|
Taking Care of Yourself
It's Important To "Stay Fit" - Both Inside and Out
Dealing With Stress
Take Care of Your Mind and Body
Take Steps To Keep Things Simple
What Else Can You Do?
Get Help When You Feel Down and Out
If You Answered "Yes" To Any of These Questions…
"When
we
found
out
my
sister
Kiana
had
cancer,
we
all
seemed
to
focus
on
her--and
nothing
else.
I
was
so
worried
that
I
stopped
hanging
out
with
friends
and
quit
training
for
track
meets.
One
day
my
mom
said
that
giving
up
all
these
things
wasn't
good
for
me.
She
said
it
was
okay
to
have
fun
and
practically
pushed
me
out
the
door
to
start
going
to
track
again.
I
didn't
think
anyone
noticed
me,
but
I'm
glad
my
mom
did!
She
even
came
to
my
next
track
meet!"
- Patrick,
age
16
You may be so focused on your sick brother or sister that you
don't think about your own needs, or if you do, they don't seem
important. But they are! Read this section to learn ways to stay
balanced at a time when everything may feel up in the air.
Stress can make you forgetful, frustrated, and more likely to
catch a cold or the flu. Any way you look at it, too much stress
isn't good.
Here are some tips that have worked to help other teens manage
stress. In the lists on the next few pages, check one or two
things to do each week.
- Stay connected.
- Spend some time at a friend's house.
- Stay involved with sports or clubs.
- Add your own here:
- Relax and get enough sleep.
- Take breaks. You'll have more energy and be in a
better frame of mind.
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.
- Pray or meditate.
- Make or listen to music.
- Add your own here:
Help others.
- Join a walk against cancer.
- Plan a bake sale or other charity event to collect money
to fight cancer.
- Add your own here:
Avoid risky behaviors.
- Stay away from smoking, drinking, and other risky
behaviors.
Put your creative side to work.
- Keep a journal to write down your thoughts and
experiences.
- Draw, paint, or take photographs.
- Read books or articles about people who have made it
through difficult experiences in life. Learn what
helped them.
- Add your own here:
Eat and drink well.
- Switch to caffeine-free drinks in the evening that
won't keep you awake.
- Grab fresh fruit, whole-grain breads, and lean meats
like chicken or turkey when you have a choice.
- Avoid foods that have a lot of sugar.
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to help prevent fatigue.
- Add your own here:
Be active.
- Play a sport or go for a run.
- Take the dog for a walk.
- Learn about different stretching and breathing
exercises.
- Add your own here:
| Did you know? |
|
Exercise has been proven to make you feel better.
Running, swimming, or even walking at a fast pace
can help improve your mood.
|
"It sounds weird - since my family didn't used to be that
organized - but keeping track of everything on a calendar really helped us
stay on track. It made everything feel more under control - especially
when things got a little crazy."
- Eric, age 17
Staying organized can also keep your stress level under control.
Here are some tips to get you started.
- At home
- Make a list of things you want to do. Put the most
important ones at the top.
- Make a big calendar to help your family stay on top of
things.
- At school
- Let your teachers know what's happening at home,
without using it as an excuse.
- Talk to your teachers or a counselor if you are falling
behind. They can help you.
The ideas listed above may help. You may also have others that
would work even better. Write down your ideas below:
|
Many teens feel low or down when their brother or sister is sick.
It's normal to feel sad or "blue" during difficult times. However,
if these feelings last for 2 weeks or more and start to interfere
with things you used to enjoy, you may be depressed.
The good
news is that there is hope and there is help. Often, talking with a
counselor can help. Below are some signs that you may need to
see a counselor.
Are you:
- Feeling helpless and hopeless? Thinking that life has
no meaning?
- Losing interest in being with family or friends?
- Finding that everything or everyone seems to get on
your nerves?
- Feeling really angry a lot of the time?
- Thinking of hurting yourself?
Do you find that you are:
- Losing interest in the activities you used to enjoy?
- Eating too little or a lot more than usual?
- Crying easily or many times each day?
- Using drugs or alcohol to help you forget?
- Sleeping more than you used to? Less than you used to?
- Feeling tired a lot?
"It got to the point where I was
feeling down all the time, like
I just didn't have any energy
and nothing seemed fun anymore.
I even stopped hanging out with
my friends. I felt like I couldn't
tell anyone what was going on,
not even my family. But then
I started talking with a counselor
and now things are getting back
on track."
- Jake, age 17
It's important to talk to someone you trust. Going to see a
counselor doesn't mean that you are crazy. In fact, it means
that you have the strength and courage to recognize that you
are going through a difficult time and need help. Read more
about what teens who've talked with a counselor or met with a
support group have to say in
Finding Support.
"My grades were slipping. I wasn't
that great a student before my
sister got cancer. Once she got really
sick I stopped caring about school.
My art teacher noticed that my
drawings were different. She talked
with me and helped me get an
appointment with the guidance
counselor. I feel like a weight's been
lifted off my shoulders. I still worry
about my sister, but am doing better
in school now."
- Ray, age 16
|
Back to Top
< Previous Section | Next Section > |
