Tag: national holiday

Categories
Teen and Parent Wellbeing

National Stress-Free (Family) Holidays Month

By: Meghaa Ravichandran

With the advent of December, many of us are excited for the holidays as it is a time for commemorating family and being grateful for the love and joy we have around us. With all the family reunions and celebrations happening at the end of the year, it is not unusual for many of us to be stressed as we might have a lot on our plate. Decorating the house, shopping for presents, and traveling might present additional responsibilities we might not be ready for. Furthermore, we might be experiencing grief over the holidays as we mourn a loved one in the midst of all the celebrations. During these stressful times, it is important for us to take a quick breath and remember that it is okay if expectations are not met or if the to-do list is not completed by the end of the day. 

Image Credit: Unsplash

As December approaches, with it comes National Stress-Free (Family) Holiday Month. To keep the holiday celebrations as relaxing as possible, try to lighten the workload on yourself and following these quick tips: 

  • Stay hydrated
    • Get six to eight glasses of water in your day to stay hydrated. It’s easy to forget in all the holiday chaos, but drinking water helps prevent dehydration, allows for clearer thinking, and keeps your body cool in extreme heat or chilly temperatures. It can be helpful to keep daily reminders on your calendar or keep your water bottle near you as you navigate through your day. 
  • Practice mindfulness, patients, and forgiveness
    • Be kind to yourself! If you make a mistake in preparing for a big holiday event or in keeping up with a booked calendar, remember that it’s important that you enjoy yourself and that not everyone is perfect. Take a few minutes and watch short mindfulness videos on Youtube or free apps like UCLA mindful. Practice breathing and relaxing your muscles using the TIPPs method as well. 
  • Find time to exercise or do self-care
    • Exercising is one way to maintain your physical and mental health. You can try to get your heart rate up through a daily run, at-home cardio, or by hitting the gym! Practice your favorite sports for 30 minutes or go power-walking as you do your daily errands. Self-care is also important in recentering and appreciating ourselves. Take 10 minutes to do your favorite hobby and spend time outdoors when possible. Doing something we enjoy on a stressful day can help us find the motivation to continue. 

Image Credit: Unsplash

  • Spend time with loved ones
    • The holidays are a time meant to be spent with loved ones, so try to connect with them virtually or in-person! This could be your siblings, your friends, or anyone you think is family or is special to you. Spending time with people who love us can lessen the impact seasonal depression or loneliness may have during these winter holidays. 
  • Manage your time wisely
    • Keep realistic expectations of what you hope to accomplish in a day. The holidays are a marathon, not a sprint. Try to divide up your responsibilities across a week or a month, and start preparing for big holiday events a few weeks in advance. If you are short on time, prioritize what you want to finish first, so the most important tasks are done quickly. Try not to overcommit yourself and remember to take a breather. Keeping a calendar or planner (online or on paper) will be helpful so you don’t forget important dates!
  • Avoid crowds
    • If you’re someone who is introverted or is easily stressed, try to avoid crowds this holiday season. Remember to think virtually – shopping online or celebrating reunions online is a completely valid method of honoring the holidays! If you do have to stay in traffic or shop in crowded malls, try to keep the trips short and carve out some time for you to decompress. Noise-canceling headphones here may help too.
  • Get enough sleep before a big day
    • Get eight or more hours of sleep to stay rested on your big day! If you have to wake up early for preparations, try to go to bed earlier. To get into a relaxed mood before bed, read a good book under warm lighting, make yourself a cup of hot cocoa, or watch a favorite movie! 

Image Credit: Unsplash

Don’t let the holiday season sneak up on you, but if it does, always remember to put yourself and your mental health first before taking part in the celebrations! As we usher in the new year, reflect on some accomplishments that you’re proud of and make some new goals for improvement that you want to focus on. Even if this year contained any difficult times, remember that we are always changing as people and can create new moments of happiness to celebrate in the future. As we wrap up 2022, remember to always practice kindness for yourself in National Stress-Free Holidays Month!

Sources:

December is National Stress-free Holiday Month | Compass Health.

December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month – Beech Acres 

National Stress-Free Family Holiday Month: How to Have an ‘ALMOST’ Stress-Free Holiday in 2020 

Categories
Self-Compassion

National Suicide Prevention Week

By Meghaa Ravichandran

As fall officially begins, it rings in the new school year for many students across America as they start going back to classes and their campuses. With more schools prioritizing mental health as students handle heavy course loads and hours of homework, it is important to spread awareness about events such as National Suicide Prevention Week (NSPW) this month. Taking place between September 4, 2022 to September 10, 2022, NSPW aims to educate the people on suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide. 

Before we can begin helping others, let’s educate ourselves on why suicide prevention is so important and the details behind suicidal thoughts. For example, did you know:

  • According to 2020 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 2020)
    • Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S.
    • More than 40,000 Americans die by suicide
    • More than 1 million suicide attempts are done
    • The rate of suicide was shown to be highest in middle-aged white men
    • 54% of Americans have been affected in suicide in some way
  • Most people consider suicide 5 – 15 minutes before undertaking an attempt (CNN Health 2022)
  • The common misconception of “suicidal people are selfish and don’t consider the impact of their actions on loved ones” is extremely stigmatizing and harmful
  • There is no accurate prediction or specific risk factor for those attempting suicide
  • Many considering an attempt believe they are in a painful, irreparable life situation in which suicide is the only option
By Anthony Tran on Unsplash.com

This alarming knowledge has led to the creation of National Suicide Prevention Month and Week, both taking place in September, with the goals of providing tools and support for those struggling with suicidal thoughts. As active participants within our own communities, we can provide a shoulder to lean on or an empathetic ear for those we think are struggling with their mental health. There are many phsyiological/behavioral factors to watch for in the time leading up to a suicide attempt, but here are a few:

  • Exhibiting unusual behaviors with guns, pills, or other lethal items
  • Giving away cherished belongings
  • Concerning comments referencing death
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Hopelessness
  • Family or personal history of suicide
  • Showing rage or a desire to enact revenge

Knowing warning signs prior to an attempt is helpful, but also supporting loved ones during hard times can make a tremendous impact on their outlook of life by showing them they are not alone and have those that care about them. As an activist or just a good friend, here are some ways that you can get involved on a community level or personal level:

  • Find a community walk near you on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website.
  • Share graphics on social media to inform others about NSPW in English and Spanish
  • Tell a trusted adult if anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts
  • If needed, connect a friend with The 988 Lifeline, a 24/7 mental health crisis hotline for calling or texting
  • Learn how to properly and accurately spread information with the researched Framework for Successful Messaging

With these skills in your ever-evolving toolkit, always remember to listen and advocate with an open-mind!

Citations:

Suicide Prevention Month: Ideas for Action 

National Suicide Prevention Week 

Suicide statistics | AFSP 

National Suicide Prevention Week: How to help those at risk | CNN 

Categories
Body Dysmorphia

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

By Meghaa Ravichandran

February’s most celebrated holiday, Valentine’s Day, is (now) a heartfelt honoring of love as couples exchange gifts mainly centered around chocolates and flowers. Just one week after Valentine’s Day, however, is a week dedicated to National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA), taking place from February 21 – February 27, 2022. The official campaign sloga, See the Change, Be the Change, signifies the era of activism and awareness that is changing the public’s perception on eating disorders as well as accessibility to helpful resources for those with eating disorders. 

Basic Information:

Eating disorders are a serious mental illness that affect a person’s internal relationship with food and body image, often leading to serious effects such as unhealthy weight loss/gain and intrusive thoughts. These disorders can affect people of all ages and backgrounds, but researchers have found that eating disorders more commonly impact teenagers and young adults. On average, almost 3 years pass before those experiencing eating disorder symptoms seek help. 

Types of Disorders:

There are a multitude of eating disorder classifications, but here are three common types: 

Anorexia Nervosa (AN): Characterized by unhealthy weight loss and distorted body image, people with anorexia restrict their intake of food, often not noticeable at first glance as one does not need to be underweight to be struggling. Both thinner and plus-sized individuals can be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, which is classified with two subtypes: restrictive and binge-purge. AN can be fatal as suicide is the second leading cause of death for people diagnosed with AN. 

  • Diagnostic Criteria:
    • Restriction of energy intake
    • Intense fear of gaining weight even though underweight
    • Disturbance in the way one’s body weight/shape is perceived 
  • Symptoms: Dramatic weight loss, developing food rituals, denying feeling hungry, limited social spontaneity, concerned about eating in public, sleep problems, dry skin, muscle weakness, etc…

Bulimia Nervosa (BN): Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a cycle of binging followed by compensatory behaviors such as forced vomiting and fasting. Individuals diagnosed with this disorder can be any weight. Recurrent binge-and-purge cycles affect the entire digestive system, leading to chemical imbalances in the body that affect other organ functions, which can cause fatal consequences such as cardiac arrest. 

  • Diagnostic Criteria: 
    • Recurrent episodes of binge-eating
    • Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain
    • Episodes and behavior occur at least once a week for three months
    • Self-evaluation influenced by body shape/weight
  • Symptoms: skips meals or takes small portions of food at regular meals, disappears after eating often, drinks excessive amounts of water, teeth are discolored, self-injury, calluses on back of hands from self-induced vomiting, unusual swelling in cheeks, etc…

Binge Eating Disorder (BED): One of the most common eating disorders in the U.S. and one of the newest eating disorders formally recognized in the DSM-5, BED is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, a feeling of loss of control, and not regular use of unhealthy compensatory measures. Unlike BN, BED is not followed by compensatory measures so individuals with this disorder are often overweight. 

  • Diagnostic Criteria:
    • Recurrent episodes of binge eating
    • Marked distress regarding binge eating is present
    • Occurs at least once a week for 3 months
    • Not associated with recurrent use of compensatory behaviors
  • Symptoms: frequent diets, having secret recurring episodes of binge eating, disruption in normal eating behaviors, feelings of disgust/depression/guilt after overeating, eating alone out of embarrassment, stomach cramps, difficulties concentrating, etc… 

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): Another new diagnosis recognized by the DSM-5, AFRID is similar to anorexia as individuals who experience both limit their intake of food. However, those diagnosed with AFRID do not feel distress regarding their body’s appearance (body dysmorphia). AFRID can stall the growth and weight development of children and results in psychological problems as well. Children with a co-occurring anxiety disorder, habits of picky eating, and diagnosis of autism/ADHD are more likely to develop AFRID. 

  • Diagnostic Criteria:
    • Eating/feed disturbance result in one of four effects
    • Does not occur exclusively during course of anorexia/bulimia
    • Not attributable to concurrent medical condition
    • Not better explained by lack of available food/ cultural practice
  • Symptoms: dramatic weight loss, only eat certain textures of food, fears of choking/vomiting, consistent/vague gastrointestinal issues around mealtime, limited range of preferred food becoming narrower, menstrual irregularities, muscle weakness, impaired immune functioning etc… 

Other eating disorders include Pica, Rumination Disorder, Laxative Abuse, Orthorexia, and more. 

Resources: 

If you or anyone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, contact the Eating Disorders Helpline at 1(888)-375-7767 for treatment referrals and support/encouragement. Eating Disorder Hope has also compiled a list of websites available for those struggling with certain eating disorders both based in and out of the U.S. 

If you would like to raise awareness and join the fight against eating disorders, you can take action on the official NEDA website where you can share your story, register for a spring 2022 NEDA walk, represent NEDA on your college campus, volunteer as a landmark photograph, and plan a NEDAwareness Week Event.  

Works Cited: 

“Eating Disorders.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders. 

“Information by Eating Disorder.” National Eating Disorders Association, 21 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-eating-disorder. 

“Nedawareness Week.” National Eating Disorders Association, 19 Feb. 2022, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-involved/nedawareness.