Eyes Open

Describes us perfectly.

Yeah, you get credit for getting it stuck in our heads.

I really don't like this song. Actually, that's kinda a lie. It's a shitty song, but I am/was attatched to it. See, I sorta really liked the same person for...I'm not even gonna say how ling, a long time, & that someone was my best friend. & it really, really sucked.

Tonight I was sitting with that same someone, who I've now been dating 4ish months & looking through my "Purchased" playlist on my iPod, which I hadn't looked at in forever (last song purchased from iTunes was about a year ago, cheers to discovering limewire). & right up there, purchased in December of sophomore year was "Teardrops On My Guitar" by Taylor Swift. I almost reminiced out loud about how the only reason I'd bought this song was because the lyrics had reminded me so much of him but then decided against it because the song itself was so lame.

But I listening to it now...damn. You have no idea how lucky it's possible to feel. Or how in awe I still am that I actually got the happy ending.

Good God I'm so unbelivably cheesy.

"Proposition 4, or the Abortion Waiting Period and Parental Notification Initiative, also known to its supporters as Sarah's Law, is an initiated amendment that will appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot in California. It proposes a new amendment to the California Constitution.
The initiative would prohibit abortion for unemancipated minors until 48 hours after physician notifies minor’s parent, legal guardian or, if parental abuse has been reported, an alternative adult family member."
(http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_4_(2008))

The fact that anyone actually considers this a good idea makes me so fucking mad.

Honestly, with all the stupid ideas the government has, I try to at least see both sides, even if I'm highly opposed to one or another. But this one upsets me the most because it directly involves me. Yeah, I know how incredibly selfish that sounds, but I mean more that it hits more close to home. I still think that other ideas are equally & more fucked up than this, obviously. But until two years from now, me, & a lot of the people I know could potentially be royally fucked over by this.

I'm not so up to date on political matters. Really, I try to have a good argument for what I believe in, & somewhat attempt to sound like I know my shit, but generally, I don't. I always feel like politics start fights between people. I know that it should be worth the fight, it's fighting for our future. But it's hard. My best friend has the complete opposite religious & political views than I do, & it's incredibly difficult to cope with. I love her, & want to respect what she believes in. Yet some of it is just such nonsense to me that it makes me want to shake her, & I really do not enjoy that feeling.

Back to my point, there is no way in hell I could support this.

It's not like anyone WANTS an abortion. Like oh, I'm going to go have sex with someone, & get prganant, than get an abortion for the fun of it! Right. Obviously if you're getting an abortion, you're not so thrilled about getting pregnant. & if you didn't tell your parents, there's probably a reason. So, let's make the choice more difficult & painful. Good idea.

You can't make adolescents and parents to communicate. Forcing it on them isn't going to do shit. Then the parents will know that if their kid tells them, it was probably only because a secretary at Planned Parenthood was going to be making that call within the next 48 hours. & if the nurse does it first...talk about tension. If a kid wants to let their parent in on what they're handling, I'm all for it. Having an open relationship with your parents is awesome. Point is, it should be their choice.

Also, families can be fucked up. Kids get kicked out of their houses, beaten up & worse everyday over things like this. My summer school teacher told our class a story about a girl she taught. When she was fourteen she was raped by her brother, & got pregnant. Her family was devout Christian & forced her to keep the baby, otherwise she would no longer be part of their family. Some kind of family that is. & how much do you believe that utterly scarred her. Not only was she raped, she was raped by her fucking brother. & not only was she raped by her brother, she had to give birth to his child at age forteen. & was she raped by her brother & gave birth to her child, that four year old is a constant reminder of what happened to her. How will she tell her child when she's older that her daddy is her brother? How can they live with it...it's just so messed up.

Beyond being forced out of it by your parents, what if dreading telling them makes you not get the abortion at all? You'd imagine hiding a pregnancy would be insanely difficult. Yet you hear stories of thirteen year old girls who pull it off, then dump their babies in dumpsters. It's crazy what people will do when they're scared, & too young to know what to do.

& c'mon. Adolescents have so few rights as is. How about we not take away another.

Not to mention a right of a women.

This really worries me.

Quick Numbers

-121 million people worldwide suffer from depression. (The World Health Organization)

-18 million of these cases are happening in the United States. (The National Institute of Mental Health)

-Between 20% and 50% of children and teens struggling with depression have a family history of this struggle and the offspring of depressed parents are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression. (U.S. Surgeon General's Survey, 1999)

-Depression often co-occurs with anxiety disorders and substance abuse, with 30 percent of teens with depression also developing a substance abuse problem. (NIMH)

-2/3 of those suffering from depression never seek treatment.

Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers. (NIMH)

About Depression

According to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the leading causes of disability, with approximately 121 million people suffering with depression worldwide. The National Institute of Mental Health states that approximately 18 million people suffer from depression in America alone. Depression does not discriminate across age, race, gender, or class. Among teenagers it is estimated that 20 percent will suffer from depression at some point by the time they reach adulthood. There are also as many as 8.3 percent of teens suffering from depression for at least a year at a time, compared to 5.3 percent of the general population.

About Addiction

The stigma associated with addiction is one of the greatest challenges to recovery. Each year only 10 percent of Americans who need alcohol and drug treatment get the help they need. Yet with treatment and support, people with addiction can lead productive lives.

About Self-Injury

While not always the case, often untreated depression and other struggles lead to unhealthy ways in which we try and deal with the hurt and pain we are feeling. We try and find anything that we can do to take away the hurt, painful feelings, or negative thoughts we are experiencing. Often the things that we turn to seem to help at first, appearing to provide some of the relief that we need so badly. But, even though they may seem like they help, often they are unhealthy themselves, eventually becoming even greater struggles like addictions such as drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, or self-injury.

Self-injury remained very much a mystery until 1996 when Princess Diana revealed that she had struggled with it. It has become much more visible in society within the last ten years. Self-injury is also termed self-mutilation, self-harm, or self-abuse. It can be defined as the deliberate, repetitive, impulsive, non-lethal harming of one’s self, including but not limited to;

1)cutting,

2)burning,

3)picking or interfering with wound healing,

4)infecting oneself,

5)punching/hitting self or objects,

6)inserting objects in to skin,

7)bruising or breaking bones, and

8)some forms of hair pulling.

While these behaviors pose serious risks, they may be symptoms of a problem that can be treated.

Experts estimate that 4% of the population struggle with self-injury. It has the same occurrence between males and females, even though in popular culture it can appear to be more prevalent among girls.

• Emptiness

• Inability to understand or express feelings

• Loneliness

• Fear

• Past Abuse

• Depression

Self-injury, like many addictions, is often a coping mechanism to deal with some manner of internal pain, many who struggle with it also struggle with other issues such as eating disorders and alcohol and drug abuse. While self-injury may be someone’s way to cope with or relieve painful or hard-to-express feelings and is generally NOT a suicide attempt, relief is always temporary, and usually only perpetuates a destructive cycle that continues the struggle. This cycle often means that those who do not get help can become more depressed and shameful, adding to the pain and need for relief, thus perpetuating the cycle.

The Dangers of Self-Injury - While self-injury may not be about attempting suicide, the damage done while harming oneself ALWAYS carries the risks of inflicting serious, and even lethal, harm to oneself regardless of whether suicide is intended or not. Also the continued cycle of addiction and self-harm, as in substance abuse and other eating disorders can have a destructive effect on one’s health both physically and mentally, and struggles worsen as time continues without treatment.

(SAFE alternatives - www.selfinjury.com)

Self-injury, like alcohol and drug abuse and eating disorders, is addictive, and thus not something that is easy to simply ‘stop’. However, while all addictions are very difficult to overcome, help and treatment are out there and available, and recovery and freedom are possible.We believe this is true whether someone’s struggles may be self injury, depression, drugs and alcohol, body image issues, sexual addiction, or other areas of brokenness.

Research shows that those who seek professional help and therapy have a very good chance of recovery, and finding relief from symptoms such as depression and anxiety as well as others. (APA, 1998)

About Suicide

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year approximately one million people die from suicide, which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds. It is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds.

The WHO further reports that:

In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 (male and female). Suicide attempts are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicides.

Although suicide rates have traditionally been highest amongst elderly males, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of all countries.

Mental health disorders (particularly depression and substance abuse) are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide.

However, suicide results from many complex sociocultural factors and is more likely to occur during periods of socioeconomic, family and individual crisis (e.g. loss of a loved one, unemployment, sexual orientation, difficulties with developing one's identity, disassociation from one's community or other social/belief group, and honour).

The WHO also states that:

In Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, the highest suicide rates are reported for both men and women.

The Eastern Mediterranean Region and Central Asia republics have the lowest suicide rates.

Nearly 30% of all suicides worldwide occur in India and China.

Suicides globally by age are as follows: 55% are aged between 15 to 44 years and 45% are aged 45 years and over.

Youth suicide is increasing at the greatest rate.

In the US, the Center of Disease Control and Prevention reports that:

Overall, suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death for all US Americans, and is the third leading cause of death for young people 15-24 years.

Although suicide is a serious problem among the young and adults, death rates continue to be highest among older adults ages 65 years and over.

Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than are females. However, females are more likely to attempt suicide than are males.