Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Approximately 1 in 3 teens will experience abuse from someone they are in a relationship with before reaching adulthood. For many of these teens, it can be difficult to speak up and seek help as they get caught up in the cycle of abuse. As a result, February marks Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. In order to support healthy relationships for teens, it is important to provide role models and information on what is healthy and unhealthy in a romantic relationship. Healthy relationships should involve mutual respect, honest communication, making mutual choices, and spending time away from one another. If you have an important teen in your life, take some time this February to check in and talk about healthy relationships. Here are some signs that you or your teen may be in an unhealthy or abusive relationship. Pressure. In unhealthy relationships, there is often pressure to engage in activities that the individual is not interested in or comfortable with. This can rise to the level of abuse when the pressure becomes controlling or manipulative or consent or opinions are dismissed or ignored completely. Constantly together. It is important in any relationship to take time for yourself. If there is no time spent in individual activities or pressure to spend every moment together, it may be concerning. In abusive relationships, this may look like isolating them from friends or family or constant checking in on what they are doing or where they are. Lack of trust. An important foundation of a healthy relationship is a shared trust that each person is acting with good intention. When there have been repeated breaches of trust or someone has been dishonest, it can damage that foundation and lead to unhealthy patterns of communication. In an abusive relationship, this may lead to verbal abuse, accusations of cheating, and intrusions on privacy. If you or someone you love is or has experienced abuse in romantic relationships, help is available. Mental health professionals can provide support around safety planning, developing healthier future relationships, and accessing resources. Help is also available at loveisrespect.org, by calling (866) 331-9474 or by texting LOVEIS to 22522. Random Acts of Kindness Week (2/14/2024 to 2/20/2024) February 16th to the 23rd is National Random Acts of Kindness Week. Random acts of kindness have a lot of potential mental health benefits including decreased stress, increased self-esteem, and providing a distraction from other problems. Many also experience a boost in energy and mood from the rush of feel-good chemicals in your brain when you are kind to others. Kindness is often contagious as well and one small act could create a snowball of people spreading kindess to others. Celebrate random acts of kindness week by finding some small way to give to others. Here are a few ideas to help you if you are not sure what to do!- Compliment a stranger.
- Pay for someone else’s coffee.
- Leave an inspirational note somewhere for someone else to find.
- Return someone else’s shopping cart at the grocery store.
- Give away items you no longer need for free.
- Donate blood.
- Donate some food to a food bank or animal shelter.
- Send an email to a teacher, coach, or mentor who made a difference in your life.
- Leave snacks/drinks out for your local delivery driver/mail person.
- Let someone cut in front of you in line.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop | 
