Newsletter #92 - How to soothe chapped lips and skin; how to save money on books; how to feel better when sick.

TeenHelp Newsletter #92 - November 24th 2017 - http://www.teenhelp.org

Welcome to the TeenHelp Newsletter! Our Newsletter contains a lot of useful information about our current work, including updates to our site and services, new resources, details of upcoming events, short bits of advice, interesting links and more!

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TeenHelp News

TeenHelp regularly makes changes to its site and services. Some of these are large and noticeable, and others are small and much less so, but each one contributes to the positive development of TeenHelp and how our users experience our community. Below are some of the most recent developments.

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Latest articles (November 4th 2017)

Enjoying the Holidays when you are alone
The holidays are a joyous time for many people, but it can be difficult to enjoy them if you do not have friends and family to spend it with. This article outlines things you can do to enjoy the holidays if you are spending them by yourself.

Depression around my birthday
Birthdays can be spent in less than ideal ways and can increase or worsen existing depression for some. Read this article about one user’s experience and learn how to cope if you struggle with depression around your birthday.

Surviving the holidays as an LGBTQ+ teen
Extended family members often ask questions pertaining to your gender identity or sexuality around the holidays. This article discusses different ways to cope with a variety of situations.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or NAS is a group of symptoms a baby is born with when the mother has taken drugs while pregnant. Read this article to educate yourself about how NAS is treated after it presents.

http://www.teenhelp.org/articles/

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Resources

TeenHelp works with a range of different organisations and websites in order to help and educate young people. Below is a selection of some of them. For a full list of the organisations we work with, please visit our Resources page.

http://www.teenhelp.org/resources/

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Beat

Beat is a UK charity providing support to those affected by eating disorders. Their website contains comprehensive information about the different types of eating disorders, treatment options, online support groups, fundraising ideas, and much more. They provide assistance in connecting you with local sources of support throughout the UK. This is a very useful resource if you or a loved one are suffering with an eating disorder.

https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

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Tips Of The Month

Each month we share small bits of practical advice that you can implement to improve your life or that of others.

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Soothing chapped lips and skin

Dry lips and skin are a common and uncomfortable occurrence that many people struggle with. Read on to learn a few suggestions about combating chapped lips and skin.

• Use a lip balm or a body lotion. Lip balms, skin lotions and facial moisturizers help to provide moisture and then lock it in. Consider using lotions after showering, or before you go to bed. If you are using a particularly thick or greasy hand lotion, consider wearing a pair of gloves after applying the lotion. This helps keep the lotion contained and it allows you to have functionality of your hands. Keep in mind that different brands of lotion work for different people so it may take some trial and error.
• Dry your body thoroughly after a shower or bath. Skin can become easily chapped when it is wet and exposed to the air. Making sure you dry yourself off thoroughly can help prevent or reduce the severity of chapped skin.
• Cover your skin in colder weather. Exposure to the cool air, especially if it is windy, can impact your skin over time. This makes it important to dress appropriately in colder weather. Use coats, hats, scarves, and gloves when necessary.
• Use gentle skin products. The skin beneath your nose can become dry if you blow your nose often. Some lotions and skin products are too harsh on sensitive skin. Consider investing in tissues infused with lotion and sensitive skin products to help with this.
• See your doctor. If your skin worsens or does not improve over time, you may benefit from discussing it with your doctor. They can assess you for underlying conditions or prescribe medication to help.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f16-general-health/

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Saving money on books

Reading can be a great way to pass the time but if you are someone that lives on a budget, new books can be difficult to afford. However, there are a number of ways to go about trying to save money while purchasing books.

• Purchase books from thrift stores, garage sales or library sales. All of these options usually have books for relatively low prices, although the books can come in all types of conditions so this may not be the best option if you are picky about the condition of the book you buy. Some books may have some minor damage whereas others will have some very obvious damage such as rips and tears or a dirty cover.
• Purchase books at used book stores. These books are usually in good condition as the owners have likely gone through them. The employees are usually aware of (or able to find out) what books they have in stock, which can be great if you have a list of books to look for as you can call ahead or ask the employee upon entering the store. Although this option can be more expensive than thrift stores, garage sales or library sales, you can usually exchange old books for store credit.
• Use websites where you can swap books. These sites work on a credit system. Basically, you upload the list of books you'd be willing to swap with another member. Once you have sent the book to that member you will be awarded points and will be able to receive a number of the books based on the amount of points you have accumulated. The only thing that you have to pay for is shipping on the book that you send out to someone, but if you are in a country that allows you to use media mail for shipping it can end up being quite affordable.
• Shop at wholesale stores. They are stores where the owners buy directly from the distributor (publisher) and are able to offer great discounts on items, often ranging from 50-70% off. These stores aren't the best if you are looking for new releases. However, they tend to have older releases and after a while newer books will show up on the shelves. The biggest issue with these stores is that they don't always have a steady stock of books. Sometimes they have a book one week but not the following week and they aren't always able to stock up on those books right away.
• Consider shopping at online bookstores because they usually have great deals on new releases. If you are someone who absolutely loves to purchase new releases or you prefer not buying used books, then utilizing online bookstores can be a good way to save money. Some of the online bookstores do not sell books for a list price so you can end up getting a discount, and some of the ebook stores may have discounted or free ebooks available.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f198-literature/

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How to feel better when sick

We can become sick or catch illnesses that make us feel awful at any time of the year. This tip can provide you with some ideas to feel better when you are feeling unwell.

• Ensure that you get enough rest and sleep. When you sleep the body has time to repair itself, so getting plenty of rest will help you to recover faster.
• Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated with water helps to flush out toxins from the body. If you don't like plain water, squeezing some lemon juice into the water can make it more palatable; it will also have the added benefit of helping your body to fight infections faster with its high vitamin C content.
• Try some warm self-soothing techniques. When you aren't feeling well, drinking warm teas can be a soothing drink for a sore throat and the steam can help you to breathe better if you are congested. Enjoying a warm bath or shower can help relieve body aches when you are feeling unwell; you can also use a heating pad. These will also help you to warm up if you are feeling cold.
• Try cold soothing remedies. Having something cold like fruit smoothies, ice cream or ice chips can help bring your body temperature down if you are feeling really warm and can also soothe sore throats. Drinking cold drinks may also be helpful in keeping fluids down. Everyone is different, and depending on your illness, one person may prefer hot remedies over cold and others may prefer both.
• Try some relaxing activities. You could relax with a movie or TV show under a blanket with your favorite hot or cold drinks and snacks. You could also read a book or do some drawing for some quiet time. Give yourself permission to relax when you are feeling unwell.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f16-general-health/

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Interesting Things (on TeenHelp)

A lot of content is posted to TeenHelp every single day, from threads to articles, social groups to albums. But it is difficult for even the most veteran user to keep on top of it all, so we have selected a few items from among the masses that we thought were interesting to draw your attention to.

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Threads

Favorite things to do on holiday?
Most people that are able to go on vacation tend to have activities that they enjoy doing most. Visit this thread to learn about other users' favorite vacation activities and feel free to share some of your favorite activities as well.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f222-...gs-do-holiday/

Any Thanksgiving recipe suggestions?
For some of us, Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and this holiday usually entails cooking a decent sized meal. Some people enjoy making the same recipes every year and some people like to try something different. Suggest some of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes to others or try and see if you can find new recipes to include with your meal.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f184-...e-suggestions/

John F. Kennedy files released
Recently it has been confirmed that the files containing information about John F. Kennedy's assassination will be released. You can discuss your feelings about the files being released in this thread.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f38-c...iles-released/

Who is your favorite artist?
If you are someone who likes art or are interested in learning about new artists, this is the thread for you. Explore some of the favorite artists that other users have recommended or share who your favorite artist is.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f221-...vorite-artist/

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Social groups

Add&adhd
If you have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, join this group to connect with users with the same diagnosis and discuss your stories, strategies, and experiences.

http://www.teenhelp.org/socialgroups...%26amp%3Badhd/

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Picture Of The Month

Each month we feature a picture by one of our users. If you would like to see your picture here please contact us by replying to this Newsletter, emailing us at publications@teenhelp.org, or messaging our Newsletter Officer (Narrative.) on the website.


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Donate to TeenHelp

In order to continue providing free services to young people around the world, TeenHelp requires a constant income of voluntary donations to support our regular costs. If you are able to, we ask that you please donate any money you can to us, even if it's only a few dollars.

http://www.teenhelp.org/donate/

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Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter

Our social networking pages are a great place to get a lot of high-quality information. We aim to connect you to interesting organisations, volunteering opportunities, events, news stories, pictures, videos, and more!

Facebook: http://www.teenhelp.org/facebook
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Tumblr: http://www.teenhelp.org/tumblr
Twitter: http://www.teenhelp.org/twitter

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Editorial team

Publications Team Leader/Editor-in-Chief: Haley (Halcyon)
Newsletter Officer: Chess (Narrative.)
Senior Newsletter Editor: Cassie (cynefin)
Newsletter Editor: Chantal (WretatsyRemedial)
Newsletter Editor: Dez (Onism.)
Newsletter Editor: Jenna (~Abibliophobe~)
Newsletter Editor: Sammi (Orenda.)

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