Hi Kelli, Yes, my main piece of advice here is to keep discussing this with your therapist (let her know that you've tried what she's asked and are still having difficulties). She's the person best equipped to help you work out how to approach these thoughts. You might also find it helpful to take a...

Hi xxin,

This isn't really something we can diagnose for you. If you're concerned about it, the person to talk to is a healthcare provider.

Hi Kellie, So, when you've discussed your fears with your therapist, have they given you any techniques to practice when these thoughts start occurring? If not, that's something to ask them about the next time you see them. It sounds like you're not 100% in agreement with their suggestion of what mi...

One of my biggest is allow for a reset button. There's a point where my partner and I are fighting where were both still upset, but the core of the fight is as resolved as it's going to be (or we're having one of those "I'm tired and your tired and we're both grumpy and now we're fighting"...

When it comes down to it, you are the best person to work out and know what might be causing these thoughts (although, with the level of worry they seem to be causing you, talking about them with a mental healthcare professional may also help you parse what's going on). Too, I think it can be helpfu...

Hi slightconcern, One thing that might help is to examine if there are other things around sex that might be contributing to your worries. For instance, some people believe that they will receive some type of "punishment" (either pregnancy or STIs) if they have sex. So some times our anxie...

Yep, no scratching. Hope the bath works!

Hi fender,

So, the best person to direct those questions to is the doctor themselves. However, you may want to check out this piece as a starting point for basic info about the pill (it also has links to content with more detailed info):
Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill)

Hi confused teen, In a word? No, being bi is not a bad thing. It's just one of the many ways humans can express and/or feel desire and attraction. Now, like being gay, there is some stigma attached to bisexuality, but that's not the result of bisexuality being wrong or shameful, it's the result of p...

Hi 20 and confused, You're already doing the first steps to working through these guilty feelings by examining where they might have originated, so high five there :) It can be hard when you grow up around these messages to shake them off, especially when keeping your pledge sounds like it was a big...

Hi Madie, So, the first thing to do is to give this article a read and see if anything from it works: From OW! to WOW! Demystifying Painful Intercourse The most common reasons why intercourse is uncomfortable are that the person is not quite relaxed or aroused by what's happening, or their is not en...

Hi daisygirl,

Okay, so it sounds like what you saw was vaginal discharge which, as heather said, can be brown around the time of your period. Have you had a chance to read this article yet?
Honorably Discharged: A Guide to Vaginal Secretions

Hi Sporty,

It may be that your body is still adjusting to the pill, as for younger people it can take longer for your body to fully sync up with it. Since you've had no issues with taking pills during this pack, then you can assume the effectiveness has not decreased.

Hi Fender, I think groudon hit on a lot of good points, especially how someone respecting and checking in with you about boundaries usually signals someone who cares about you as a person in addition to wanting to have sex with you. I think it can also help to pay attention to how people act outside...

It's been a frustrating, bad day and you find yourself full of nasty emotions that need a release. What do you do when you feel that way? What things have you found work well vs less well? For me, I've started boxing, which helps a lot because a) I get to punch things and b) I have to focus so much ...

New from the blog:
http://www.scarleteen.com/blog/sam_w/20 ... /on_belief

This is a piece that deals with abuse and assault, and why we should choose to believe survivors.

Okay, so it sounds like moving it is at least a little feasible. Since you're already considering it, it might be sound to (if you haven't) take a look at what your options would be (as in actual apartments and what they cost, where and how people advertise for roommate slots, etc). You may also wan...

Hi Fender, This all sounds really rough, but I am glad to hear you are taking steps to take care of yourself (even if they are hard steps to take). From your descriptions, it sounds like a good thing indeed that you broke up with this guy, especially given how much he disregarded your feelings and b...

Hi isxlated, The answer to your question is a little tricky. Because if you're asking me if it's wrong to be sexual, or to want to be sexual, even at 14, then the answer is a solid no. But the more complicated answer is that everyone has their own comfort level and own readiness level when it comes ...

Hi bigbywolf, Ooof, that sounds like a tough situation all around. It does sound from this post (and from previous posts) that your mom does tend to react in an unnecessarily strong fashion to things. It sounds like you and Ben have worked out some work-arounds (e.g you going over there) and that's ...

Hi paige, If the pills are not expired, then they are likely still effective to use. However, if you're concerned, you can try calling your healthcare provider to ask them about it. And, if you're worried about having sex while on the older pack, we advise using condoms as a back-up (if you aren't a...

When I was growing up, and to a certain extent this still happens, people would comment on how much food I ate. I think this had/has a lot to do with the fact that I am both small (so am perceived as not needing to eat) and a woman (people seem to think that women don't eat that much). It always str...

Hi marlove, That article above will give you some sense of the stuff they'll ask. They'll want to know about your sexual history (if any) and if you have anything in particular that brings you there. As for what you can ask, that's up to you. If you have questions about birth control, or weird perio...

Hi adipose, Edit: Cross posted with Heather. A common reason why you might be feeling this way is that there is some component of sex that is making you anxious. That might be that you're worried about some physical risks (like STIs, or pregnancy) or you don't feel somehow ready or comfortable with ...

Hi All, I'm making this space for folks to talk about their periods and the variations they've seen in them over the years. Something we see a lot is people becoming worried because their period doesn't behave in the way they're expecting it to, so having a place where they can see others talking ab...