Tips for teens 13–17
Stay safe
Learn how to protect yourself from violence
• If you’re being physically or sexually abused, bullied,
or are afraid that you’re in danger, ask for help (from a
parent, teacher, or doctor).
• Don’t put up with behavior that hurts other people.
• Being bullied? Stay calm and walk away. Then tell a
trusted adult.
Crashes are the leading killer of teens
• Drive carefully and use good judgment.
• Distracted driving is a major cause of fatal accidents.
Take a pledge to not text or talk on your cell phone
while driving
• Always wear your seat belt, whether you’re the driver or
passenger in the front seat or in the back.
• Never drive buzzed, or ride with a driver who’s been
drinking or using drugs - call a friend or family member
for a ride.
• Always wear a helmet when you’re on a motorcycle,
bicycle, or skateboard.
Learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol
• Plan how you’ll say no if you’re offered alcohol or drugs.
Stay away from places where people are using drugs
or alcohol.
• Unplanned sex, and even sexual abuse, is more likely to
happen after drinking alcohol or using drugs.
• If you use drugs or alcohol and want to quit, make a
confidential call to the Kaiser Permanente Adolescent
Center at 1-800-422-7932. Or make a confidential call to
Behavioral Health Services at 1-888-287-2680.
• You can always talk to your doctor confidentially if
you have questions or concerns about substance use.
You can also talk to an adult or peer counselor at your
school.
Protect yourself on the Internet
• Keep personal and financial information about yourself
and your family private. Don’t share these with anyone
over the Internet.
• If anyone tries to bully or scare you, stop communicating
with him or her right away.
• If you don’t know someone, don’t agree to meet up with
him or her in person.
• Know that things you post on social networking
sites (such as Facebook) can stay there forever.
Stay healthy
Healthy body
• Being active can help you feel better physically, mentally,
and emotionally. Get some kind of physical activity
every day. Walking, bike riding, shooting hoops,
skateboarding, and inline skating are all great ways to
be active.
• Too much screen time can lead to weight gain and
other health problems. Set a limit on how much time
you’ll spend on the computer, playing video games, and
watching TV.
• Tobacco isn’t only expensive, it stains your teeth and
makes you and your breath smell bad. If you use
tobacco, quit! Protect yourself from other people’s
smoke. Ask them not to smoke around you or in your
home or car.
• Loud music, especially if you wear ear buds, can cause
hearing loss. Protect your hearing and keep the volume
at the halfway mark or below.
• Teens need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every
night. Get enough sleep. You’ll probably find it easier to
deal with life’s challenges when you’re well rested.
• Keep your smile healthy, your teeth white, and your
breath fresh. Brush and floss your teeth every day.
• The sun can damage your skin. Use sunscreen (SPF 15
or higher) and wear a hat and sunglasses when you’re
outside during the day to protect yourself.
• See your doctor every year for a well-visit check up.
Healthy eating
• To function at your best, eat 3 healthy meals a day,
including breakfast.
• Stay connected with your family. Have meals together as
often as you can.
Continued on back
healthy teens healthy futures
The teen years are exciting years. As you make the
transition from child to teen, you’ll take on new
responsibilities, learn new skills, meet new friends, and
make many decisions.
Sometimes things might seem a little overwhelming.
Your family, your doctor and health care team, and
trusted adults at school and in your community are all
here to help. As you grow in body, mind, and spirit…
• The healthier your food, the better you’ll feel. Limit the amount
of junk food you eat.
• Choose a variety of healthy foods. Aim for 5 servings of fruits
and vegetables each day.
• Take a multivitamin every day. Choose vitamins that don’t have
sugar. Make sure you get 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium daily. If
you’re not sure you’re getting enough from your multivitamin
and diet, take a calcium supplement, such as Tums. Girls should
take a multivitamin that also has folate and iron.
Healthy feelings
Everyone has difficult feelings from time to time. These feelings
include stress, anger, and low self-esteem. Find a trusted adult you
can confide in about these feelings and anything else that’s on your
mind, such as friends, sex, and growing up.
If you feel angry, irritable, sad, or hopeless, don’t keep these
feelings to yourself. Talk to a friend or trusted adult. These feelings
could be a sign that you’re depressed.
How do you know if you’re depressed?
Do you

feel angry, irritable, hopeless, sad, cry a lot?

lack energy or interest in friends and activities you used
to enjoy?

have trouble concentrating?

feel like you’re not good enough?

think about hurting or killing yourself or others?

have a hard time getting along with other people?

think about running away or dropping out of school?
If you’ve had any of these feelings for 2 weeks or longer, it could
mean you’re depressed. Teens who are depressed are at greater
risk for:
• Getting sick often
• Having problems at school
• Getting into trouble with the law
If you think you might be depressed, get help right away.
Depression can be treated.
Sexuality
Having sex can have consequences. You probably know that not
having sex (being abstinent) is the only sure way to protect yourself
from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and
infections (STDs and STIs), including HIV.
The choice of whether to have sex is a decision only you can make.
If you decide not to have sex until you’re older, you’re not alone.
Many teens choose not to have sex. If you need help making a
decision, talk with your parents or a trusted adult, such as your
doctor.
• Be clear in your own mind what you will and won’t do. Talk to
your boyfriend or girlfriend about your limits before you get
sexually excited.
• Don’t get talked into anything you don’t wan to. If you feel
unsure about anything, say “NO.”
• See your doctor for check-ups at least once a year. If you’ve been
sexually active, ask your doctor to test you for common sexually
transmitted infections, just to be on the safe side.
Content adapted and used with permission from The Permanente Medical Group Inc., Northern California Regional Health Education. • If you decide to have sex, protect yourself from STDs/STIs.
Practice safer sex by using a condom every time for vaginal, anal,
or oral sex.
• To protect yourself from unplanned pregnancy, girls need to use
another form of birth control (like the pill or Depo- Provera).
• Oral and anal sex can’t cause pregnancy, but can lead to STDs/
STIs. Using a condom or dental dam can make oral and anal
sex safer.
• Girls who’ve had sexual intercourse, and didn’t use protection,
should call their doctor or Consulting Nurse Service right away
to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and STDs/STIs.
Consulting Nurse is available to Kaiser Permanente members 24
hours a day, 7 days a week by calling toll free: 1-800-297-6877.
If you’re questioning your sexuality, you’re not alone. Many teens
wonder whether they might be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Some
teens just aren’t sure. Talking to someone you trust can help you
feel safe and accepted.
Remember that you can talk to your doctor – confidentially – if
you have any questions about sexuality including safer sex, sexual
identity, and birth control. You can also talk confidentially to your
doctor about anything else – such as problems at home or school,
stress and depression, bullying, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR TEENS
Emergency Contraception Hotline 1-888-NOT2LATE
National Alcohol and Drugs Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
ndvh.org
National Runaway Switchboard: 1-800-621-4000
National STD Hotline: 1-800-227-8922
Planned Parenthood’s Teen page:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/info-for-teens/
TeenHealthFX: teenhealthfx.com
TeenLink (for teens in Western Washington):
206-461-4922 or 1-866-833-6546 or on the web at
www.866teenlink.org
TeensHealth: teenshealth.org/teen/
Washington State Teenline (includes 24 hr Alcohol and
Drug Helpline): 1-877-345-8336 or on the web at
http://theteenline.org/
KAISER PERMANENTE RESOURCES
Adolescent Center: 1-800-422-7932
Behavioral Health Services: 1-888-287-2680
Consulting Nurse Service: 24 hours a day,
1-800-297-6877
Kaiser Permanente website: Visit our Teen Health section to find even
more information and resources at kp.org/wa/teens
Next wellness visit in 1 year
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©2017 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington