Counselor\’s Corner

Peer Helpers are here to help you. If you have any problems you would prefer to discuss with a peer than an adult please do not hesitate to contact one of our peer helpers personally or by e-mail. Our peer helpers are assigned to middle school homerooms but anyone is free to contact any heper they prefer. for a full list with contact details see below.

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Have you been on a diet?

Have you lost a lot of weight recently?

Are you struggling with binge eating or bulimia?

Did you know that dieting and binging severely disrupts your system, particularly the bio-feedback system or the feedback we get from our body sensations.

Here are some physiological signs that you may have or be developing an eating disorder.

1. Difficulties concentrating (psychological effect of starvation).
2. Preoccupied with food and eating
3. Sleep is disturbance (hyperglycaemia in the night..wakes you up)
4. Sensitivity to cold
5. Enhanced fullness. ( This is related to delayed emptying of your stomach)
6. Profound discomfort after eating (due to delayed gastric emptying –your biofeedback is  disrupted)

Remember! Sending your body into starvation mode will only result in weight loss in the short term. The only way to maintain a healthy weight is a balanced diet and exercise.

If you feel that any of these signs concern you or that your dieting is getting out of control make sure you get help..eating disorders are extremely dangerous and need to be stopped early on.

Find out more

http://helpguide.org/mental/anorexia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm

Speak to your parents, your doctor or me in confidence -you can drop in or make an appointment.

claire.roberts@isl.ch

What is Body Image?  

How you see or picture yourself.

How you feel others perceive you.

What you believe about your physical appearance.

How you feel about your body.

How you feel in your body.

http://www.usaweekend.com/98_issues/980503/980503teen_survey_results.html

There have been several sensationalized deaths from connected to ecstasy use like the death of Leah Betts in the UK. One of the dangers of ecstasy can be its purity; it is often mixed with other more dangerous substances. The coming down effects after taking ecstasy can be highly unpleasant and encourage greater use which may result in addiction to this or other drugs. However the deaths that have occurred seem to be caused by indirect link to ecstasy as the facts below explain.

“To say that a person died from Ecstasy is never the full story any more than saying that someone died of drink: like alcohol, Ecstasy can be used without any harmful effect. In both cases, death is due to the indirect effects …..” ©Nicholas Saunders, 12/95 (revised 2/96)

Dangers

• Overheating is the main danger of taking Ecstasy; sweating is essential to avoid overheating and water is essential in order to sweat.
• ‘Harm prevention’ advice has concentrated on drinking plenty of water.
• Drinking too much water is reported to have killed several people. If it is not sweated or urinated out it may then dilute your blood, and diluted blood causes tissue cells to swell, but the brain cannot swell inside the skull and the pressure can build up to a dangerous level.
• Danger signs to look out for are compulsive drinking, not being able to piss or dark piss in spite of drinking lots of water.
• Ecstasy masks discomfort and pain, so that you may feel OK and carry on doing something when you would normally feel awful and stop.
• Most Ecstasy-related deaths are due to overheating and dehydration from dancing: instead of rushing outside gasping for air and cold water, some people just carry on getting hotter until they reach a fatal temperature (which is only a few degrees above normal).
• Asthmatics have been known to die from attacks while on Ecstasy, and it may be that again the usual warning signals were not felt.
• Ecstasy causes an increase in blood pressure, normally no problem but possibly fatal for someone with a weak heart.
• Some bad reactions may also be due to allergies and interactions with other drugs such as inhalers used by asthmatics

From   http://www.ecstasy.org/info/dangers.html

Negative thoughts contribute to panic. They often come from believing the physical symptoms are harmful. In fact this is not the case. The physical effects of panic come from the flight-fight response or fighting or fleeing from danger. The purpose of panic is to protect us from danger.

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There are several family planning clincs in the community where you can receive free and confidential advice on contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. You can also approach the school counsellor or the school nurse in complete confidence if you have any worries or questions.

For some useful addresses please continue reading this entry.

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Sleep Hygeine

Many people suffer from difficulties sleeping. If this is not addressed the immune system can suffer and eventually physical and psychological problems may appear. Sleep problems can also indicate other psychological difficulties such as anxiety, depression or stress. Difficulty falling asleep is correlated with high anxiety, early waking with depression. If you are having recurrent sleep problems this is a sign you might be depressed. If this is so get help, talk to your school counselor your parents and if it continues a doctor.

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• Have you had or are thinking about having a sexual relationship?
• Is sex OK for the 14-15 year olds?
• What about 16-17?
• Do friends encourage you to have sex?
• Do you want to wait until you are married or in a long term relationship?
• How do your encourage/discourage you to have sex?
• Are you worried about pregnancy /STD’s? Would this worry discourage you?
• How do you feel about pregnancy and abortion?
• What is puberty like?
• How has your body changed?
• What is masturbation? Do girls do it? Have you ever talked to anyone about it?

This blog looks at some of the issues adolescents face in the development of their sexuality during adolescence and gives advice and websites on how to find support and information.

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If you are having or thinking of having a sexual relationship it is important to stay healthy.

This means protecting yourself against sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) 

The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) , is not to have sexual contact, or to be in a long-term exclusive relationship with a partner who has been tested and known to be uninfected.

A lot of STD transmission can be avoided by using condoms.

An important thing to know is that many STD’s do not have symptoms so you can be carrying infection without realizing it.

Undiagnosed STD’s can cause health problems from fertility and in extreme cases death.

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Girls and Puberty

Puberty usually begins in girls around the ages of 8 and 13.

When the body is ready the pituitary gland (at the bottom of the brain) releases special hormones.

These hormones target the two ovaries which contain eggs ( the eggs have been in the body since birth) . The ovaries start making a hormone, estrogen. Together these hormones prepare the girl’s body to start her periods so she will be able to become pregnant some day.

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