Heads Up: Dealing with a Concussion by Shandi Pace

The frightening term being tossed around regarding our favourite athletes as of lately is concussions. Marc-Andre Fleury is one of the biggest names in the NHL and missed 8 weeks with a concussion he received during a game in late October. Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots is one of the latest concussion victims in the NFL.

How can a knock to the head be so serious?

The risk of having a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a significant injury across Canada. Although they are often viewed as minor, they can have lasting, detrimental effects. Concussions have developed into complex issues, in which one’s brain is injured as the result of a direct force to the body, such as a blow to the head that causes a shaking or jarring to the brain.

There’s no set way to prevent a concussion from happening. In sports, helmets only protect the bones of the skull, but they do not protect the actual brain from experiencing trauma. It’s important to be mindful of concussion symptoms.

Symptoms of a concussion can include:

·      Headache.

·      Dizziness and balance issues.

·      Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly.

·      Blurred vision.

·      Insomnia or fatigue.

·      Memory loss.

·      Nausea or vomiting.

·      Sensitivity to light and sound.

·      An increase in anxiety and irritability.

·      Depression.

The full recovery from a TBI can last months to years depending on the severity. Every single brain injury is unique. Each will have different symptoms resulting in varying recovery time. It may seem frustrating at times, but it’s important to stay positive and take various steps to help the recovery process along.

Ability Online offers great services to help deal with a concussion or TBI. There are multiple forums where members can chat with each other and with professionals to understand this injury better.

Helpful resource pages are available including a concussion handbook, better night sleep tips, and returning to learning. We are also partnered with Holland Bloorview in order for parents to have the best research about TBI’s available to them.

There’s no avoiding a concussion, no matter how carful you may be. I suffered a concussion playing hockey in my teens and it was so scary. The first minute after being hit I was in such a daze and had no idea where I was. Thankfully, my symptoms didn’t last long and I was back to playing in no time. For others it may take time and be frustrating to overcome, but concussions can be defeated.

Ways to De-Stress by Shandi Pace

Stress is a part of our daily lives. Worrying about so many daily activities at once can lead to severe physical effects in the future. Ranging from health issues to irritability, it’s important to be aware to what may be causing your stress. For the most part, you can’t change the source of your stress, however you can change how you deal with it.

There’s truly no way to live a completely stress-free life, but these are a few tips on how to stay relaxed.

Exercise is a simple way to relieve your body’s pent up energy. Even by doing just 30 minutes of activity a day your overall mood will change dramatically. Self-paced exercises tend to get the best results.

·      Best exercises to try: Yoga, High-Energy Activities (running, dancing), Tai Chi.

Healthy eating ensures that the body has energy and nutrients it needs to maintain concentration and for the brain to function properly. Although junk food might taste better, superfoods are packed with vitamins and minerals that will leave you feeling less bloated.

·      Best foods to try: Asparagus, avocado, blueberries, salmon, almonds.

Get some sleep! Make sure your body isn’t getting in the way of your ability to reciprocate in stressful situations by heading to bed earlier. Your mood can also be altered depending on how much sleep you’ve had. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night is what’s recommended most.

·      Tips to try:

o   Unplug all electronics 10-15 minutes before bed.

o   Read a book or magazine to tire yourself out.

o   Try heading to bed earlier.

o   Make sure your room is as dark as possible.

Talk it out. Opening discussing what’s on your mind with a trusted family member or friend helps introduce a new point of view. If more attention is needed, seek out support groups or check out Ability Online’s forums with multiple mentors always available. Keeping a journal is another way to also “talk it out” if the problem is more personal.

Do something you love. Always take time out of your day to do the things you love the most. If something is causing an issue, take short breaks and step back from what’s causing you stress. Most like to listen to music, take a nap, colour in an adult colouring book, take a bath or play video games. Regularly make time for whatever it is you enjoy most.

Schedule your time accordingly. Make a list of priorities you want to accomplish over the span of a week. Organizing your time and not taking on too many responsibilities will lower your stress. Also, allow for time to do your favourite hobbies and interests.

Stay Positive. Living life to the fullest is the most straightforward way to cut stress out of your life. Studies show that laughter lowers the levels of stress hormones and reduces inflammation in the arteries. Overall, having a positive attitude will not only reflect how you feel, but the people around you as well.

Do you have any special ways you deal with stress? Comment below!

Living with OCD by Zach MacLean-Szwaz

Mental illness and/or addiction is something that affects approximately 1 in 5 Canadians in any given year. Although we are taught to be compassionate towards these individuals, there is still plenty of prejudice and ignorance in terms of the view of the lives these people live. Myself, I suffer from OCD. It first made its presence known in grade 4, making it even harder to understand. The things I had enjoyed became “dirty”. The things that were dirty became an area of avoidance at all costs. 

I remember the first moment I was made aware something was amiss. It wasn’t my parents or a health care professional, but a student, the same age as me. She asked me why I kept spitting in my hands. To me, this was my form of making my hands clean if I had touched something I perceived to be “dirty”. Before this moment, I believed nothing was unordinary, but as I sat at my desk, being asked by a 9 year old for an explanation I could not give, it clicked that I wasn’t like the rest. My brain fired differently, sending out thoughts and feelings that the other kids weren’t experiencing. I began to notice more and more my actions. From jumping around spots on the ground, to avoiding contact with feathers, to washing my hands until they were red, raw, cracked and bleeding.

It’s truly a feeling I will never forget: losing contact and being distanced by misunderstanding. Being made fun of for something, I wasn’t given the proper tools, in order to manage the irrationality of it all. I trucked on, with nobody but my parents by my side and it’s to them I owe my life to. They brought me to the weekly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions and they helped accommodate my needs as I made progress towards coping with it. They took the negativity I received and made me feel just like everyone else. Eventually after about 7 years of weekly sessions, I was symptom free, under control and able to be me again without restrictions.

Years went by and I found myself being a third year student, in university with a solid support group of friends, family, girlfriend and extra-curricular activities. Everything was smooth and then in the matter of a month it all went downhill. OCD sometimes is triggered through stress, traumatic events or even small things like remembering a past thought (depending if you've had it before). For me, I was dealing with a change in family dynamic and the stress of it all began presenting symptoms. I ignored it is because I was in denial. I wanted to believe that it wasn't making a return, but because of my negligence it had become 10 times worse than it was as a child. 

I was couch ridden, unable to open doors and light switches, I was dodging and weaving, showering for extended periods of time because something that was “dirty” grazed my leg, so I needed to wash my whole body. It took until I was fully unable to function where I found myself in the emergency room at Credit Valley Hospital. They wanted to evaluate my health and I passed out from merely taking blood. I was weak, and physically and mentally drained. They suggested hospitalization until I could regain some strength. I refused because I was (and still am) very stubborn. Instead, they prescribed some medications, to take some of the edge off and on my decision, left to the comfort of my home. It took about a month before the actual results began to appear. I was much calmer, washing my hands less. I was given back rationality. Although the improvement, I still wasn’t at a point where I felt I could be in public. I wasn’t working and decided the stress of school was too much to handle. I took time to rebuild and regain myself and despite my disinterest to do so, it helped me more than I could have predicted.

Now, going into 2016, I’m in school, I’m feeling good and the OCD has lessened. I have my bad days and good days, but with the help of medication each day makes me stronger, making me push forward towards becoming symptom free once again. My support system still remains and what I attribute a lot of my success to. They became a reason to get better when things seemed so bleak. They provided me with comfort when I felt so alone, and gave me an outlet to express my thoughts.

The point of all this is not to have people feel sympathy towards what I went through. It is to show that mental illness is strong and prevalent everywhere we step. It is something that should be handled more seriously but delicately enough that people will want to confide in a support system. While you walk down the hallways of the school, look around. You don't know what people have going on, you don't know what they are feeling. Individuals are all around, most of us disguising our true colours. Some others don't have the ability to do so, but we are here and we are human just like everyone else. Sure, we are a bit different, but who doesn’t have a quirk or two. To all my fellow people who deal with mental illness and to all those who don’t, we are all human beings under one roof. Let’s make sure everyone can have some shelter.

Holiday Coping Tips by Sarah Evans

The holiday season is fun, but it can be lonely and stressful for some people. We see images of excitement and family everywhere. Sometimes, that doesn't match our reality and that over-hyped holiday season can make us feel like there is something wrong. We may feel out of our routine with have to spend time with people that we normally wouldn't. Ultimately, that shouldn't stop us from enjoying time with others.

On a positive note, the holidays can be a chance to reconnect. Having the ability to catch up can be refreshing or on the flip side, argumentative. It is important to set limits. Keep things light and fun. Don't bring up controversial issues or those things they might trigger old wounds. Also, remember to take time for yourself and plan to spend time with those who you know are going to support you and do things that you enjoy.

 I hope you have a very happy holiday and many blessings in 2016.