GO ASK ALICE!

Do you know enough about your health and sexuality to help you stay in good shape and out of trouble? It is no longer news that where providing comprehensive information is concern, some parents and teachers still find the task difficult. Thus, they only tell us what they want us to hear and sweep the rest under carpet until the media rescue us from our state of deprivation!

Talking about the media, despite the junks on the internet, there are some outstanding websites that are taking the lead in providing useful information that can be accessed free of charge by anyone. I stumbled on one of such wonders of the Internet recently, actually I heard about the link in a programme organized by MTV Base Youths Are Talking. The facilitator simply said, “…Check out www.goaskalice.com…”. The name alone is enough to spur anyone into action. I was intrigued by the resourcefulness of the website.
Basically, Go Ask Alice is an interactive website that is created to provide reliable, accurate, accessible and culturally competent information to help readers make responsible decisions about their health. You can “Go Ask Alice” questions on relationship, emotional health, alcohol, drugs, fitness and nutrition, sexual health and other general sexuality and social issues.

I actually posted a question to Alice (don’t ask me what question) but was disappointed when I did not receive an instant response as expected. This is because all questions and responses have to undergo a review process in order to ensure a qualitative and accurate response is given. When you submit a question, Alice checks her archives to know if similar queries have been addressed in the past and if it has, you are directed to the page prior to getting a response to your question.

Go Ask Alice, which is supported by a team of Columbia University Health educators, health professionals, research experts and health related organizations world-wide, can be accessed free of charge by students, parents, teachers, other professionals, the elderly, and everyone! Some interesting features on the website are: Questions and Answers of the week, Go Ask Alice Archive and Ask Alice (this gives you an opportunity to submit a question). However, Go Ask Alice is not created to address all issues because there are questions that should be better directed at “go see your professional doctor or counselor”.

“I am afraid to tell my mum I am pregnant”, “Should I tell my friend I am attracted to him?”, “Is social smoking really bad for me?”, “dining out effect on health”, “confused about HIV statistics” etc. are some of the issues I read up from the archives. It is amazing how much you can learn from this professional website. So whether you want to do some armchair psychoanalysis, learn by reading the diverse issues raised by others, or ask a question of your own, Go Ask Alice and get a fresh perspective to help you stay well informed and healthy!