Thought I would do this as a companion piece to Heather's post here: http://www.scarleteen.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=862 What songs do you listen to when you need a little confidence boost to get you through something difficult? Mine is "This Year" by the Mountain Goats. I actually e...

Hi Hobbiecat, So, it sounds like you might be trying the direct approach, at least a little bit, already. I would give it one more very explicit try. Something like "X, I think you are a cool and sexy person and I would be interested in exploring some sexy stuff with you. Is this something you ...

Hi cgirl, The first thing to do is to check in with how comfortable you feel with what's going on. Do you feel ready for penetration? Are you nervous about performing (for lack of a better word)? Or, are you maybe not in a comfortable space location wise (e.g in house where parents/roommates might w...

Reposting, as the last post was lost in the battle with spammers.

http://www.scarleteen.com/blog/sam_w/20 ... _and_types

Okay, so something I am going to suggest is, if you haven't done so, finding someone (like a counselor) to talk to about a lot of that anxiety. They can give you some ideas and techniques for responding the anxiety spiral (I know that spiral, and man is it no fun). You might find that, after awhile,...

Hi Berry,

Start from the top of the pack. I would also check out this article, since it had a bunch of info about how/when to start the pill:
Three questions about taking the birth control pill (and plenty of answers)

This came up in a conversation on the boards today and it got me thinking: what makes someone a grown-up? When we talk about maturity, and "being an adult" what traits are we actually describing? So, I want to hear from y'all. What, in your mind, makes someone a grown-up? Is it just a numb...

Hi icingsugar, Hope you don't mind my jumping in. I think you've hit upon something that's tricky about body positive (and sex positive messages). When they're not applied carefully, it can feel like people are saying "this is so easy! This is so fun! Everyone should do this!" When, in fac...

Hi jiae,

There's no way for us to know for sure what the spotting was. Since you know your period to be irregular, it could have been that, it could have been spotting. I do want to check, are you and your partner up to date on your STI testing?

Hi Wilsonphillips, Argh, that sounds terrible, and I am sorry you've been having to deal with the one-two punch of this person and apathetic authorities. I think a sound next step is to get in touch with these folks: http://www.nwcasa.org/ They will have a sense of what your options are, and may be ...

Hi Lana, This definitely no something to feel guilty about. You get to make the decisions you feel are best for your body and well-being, and you've chosen to do something that you feel is responsible. However, even if you shouldn't feel guilty, it's pretty normal to end up feeling that way, at leas...

What have been your experiences between your religion/spirituality in relation to your sexuality, or to things like your sexual orientation or gender identity? I know the two are not always compatible, so if you've got some horror stories, you're welcome to share those. And if you've got some storie...

Our first piece from Natasha!

http://www.scarleteen.com/article/polit ... _dads_feel

Hi Martin, I think it was a sound first step to start doing some introspection to see where your negative thoughts and feelings around sex might be coming from. I want to re-emphasize what Mo said about looking into counseling. If you're not already doing so, that's something that would likely be so...

For those who may not know, a grounding box is like a little tool-kit for folks who experience anxiety, panic, or other difficult emotions. It essentially works to comfort, ground, and distract you. You can find ideas for making you're own here: http://anxiety-depression-recovery.tumblr.com/post/830...

Hi Panpan, If thinking about masturbation is starting to feel compulsive, then those thoughts and feelings might be another thing to bring to therapy. It is totally okay to masturbate daily, but it seems like the constant thoughts of it are stressing you out. I do want to point out that, even though...

Hi Hypochondriac, As far as periods go, they're going to vary from person to person, even within families. So having one on the longer end of average is likely nothing to be concerned about. However, if you're worried, you can discuss with your healthcare provider the next time you see them. Yes, th...

You're quite welcome, and I'm glad you found our conversation helpful

Hi Lilly,

No, I don't believe you need to be concerned about the sex you had several days ago. However, if you have not already done so, I would schedule a check-up with the healthcare provider who inserted the IUD so you two can discuss the next steps.

Hi purpleandpink, So, if your healthcare provider that taking diflucan would not adversely affect your pill effectiveness, then I would go by what they said. However, if you're concerned, you can call and discuss those concerns with them. In the meantime, I would use condoms in addition to your pill...

Hi Leia,

I would just wait to get your answer when your pharmacy opens in the morning. As far as taking your pill three hours later than normal, you actually have a 12 hour grace period before a pill is even considered late.

You got it

Well, the 3rd isn't too far off, which is good. I will say that if the aching you're having continues to be very painful, or gets worse, even getting to an ER or similar would be sound.

Hi Breeze,

You're right that losing contact with someone whose company we enjoy can be frustrating. But, you've made you feelings known, and that's all you can do. I think it might be a good plan to find some things to focus on or enjoy to keep your mind off of this.

Hi Fender, So, your step mom may not be the best person to ask for medical information around bodies and pregnancy, since she's already told you that pregnancy tests are not reliable (they are, as long as they are taken correctly). If you decide to take one, the info you need is here: Peeing on a St...