Great question! For starters, if your friend or partner is worthy of your friendship, then they shouldn’t be pressuring you into doing something you don’t feel comfortable doing. If you … read more
Ask Us questions
Each week we choose one new Ask Us question and post the answer. Feel free to search or browse our past questions and answers to see if yours is already there.
To ask a new question, use our form. Ask your own question!
I’m really concerned, depressed and scared at the state of the world and what my life is turning into, with the coronavirus and wildfires and all the violence and hate in the world and it’s really hurting my mental health. I’m terrified of going back to school in-person with the coronavirus and being infected with something that I could bring home that could kill my family. I had 2 panic attacks this week because I thought school was happening in-person. I’m feeling really really anxious and depressed, and I feel like there’s no hope. I don’t know what’s happening except that it’s bad. What can I do to cope with it all? Please help!
Thank you for your questions; there is certainly a lot happening in the world and a lot of people are experiencing similar thoughts and feelings. While it can be so … read more
Can you help me be less insecure? I’ve seen many other female bodies and cry about how much better they look compared to mine. I don’t want to feel like that anymore.
Thank you for your question. It can feel so tough when we start comparing ourselves and our bodies to other people, especially when we see such unrealistic/filtered images from social … read more
I’ve been questioning my sexuality for years and really think I’m asexual. I don’t feel safe coming out and feel like I can’t tell my doctor or even my family right now. If I tell my therapist, will they be understanding, and will it be confidential?
Thanks for your question. We know that a person’s sexual attraction can range from being asexual, attracted to females, attracted to males, or a combination of females and males. This … read more
My boyfriend and I have tried to have sex many times, but every time he tries to insert his penis it really hurts. Recently, I tried touching the opening of my vagina with a finger, again I had really bad pain. We did get his penis in all the way one time, but it was painful. Please help!
So glad you asked us this question! For some, conversations about sex are awkward or uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be this way. Talking about sex is how you learn, especially … read more
I really want to get pregnant. The only problem is, I haven’t had my first period yet and I am worried about getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Is it possible to get pregnant (even if I haven’t had my period yet), while protecting myself from STIs?
Thank you for your question. It is totally possible for a young woman to become pregnant without having her first period. This is because during ovulation a mature egg is … read more
When I watch needle injections on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok I get an autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). This causes me to hurt myself sometimes with pens and tacks. Is it sterile? Should I stop?
Thank you for your question. ASMR is an autonomous sensory meridian response that leads to a tingling sensation in the crown of the head, caused by a range of audio-visual … read more
Remote learning is making me incredibly stressed, sad, miserable, furious, bipolar, and depressed. Sometimes even suicidal. How should I cope?
Thank you so much for your question. Remote learning can be a challenge, and there is a lot going on right now that can make it feel hard to cope … read more
My mom is insisting I go see a gynecologist. She really wants me to see our ‘family’ gynecologist, but he’s male and this makes me really uncomfortable. My mom thinks it’s silly I am uncomfortable, but I don’t know what to do. Should I just accept it and go to the appointment?
Great question! It can be a little awkward to think about seeing a new doctor, whether male or female. As a start, ask your mom why she thinks you need the … read more
I have been fat since childhood. I think I might have an eating disorder. I feel guilty after eating my meal, and then weigh myself like 100 times in an hour. I want to lose about 10 kg. What is your advice?
It sounds like you could benefit from meeting with a qualified mental health provider to discuss the feelings of guilt you have around eating as well as working to improve … read more