Information » Family & Relationships » What to do if something goes wrong » Getting help
- When things go wrong in your life, it is important that you don´t keep things to yourself. Talking to someone can not only make you feel better, it can also help with the problem
- Whether you are being abused, getting bullied or being discriminated against, there are people who will listen and offer you help and support
- If you feel comfortable, try talking to your mum or dad, older brother or sister or a close family member about what is bothering you. They might be able to give you advice and support and work with you to resolve the problem
- Sometimes the problem might come from within your family so you might want to try talking to someone like a teacher, your doctor, a neighbour or a friend´s parent instead
- If there is no-one you know who you want to talk to, there are special organisations that are there for you. They will offer confidential advice and support and are on-hand 24 hours a day in some cases. They have dealt with problems like yours before, so don´t feel embarrassed or ashamed. They won´t judge you
- Although most help lines are confidential, if the person you are talking to thinks you are in serious danger, they might decide that action needs to be taken. This will only be in extreme cases where your safety is at risk. If this happens, the person might ask you for your name and address so they can send someone to help you. Don´t be frightened – they are there for you and you are not in any trouble
- People can only help if they know your name and where you are so if you don´t want anyone involved, they won´t be. However if the person you are talking to is worried about you, there is usually very good reason and you should listen to their advice
- Many people worry that they will be split up from their family but this is very rare and will only happen if you are not safe at home
- Keeping things to yourself will not make the problem go away and getting help is the first step to making things better. There is always someone who can help and there is no problem too big to solve with the right support
