One of the things that most people over the age of 30 do not get is how difficult high school and college can be.

In some ways, adolescence is a cruel joke: you go from the simplicity of childhood to what seems to be a crazy set of responsibilities that no one even thinks of paying you for! This can be a time of crazy emotions: rage, sadness, confusion, intense love and hate—all in the same day. Being a young adult requires a crazy juggling act. You have to be able to juggle all of the burdens that make up your day:

• school
• grades
• just getting through the hallways without it being an embarrassment
• the crazy world of your social life which often resembles a food chain more than a community
• the demands of parents
• the demands of brothers and sisters
• trying to figure out the romance thing
• all of the after school activities you HAVE to do for your resume
• demands of your religious community of faith
• trying to stay up with music and clothes and everything else
• keeping up on Facebook
• trying to stay up on the news in this crazy world

All of this can be overwhelming and going to extremes can be a mistake. Numbing out (with activities, food, drugs, or alcohol) keeps you from feeling anything. You might want to feel alive. But it’s also a mistake to get so wrapped up in achieving that you forget how to have fun. (Remember fun? It’s what you used to have instead of parties fueled by chemicals and hooking up.) If you find that your life seems more than you can handle without having to do something extreme, then perhaps talking to someone with some experience that is not your parents might be helpful.

If you’re not sure, ask yourself this one question:

Are any/all of my friends worried about me or have suggested that something in my life is not in control?

If so, then you definitely need to talk to someone. If you can’t talk to your parents yourself, call Spark and we would be happy to try to communicate to your parents that you’re having a rough time and would appreciate some extra support.

Most of all, you don’t have to think you’re alone. When in doubt, CALL!!!

(312) 282 5964