are not meant to be in your body. Your body can have an extreme reaction – you can become really sick or even die. This happens to teens every day.
• Drugs make you look ugly! Not only are drugs bad for your health, they can alter your looks dramatically!

Be safe: Choose not to use

Ok. So you know that drugs can cause terrible problems. Now what? The hardest part is telling your friends or anyone who offers you drugs, "NO", but it is definitely worth it! Most teens have made the decision not to use drugs. Making a decision not to use drugs takes courage but you can do it! Here are some ways you can choose not to use:

• Just say, "No thanks."
• Find an excuse to leave.
• Stay alert: don’t allow anyone to give you drugs without you knowing it.
• Ask for help from other friends or adults if someone is really pressuring you to use.
• Make new friends who respect your decision not to use drugs.
• Go to events that don't involve drugs. Don't put yourself in an unsafe or difficult situation.

Know when there's a problem

How do you know a friend has a problem with drugs? Here are some signs:

• A person who has a drug problem thinks drugs are the solution to all problems. She may spend all of her free time figuring out how to do drugs and how to get money to buy drugs.
• He/She is anxious, depressed, and irritable. He/She has dropped out of regular school activities and has group of drug-using friends.
• His/Her grades have dropped and she may not come to school regularly.
• He/She seems to have gained or lost a lot of weight.
• He/She may look sick, tired, or even messy.
• He/She also seems to be taking more and more of the drug to get the same effect.

If you or someone you know shows some of these signs, you can get help! The only way out of drug addiction is to recognize that there is a problem and that you can get help from others. Turn to your parents, teachers, counselors, or any adult you trust—they care about you. Although it won't be easy, you or your friend can stop using drugs. Don't be ashamed. Asking for help could be the best decision you ever made.

Healthy Relationships

Healthy Relationships

Printable Brochure

What makes a relationship healthy?

Healthy relationships are fun and make you feel good about yourself. You can have a healthy relationship with anyone in your life – family, friends and the people you date. Relationships take time, energy, and care to make them healthy.

Communication & Sharing

The most important part of any healthy relationship between two people is communication: being able to share things about yourself and your feelings, and paying attention to what the other person shares. This can happen by talking, emailing or writing, and even using body language.

Healthy communication allows you and the other person to feel comfortable with one another and figure out what you both like to do. You can also share your feelings with the other person and trust that he or she will be there to listen, support you, and keep personal information that you share private. In healthy relationships, people don't lie. Communication is based on honesty and trust.

How do I know that I have a healthy relationship with someone?

• You feel good about yourself when you are around that person.
• You think that there is an equal amount of give and take.
• You feel safe around the other person.
• You enjoy spending time with the other person, instead of feeling like you're pressured into spending time with him or her.
• You feel that you can trust him or her with your secrets.

Parent/Guardian Relationships

Your relationship with your parents/guardians may be confusing right now. As you are growing and changing, you have more responsibilities and also more freedom to spend time with other people like friends or dating partners. While you may feel ready to make your own decisions about where and when you go places, your parents/guardians will put limits on you. The reason that they do this is because they care about you and want to protect you from danger.

How to Disagree With Your Parents

Of course, some parents are better than others at helping you to communicate well. Parents can help by listening to and respecting a teen's point of view, even if it opposes their own. If your parents just don't seem to be on the same track as you, try these tips for disagreeing constructively:

• Don't make it personal. If you get upset, try to remember you're mad at the idea or concept your parent or another adult is raising, not the person.
• Avoid putting down your parents' ideas and beliefs. Instead of saying, "That's a stupid idea," say, "I don't agree, and here's why."
• Use "I" statements to communicate how you feel, what you think, and what you want or need. Using "you" statements can sound argumentative. For example, telling your mom or dad, "You always remind me about my chores on Wednesdays when you know I have a lot of homework" has a very different tone from "I'm feeling pressured because I have a lot of homework tonight. Can I do those chores tomorrow?"
• Listen to the other point of view. Doing so makes it more likely that a parent or adult will listen to yours.

Friendships

Friendships can be confusing at this time in your life. You may be making new friends while you are trying to keep old friends. It can also be hard knowing what to do if you disagree with a friend. You can have a good friendship and still disagree sometimes, though.

Tips for handling a disagreement with a friend:

• In a healthy friendship, you should not be afraid of losing a friend because you say "no." Good friends should respect your right to say no about anything and not give you a hard time. It is important that you show your friend the same respect when they say no to you.
• If you and your friend disagree about something or have an argument, it does not mean that you have an unhealthy relationship. You will not always agree with what your friend has to say, but it is important that you respect one another’s opinions. As long as you and your friend listen to what the other has to say, you should be able to work through a disagreement.
• The relationships you have will help you learn a lot about yourself. You will find out what things you like to do together but, more importantly, you will learn about the kind of friends you want to have and the kind of friend you want to be.

Peer pressure

One thing that can make any relationship hard is peer pressure. Peer pressure is when people try to pressure you to do something you usually wouldn't do, or stop doing something that you normally would do. There are many reasons people give in to peer pressure, such as worry about what friends will think, not knowing how to get out of a situation, and fear of being left out. Some friends may pressure you to do something because "everyone else does it," such as making fun of someone, using alcohol or drugs, or smoking. But saying “No, thanks” and “I don’t want to” is the best thing you can do for yourself. One of the biggest challenges that you may have to face is standing up to a friend. Just remember that you are in charge of what you do and don’t do. It can help to talk with your parents/caregivers about how to handle pressures that come up socially.

Bullying

Friendships are very important to young women, especially when it comes to having a group of people to hang out with. When it comes to the social scene, there can sometimes be competition and jealousy over friendships. When this happens, some people will leave others out of a circle of friends or even bully them in more open ways to feel better about themselves. Being left out of a group can really hurt someone’s feelings, so remember how your actions can affect others. You would want others to include you and treat you nicely also!

Dating

Dating relationships can be a fun and exciting part of your life. They can also be confusing, especially if dating is new to you. Once you know that the person that you like also likes you, you may be unsure of what to do next. You can start by learning about what makes a dating relationship healthy and safe.

When do teens start dating?

First, there is no best age for teens to begin dating. Every person will be ready for a dating relationship at a different time. Different families may have certain rules about dating, too. When you decide to start a new dating relationship, it should be because you care about someone and not because you feel like you have to start dating. A dating relationship is a special chance to get to know someone, and share your thoughts and feelings with each other.

Healthy dating relationships should start with the same things that healthy friendships have: good communication, honesty, and respect. Dating relationships are a little different because they may include physical affection, like hugging, kissing, or holding hands. As you start to date, you may find yourself wanting to spend all of your time with this person, but it is important to spend time apart as well as together. This will allow you to have a healthy relationship with the person you are dating and with your friends and family at the same time.

Most importantly, you should NEVER feel pressured to do something that you don't want to do. The other person should always respect your right to say no to anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. It is important that you are both clear with each other about what you will and will not do. By talking about how each of you feel about a lot of things, you may avoid getting pressured into making a decision on the spot about something very important.

Tips for having healthy and safe relationships:

• Get to know a person by talking on the phone or at school before you go out for the first time.
• Go out with a group of friends to a public place the first few times you spend time together.
• Plan fun activities like going to the movies, a picnic, the mall, or for a walk.
• Be clear with the other person about what you feel comfortable doing and what time your parents/guardian want you to be home.
• Tell at least one friend and your parents/guardians who you are going out with and where you are going. Be sure to also tell them how to reach you.

Safety in Relationships

There are many signs that you could be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship. Take a look at this list of "warning signs" and see if any of these describe your friend or the person you are going out with:

• gets angry when you talk or hang out with other friends or people of the opposite sex
• bosses you around
• often gets in fights with other people or loses his or her temper
• pressures you to have sex or to do something sexual that you don't want to do
• uses drugs and alcohol, and tries to pressure you into doing the same thing
• swears at you or uses mean language
• blames you for his or her problems, or tells you that it is your fault that he or she hurt you
• insults or tries to embarrass you in front of other people
• has physically hurt you
• makes you feel scared of their reactions to things
• always wants to know where you are going and who you are with

These are just a few of the signs that you may be in an unhealthy or abusive relationship. Sometimes there are only one or two "warning signs" and sometimes there are many. If any of these signs are a part of your relationship, you should speak to a trusted adult such as a parent/guardian, teacher, doctor, nurse, or counselor right away!

Source: The information in this document was taken directly from the GirlsHealth.gov website which was developed by the United States Department for Health and Human Services.

Nutrition

Printable Brochure

How much of each food group do I need? Check out the information below to find out how much teens need from each group.

• Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits – whether fresh, frozen, canned or dried – rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. Try melons such as cantaloupe, berries such as blueberries, and citrus fruit such as grapefruit. Teen need 2 cups of fruits each day.
• Vary your veggies. Eat more dark green veggies, such as broccoli, kale, and other dark leafy greens; orange veggies, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash; and beans and peas, such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils. Teen girls need 2½ cups of vegetables each day while teen boys need 3½ cups each day.
• Get your calcium-rich foods. Teens need 1,300 milligrams of calcium every day, which equals 130% of the DV (Daily Value) of the 1,000 milligrams that is recommended for adults. This means that teen need 30% more calcium than adults need. To get 1,300 milligrams each day, drink and eat a variety of foods that are high in calcium, such as fat-free or low-fat milk, fat-free yogurt, American cheese, ricotta cheese, and fruit yogurt and consume the recommended amounts from the other food groups. It would take 3 cups of milk to get 1,300 mg of calcium.
• Make half your grains whole. Of the about 6 ounce-equivalents of grains teen girls need every day, at least 3 should be whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta. Teen boys need 9 ounce-equivalents of
  grains every day, with at least 4½ ounces should be from whole grains. One ounce-equivalent is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or ¼ cup of cooked rice or pasta. Look to see that grains such as wheat,
  rice, oats, or corn are called "whole" in the list of ingredients. Bread that is just called "wheat" bread is not the same as "whole wheat bread." Look for "whole wheat" to know it is the healthiest option.
• Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry that are baked, broiled or grilled. And vary your protein choices by also eating more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. Teen girls need about 5½ ounces of lean
  protein each day while teen boys need 6½ ounces of lean protein each day. A 2-3 ounce serving of meat, poultry, or fish is equal to the size of a deck of cards.

How many calories do I need?

In general, teen girls need about 2,000 calories each day and teen boys need 2600 calories each day. Teens who are really active may need more calories. These calories should be chosen from low-fat, lean foods from the major food groups.

How much exercise do I need?

Teens should get at least 60 minutes of exercise that is moderate in intensity each day.

What's a Healthy Weight?

Some teens have a hard time knowing what a healthy weight is, especially with all the body changes that are taking place. Girls especially may think they need to be thinner even if they are not overweight. If you're worried about your weight, talk to your family doctor. Your doctor can help you find the best way to be at a weight that is healthy for you. This may include having you see an expert in nutrition. And remember, weight gains are a normal part of growing up.

Thinking of going on a diet?

Many teens who go on diets don’t need to lose weight. Pressure from media images, friends—and sometimes parents—to be very slim may cause you to have a distorted body image. Having a distorted body image is like looking into a funhouse mirror: You see yourself as fatter than you really are.

Do's and Don't's of Healthy Weight Management

DO

Change your habits to focus on healthy foods and exercise. Overweight or not, regular daily exercise is important to look and feel your best. If you do need to lose weight, stepping up your activity level will help. Exercise increases your lean body tissue, which will help you burn calories more quickly.

A healthy diet is one that has balance, variety and healthy serving sizes. Limit the amount of high-calorie foods that you eat. If high fat foods are among your favorites, balance those foods with fruits and vegetables, which are generally
lower in fat and calories.

Try to eat a wide variety of foods to keep from getting bored and to make sure your diet is balanced. Keep portion sizes reasonable so that you can have a dessert once in a while without taking in too many calories.

Another way to lower your calorie intake is to replace the regular foods you eat with lower-fat options. Try these tips:

• Switch to 1 percent or fat-free milk instead of whole milk
• Try nonfat or low-fat frozen yogurt, or nonfat or low-fat ice cream, instead of regular ice cream
• Have pretzels instead of corn chips or potato chips
• Switch your fries for a small baked potato with a little low-fat sour cream
• Remember, low-fat doesn't always mean low calorie. For example, extra sugars may be added to low-fat muffins or desserts to make them taste better. But, they may be just as high in calories as the regular kinds.

DON'T

• Don't skip meals, eat only bread and water, take diet pills or dietary supplements, or make yourself vomit. You may make it through the end of the week and maybe even lose a pound or two, but you're unlikely to keep the weight off. Forced-vomiting is a sign of an eating disorder called bulimia, which can cause serious health problems.
• Don't deprive yourself of foods you love, because you'll be more likely to binge or over eat... and you may gain even more weight.
• Low-calorie diets that allow only a few types of foods can be bad for your health because they don't allow you to get enough vitamins and minerals. Quick weight loss from verylow- calorie "starvation diets" can cause
  serious health problems in teenagers, such as gallstones, hair loss, fatigue, and diarrhea.
• Don't believe advertisers trying to sell you miracle foods that burn fat. Foods don't burn fat, they make fat when we eat more than we need. Also, stay away from diets that claim you can lose weight without exercise or say
  you will lose more than 2 pounds per week.

Healthy snack ideas:

• Baked potato chips or tortilla chips with salsa
• Pretzels (lightly salted or unsalted)
  
• Bagels with tomato sauce and low-fat cheese (low-fat version of a pizza)
  
• Flavored rice cakes (like caramel or apple cinnamon)
  
• Popcorn – air popped or low-fat microwave
  
• Veggies with low-fat or fat-free dip
  
• Low-fat cottage cheese topped with fruit or spread on whole-wheat crackers
  
• Ice milk, low-fat frozen or regular yogurt (add skim milk, orange or pineapple juice, and
  sliced bananas or strawberries to make a low-fat milk shake)
  
• Frozen fruit bars
  
• Vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers, fig bars, raisins
  
• Angel food cake topped with strawberries or raspberries and low-fat whipped cream
  
• String cheese

Healthy ways to gain weight

Have you ever been teased about being too thin? Have ever been called too skinny to the point
that it began to worry you? Although most teen girls are concerned about being overweight,
some may be worried about being too thin.

If this is your concern, first talk to your parent(s) and your doctor. Here are some tips for
gaining weight the healthy way:

Tip #1: Eat More
You may think "duh," but many people might not think of this right away. Extra calories above your daily needs can add pounds. Just try to pick foods rich in nutrients, such as complex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads, pasta, or potatoes), milk or other dairy products, or “good fat” (avocado, peanut butter and olive or canola oil).

Tip #2: Increase “Good Fat”
Increasing mono- and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut
butter, avocados, and nuts, can be good for you, as well as adding some pounds to your
weight.

Source: The information on this web page was taken directly from the GirlsHealth.gov website which was developed by the United States Department for Health and Human Services.

Exercise

Printable Brochure

Why get fit?

Exercise is an important part of a lifetime of good health! There are many ways it can help you, both today and in the future.

Exercise can:

• Help lower your chances of getting certain diseases in the future, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes
• Help you avoid obesity (Obesity puts you at risk of health problems today and in the future)
• Build muscles and make you stronger
• Boost your energy level and mood
• Make it easier to handle stress
• Help you to feel better about yourself
• Improve your flexibility so that you can move with ease
• Strengthen bones

Most people can benefit from exercise. In fact, making physical activity a regular part of your life early on is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health. If you have an injury or think there is a health reason why you may not be able to exercise safely, talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise program or sport.

You should also talk with a doctor first if you have:

• High blood pressure
• Heart trouble
• Dizzy spells
• Extreme breathlessness after physical activity
• Arthritis or bone problems
• Severe muscle, ligament or tendon problems
• Feel tired most of the time

Get Moving!

The more time you spend in front of the television or playing video games, the less time you have to be active. Leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause weight gain and even obesity (dangerously high weight), which can lead to type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. These three health issues can hurt your heart and make it easier for you to get certain diseases. Make physical activity a regular part of your life. It can help you protect your health!

Exercise

Try out different activities.

Sick of jogging? Try rollerblading. Not interested in lifting weights? Try Pilates. Here’s a list of fun activities:

• Kickboxing
• Kayaking
• Snowboarding
• SCUBA
• Skateboarding
• Pilates
• Mountain biking
• Yoga
• Surfing
• T’ai Chi
• Sandboarding
• Rock Climbing
• Salsa dancing
• Jump roping

Exercise and safety

When you exercise or play sports, it is important to use the right safety equipment. Helmets are needed for sports such as baseball, softball, biking, snow skiing, snow boarding, and rollerblading. Make sure you wear the right helmet for the sport you are playing and that it is not too loose. Also make sure that the helmet you wear for biking has a sticker from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which means that it is safe for this activity.

Mouth guards protect your mouth, teeth and tongue. You should wear a guard if there’s a chance you could get hit in the head while taking part in activities such as volleyball, basketball, or martial arts. You can find mouth guards at sport stores or your dentist. It will also help keep your mouth safe to take out your retainer.

Special eye protection is needed for sports such as ice hockey, soccer, and basketball. Goggles and face masks should fit snugly and have cushion for a comfortable fit. If you wear glasses, you need to get fitted for guards that fit over your glasses.

It is important to wear the right footwear for your sport. Check with your coach or an athletic shoe salesperson about what shoes to wear.

Wrist, knee and elbow pads can help prevent broken bones when you are inline skating/rollerblading, skate or snow boarding, or playing sports such as hockey.

Important safety tips:

• Don’t exercise when it is really hot and humid out. You do not want your body to overheat or get dehydrated. Also, if you live in an area with high air pollution, exercise early in the day or at night and avoid congested streets and rush hour traffic.
• Drink water before, during, and after exercise or sports competitions.
• Make sure you warm up and stretch your muscles for 5 minutes before and after workouts to make your muscles more flexible. It is easer to get hurt if your muscles are not stretched. It is also important to increase the intensity of your workout gradually. If you exercise intensely right away, you could risk getting hurt.
• See a doctor or let your parents/guardian know if: 1) You are in severe pain, 2) you see swelling around where you got hurt, or 3) The pain gets in the way of sleep and activities. Don’t jump back to your regular exercise after getting hurt because you could get hurt again. Follow your doctor’s orders for how to care for your injury and when you can be active again. This includes following instructions for use of pain medicine.
• Follow the rules of the game! The rules are there, in part, to keep you safe.

Self-Image/Body

Printable Brochure

Feeling good about yourself

Part of being a teen is having thoughts and feelings about different parts of your life, such as how you feel about:

• your friends and other kids your age
• how you are doing in school and in other activities
• your parents
• the way you look

While having these new feelings, many changes are also taking place in your body. It is normal to feel self-conscious or shy about the changes in your body and emotions but there are also changes to celebrate. Even though it might seem tough sometimes, remember that you are absolutely great! Having a healthy or high self-esteem can help you to think positively, deal better with stress, and boost your drive to work hard. Having low self-esteem can cause you to feel uneasy and may get in the way of doing things you might enjoy. For some, low self- esteem can contribute to serious problems such as depression, drug and alcohol use, and eating disorders.

Try these steps to boost your self-esteem:

• Tell yourself that it is okay not to be the best at everything.
• Help out by doing chores around the house and volunteering in your community.
• Do things that you enjoy, or learn about new things you would like to try.
• Understand that there will be times when you will feel disappointed in yourself and other people. No one is perfect!
• If you are angry, try talking it over with an adult you trust (parents/guardians, relatives or a school counselor).
• Think positively about yourself and the things you can do. Think: "I will try!"

Handling stress

What is stress?

Stress is what you feel when you react to pressure from others or from yourself. Pressure can come from anywhere, including school, work, activities, friends, and family members. You can also feel stress from the pressure of wanting to get good grades or wanting to feel like you belong. Stress comes in many forms and everyone feels stress.

How does my body handle stress?

Your body has a built-in response to handle stress. When something stressful happens, you may experience sweaty palms, dry mouth, or knots in your stomach. This is totally normal and means that your body is working exactly as it should. Other signs of stress include emotional signs such as feeling sad or worried, behavioral (your actions) signs such as not feeling up to doing things, and mental (your mind) signs such as not being able to concentrate or focus.

What causes stress?

Just being a teen can be stressful – there is so much going on and so many changes that are happening all at once!

Some things that might cause stress

• school work
• not fitting in or being part of a group
• not feeling good about yourself
• moving or friends moving away
• changes in your body or weight
• separation or divorce of parents
• body shape or size
• a family member who is ill
• problems with friends, boyfriends, or
• death of a loved one other kids at school
• changing schools
• living in a dangerous neighborhood
• taking on too many activities at once
• peer pressure from friends to dress or
• not getting along with your parents or act a certain way, or smoke, drink, or having problems at home use drugs
• feeling lonely

What are signs that you have too much stress or are stressed out?

Signs that you are stressed out

• Feeling down, edgy, guilty or tired
• Having headaches or stomaches
• Having trouble sleeping
• Laughing or crying for no reason
• Blaming others for bad things that happen to you
• Wanting to be alone all the time (withdrawal)
• Not being able to see the positive side of a situation
• Not enjoying activities that you used to enjoy
• Feeling resentful of people or things you have to do
• Feeling like you have too many things you have to do

Can stress lead to more serious problems?

Yes! Struggling with major stress and low self-esteem issues can contribute to more serious problems such as eating disorders, hurting yourself, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and even suicide. Continued depression and thoughts about hurting or killing yourself are signs that it is time to seek help. Talk to an adult you trust right away!

Body image and eating disorders

Have you ever thought that there was something wrong with the way you look? Do you think that you are too short or too tall, too heavy or too skinny?

If you have had thoughts like these, you are not alone. These feelings about how you look are called body image. Body image and self-esteem are tied together since body image can affect how you feel about your whole self. When you put yourself down about how you look, it can lead to negative feelings about yourself in general. Poor self-esteem can also lead to eating disorders that can put your health in danger.

If you start to have negative thoughts about your body and the way you look, think about all of the traits that make you special and unique. Look at your whole self – body and mind – in a positive way and write down what you see. Need a hand getting started?

Before you go to bed at night, name three things you did that day that made you happy. By focusing on the positive aspects of your life you can feel more positive about yourself! Don't forget to give yourself compliments too! Say it out loud when the day is done! Like, "Today I played my best in our soccer game," or "My family loved the dessert I made tonight!" or "My friends really liked the jokes I told them."

If you are struggling with an eating disorder or just can't seem to feel better, talk to an adult you trust right away.

Depression or feeling "blue"

As a teenager, there are so many changes taking place in your body and with your emotions that it can be very overwhelming. You might feel like you are in a great mood one minute and a bad one the next. This roller coaster of emotions is normal. It's OK to have the blues sometimes and there are things you can do to feel better. Try these tips to improve your mood:

• Know that what you are going through is very common.
• Find a way to relax, such as sitting down and taking a deep breath or taking a shower.
• Talk to your friends, parents/guardians, teachers, counselors, or doctors about what you are feeling. They can help you sort through your emotions.
• Get some exercise. When you exercise, your body makes more special chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins can help improve your mood.
• Make sure that you get enough rest. Being tired can make you feel more stressed.

There is a big difference between having the blues and having depression. Depression is a serious illness that affects many young people. The good news is that depression can be treated. Make sure to talk to your doctor or school counselor about any worries you have about depression.

How will I know if I have depression?

While some signs of depression can seem a lot like just having the blues, there is a way to know if you need to talk to your doctor about depression. See your doctor about depression if:

• you have five or more of the symptoms listed below for at least two weeks, or
• any one of these symptoms gets in the way of school or family life.

Symptoms of Depression

• Sadness or crying that you can’t explain
• Sleep changes, such as sleeping more or having trouble sleeping
• Major changes in the way you eat such as not eating or overeating
• Not being able to focus or make a decision
• Being crabby, angry, worried or nervious
• Not being able to enjoy the things you usually enjoy
• Feeling negative or not caring about anything
• Not wanting to spend time with your friends
• Feeling guilty or worthless
• Feeling restless or tired most of the time
• Thinking about death or committing suicide

If your doctor decides that you do have depression, there are many ways it can be treated. The important thing is to get help.

Hurting yourself

What does hurting yourself mean? Hurting yourself, sometimes called self-injury, is when a person deliberately hurts his or her own body. Some self-injuries can leave scars that won’t go away, while others leave marks or bruises that eventually will go away. These are some forms of self-injury:

• cutting yourself (such as using a razor blade, knife or other sharp object to cut the skin)
• punching yourself or other objects
• burning yourself with cigarettes, matches or candles
• pulling out your hair
• poking objects through body openings
• breaking your bones or bruising yourself
• plucking hair for hours

Why do some teens want to hurt themselves? Many people cut themselves because it gives them a sense of relief. Some people use cutting as a means to cope with any problem. Some teens say that when they hurt themselves, they are trying to stop feeling lonely, angry, or hopeless. Some teens that hurt themselves have low self-esteem, they may feel unloved by their family and friends, and they may have an eating disorder, an alcohol or drug problem, or may have been victims of abuse.

If you are hurting yourself, PLEASE GET HELP — It is possible to overcome the urge to cut. There are other ways to find relief and cope with your emotions. Please talk to your parents, your doctor, or an adult you trust, like a teacher or religious leader.

What are the signs of self-injury?

These are some signs of self-injury:

• cuts or scars on the arms or legs
• hiding cuts or scars by wearing long sleeved shirts or pants, even in hot weather
• making poor excuses about how the injuries happened

Self-injury can be dangerous — cutting can lead to infections, scars, numbness, and even hospitalization and death. People who share tools to cut themselves are at risk of getting and spreading diseases like HIV and hepatitis. Teens who continue to hurt themselves are less likely to learn how to cope with negative feelings.

Are you or a friend depressed, angry or having a hard time coping with life? If you are thinking about hurting yourself, PLEASE ASK FOR HELP! Talk with an adult you trust, like a teacher or minister or doctor. There is nothing wrong with asking for help — everyone needs help sometimes. You have a right to be strong, safe and happy!

Suicide

Why do some teens think about suicide? Thinking about suicide often goes along with stressful events and feeling sad. Some teens feel so overwhelmed and sad that they think they will never feel better. Some things that can cause these feelings include:

• death of a loved one
• seeing a lot of anger and violence at home
• having parents get divorced
• having a hard time in school, struggling with grades or having problems with other teens
• depression or alcohol or drug problems
• anger or heart-break over a relationship break-up
• feeling like you don't belong, either within the family or with friends
• feeling left out or alone
• Sometimes, teens may feel very sad for no one clear reason.

Every teen feels anxiety and confusion at some point, but it helps to get through tough times by turning to people you trust and love. If you don't think you have people like this in your life, talk to a school counselor, teacher, doctor, or another adult who can help you talk about your feelings. There are ways to help teens deal with these intense feelings and work on feeling better in the future.

How can you help a friend?

If you have a friend or friends who have talked about suicide, take it seriously. The first thing you should do is to tell an adult you trust – right away. You may wonder if your friend(s) will be mad at you, but telling an adult is the right thing to do. This can be someone in your family, a coach, a school nurse, counselor, or a teacher. You can call 911 or the toll-free number of a suicide crisis line. You can't help your friend(s) alone.

What about you?

If you feel suicidal, talk to an adult right away. Call 911 or 1-800-SUICIDE, or check in your phone book for the number of a suicide crisis center. The centers offer experts who can help callers talk through their problems and develop a plan of action. These hotlines can also tell you where to go for more help in person.

Source: The information on this web page was taken directly from the GirlsHealth.gov website which was developed by the United States Department for Health and Human Services.