If you’re a young person between the ages of 10 and 19, chances are you have a lot going on in your life. Many teens are involved in after school sports, academic clubs or music programs. Some teens work and others volunteer after school and on the weekends. You’re juggling a lot. And, at the same time, you’re growing up and have to start thinking about how the choices you make affect your health, not just today but the grown-up you as well.
From what to eat for breakfast to how you choose your friends, you are now making decisions that will affect your health for a long, long time. Be sure to get the information you need to make the best choices you can. Some of these government sites (see below) may help. Or, don’t hesitate to ask a caring adult, whether it’s a parent, teacher or coach. Why reinvent the wheel? You’ve got better things to do…
Healthy Relationships
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Girlshealth.gov's Relationships | Skills for building strong and healthy relationships of all types. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| StopBullying.gov's Teen Page | Helps teens prevent or stop bullying. (From stopbullying.gov) |
Physical Health & Nutrition
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Best Bones Forever! | For girls and their BFFs to "grow strong together and stay strong forever!" (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Girlshealth.gov - Fitness | Help for adolescent girls to make fitness a part of their everyday lives. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Girlshealth.gov - Nutrition | Help for adolescent girls to eat healthy diets. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Girlshealth.gov - Illness and Disability | Help for adolescent girls living with an illness of disability. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Let's Move! | Tips for getting active, eating a nutritious diet, and leading a healthy lifestyle. (From letsmove.gov) |
| Take Charge of Your Health | Guide to help teens manage their health. (From NIH) |
| Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Children and Adolescents | Science-based recommendations to help persons aged 6 years or older improve their health through physical activity. (From CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) |
Mental Health
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| What a Difference a Friend Makes | A site for older teens and young adults living with mental illness—and their friends. (From SAMHSA) |
| GirlsHealth.Gov -Your Feelings | Tips for feeling good about your mental health (From GirlsHealth.gov) |
| Mental Illness: Myths and Facts | Fact Sheet from SAMHSA (From SAMHSA) |
| Depression and High School Students | Fact Sheet from NIH (From NIH) |
| Building Self-Esteem. A Self-Help Guide | Guide to help build self-esteem from SAMHSA (From SAMHSA) |
| Feelin' Frazzled...? | Tip Sheet from the CDC (From the CDC) |
| BAM! Guide to Getting Along | Tip Sheet from the CDC (From the CDC) |
Substance Abuse
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| NIDA for Teens | Get the science behind drug abuse. (From NIDA) |
| The Cool Spot | The young teen's place for information on alcohol and resisting peer pressure. (From thecoolspot.gov) |
| Underage Drinking: Myths vs. facts | Facts from StopAlcoholAbuse.gov (From stopalcoholabuse.gov) |
| Straight Talk about Alcohol | Several tip sheets and other resources for teens. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Ways to Say No to Alcohol | Tips for adolescents. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Quiz: How smart are you about drugs? | Interactive quiz - test your knowledge about drugs. (From GirlsHealth.gov/OWH) |
| Facts on Prescription and Over-the-Counter drugs | Fact Sheet from NIDA for Teen. (From NIDA) |
| Teen Quit | Want to quit smoking on your own? A non-governmental resource, Teenquit may help. |
Reproductive Health
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| STD fact sheets | Fact Sheets on STDs in English and Spanish (From the CDC) |
| Unintended Pregnancy Prevention: Contraception | Fact sheet with birth control methods (From the CDC) |
