Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 10 (March 2008). Loving Yourself by .Infinity. (Mel) As we go through life, we all go through different things. We go through different experiences, different obstacles, different phases and so on. Many times, mostly every time, the things that happen during each situation can make a huge impact on how we see ourselves. May it have been something someone said, something you couldn't do or whatever, either negative thing can cause you to have...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 10 (April 2009). Binaural Beats by Maria (Gidig) What are binaural beats? In rather broad terms, binaural beats are specifically made frequencies, formed to change your brainwaves -- which control your state of mind -- how your brain reacts, and more. Binaural beats have been acknowledged since 1893 by a German physicist, Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. Since then, they have been extensively researched with a significant amount of data collected.

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 9 (March 2009). Understanding Generalized Anxiety Disorder by Lizzie Visualize for a moment a time when your muscles tensed, your heart started beating faster, your breath quickened and you felt an overwhelming sense of dread. This could be a memory of a time when your car skidded in the rain, when a professor announced a pop quiz that you are not prepared for, a partner wants to have “the talk,” or when you first realize someone caught you in...

The benefits of relaxation techniques: Practicing relaxation techniques can improve how you physically respond to stress by: • Slowing your heart rate • Lowering blood pressure • Slowing your breathing rate • Reducing the need for oxygen • Increasing blood flow to major muscles • Reducing muscle tension You may also gain these overall health and lifestyle benefits from relaxation techniques:

What is OCD? Written by: Casey You pick up your keys and set them back down. You do it again and again, until it feels right. Then you place the keys in your pocket and take them out. You keep doing it, counting silently, breathing deeply. Thirty minutes later you finally make in out the door. These little 'quirks' rule your life. You plan your day around them. People around you throw out a term repetitively: OCD. But what does that mean? What is OCD? What can you do about it ? What...

Panic Attacks Written by Lee and Marie. What is a panic attack? A panic attack is an unforeseen incident of extreme fear caused by a sudden onset of anxiety. Depending on both the type of anxiety and the situation, there may or may not be an external factor triggering the event. During the panic attack, the body feels threatened and creates excess adrenaline to help defend itself from a perceived attack. A panic attack can last as short as a few seconds or, in severe...

Dissociation and You: Making a Grounding Kit. If you ever find yourself unable to remember what you have recently done, be it for five minutes or hours at a time, you may be dissociating. Being unable to remember recent events is called amnesia or memory loss. For some people this is a medical condition but for others is due to dissociation. If you know or think you are dissociating, it is very important to tell a health professional as it may be indicative of severe trauma or a...

Teen to Teen. Let's talk. By Kaylee. High school, the hardest time in a teenager’s life. With the schoolwork, preparing for college, parents, and the stress of finals can really make us feel the pressure. We feel out of control, but imagine dealing with all of the above mentioned, and also dealing with the battle of your own body. Some teenagers do just that, and some even develop an eating disorder in the process. I am one of those teenagers who deal with body image issues. My name is...

A Guide to Eating Disorders According to statistics, Anorexia and bulimia affect nearly 10 million women and one million men; sometimes they can be fatal if nothing is done about them. Please don’t suffer in silence, there is always someone to support you though any difficulties you may be having. Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. Symptoms of anorexia include: Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height,...