Annie (AKA Hey Terra!) has been around long enough to have experienced a lot of what Life can dish out. But, it hasn’t been so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be your age. Check out some of the thousands of email questions teens from around the world have sent to Terra. You may learn something useful from her answers:
“I used to be an active social person; now I hate everything.”
(Continued)
Hey Terra,
It is me again Terra. Thanks for your reply and concern. But sorry, telling my parents is the most impossible thing I would do. They won't hear. They won't understand what I am passing through. I and my parents are on different levels of communication. We rarely talk. Even when we talk, they don't show me any interest in my intellectual, emotional, and psychological problems. They aren't that understanding.I tried once before to communicate with them and all I got was a bunch of shouts and huge anger against me. They think that I am not helping myself as everyone does and that is why I am ending up this way. But I swear to you, Terra, it is not that way. I am really tired and I need someone's help. My parents aren't going to help me out, they would blame me more and more and make me feel I am driving myself toward this bad way of living. My dad is a doctor and he rarely talks with me. Mom believes I am a spoiled kid and thus have made my life miserable. But I am not a spoiled kid, and I am not happy I am living this way. Can't you help me with something else because I can't tell my parents. They aren't that able to understand me. Please Terra, can you?
Depressed
Dear Depressed,
Ok, I hear what you're saying about your parents. Though as a mom myself, I know in my heart that they love you and that they would never want anything bad to happen to you.
The other help I can offer is for you to start educating yourself. You may be "depressed" -- that would have to be determined by a therapist, but here's a first step to give you more insight into what might be going on. Read this article I wrote for my website on depression
Then call the phone number at the bottom of the page if it feels like you're ready to do that. Or if you're not feeling suicidal right now (and I certainly hope that you're not) then here are three teen help lines that will connect you with caring trained individuals who can begin to help you sort things out:
Covenant House Crisis Support
1-800-999-9999 (24 hrs)
Family and Children's Mental Health Hot Line
1-800-654-1247 (24 hrs)
Youth Crisis Line
1-800-448-4663
All of these are free calls and they will NOT appear on your parents' phone bill.
I care about you and I want you to get the help and support you need.
If you don't want to talk with your parents, please consider making the phone call and getting the help you need and deserve.
In friendship,
Terra
Need some advice? Write to Terra.
She'll give you a straight answer you can trust without any lectures.
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