The Cheltonian

Wellbeing

Self care during the summer holidays

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Self care during the Summer holidays

Summer 2023 holiday message from Dave, Director of School Wellbeing after dealing with COVID-19 which has left its signature and mark on everyone young and old (Callahan, 2020). As a result, we still have local families, adults of all ages, youth and young people plus young children experiencing the after-effects of COVID as we all move towards the New Year. 

 

These after-effects are felt as anxiety, a sensation felt within the body. Anxiety is nothing new for everyone young and old; infact anxiety is a normal part of everyone's life (Slobodin & Cohen 2020). The issue with anxiety Callahan suggests remains the accumulation, the process whereby the body ends up trying to process the slow steady accumulation. The most popular similarity Callahan cites also known as a metaphor; is a glass of water slowly filling up until it overflows. This occurs because I have failed to look after myself by following some of these small self-care tips listed below:

 

In other words, my glass cup fills but I cannot maintain my healthy internal equilibrium. The balance between what I feel inside me as opposed to what is occurring outside of me. The differential, the change, the dissidence I feel as my inner pressure starts rising up to the surface of my thoughts until it starts overflowing into my life, I now feel as ...'my anxiety'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balancing My Health in 2023

Slobodin & Cohen further hint all the while the glass continues to remain at maximum capacity the overflow continues for days, weeks months or longer. Slobodin & Cohen with Callahan both mean that anxiety is a basic part of my survival, as a matter of fact, it sits on the mental health continuum for my everyday normal emotional and health and wellbeing. Did you know anxiety is a valuable and essential part of how we express my emotions such as happy, sad, angry or mad?

 

2023 Summer Tips from the Experts

Here are a few tips from our friends at Beyond Blue about your anxiety:

 

Anxiety can make us feel:

  • excessive fear
  • restless
  • tense, wound up and edgy.

 

Anxiety can affect our thoughts:

  • worrying
  • obsessive thinking
  • catastrophising
  • physical symptoms.

Anxiety can affect our body in different ways.

  • panic attacks 
  • hot and cold flushes 
  • racing heart 
  • tightening of the chest 
  • quick breathing or shortness of breath 
  • difficulty sleeping 
  • headaches.   

 

Staying Healthy in 2023

Now that you have a few clues from Slobodin & Cohen and Callahan to watch out for this summer school holidays when you feel your glass overflowing and that anxiety building up to the overflow point. Here are some tips and hints on how to stop your glass overflowing. 

 

In other words, these tips help reduce anxiety, help pull back and drop the water level in your glass. These steps are not designed to empty the glass, because there will always be a small level of anxiety in it. These steps prevent anxiety from going off the scale, overflowing beyond healthy levels.

  • Be gentle and patient on ME.
  • Remind MYSELF that it won't last forever.
  • Set MY own healthy self care boundaries.
  • Enjoy MY sleep time.
  • Let MYSELF have small treats and ME time out.

Wellbeing Contact Form

 

Contact our Cheltenham Secondary College Wellbeing team directly with any concerns or issues and one of the team will get back to you. The form can be accessed here.

Helpful Contacts

Headspace

http://www.headspace.org.au/

Headspace Centres can be a one-stop shop for all young people who just need some help with everyday stuff or wellbeing and physical health. 

 

Kids Helpline

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

Kids Helpline is across Australia, it is free, private and confidential 24/7. Mainly for young people aged 5 to age 25.

Call them on.. 1800 55 1800

 

Lifeline

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Provides all Australians everywhere experiencing a personal crisis allowing 24-hour support. Call them on.. 13 11 14

 

Beyond Blue

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Provides information and support which helps tackle head-on the effects of mental health issues no matter where or what age. 

Call them on.. 1300 22 4636

 

Parentline

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/serviceprofiles/parentline-service

Fantastic service for parents and carers of young children from a few days of age all the way up to 18-year-olds. This service offers counselling and support which is confidential and anonymous on all issues around parenting.  Call them on...13 22 89.