Around 44 percent of all U.S. adults are currently single, and approximately 40 million adults use internet dating websites. For teens, online dating and long distance relationships are even more so the norm. Now more than ever, it’s important for teenagers and young adults to understand how to stay safe in long distance relationships.

Risks Associated with Online Dating

Since 2013, the proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds using online dating has increased from 10 to 27 percent. However, meeting someone from over the internet for the first time does pose some risks. Around 53 percent of all users lie about their physical appearance on their online dating profile. Over 40 percent of women and over 15 percent of all men say they’ve had a bad experience dating online.

Nearly 30 percent of users dating online say they’ve been harassed or made uncomfortable by how someone contacted them through a dating app or website online. The number of dating scams or confidence fraud cases increased from 2,500 in 2015 to 15,000 in 2016, amounting to $230 million in losses. The average losses in these online dating scams range from $5,000 to $10,000.

Researchers have also determined that around 10 percent of all sex offenders use online dating for meeting victims. Teenagers and young adults like to be independent, but when it comes to meeting someone for the first time, parents and friends should always be aware of your whereabouts. Fortunately, there are red flags to watch out for, and different tips teenagers can rely on to help make long distance relationships safer.

Making the Long Distance Relationship Work

When you’re starting out in a long distance relationship, it’s important to establish boundaries and discuss what each expects and wants out of it. If you’re transitioning from being together to staying together over a long distance, it’s essential to have this discussion before the move. The goal here is to try and avoid confusion or jealousy from ruining things later on.

You’ll want to discuss whether or not the relationship is exclusive and where it could be headed in the near future. Take the time to get to know the person well before committing to anything or getting carried away with ideas of what could be.

Staying Safe When Dating Online

You should keep personal information about your home and family private until you’ve verified their identity and gotten to know them better. You should also be cautious of anyone trying to curry your favor with money or gifts. If someone you’ve never met before is trying to get this information or entice you with gifts, they should be reported to the website’s operators and your parents.

Avoiding Online Dating Scams

There are a number of con artists that are solely interested in victimizing and exploiting people who are looking for love online. Being cautious of compliments given over the internet and keeping real friends close by is how many people can avoid making disastrous decisions while dating online. If not, people and their loved ones can be conned out of their entire savings within a few years’ time. It’s happened before.

In some cases, people have been victimized for close to a decade, being conned out of money by online users, disillusioned by what feels like a meaningful long-distance relationship. These romance cons are not just for the desperate or naive; the average person can full victim to these traps if they don’t have friends or family to counter the ploy. Romance con artists want to isolate their victim so all their time and resources are focused on the online relationship.

Many authorities consider this to be criminal activity classified as advanced fee fraud where the perpetrator cons victims in providing payments upfront for services or goods that never materialize. Despite all the connectivity we do have, it’s clear that many people still feel isolated and yearn for some form of companionship. There are currently international criminal organizations operating through online dating websites attempting to target and exploit these types of people.

Experts say that people with few friends to confide in are the perfect target for the online dating scammers. These people tend to have fewer people and limited networks that can help warn them or vet new profiles. It’s vital to cautious of overly complimentary acquaintances who may be putting on an act to present themselves as the ideal person they believe you’re looking for. With many of the scammers, there’s a proven formula that they will use to manipulate their victim.

The fake profile often has a career related to the military, finance or engineering. Many times they will say they are inconveniently overseas or have a heartfelt story about being a caretaker or a single parent. If meeting in person is not an option, then you should at least be able to video chat on occasion. If they continue to make excuses or put an image up instead of the video, this should be a huge red flag.

Playing it Safe with Long Distance Relationships

Even if they’re likely to disapprove, parents should always be informed about any long distance relationships or potential meets. Anytime your meeting someone online for the first time, it’s important to be cautious. You should also try and verify that the person is who they say they are before agreeing to get into any relationship. Finding mutual friends or running an image search on Google is an easy way to check up on someone online.

For many people, being scammed in a long distance relationship can be devastating. Victims often become isolated and may give up on interacting with others altogether. Long distance relationships can be a great thing when they are done right, and you take the proper precaution. You can go in with an open mind and still protect your financial, emotional and physical welfare.

Getting input from the people you trust and being honest with them about how things are going does help you stay safe in long distance relationships.

References:

Romance On The Internet – Beware The Dating Scammers | Psychic2Tarot.com

10 Ways to Catch out a Catfish | eHarmony.com

You and your high school sweetheart are written in the stars, but there’s one thing that’s standing between you: college. You are going to different schools – perhaps thousands of miles apart. Splitting up would break both of your hearts, but you’re worried about how the distance is going to affect you.

Going off to college doesn’t have to be the end of your high school romance! Here are some tips that will help you maintain your relationship and keep it going strong while you’re both earning your degrees.

Trust Each Other

Trust is the foundation of any healthy relationship, and it’s particularly important when you’re long distance. When you can trust your boyfriend or girlfriend, you can both be happy and confident with your relationship. Remember to behave how you would want your partner to behave. Even innocent flirting could have serious repercussions, so before you act, ask yourself, “Would this betray my other half’s trust?”

Communication is Key

Maintaining your high school relationship when you’re both away at college may be challenging, but remember that you’ll get out of your relationship what you put into it. It’s extremely important to communicate with each other. Even when your class schedules are conflicting and the assignments are piling high, make time to speak with each other on a regular basis. Phone calls, texts, emails, and even snail mail (there’s something so romantic about receiving a hand-written letter from a loved one), are all great ways to stay connected. Plus, it will strengthen your bond and nurture your love.

Space is Important

While communicating on a regular basis is certainly an important part of maintaining your relationship, you also have to give your partner some space. You’re both in college. If you’re constantly texting, calling, Skyping, and emailing each other, you could miss out on the whole college experience. Plus, if you’re the one who is constantly reaching out, your partner may feel like you are being too clingy and could become a major drag.

Remember to give each other some space. If you trust one another, giving each other space shouldn’t be a problem.

Send Care Packages

To a college student, getting a package in the mail is like winning the lottery; when that package comes from a high school sweetheart, it’s like hitting the jackpot! Send a care package every once in a while. Fill a box with one of your old T-shirts, a stuffed animal, books that you have read (and jotted some notes down in the margins), scrapbooks, and some of your other half’s favorite snacks. Nothing says “I’m thinking about you” better than a care package filled with goodies.

Be Open Minded

Things are going to change a lot when you go to college, including your relationship with your other half. Have an open mind and be willing to accept those changes. If you are deadest against them, you’ll only put up roadblocks in your relationship, which could do serious damage. Navigate through those changes together and you’ll be even better and stronger than you were before!

Speak Your Mind

If something is bothering you about your relationship, don’t be afraid to open up and talk about it! If you bottle it up and try to ignore it, it’s only going to fester. It may even make you end up distrusting your partner and ruining your relationship. Be open and honest about how you are feeling. If your other half is truly committed, he or she will listen attentively and make changes to correct whatever is it that’s bothering you.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can happen to anyone who is sexually active, and depending on the disease, they can have different symptoms — or even none at all.  Here are the top 4 most common STDs and how they can be resolved.

Gonorrhea

The symptoms of gonorrhea include burning during urination, a discharge that is white, yellow, or green coming from the penis, and painful or swollen testicles. Women with gonorrhea may experience increased vaginal discharge and bleeding between their menstrual periods.

A doctor can diagnose gonorrhea with a urine test or a swab of the oral area if that is where symptoms are present. Gonorrhea is a curable STD and can be treated by a physician. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important that you be seen by a physician for treatment.

Syphilis

This one used to be quite common, but is less common now due to improved hygiene practices. It is spread via direct contact with a syphilis sore during sexual contact. The primary sores of syphilis are usually found around the genitals. They are round, firm, and painless. Secondary syphilis infection symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, mild fever, and a skin rash.

If left untreated, the outward symptoms of syphilis will fade, but severe damage can be done internally. A blood test is used to diagnose syphilis. Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics prescribed by your physician.

Chlamydia

Most people with chlamydia do not exhibit any symptoms. For those who do have symptoms, they include abnormal vaginal discharge, burning while urinating, penile discharge, and pain and swelling in the testicles.

Like gonorrhea, chlamydia is curable. Chlamydia can be diagnosed through a urine test. Your physician may also take a swab of the vaginal area to diagnose this STD. If you think you have this STD, a doctor will be able to prescribe medication to treat the infection.

Herpes

Herpes is characterized by outbreaks of sores in the oral or genital area. The virus that causes herpes in and around the mouth may or may not have been contracted sexually. However, it is possible to contract genital herpes through contact with someone who has oral herpes. Not everyone who has herpes will have sores and it is possible to spread the virus without the presence of sores.

A doctor will diagnose herpes by the appearance of the sores. Herpes is not curable but is treatable with antiviral medications.

Getting treatment

Even when they think they have an STD, many people — especially teens — will try to hide it and avoid getting treatment. They may not be able to afford it, be worried about “getting in trouble,” or might assume that the disease will resolve on its own.

If you think that you have an STD, don’t put it off. There are many private free STD testing facilities across the US to help you get healthy again. These are advantageous because “at free STD testing centers, whether you book an appointment or not, it’s likely you will be required to sit in a waiting room with other patients who all know why you’re there. Depending on the clinic, your information may not be kept private. Private STD service providers ensure your health information is kept private and confidential…from the time you place and order…to receiving your results.” (Safer STD Testing)

If you are diagnosed with an STD, it is important to contact any previous sexual partners so that they can also get tested. Many times, STDs exhibit no symptoms, but can cause damage to your reproductive organs if left untreated.

Read more on this subject: How to Be Safe and Healthy as a Sexually Active Teen

Have you recently had a breakup? Separating from a loved one can be a very difficult time in your life. You may feel angry, sad, in denial, sick to your stomach or heartbroken. But don’t despair, there are many ways to start feeling better. Here are the top five things you can do to help you grieve and get your breakup off of your mind.

Cut Off Contact

Calling or checking up on their Facebook to see what they’re doing is only going to make things worse. Instead, cut off contact completely so you don’t hang on to a useless hope of getting back together. This will help improve your mental health immediately by decreasing anxiety.

Pamper Yourself

Instead of fuming or crying, get out and pamper yourself. Do something nice for your body and mind, like getting a pedicure or going to a yoga class followed by a massage. You deserve it, especially while you are feeling down!

Divert Your Mind

Whatever you do, don’t sit at home and do nothing. This will leave a window of opportunity for your mind to overthink. Instead, pick up a new hobby or do something you’ve always wanted to do. Learn to crochet, dance, ski, or surf. Pick up a good book at the bookstore. Play a sport with friends. Diverting your mind will keep it so busy that you won’t have time to wallow in sadness.

Exercise

Exercising is a great way to keep your mind off of your breakup. It helps your body release negative energy and decreases cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol is a stress hormone that builds up in your body and can make you feel anxious or depressed. It can also help your body release endorphins, which will help boost your mood and self-esteem. Go for a run, swim, hike (bring a top quality hiking stick), or walk. Just get up and get moving!

Try Essential Oils

Going through a breakup can cause you to feel sad, hopeless, and anxious. You might even have a hard time sleeping or lose the will to eat. To get your body and mind to relax, try out some essential oils. You can use a diffuser or even put some drops in a warm bath. Frankincense essential oil is known to balance your mood and promote feelings of peace. Eucalyptus oil can give your body an overall sense of relaxation and ease your emotions. Chamomile oil releases feelings of stress from the body. Give it a try today!

Dealing with a breakup and a broken heart is not easy. It’s normal to feel heartbroken and lost, but it’s important to give yourself time to heal. Ever heard of, “no feeling is final?” It’s TRUE. The next few weeks  of your life will feel like they’re going by so slowly and every song you hear will remind you of your ex. After a while, your life will feel normal again. Just know that everything will be fine and YOU will always find your happiness, because it really doesn’t depend on anybody else.

Below are a few healthy tips to help you with how to get over a break up and a broken heart.

Disconnect from your ex

I know this might seem crazy and impossible, but you have to try. Unfollow/block them from your social media accounts because you will find yourself stalking their profile to see what they’ve been up to. Don’t call or text them! Even if you’ve deleted their number, there’s no doubt that you have that number memorized. If you’ve ended on bad terms and are seeking closure, the early stages of a break up may not be the right time to talk to them about it. Let your broken heart heal first.

Vent to the right people

This is the time to call your loved ones and your closest friends to vent without being judged. Try not to talk trash about the other person; focus on how you feel and remember the good times. I know it may seem easier to think of the bad times you’ve had and their bad qualities because you think you’ll hate them faster and get over them easier, but that’s not always the case. Use this time to bond with your friends for some comfort food and romcoms. Bring out those tubs of ice cream! (Just don’t over do it…one of the best tips for how to get over a breakup and broken heart is to look your best).

Do NOT find a rebound

This is not the time to start dating again. Even though the days and nights feel so lonely, you don’t need to start talking to someone to help you heal. You are vulnerable at this time. Hooking up can potentially hurt you and the other person, and worsen your broken heart. This is not a time to play with feelings just because you want to fill that empty space or get revenge.

Take care of yourself

Taking care of yourself is crucial! It’s easy to let yourself go and not care about anything. Avoid alcohol and drugs. Reinvent and rediscover yourself by doings things you love. Spend quality time with yourself and the people you care about. Exercise to release endorphins and reduce stress. Fuel yourself by eating healthy and happily. Know that you are loved by many. Love yourself too.

Learn from the power of love

Finally accepting that the relationship is over is hard. The truth is that this will make you stronger and that this is a part of life and falling in love. It is okay to cry, but not forever. Your heart should only get stronger from here. There’s always a lesson learned from every relationship. You learn how to give your heart to someone, you learn to better communicate and when things fall apart, you will learn to stand up on your own two feet again.

Remember, how to get over a breakup depends on your attitude and the feelings you allow yourself to feel. Choose wisely!

Kristen Marquez graduated with a B.A. in Cinema & Television Arts from California State, University Northridge with an emphasis in Television Production. She is a social media coordinator by day and a content creator by night. With her great imagination, she knows she will create the next big thing whether it’s a script, a product or a simple idea that will fill people’s hearts with joy and entertainment. She blogs for a hobby and loves spending time with her golden retriever Lily.

So you’ve never kissed a guy…but you’ve watched kissing scenes on TV and almost every movie and it looks pretty easy.

But remember, those scenes are absolutely rehearsed! Watching someone kiss doesn’t mean you know how. First kisses can be awkward but they don’t have to be.

Follow this wonderful guide to handle your FIRST KISS and make it memorable!

Step 1. Think about what kind of “FIRST” Kiss you want.

What? There’s more than one type?! YES!

There’s wet kisses, dry kisses with chapped lips (no one wants that), mouth open, a little tongue, a lot of tongue, or a nice juicy peck on the lips where you hear the sound of a smack!

You might be thinking, “Well what if I don’t want to plan it?” You don’t have to, but it’s nice to have an achievable fantasy.

Step 2. PRACTICE!

I know this sounds silly, but use your hand and pucker up! I’m not saying hardcore make out with your hand!

You’ve kissed a baby, your parents, and maybe a picture of the guy you want to kiss. It’s the same concept, just slower and sweeter. Practice makes perfect right? Make yourself kissable and moisturized! Speaking of that…

Step 3. Make your lips soft and KISSABLE

No one wants to kiss someone with cracked lips. You want your lips to look KISSABLE. What does that even mean?? It means that you should exfoliate and moisturize with a lip balm – nothing sticky.

Dab some tea tree oil around areas on your lips where you are breaking out. (It will sting!)   Do not apply the tea tree oil directly onto your lips, only around it. Dab the oil directly on your pimple(s) around your lips.

To exfoliate your lips, you can purchase a lip scrub from any drug store. I prefer using lips scrubs from Lush. If you want to save money, you can always make your own. There are many lip scrub recipes you can find online. Most scrubs are made of sugar and other sweet ingredients.

Step 4. Have fresh breath!

Brush your teeth beforehand!

If you can’t, have some breath mints or Listerine strips on you. Stay away from foods or drinks that will make your breath smell or make you want to burp. (Avoid coffee, onions, tuna, garlic etc.)

Step 5. COMMUNICATE – use body language!

The man you want to kiss is finally in front of you. Let’s pretend you both are silent and we’ll assume you’re both ready to lock lips. Lean in closely and stare into his eyes. Let me rephrase that: make eye contact!

I giggle whenever I hear someone say “stare deeply into their eyes” because technically you really can’t be looking at both their eyes at the same time! Anyways, look at each other and sense the vibes he’s giving off. Guys give off strong signals, and if it’s their first time, chances are you both are nervous together. At this point, you can drop hints by looking at his lips or smiling. Move closer.

Step 6. Give permission to kiss.

Sure, you can verbally consent you want a kiss, but that’s no fun. Kiss them on the cheek. That’s always really cute and that will make him want to kiss you on the lips even more! Some guys can be really shy and you might just have to initiate it, which is okay!

Step 7. Aim for the lips!

I know that sounds cheesy, but believe me, some people miss. Timing is important too: you don’t want to kiss someone while they are smiling with teeth or have their mouth open! (If you’re lucky, that will make both of you laugh and you’ll want to actually kiss from there.) So here’s what you do, lean in slowly, aim for the lips and try to get his lower lip between yours. Be confident and smooch!

Step 8. Know your limits!

Keep it gentle and sweet. Let the pattern of kissing come out naturally and pace yourselves!

Remember, don’t feel pressured to do something you don’t want to do. Be verbal about things if you have to.

If you have any more kissing tips, comment below!

Kristen Marquez  graduated with a B.A. in Cinema & Television Arts from California State, University Northridge with an emphasis in Television Production. She is a social media coordinator by day and a content creator by night. With her great imagination, she knows she will create the next big thing whether it’s a script, a product or a simple idea that will fill people’s hearts with joy and entertainment. She blogs for a hobby and loves spending time with her golden retriever Lily.