Frequently Asked Questions

In this section you will find questions asked by teenagers like you; questions they asked while participating in this course. Read them carefully.

Remember that if you are an institutional participant and you have filled out the health profiles, you can have access to the nurse. This service allows you to ask about different topics that you consider important and are related to your adolescent life. All correspondence is considered confidential and will be addressed by a professional in less than 48 hours! To watch a demo click  here.

Why do we need to use seat belts?

A seat belt is a protective device that prevents a person from being hurled against the inside of the car (windshield, steering wheel, etc.) or thrown out of the vehicle entirely with the force of a crash or collision.  As you know, automobile accidents can cause fractures, permanent injuries and even death to those riding in the car.  Seatbelts reduce the risk of this happening.

Note:

Studies of traffic accidents show that using a seat belt reduces serious injuries by 50% and deaths by 75%.

How can accidents be prevented?

Accident prevention depends on your motivation to protect your own health and life as well as on taking steps to avoid placing other people at risk.

From playing sports, cleaning house, and using electrical equipment to driving a car, every activity has recommendations or instructions for avoiding accidents.  It is your responsibility to investigate, know, and reflect on what you need to do to engage in these activities safely.

For example, if you are riding a bicycle you should wear a helmet and knee protectors, respect traffic signs, follow special bicycle paths, ride only when sober, etc.

Reminder:

• Make sure you have and use the safety accessories you need for every activity
• Pay attention to all safety signs and signals
• Concentrate on the activities that you are involved in
• Don’t exceed the recommended limits, whether in a vehicle or with a person, for example in playing a sport
• Be prepared for emergencies (have a first aid kit or essential medicines)
• Respect the rules for using machines or vehicles
• Stay sober (don’t drink alcohol)
• Read the labels and follow the instructions carefully for using tools, electric appliances, etc. and for using toxic substances.

How can I raise my self esteem?

Self esteem is the value you place on your own skills, capacities and achievements (feeling proud, confident, and secure about yourself).  It means valuing your self image and being able to face new challenges with confidence.

Remember that your self esteem grows every day and throughout your life, based on learning and experiences that change the ideas and feelings you have about yourself.

To build your self esteem, here are some steps you can take:

• Get involved in activities (sports, arts, music, academics, taking a course, etc.) where you can express your strengths, skills, preferences, and capacities.  What can you do best?  What do you like to do?  You can also discover new interests and skills.
• Explore and clarify your values (decide what is important for you, such as respect, responsibility, family relationships, education).
• Appreciate the achievements and strengths you have shown up to now
• Seek out other people with whom you can share rewarding and positive relationships.

As you gain more knowledge of yourself, you will increase confidence in your unique skills, values and qualities (who you are, and what you are capable of doing).  This will help you to think well of yourself.  It will also help you to set goals and objectives for what you would like to do in the future. 

What harm do drugs do?

Every drug has specific harmful effects.  However, drug dependency has negative consequences that are shared by all drugs:

Physical health: drug abuse can cause illnesses such as hepatitis, ulcers, cardiovascular problems (poor blood circulation), unstable blood pressure, etc.  It can also cause fatigue, insomnia, eating disorders, extreme weight loss, etc.

Psychological/emotional health: drug use can cause depression, fluctuations in your self esteem and energy level, and emotions such as extreme anger, defensiveness, guilt, blame, and paranoia (persecution anxieties).  You may abandon goals that were important to you, and lose the capacity to resolve conflicts in your life.

Social relations: Drug users may become involved in fights, and in thefts and robberies to support their habit.  Dependency can result in social isolation, quitting school or work and abandoning family and friends.  Isolation at its extreme can end in homelessness, with no place to sleep and no money for basic necessities such as food.

Why do women have menstrual periods?

To understand why women have their monthly menstrual flow (bleeding from the vagina), you should be aware that the female body undergoes a series of changes during the process of physical and hormonal development during puberty to prepare it for the possibility of reproduction. 

The female reproductive organs consist of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus.  The female hormone, estrogen, stimulates the uterus to line itself with blood and tissue in preparation for the possibility of a pregnancy, thickening and padding the uterine walls.  This happens days before an egg separates itself from one of the ovaries in a natural monthly process known as ovulation and begins to move down the fallopian tube towards the uterus.  If the egg is fertilized by a sperm and arrives in the uterus, it attaches itself to the lining of the uterine wall, producing a pregnancy.  If the egg is not fertilized, the blood and natural tissues lining the uterus are shed in a process called menstruation, or the monthly period.  Bleeding may last from three to five days but in some cases lasts up to seven days.

How can I improve my school grades?

Getting organized is the key to achieving your objectives.  Your strategy should include setting aside a regular time for studying.  Calculate the time you usually get home from school, leave a little time to rest and relax, and then GET TO WORK!  Devote the time you need to do your homework, reading assignments, lesson summaries, and reviews of the material.  You will find that it is easier to study for tests and exams this way, so long as you do it every day so that it becomes a regular habit.

It will also help to improve your grades if you develop an interest in the materials or themes that you are studying.  Looking up additional  information in books or on the Internet and asking questions of your teachers will make it easier for you to learn.

Some steps to take:

• Find a comfortable place to study that has everything you need and, above all, is not distracting (such as the library in your school or community)
• Choose some study techniques: make lecture notes and summaries; decide on specific times to study; work on each subject or theme, etc.  This will make you feel confident that you are up to date with all of the materials.
• Study in a group, with other students, but make sure that you are concentrating on the subjects.
• Develop your self image and your own ideas about who you are, what you want, and what you hope to achieve.
• Organize your priorities: analyze your goals and how to achieve them.  Try to keep these goals in mind (write them down if necessary) and use them to motivate yourself.
• Be responsible: be punctual, participate in the lessons, and do your homework and special assignments on time.  PRACTICE!