"Tough times." It's an inescapable phrase these days. And, you might see or hear it even more if you're watching TV, listening to the radio, or reading a magazine, as a campaign about how to get through has just launched.
This week, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Ad Council, and the Inspire USA Foundation began a public service campaign that aims to prevent teen suicide.
The campaign, "We Can Help Us," taps into the natural help that teens often provide each other during tough times, providing messages and resources that promote teens helping other teens. Tough times are not permanent, and though transitions can be very challenging, others have gotten through similar situations.
As I've struggled with my own life challenges and transitions, I've often found that reading others' stories - either in books or online - helps me tremendously. Not every story resonates, and not every part of every story has a take-home message, but often enough I find something that makes me feel better, spurs me to action, or points me in a direction I might not otherwise have noticed.
