I Don’t Like Life

CONSIDER THIS:

• Having suicidal thoughts can make you feel frustrated and alone. You are strong for enduring life’s struggles even though they make you not want to live.
• Suicide is a horrible problem that not only affects the victim, but family and friends as well. If you need someone to talk to you can head to the Teen Central website and click the Help tab then call one of the hotlines. Knowledge is power. Click the Learn tab then Suicide to learn more about this devastating issue. You may also speak to a trusted therapist, parent, adult relative, school counselor or religious leader.
• You might have additional problems. You can go to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab to read about other issues such as Depression or Anxiety.
• Try being positive. You can download resources to help you by visiting the Teen Central website then clicking the Tools tab. Repeat positive affirmations to yourself. You may write down things you’re grateful for in a daily journal.
• Holding your feelings inside could make you feel like harming yourself or possibly others. You don’t deserve to torture yourself. You can express your feelings to let them out in a healthy way with creativity by drawing, creative writing, painting, coloring in a coloring book or playing a musical instrument. If your life isn’t ideal creativity allows you to create your own ideal world.
• You can just be yourself. It’s okay if not everyone likes you because you’ll eventually find real friends who care about you as you are.
• Consider being more spiritual by doing prayer, meditation, yoga or attending church. Everything happens for a reason. Learn to be grateful for each day so you know how important your life is. On the Teen Central website, click the Learn tab then Spirituality for more info.
• Volunteering is good for your overall happiness, health and well-being. If you can’t help yourself, sometimes helping others is even better. You could gain meaning and a sense of purpose. You can research opportunities on websites like Volunteermatch. There are plenty of ways to help animals, the environment, children or other worthy causes. Be a mentor or tutor. You can even save an innocent animal from a shelter by fostering or adopting a pet.
• You can keep yourself from spiralling out of control by never losing hope. Always have something to look forward to. This may be a new movie you plan to watch, a book you’re going to read or spending time with positive friends or family members who are a good influence on you.
• If the people around you only bring you down, it may be best to stay away from them as much as possible. You can get away by doing a hobby, joining a school club or team sport, or spending time at the library or park, among other things. People who treat you like a human being will respect you, not harm you for nothing. If you’ve been bullied you can go to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab then Bullying to learn more.
• Even though there are too many bad people in the world, there are some good ones who genuinely care about others. You can read inspiring stories about them or find someone you admire. This may be a celebrity, activist or humanitarian who overcame hardship to become who they are today. You can think about how they beat their problems and apply some of their efforts to your own issues.
• You can find something positive to focus on like reading a comic strip, watching a humorous movie or reading inspirational books or quotes.
• You’re life is important to those who matter. Learn self love by keeping healthy boundaries, only having positive people around you, and by taking care of your mind, body and spirit.
• Bad times eventually pass if you’re patient. You don’t deserve to torture yourself with negativity. By continuing to endure your hardships you’ll learn how to beat them. This may lead you to have a better life than you ever had.

HELP YOURSELF:

• What lessons can you learn from the bad times you go through?
• How can you have a better future if you regularly commit to being positive now?
• How can being positive change your inner world and make life easier on you?
• In what ways can helping others make you feel like your life matters?