Being Aware and Staying Protected

Although the next post isn't due until Wednesday, I feel that it is necessary to address the tragedy that has struck our community yesterday, April 13 2012. One of our peers was in a car crash with her father and little sister. The little sister, Kaely Camacho, died in the crash. A drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into the back of the Camacho's car, where Kaely was sitting. Such unexpected tragedies leave us all at a loss of words and in a state of disbelief. Personally, I don't understand why things like this happen. My father has been through two wars and made it out fine but now kids can't even go to school and come out alright. It sickens me that someone else's choices effects an entire community, a family, a school. I am not close with the family and I am only acquaintances with Bree but this has still effected us in major ways. These are our peers, we are a community. A stranger can hurt us so badly and try to run away from it. We don't have to say everything happens for a reason, but we are obligated to learn from these situations. You think it'll never happen to you. You see it happen to someone else and say how sad, you say poor thing. But when it's you its something else - its everything. Please don't let it be you. Things happen beyond our control but there are ways to help prevent these tragedies. First of all, Never. Drive. Drunk. It's one thing to kill yourself while driving drunk but to kill innocent people because of your stupidity lack of self control is disgusting. We have all heard the horror stories of drunk driving but people still do it. So stop it. Get your parents to pick you up if you or a friend is too drunk to drive. You would rather be grounded than end up killing yourself or your best friend. Second, be a defensive driver. Look everywhere and expect everyone else to be a bad driver. Don't get distracted, your life is more important than the text you're receiving while driving. Try to take a defensive driving course. Just be prepared and use your common sense. I can't handle another tragedy like this again. Too many people have passed away in a short period of time. Avoid the tears and heartbreak and misery and loss of loved ones by being careful and taking care of yourselves. Please be careful in everything that you do. Screw YOLO and do what you can to stay safe. Be smart while you're being dumb. My heart and prayers go out to the Camacho family. Rest easy Kaely, we're all thinking of you. <3

Drugs

One issue at Palmetto, as we all know, is drugs. Teens are using and abusing marijuana, "bars", certain forms of ecstasy, and even acid and cocaine. I remember during my freshmen year, I didn't even think most of those drugs were an issue in school for kids my age. Now, kids as young as 14 and coming to school high and barred out. The mix of marijuana and bars (different types of depressants) can drop your heart rate. Most of you don't realize that mixing different drugs can definitely be fatal. People abuse prescription drugs and recreational drugs. Some examples of prescription drugs are pain pills like Vicodin, Morphine, and OxyCotin.Others are for anxiety or ADD such as Valium, Xanax, and of course, Adderall. Recreational drugs are marijuana, LSD, shrooms, heroine, ecstasy, and  cocaine. Many people believe that it's healthier to smoke marijuana than smoke cigarettes but marijuana users can eventually develop the same kinds of breathing problems and possible lung cancer. The danger of mixing is that one drug you take can be a depressant and the other could be a stimulant. when you mix the two, your body gets confused, leading to heart rate and blood pressure fluctuations which can then lead to heart attacks and death. There are many ways to mix different drugs and they can all almost lead to death. I'm not here saying to never smoke weed because I know most of you reading this do it without a second thought. All I am warning you about are the little facts that you probably don't know. Don't mix, keep it simple, and certain things are okay in moderation. Just be smart about the choices you make because they can effect the rest of your lives or end your life that night.
 

STDs and STIs

The purpose of my blog is to talk to you guys about teen health issues that are going on in your lives right now. Some issues are definitely hard to talk about with your parents so I'm here opening candid conversation and giving you information that could be beneficial to your health right now or in the long run. I am a peer health educator at school so I'm going I discuss what I have learned in HIP and discuss it on the blog. The first topic in going to address is STDs, sexually transmitted diseases, now formerly known as STIs, sexually transmitted infections, because not all of the conditions are diseases. I know many of us think that STIs and STDs couldn't and wouldn't apply to us, but they do exist and if you're not careful they can e very easy to catch. Many STIs have no symptoms, meaning you are ASYMPTOMATIC. If you have a disease or infection and show no symptoms, that is what you are called, ASYMPTOMATIC. That is why it's important to get tested. You cannot always see if someone has an STD or STI. Many people don't realize that when you have unprotected sex with one person, you are also technically having sex with everyone who your partner has had sex with, and the partners of their partners. You can't guarantee that everyone is clean because chances are that someone has something and gave it to you. They might tell you they have been checked when they haven't or maybe they are ASYMPTOMATIC and have no idea that they are carrying something. Then you would get it and pass it on. All you need is a condom and that can protect you from many diseases and infections but not all of them. Thats why you need to e careful with who you choose as a partner and you need to get checked out yourself. When these conditions go untreated they can have fatal results, possible infertility and pennant damage to reproductive organs. STDs and STIs exist and it is so important that you all protect yourselves as best you can. Your bodies are the only thing you really own so take care of yourselves and make the right decisions for you.