It’s OK to ask for help
Posted by The bravetracks team on Sep 11, 2013 in braveResources, Health, Life, LiveBrave,Uncategorized | 0 comments
Life as a teen can be really hard. Adding to the confusion of unpredictable changes to body and mood, there is the pressure from parents, teachers, friends and society to be, well, “perfect” (or at least that’s how we perceive it).
We’re told to get good grades, to excel in athletics and the arts, to change the world and, of course, to fit in. For some young people, that burden becomes so painfully unbearable they believe the only way to escape it is through suicide.
Tiernan Trea Ryden, a BraveTracks contributor, wants other teens to remember they are never alone in their struggles. She writes:
I know how hard it is to wake up some days, and put that school smile on, but when you feel like you have no more power within yourself to keep up the facade, I say let go of the facade and just be yourself. Forget about being judged, forget about being weird. EMBRACE IT. We all put so much pressure on ourselves and others to be an image of “normality” that doesn’t actually exist. There are so many people, myself included, that gave in to “the box” of school, and for a lot of people it just does not work. You don’t have to be someone you are not, you just have to love yourself.
I hope that someday the school system will include a course on self love because that is the most important lesson in life.
So friend, wherever you are, no matter what level of weirdness, or sadness, or craziness you are experiencing, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Embrace your weirdness! We’re all weirdos!!!
It’s never the wrong time or place to ask for help — and it’s never the wrong time to be a listener to a friend or a stranger who needs help. Check out this article from The Huffington Post’s teen edition about how you can make positive changes in your life and help others make healthy changes, too.
Resources
Live Brave. If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide, or you would like to better understand the danger signs, please consult these resources:
Telephone hotlines:
1-877-YOUTHLINE (counseling for teens by teens) (1-877-968-8454)
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
Online chat support:
Organizations:
Born This Way Foundation (specifically for teens)
Carson J. Spencer Foundation (303-837-8466)
Mental Health Centers of Denver (303-504-1500)
Books:
Behind Happy Faces by Ross Szabo
Take action!
Part of getting better is helping someone else, so you may want to walk or run in the 12th Annual Second Wind Walk/Run, which aims to help save the lives of children and youth. When: 12:20 p.m., Sept. 22 Where: The Picnic Pavilion at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 15200 West 6th Ave., Golden.
There will be a free BBQ lunch, massages, t-shirts, kids’ activities and a memorial dove release. You might also like the concert that follows with The Hazel Miller Band, Angie Stevens, Kutandara Center, Jazz Now, and Lilly Patterson. For more information click here.
