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Sometimes
it seems like your teen years are filled with negatives, of
things "not to do." But steering clear of certain
temptations will lead to a lot of positives - like a happy,
healthy life.
Quit smoking
www.pauktuutit.on.ca/publications/main.html
Did you
know that tobacco smoke has more than 4,000 chemicals, including
some that can cause cancer? If you want to quit smoking, Pauktuutit's
"Breathe Easy" campaign has lots of info available,
in various dialects of Inuktitut as well as Inuinnaqtun and
English.
Avoid unwanted pregnancies
www.sexualityandu.ca/eng/teens/CN/
In 1998,
the Canadian Contraception Study found that only 60% of 15
- 17 year olds always used contraception when having sex.
Here, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
describes methods of contraception in plain language.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
kidshelp.sympatico.ca/
Young
people are more likely to catch an STI than any other age
group, especially girls 15 - 19 and boys 20 - 24. Learn more
about them from Kids Help. Don't forget you can call them
tollfree, too, at 1-800-668-6868.
Drinking
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/
Alcoholics
Anonymous has a 12-question quiz aimed at teenagers to help
you decide if your drinking has become a problem. Explore
the site further to see if a local AA chapter could be right
for you.
Drugs
kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/know_about_drugs.html
Plain
talk about what drugs can do you to, including marijuana
and prescription
drugs.
Sniffing solvents
www.thesite.org/info/drugs/the_drugs/gases,_aerosols_&_glue.html
Abusing
gases, aerosols, or glue can kill you, even on the first time
you try it. Know the risks.
Problem gambling
www.youthgambling.com/
The allure
of winning big bucks can become an addiction for some people.
Learn more about problem gambling and treatment offered by
McGill University's International Centre for Youth Gambling
Problems and High Risk Behaviors.
Depression
www.teenoutreach.com/Online_Help/depression.htm
Feeling
depressed is not normal, even if teenagers are "supposed"
to be moody. This site helps you recognize signs of depression
and suggests ways to help beat it.
Suicide
TeenHelp.org
The TeenHelp.org
web site is a network of peer mentors that want to reach out
and "connect" with others via the Internet. Fill
out its Get Help! form and replies are sent quickly via e-mail.
There are also online support groups and live chat.
Nutrition and Fitness
kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/
Eating
well and exercising go hand-in-hand, and can dramatically
change the way you look and the way you feel about your self.
Read more here.
Eating disorders
www.nedic.ca/
An eating
disorder is a coping strategy that people use to deal with
deeper, more painful problems. Canada's National Eating Disorder
and Information Centre provides answers
to many of your questions.
Teasing and bullying
www.abouthealth.org/iyow_archives.cfm
Read
what teens themselves say about being bullies and being victims,
both from the point of view of girls
and boys
as well as victims.
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