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...

Grieving the Loss of a Pet By Shaz When a person you love dies, it is natural to feel sorrow, express grief, and expect friends and family to provide understanding and comfort. Given the rich and intense relationships most pet owners share with their animal companions, the loss of a pet can be very painful. The loss of a beloved pet can trigger overwhelming feelings of grief and sadness. Many consider grieving inappropriate for someone who has lost "just a pet." In reality, though,...

Maintaining Long Distance Relationships Written by: Katrina Long distance relationships are becoming quite common these days. As the relationships are becoming more common, so are the questions about them and how to keep them going good and strong. A lot of people say that they are difficult to maintain, and those who say so are indeed correct. Though long distance relationships can be hard to keep strong, one must keep in mind that anything is possible when effort is present....

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:

The Gun vs. The Needle Your Guide to Piercings By Marionette. ** Please go to a professional when getting any part of your body pierced, lobes or otherwise. ** All piercings, besides the lobes, should be done with a needle and NOT a gun. Guns are typically cheaper, but there are so many more risks involved. Piercing guns have been used for years for piercing people of all ages. Today, though, professional body piercers want to see the gun banned. Why?

Forgiving an Abuser By Ellie You may feel ready to forgive your abuser now, or you may feel as though you should read through this article. Leave and think about it for awhile, and come back when you're ready. Whether or not you forgive your abuser is your choice; there is no obligation. This is part of your personal recovery; though you may not have felt in control whilst you were in the abusive situation, you are in control now. This article will provide some steps to deal with what...

The Relationship Game Written by: devs711 Here is my long awaited (or not so awaited) sequel to my article from a while ago entitiled "The Dating Game". OMG! You have a boyfriend/girlfriend! Congratulations!!! Now, I would love to tell you that the hard part is over, but, to be honest, I would be lying. Relationships can and usually will test your inner thoughts and emotions. In order to keep it all going smoothly, you are going to have to be completely steadfast on what you want...

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...

Healthy Relationships: The Fundamentals by Jer Relationships sure are awesome! You meet someone--at a party or school event--and start talking, get to know them a little, and pretty soon you're thinking, “Wow, this person is really cool. I think I want to spend more time with them.” So you end up going on a couple of dates, or just hanging out for a while. One thing leads to another, and suddenly you're “together.” Excellent! Congratulations. However, from the first moment you set foot...

Online Safety and You: Protecting your Computer by Jer If you spend time online, you know how great the Internet can be. Through the Internet you can access games, music, movies, books, educational resources (like dictionaries and encyclopedias), online communities and their members, market sites (like eBay), and of course, just about any bit of information you could need. However, even with all the advantages of using the Internet, there exists a darker side. Hackers that patrol the...

Know Your Rights - Bullying at Work Written by: Casey, Katrina, Jessie, and Shaz We have all heard about students being bullied at school, but many of us do not realize that bullying is also quite common in the "real world". We assume adults would put a stop to bullying, right? What if they were the ones bullying? What if they were encouraging others to bully, leading by example? What can you do? Bullying can happen anywhere, not only in the form of physical assault but also as verbal...

Going to the Gynecologist: What to Expect by Jessie This guide contains answers to the following questions: - When should I start to see a gynecologist? - What should I expect during my first visit? (A step-by-step discussion on what happens before, during, and after the exam room.) - How do I choose the right doctor? - What do I do, if I’m not insured?

The Many Faces of Grief by Gidig and Jessie Losing someone is never easy. Whether they are a loved one, a friend, or an acquaintance, we often find ourselves at a loss when faced with death. Even the death of a stranger can make us feel sad, small and alone. Many times, we are left wondering “why”. When we lose someone, we may lose a piece of ourselves, as well. When confronted with death we are also confronted with the reality that we, ourselves, will not live forever....