Under Pressure: How Our Bodies Respond to Stress and Tips to Fight Back

Under Pressure: How Our Bodies Respond to Stress and Tips on How to Fight Back

It is that time of year again. The holiday season is right around the corner, but it is hard to see the lights when our vision is clouded over by homework, final projects, and exams. Can’t it just all be done already!

Stress! You all know what I am talking about— that queezy feelings in your stomach, tight muscles, soar neck, or eye twitching sensation that comes over us when we are lacking on sleep, energy, and TIME!  We always think of stress as an emotion, when really it is something that affects our whole bodies.

I wanted to better understand what was happening in my body when stress started to take over and what I could do to make it more easy to manage.  So I decided to do some research and here is what I found.

The Nuts and Bolts of Stress

From my investigations I learned that stress is actually an evolutionary response that is there to help us respond and deal with challenges or changes in our environment. In this way, stress isn’t always a bad thing. It can give us the boost we need to get things done or to conserve our energy when times are tough. However, in the long term stress can start to lose its positive effects and really ware us out. So what exactly is happening in our bodies when we are under stress.

The Bodies Response to Stress
Whether it be a fight with your parents, an overwhelming amount of homework, or a recent break up, our brain is quick to sound the alarm, “ALERT, ALERT! We need back up!”  When we experience stress, signals are sent from our brain out into our bodies, activating our sympathetic nervous system and releasing chemicals called adrenaline and cortisol. When this happens, our body goes into action mode— our heart rate skyrockets, our blood pressure rises, we begin to sweat, our breath quickens, our muscles tighten, and all of our senses are on full alert. These changes put us into, what they call, “fight or flight” mode, so that we can react quickly and efficiently to difficult or dangerous situations.  This is called a stress response. When this stress response is triggered occasionally and we know how to use it to our advantage, it can be really helpful, but if these feelings of stress continue over a longer period of time, our bodies start to show some significant signs of stress overload.

Watch for the following symptoms or warning signs that stress is taking over:

ü       Memory and concentration problems

ü       Impulsiveness or irrational thinking

ü       Constant worry or anxiety

ü       Feeling irritable, moody, or wanting to lash out at others

ü       Aches and pains, muscle soreness, or overall fatigue

ü       Stomach aches, headaches, or dizziness

ü       Changes in eating or sleeping habits

Fighting Back
Being stressed out is not fun, and it can take a huge toll on our bodies, our minds, and our emotions. If stress has started to change from helping you to hurting you and you are noticing some of the warning signs above that you are on stress overload, here are some things that might help you get back on track:

• Sleep- Even if you feel like you don’t have time or need to finish studying for a test the next day, just do it. Sleep deprivation will take away both your ability to concentrate and your ability to retain information, not to mention it will probably not make you a fun person to be around. So cut you losses and get a good nights sleep- 8 hours if possible.
• Relax. Duh! That one is pretty obvious, but also something that we often take for granted. Take a second to just breathe, go on a walk, take a break, do whatever you need to do to unwind.  
• Pay Attention to your Body. Are your muscles tense? Is your back soar? Are your eyes getting out of focus or droopy? If you aren’t sure squeeze your muscles together and then relax them. This is called progressive relaxation. Also, take a few deep breaths and let your body relax.
• Reassess you priorities. It is really easy to over schedule yourself. Too much to do and too little time. Well, if that is the case then it might be time to reassess your priorities and put yourself and your needs higher up on your priority list. Because even if all of those other things seem fun and important, if you don’t have the energy to really do them the way you want to, then they probably won’t be enjoyable or successful. Fitting less things in and giving yourself time is really important.
• Let go of the little things. Things don’t always go our way and we can’t always control things. We make mistakes and we are not perfect. Don’t let this stuff get to you. Instead, accept what you can and can’t do, give yourself a break or a hug, and enjoy your life.

We can’t avoid stress. It will happen. You have the power to see it and change it before it builds up to the point where it starts to hurt you. Listen to what your body is telling you, take care of yourself and show yourself some love. You deserve it.  

Calling Out Appropriation: Learning about the Native Community In Seattle

Native American history is one that is deeply rooted within the creation of our nation-- The fables, the history, the art not only give us life lessons, but draw a path for the future. Native American history has left an imprint on our country. It is important that we honor and celebrate this community in their own right. 

When we think of Native American Heritage, it is important to remember that the Native American community is incredibly diverse with varied traditions and cultural practices that represent different tribal nations. Main stream culture often does not accurately represent or respectfully depict Native Americans, and does not account for their diversity. Along with this, Native American symbols and tradition are often misused and abused by those who neglect to look into the culture and the history of the people they are representing. This practice is called cultural appropriation, which is the act of taking or appropriating the cultural ideas, expressions, artifacts, symbols, fashion, or history of a culture that is not one’s own. In this way, people have taken and continue to take pieces of Native American culture and tradition and use them for their own benefit without asking for the permission of the people these traditions come from.If you want to learn more about this, there is an awesome blog called Native Appropriations that gives current examples of how this process of appropriation continues to hurt and misrepresent the Native Community today. 

Instead of appropriating the beautiful, unique, and diverse aspects of different Native communities, I wanted to find more ways that we can celebrate, recognize and be aware of the communities in our area. And specifically, I wanted to find some things that Native Youth in our area are doing to create community and celebrate their culture.

Resources for Urban Native Youth In Seattle

Seattle has some pretty cool resources for Native youth. 

Seattle Clear Sky Native Youth Council is one of those organizations. Their main goals are to enhance tribal identities as well as increase personal growth and wellness. The meetings are a way for Native American Youth to engage in different cultural activities, as well as community building and social gatherings. They gather every Tuesday at the Heritage Cafeteria (1330 N. 9th Ave Seattle) from 6:00-8:30 pm. 

RedEagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre is another great way for urban Native youth to find community and empowerment through performing arts, music, and storytelling that celebrates their Native tradition, history, and culture.

To learn more about different non profits around the Seattle area that work to foster the urban Native community check on the The Native Circle at. http://thenativecircle.org/nonprofits/.

Trans Awareness Month

November is Trans Awareness Month

The LGBTQ community has been getting a lot of attention in the media lately, especially in Washington State with the legalization of same-sex marriage. However, there is a part of the community that isn’t talked about, and that is the Trans community.

Our society generally works under the assumption that everyone is cisgender- this means that all people are assigned a single gender at birth, and they live their lives as that single gender without any conflict.

This system excludes all Trans people. In its simplest form, someone who is Trans is assigned a gender at birth that they do not identify with. This can include people who are transgender, people who are genderqueer, people who are agender, etc.

People who are in the Trans community are frequently faced with discrimination and prejudice. In addition to this, there is a large amount of abuse and violence against those who are Trans.

To honor all those who have lost their lives, the 20^th of November is Transgender Remembrance Day.

There will be an event for this in Seattle,  and the information is below:

Transgender Day of Remembrance event
Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Ravenna United Methodist Church
5751 33rd Avenue N.E.
Seattle, Wa. 98105
 
This is a non-religious ceremony
All are welcome.
For further information, please e-mail Melissa at TDORSeattle@CenturyLink.net.

Lastly, if you need any resources or just want to talk, you can call Teen Link. We are open every night from 6-10pm pacific standard time. Our number is 1866TeenLink or 1866-833-6546. Every teen answering the phone line is an ally, and as always, we are an anonymous, confidential, and non-judgmental support line.

Dating Violence: The Red Flags You NEED To Know to Protect Your Friends

Dating Violence

Red Flags of Teen Dating Violence

For friends…

• Their boyfriend/girlfriend calls them names or puts them down in front of others.
• Their boyfriend/girlfriend acts extremely jealous when they talk to friends of the opposite sex, even when it is completely innocent.
• Your friend often cancels plans at the last minute, for reasons that sound untrue.
• Your friend frequently apologizes for their boyfriend/girlfriend.
• Your friend’s boyfriend/girlfriend is constantly checking up on them, calling or texting and demanding to know where they have been.
• You’ve seen the boyfriend/girlfriend lose their temper, maybe even get violent when they’re mad.
• Your friend is always worried about upsetting their boyfriend/girlfriend.
• Your friend is giving up things that used to be important to them, such as spending time with friends or other activities, and is becoming more and more isolated.
• Your friend’s weight, appearance or grades have changed dramatically.
• Your friend has injuries they can’t explain, or the explanations they give don’t add up. 

What you can do if you know someone in an abusive relationship:

It’s important to realize that it isn’t easy to leave an abusive relationship. Make sure to keep in contact with your friend, since abusers often try to cut off their close relationships. They may be defensive when you bring up the topic, but try to show concern for your friend. Call the police if you think that your friend is in serious physical danger. If your friend leaves the abusive relationship, it is important to be very supportive to them.

If you have a friend who you notice is being abusive or controling to their partner take that step up and say something. Sitting by and watching our friends treat their significant others with disrespect isn't fun. By allowing this to happen we are signaling that is okay for them to do this kind of behavior. Domestic violence can ruin the lives of the victims, as well as their abusers. To break this cycle we need to step up and help people on both sides learn that this kind of behavior isn't okay before they do something that may permanently hurt their partner and themselves.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a confidential and anonymous hotline that is open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. On their website, they are aware that computers could be monitored so they even give the option to quickly escape the page, and give them the hotline number:

National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or 

TTY 1−800−787−3224

The website has resources for those seeking help in your specific area and have guidelines for safety planning, personal safety with an abuser, and guidelines for leaving an abusive relationship.

The Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) is another resource for domestic violence. It assists domestic violence victims and their families. It also gives the option to quickly leave the website for those who are worried about computer monitoring. WSCADV informs prevention and education organizations, government agencies, the media and others about domestic violence.

800-562-6025 — Washington State Domestic Violence Hotline

http://www.wscadv.org/index.cfm

It provides a list of programs for victims of domestic violence depending on your county (in Washington State). It also offers links to helpful websites such as getmoneygetsafe.org, which is a website for survivors and advocates to help make ends meet and how to stay safe at work.

Also, if you need any other resources or just want to talk, you can also call Teen Link. We are open every night from 6-10pm pacific standard time. Our number is 1866TeenLink or 1866-833-6546.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

I wanted to do some sort of research about drugs and alcohol and how it effects teens especially just to learn more about it. I found this really cool website that I think is a really good resource so I thought I’d share. It’s called Check Yourself.org and they basically say they are "a place for teens to check out where they are with drugs and alcohol." I spent a lot of time reading and watching some of their videos and it is actually really cool. They have good videos and info, but the coolest things are the "Moments of Truth" and "Stories" tabs. They are basically testimonials of teens that have done drugs/ alcohol and how addiction affected them or they talk about their recovery. Anyone can submit something to the Moments of Truth, which are stories of when someone realized they needed help (there are 1364 of them). The Stories are a collection of much longer real life drug stories from teens who work with the organization. They also have links to drug info and they have resources listed for getting help. Check it out.

http://www.checkyourself.org/

Also, just for fun... you should probably see this. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

Drugs and Alcohol Recovery Month: Family Matters

Growing up my father was a drug addict. He always promised to get clean but it took him a long time to recover. My parents ended up getting divorced because of his addiction. I had a lot of built up resentment towards him and the drugs. When he actually went through treatment and seriously wanted to be free from his addiction I didn't believe him. How could I? He had tried before and it didn't work. But after a year of being sober I realized he was really sticking to it and instead of being happy I was ashamed. When other people would talk about what their father's profession I didn't know what to say. My dad didn't have one. He was a fully time recovering addict. At some point I met a teen who was in recovery. He talked to me about how hard it was and how he had to change his whole life and way of thinking so he wouldn't fall back into his old habits. The thing that really stayed with me was he was so proud of recovering. I realized instead of feeling ashamed of my dad I should be proud of what he had accomplished and be happy for him. I had never thought about how he felt, and how it must have been even harder for him because his children did not believe in him and felt ashamed. I am proud to say my father is a recovering addict. I love him for having the courage to get clean so he could have a better life and finally spend quality time with my brother and I.
September is recovery month, so please if you have someone who is recovering from any addiction tell them how proud you are of them and how they are courageous for taking on a life changing challenge. If you are someone who needs help with recovery let your loved ones know. Teen Link is now partnered up with the WA Recovery Helpline, so feel free to call Teen Link if you want support around your own recover or you want to help someone you care about.
Teen Link is annoymous, confidential and non-judgmental. We are open every night of the year from 6-10pm pacific standard time. Give us a call at 1866TeenLink (833-6546) or chat with us online at www.866teenlink.org. We have other teens on the line are there to listen, support, and provide resources if you would like them.

Cultural Narrative

Take Me As I Am

By LithiumStar, Sidney, NY

 http://teenink.com/college_guide/college_essays/article/267824/Take-Me-As-I-Am/

If someone asked: why is diversity important, I probably would have rambled on about economies, control groups, and ethnicity funding.What if instead I was asked: Why is diversity important to you? Diversity is important to me because I am part of diversity. Diversity is simply explained as different from the normalcy. You can be diverse by your sexuality, religion, ethnicity, beliefs, and how you were raised. In the world no one is the same as anybody else, though some do try to “fit in” to the standards of billboards and society stereotypes. I am diversity. You are diversity. We are all different.

In specific to me I am seventeen years old. I am bi-sexual and extremely proud of that. I have many heterosexual friends, as well as many gay friends. I am Puerto Rican, Mexican and a mix of many other things whereas my friends range from Irish to Guyanese in their bloodlines. As a feminist I organize small movements with neighbors and friends to empower woman and help domestic abuse victims. As a Roman Catholic I was confirmed in tenth grade but I practice Wiccan rituals and Buddhist meditation daily. People should enjoy diversity but of course in life there are some who react negatively towards those who are not the same as them.
In life we have different forms of prejudice: Homophobia, racism, sexism. All of which affect the lives of those attempting to live proud of who they are. We should not attempt to live our lives set to the standards of people who do not exist. There is no “normalcy” in the world. I have learned not to be who I don’t want to be. Before my generation, I’m sure there was a lot of hatred towards minority groups. Nowadays we try to accept people as who they are, not as who we want them to be. Though we are slightly more accepting now, however, there will always be hate.
Diversity is important to me because without it, I would not be me as I am today. Learning to accept other people has made me able to accept who I am as well. Diversity is key to the survival of the world, but change and difference will always come as a shock to people, which will make it difficult for the world to grow. . Fitting in is not the most important part of someone’s life. I was told by one woman ,who spent her whole youth attempting to fit in to what her friends and family thought she should be, that I should let my inner light shine and I should never let anyone keep me from being who I am. I am diversity, take me as I am.

What impact does your culture have in your life? Do you have a place where you can find pride in the diversity of identities that define you?

Below you can find a list of resources of agencies that work to provide support and services for youth of color and immigrant youth. These agencies serve to create a space for connection, pride, advocacy, support, and community. Also, if you need any other resources or just want to talk, you can also call Teen Link. We are open every night from 6-10pm pacific standard time. Our number is 1866TeenLink or 1866-833-6546.

Filipino Community of Seattle

206-722-9372

www.fcseattle.org

Filipino Community of Seattle said they welcome all ages and for teens, they have summer programs where basically, teenagers are given the opportunity to get together and do activities collaboratively. They put on cultural events, workshops, and activities throughout the year such as Asian American Idol, dance performances, spoken words, and community dinners. They present a very warm and welcoming environment for any Filipino’s interested in taking part of their community.

El Centro de La Raza

206-957-4634

www.elcentrodelaraza.org

El Centro de La Raza offers a lot of programs for youth and their families:

They offer classes for students that go to Seattle Public Schools like Civil Rights/Latino History Classes, poetry, college prep, Hip Hop and parent support in education/resources and mentoring. Contact Alex Bautista - 2069574620, abautista@elcentrodelaraza.org or Mirabella Mendiola - 2069574612, mmendiola@elcentrodelaraza.org

The Jose Marti Child Development Center, daycare for children 21 months to 5 year and after school program for children 5-12 years of age. Subsidies and application assistance may be available. Contact Jessica Harris - 2069574644, jmcdc@elcentrodelaraza.org.

 Early Learning Program for Latino Families in Seattle and South King County with children six years of age or younger not attending a child development center. Individual support (home visits), and educational workshops on how to engage children through activities. Contact Lucero Cueva-Estrella - 2069574614.

 Job Readiness Training for ELL Youth and Families. Must be 15-20 years of age, eligible to work in US, from Spanish speaking families, enrolled in a Seattle Public School and receiving ELL services, parent/families must meet low income requirement, and parent/family participation. Contact Cristina Jimenez - 2069734289 or Janet Stafford - 2069574644

For teens they offer help around college readiness, DECAs, or scholarships, as well as  referrals for drug, alcohol, addiction help.

Consejo Counseling and Referral

206-461-4880

http://www.consejocounseling.org

Consejo is an award-winning agency that has provided over 30 years of culturally-competent services to growing yet underserved Latino communities with a focus on families with children.  They have a domestic violence program, substance abuse/ alcohol recovery program, mental health services, natural medicine services, and alcohol/substance abuse services specifically for teens. Most teens that come to Consejo Counseling are looking for mental health services and counseling. The staff describes Consejos as a family, saying it is a safe space for Latinos to find support and community.   

One America

206-723-2203

https://www.weareoneamerica.org/

OneAmerica is an organization whose mission is to advance the fundamental principles of democracy and justice at the local, state and national levels by building power within immigrant communities in collaboration with key allies. One America has a youth action squad program where youth can become involved through civic engagement and learn more about immigrant rights. They also provide opportunities for youth to do community service hours and internships. They also have youth leadership trainings and work with youth extensively in awareness on Civic Engagement and Voter Registration and such. Also, we are currently helping youth who are DACA eligible.

ReWA

206-723-3304

www.rewa.org/

“ReWA’s Youth Program offers activities to help refugee and immigrant youth succeed in school, develop effective problem-solving skills, and create supportive peer networks.”
 
Programming includes:

• Targeted academic assistance by ReWA staff and volunteers
• Emphasis on cooperation in a multicultural environment
• Access to a variety of reading materials
• Development of science skills in association with the Seattle Parks & Recreation
• Girls-only groups for teenagers and elementary school students
• Public service projects
• Musical activities
• Gardening and physical activities
• Fun field trips like swimming, hiking, and visiting Seattle landmarks
• Cooking classes
• Self-defense classes
• College readiness help
• Leadership and service learning
• Summer school

POCAAN/CURB (Communities Uniting Rainier Beach)

CURB: 206-760-5588

http://www.pocaan.org/curb.html

POCAAN is a multi-cultural AIDS prevention organization created in response to the devastating impact that HIV/AIDS was and continues to have on communities of color. In Washington State, POCAAN brings people of color together across differences of race, gender, class and sexual orientation to achieve its mission. To receive these services at POCAAN you must be 18-30 and in the Rainier Valley area. If a teen (18-21 for Teen Link) were to come in they would probably only receive HIV Testing, otherwise they would be referred to the South Seattle office if they are eligible.

The South Seattle office in addition to a program called CURB (Communities Uniting Rainier Beach) is more geared toward helping youth, and will help people find schools, receive case management, help with childcare, food and clothing assistance, mental health services, etc.

CURB helps to assist young adults that have criminal records. Along with this they help young adults to learn and demonstrate behaviors and skills that contribute to reduced criminal activity and create a positive re-entry pathway into the community. Their aim is to engage young adults that are at-risk for involvement in criminal activity and provide resources so these individuals can maintain the highest quality of life and avoid incarceration.