Annie Fox for Teens... Hey, Terra!

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 hurt myself to see if I am still alive.”
(Continued)

Hey Terra,

Well, you are right the guys.

About the cutting, I told my friend and she does it too. We are alike, but I just do it cuz I feel neglect from Everyone. My mom found out and she thought I was doing it for a fad thing. She won't understand. She never does. She screams at me and calls me "useless". I hate her. I don't care that hate is a strong word but I do.

My dad died when I was little and even she knows that I loved him more than her. But I'm stuck with her. But I would never slit my wrists. I do this cuz I wanna know I am alive and I can control the pain plus I love the scars it leaves on my arms. At times I think I will die alone.

Cut Above

Dear Cut Above,

You may say "I would never slit my wrists" but that's where this stuff leads to. Then you say "I think I will die alone." Hmmm. Sounds like you've thought about suicide. Is that true?

You say you "can control the pain" and you "love the scars"... How does that sound when you read those words?

Your mom obviously hasn't taken this very seriously. I don't think it's a "fad." I think it's a cry for help. And everything you've written here echoes the same cry.

Check out this advice for teens article on Cutting.

You need to get help.

I care about you. Please talk to your school counselor or call one of these teen help lines

Each is a free call and it will not appear on anyone's phone bill. The people who answer the phone, 24/7 are trained to help teens like you.

Help for Troubled Teens
1-800-999-9999 Convenant House Nineline
1-800-400-0900 Teen Helpline
1-800-747-8336 Teen Hot Line

Keep trying until one of the numbers picks up.

Write back if you want to talk some more.

In friendship,

Terra


Need some advice? Write to Terra. She'll give you a straight answer you can trust without any lectures.


What's New?
''The Girls Q&A Book on Friendship: 50 Ways to Fix a Friendship Without the DRAMA'' by Annie Fox, M.Ed., illustrated by Erica De Chavez Books & Apps for Teens
''Middle School Confidential 3: What's Up With My Family?'' iOS app ''Middle School Confidential 2: Real Friends vs. the Other Kind'' iOS app ''Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are'' iOS app ''The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real-World Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing Up, and Getting Along'' by Annie Fox M.Ed.
''Middle School Confidential, Book 3: What's Up with My Family?'' by Annie Fox, Illustrated by Matt Kindt
''Middle School Confidential, Book 2: Real Friends vs. The Other Kind'' by Annie Fox M.Ed., Illustrated by Matt Kindt
''Middle School Confidential, Book 1: Be Confident in Who You Are'' by Annie Fox, Illustrated by Matt Kindt
''Too Stressed to Think? A Teen Guide to Staying Sane When Life Makes You CRAZY'' by Annie Fox, M.Ed. and Ruth Kirschner