Happy Retro Day! This is for anyone who has moved away from friends or watched their friends leave them behind. (I’ve been there, too.) I hope you find this helpful and encouraging. Enjoy! ~Halee

by RTF Staff Writer Catey Yuen

I’m a social person. I’ve always had a lot of friends since I was really young. But when I moved from California to Colorado two summers ago, all of that changed.

When you’ve lived in the same state your whole life, it’s easy to stay in contact with people. After all, most of the people you know, you’ve known for a while. Almost all of my friends came from the church I’d been going to for years. It required very little for me to meet new people and still hang out with the old ones.

Then we moved and it all changed. (more…)

“Where can I go when I need help?” – you

This Friday I want to give advice to all our readers. I am going to introduce you to some resources so that you don’t have to feel helpless when you or someone you know is struggling. The following includes some common problems, along with some organizations where you can find help any time:

Self-injury (cutting)
Door of Hope: This organization offers free counseling (online or by phone) by certified Christian counselors for teen girls or young women.
ASHIC (American Self-Harm Information Clearinghouse): Here you can find a variety of resources and information about self-inury. (more…)

“Sometimes I really don’t like my parents. I don’t think they understand me at all! I don’t know what to do- they’re driving me crazy! Help!” ~ James

hey James,

Parents can be hard to get along with sometimes, especially when they don’t seem to see your point-of-view. But I applaud your effort to work on this problem! Here are some things you can do:

1. Talk to your parents. I know sometimes it may seem absolutely futile, but they need to know how you feel. So ask them if you can sit down and have a talk sometime. Schedule a time if you have to, but make sure you have their full attention. (more…)

“I want to break up with my boyfriend but the last time we broke up, we got back together because he was scaring me. He would punch the walls and hurt himself. That includes cutting himself. I feel trapped being with him but I don’t love him like that any more. Help!” ~ Abby

Hey Abby,

Feeling trapped is not a good thing in a relationship. It sounds like you want to get away from your boyfriend but you’re afraid of what might happen.

He’s using that fear to control you and it’s really not good. You need to tell someone about what he does, how he hurts himself- his parents, your parents, a teacher, a guidance counselor, a pastor. He needs some help, but not from you. (more…)

 

“I really like this girl, but I don’t know how to tell her or if she even likes me. Help!” – Kurt

***

hey Kurt,

You are not alone! We’ve all had trouble interpreting the actions of our crushes. Sometimes it’s like trying to read another language. But here are a couple things to consider:

How does she act around you? A girl will act differently around her crush than her friends. She may get really quiet or she may talk a lot more. Either way, it will be different. She will also find excuses to hang around the guy she likes. And she’ll watch him, though she may pretend not to or blush if he catches her watching. (more…)

Dear BJ,

I think my friend might be depressed but I’m not sure. He cries a lot and acts tired all the time. Should I be worried about it, or is he just going through drama?

- Worried (more…)

by RTF Assistant Editor Halee Matthews

“I really like this guy and I think he likes me. The problem is, he’s dating my friend. What do I do?” ~ Shayla

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Hey Shayla,

I’m sorry you’re struggling with such a complicated crush. I know how painful they can be. Tempting as it may be to express your feelings, you should do nothing. I know that’s freakishly hard, but this guy is dating your friend. So if you want to respect her and not lose her friendship, you shouldn’t do or say anything.

Here’s something else to consider: If he really does like you, why is he still dating your friend? He either doesn’t like you or he’s using her.

If the guy continues to date your friend but tries to express feelings for you, tell her. Wouldn’t you want someone to tell you if your boyfriend was hitting on another girl? You friend will be grateful, and your friendship might be stronger because of it.

I know the whole situation is tough. It’s painful to watch someone you like date someone else. But the best thing you can do right now is respect your friend’s relationship and stay away from her guy.

Halee

P.S. If you’ve got a question, we’d love to hear from you!

Hey everybody!

Over the past couple of years we’ve gotten a lot of questions from you guys. Questions about relationships, self-injury, sex, suicide — you name it. Each time we hear from you, we remember why this site is here — because of awesome people like you.

So we just want to remind you that if you have a question, we’d love to hear from you. No topic is off-limits. We would also love to share your question on the site, but you can tell us if you’d rather that we didn’t (we will never share your real name).

So go ahead and unload your problems in the contact box or email us at realteenfaith at gmail.com. Just put “advice” in the subject line.

Drop by every Friday to check out this new feature! Until then, we’re looking forward to your questions!

Halee, BJ, and E.

PS – We’re especially looking for your relationship questions for February!