by Jackie Ebel | Oct 6, 2020 | Abuse, Domestic Abuse, Emotional abuse, Family Life, Family Living, Family Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual abuse
Domestic violence is defined by Oxford Languages as “violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner”. Usually, when we think of domestic violence, we think of someone physically abusing someone with less power. However, it takes many different forms. Here is a Safe Harbor article explaining domestic conflict in greater detail. This is a very real problem in our world. In fact, due to COVID-19, the rates of this kind of violence have gone up significantly. This article explains this phenomenon and provides resources for victims and bystanders of domestic violence.
What’s going on?
As countries across the world have gone into lockdown, we have seen an increase in domestic violence rates globally. Police forces are reporting higher rates of domestic violence all across the world. They are receiving an increase of calls about this kind of violence, and have filed more restraining orders as a result of this. Hotlines globally are getting more calls and texts. Doctors and nurses in hospitals and emergency rooms are seeing an increase of X-Rays that point to domestic conflict.
Why domestic violence rates are going up
There are several reasons why these rates seems to be going up as a result of COVID-19. People who usually are able to leave their homes during the day to attend school or go to work are no longer getting to leave daily. This means they may be forced to spend more time with their abusers. COVID-19 has also brought more stress and worry into everyone’s lives, and for some people, they may be taking it out on their family members and partners in the form of domestic violence.
The situation that COVID-19 has created is a unique one. People who want to move away from their abusers may have nowhere else to go right now for a variety of reasons: they may not be able to find a new living situation, as it is harder to move during a pandemic. Folks may also feel as though they are not safe in their homes, but not safe outside their homes either where they are exposed to the virus.
Effects of Domestic Violence
This kind of conflict has many negative effects, both long term, and short term. While one might expect a victim to have physical effects, such as bruises, broken bones, or internal damage. But there are other effects that can be just as harmful, if not more harmful, for a victim. Some psychological effects include PTSD, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts or attempts, and alcohol and drug abuse. But there are also emotional and spiritual effects too, such as feelings of hopelessness, unworthiness, apprehensiveness, and inability to trust, as well as questioning and doubting spiritual faith. Some lesser-known physical effects include involuntary shaking, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, sexual dysfunction, and menstrual cycle or fertility issues in women. Many children who are victims also begin to have academic problems and may exhibit signs of fearfulness.
Resources
If you or someone you know is a victim, know that you can get help. There are hotlines and safe houses, such as Safe Harbor International Ministries in Georgia, USA. Here is their site for resources in Georgia.
For victims:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233
- If you cannot speak safely you can log into thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474
- Visit this page for more resources.
If someone you know is a victim:
- Listen to them
- Offer to help them create a safety plan
- Visit this website for more tips
This article explains the signs of domestic violence.
Conclusion
Domestic violence is a very real problem all over the globe, and the current pandemic has indirectly lead to an increase in these cases. There are many negative effects, such as PTSD and a repeated cycle of violence in the future. Domestic violence also causes problems for children who are exposed to this kind of treatment. It is essential that we do what we can to combat this. This Safe Harbor article discusses how we can spread domestic violence awareness, and this course explains more about domestic violence and gives more resources.
Photo by John Benitez on Unsplash
Written by Jackie Ebel, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/article/
by Jackie Ebel | Sep 22, 2020 | Healthy Lifestyles, Mental health, Staying Healthy, Wellness
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives, particularly how we communicate with everyone in our lives. With social distancing in effect, some folks are working at home and taking virtual classes, while others are still in their classrooms and workspaces. This isn’t easy, especially given all the other hardships COVID-19 has brought. No matter what your situation looks like though, it’s easy to see that we are all relying on technology more than we were before. While technology is a great tool, it can also create problems. Here are some healthy ways to communicate with technology during this time.
Find What Works For You
Everyone has different communication styles. Maybe the most important thing you can do for yourself is to think about situations in which you’re most productive, and feel the most connected with your colleagues. Ask yourself when you feel most comfortable. Do you thrive in zoom meetings, but struggle with writing emails? Or would you prefer to use messaging apps like Slack and GroupMe, but struggle with phone calls! Focus on your strengths, and try to use these to your advantage. This is the first step to finding which healthy ways to communicate with technology work for you.
Advocate For Yourself
Once you know what works for you, then you can begin to advocate for yourself. If you prefer video calls over phone calls, then maybe you can try requesting video calls in the future while setting up remote meetings. If you prefer emailing to talking on the phone, give out your email before you give out your phone number. You could even communicate your discovery about what works best for you to your colleagues so that they know the best way to reach you. Advocating for yourself about what works for you can even help you have a better relationship with yourself. For more information about having a better relationship with yourself, check out this Safe Harbor link.
Overcoming Difficulties
Once you know what doesn’t work naturally for you, you can figure out how to cope with it. Maybe you don’t like phone or zoom calls, and they make you feel uncomfortable. You could try thinking of your phone or zoom calls as exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is exposing yourself to something anxiety-inducing so that you get used to it and it no longer makes you anxious. Find more information about exposure therapy here. Another tip is to prepare as much as you can for a phone or zoom call beforehand. Set up your space so you have everything you need once you’re on the call. Prepare talking points and questions you have for other people you’ll be interacting with.
Another way to overcome your difficulties is to practice in a more comfortable setting first. If you have phone anxiety, maybe practice getting comfortable talking to someone you know well on the phone before you have a big phone call for work. If you get more comfortable talking with a friend on the phone, then you’re more likely to have success with a phone call in a more professional or academic setting. For more ideas for overcoming difficulties, check out this article.
Manage Your Notifications
If you feel you’re getting too many notifications, try to reduce them! Unsubscribe from email lists you don’t care about, or turn off notifications from apps you don’t use often. If need be, utilize the do not disturb or silent functions on your phone. Getting interrupted every few minutes by your personal phone can be a hassle, and can interrupt your work flow. Remember that healthy communication can actually mean less communication, especially when that communication is about something unimportant!
Limit Time on News and Social Media
Other healthy ways to communicate include limiting time on news and social media websites. The information on these websites can be overwhelming, especially now. Reading too much bad news, or comparing your situation to others through social media can cause problems, and increase your screen time! You don’t have to cut out news and social media completely. It’s important to know what’s going on in the world, but it may be beneficial right now to limit the time you spend looking at news and social media sites. If you feel as though you’re using social media to connect with others right now, keep in mind that keeping in touch with people via messaging and calling will likely be much more fulfilling than just looking at people’s posts. These types of communication will lead to those better, more personal connections that we’re all missing out on because of social distancing practices.
Give Yourself Work/School Hours
More healthy ways to communicate include limiting the time you spend working or doing schoolwork. Many people feel as though they are constantly working right now. Since we are near our computers and cell phones all the time, many of us feel as though we are always on call. This article explains how different people are struggling with this, and 18% of people feel as though they can’t unplug. One way to combat this is to decide when you’re going to be done with work or school. Traditionally, our days end when we leave the office, but now when we work from home this no longer is the case. Decide what time you’re going to log off and be done for the day, and communicate this to your colleagues if necessary, so they know only to reach out to you in emergencies.
Take Breaks
It is so easy to sit down in the morning, and be so busy that you work straight through the day. However, working through the day without taking breaks can cause problems. This is especially true for those working at home who may not have left their homes all day. Make sure to get up from your workspace, and take a break from technology and your work. Don’t look at your screens for a few minutes, and walk around, get some water, or stretch your legs. Many different studies have shown that taking breaks actually increases your productivity throughout the day. This is the case whether you have a job or if you’re a student.
Photo by Djurdjica Boskovic on Unsplash
Conclusion
Many of us feel like we have very little control of our lives right now, but that doesn’t have to be the case with technology. If you still feel like technology is controlling you, click here for more help. There are many different healthy ways to communicate with technology, so make sure to practice these things today! For more help with improving your general communication skills, check out this Safe Harbor article, and for more information about hardships associated with COVID-19, check out this Safe Harbor link. Remember to be proud of how hard you are working, and how you’re adapting to this tough situation!
Written by Jackie Ebel, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/
by Jackie Ebel | Sep 14, 2020 | Gratitude, Healthy Lifestyles, Mental health, Staying Healthy, Wellness, Words of Encouragement
Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash
College is a busy and often stressful time. Students have classes, assignments, and studying, in addition to extracurriculars, internships, jobs, and other responsibilities. But this year, college students have taken on the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many students are adjusting to a different life on campus, others still are taking classes online at home. Both of these situations are difficult to adapt to and thrive in, and they can take a toll on your mental health. Adapting to changes quickly is difficult, and this situation is no exception. It can be hard to know what to do or where to turn when you’re a college student seeking mental health advice, so here are some ideas about improving your mental health in college.
Utilize Free Counseling Services
Many colleges offer free counseling services, which are a great way to work on improving your mental health. In an effort to abide by social distancing guidelines, many of these services are now online. You can participate in a phone call or a zoom call rather than going to an office. Not sure if counseling is right for you? Check out this Safe Harbor International article to figure out if counseling is the right choice for you.
Consider Medication
Another way to consider improving your mental health is to consider taking medication. Medications can have many benefits for all different types of mental illnesses. However, you should talk to your counselor or therapist to find out if this is right for you. They will then refer you to a psychiatrist, who will then prescribe you medication. Many colleges and universities even have psychiatrists who can help you find affordable medications.
Decrease Alcohol Consumption
While partying and drinking alcohol are well-known college pastimes, many studies show that drinking alcoholic beverages can have negative effects on your mental health. Alcohol is a depressant, which means that it slows down your brain function. While many people drink in order to alleviate stress, often binge drinking leads to hangovers, more stress, and self-medication to the point of a serious addiction. All of these can aggravate pre-existing mental health problems. It’s best to cut down on your alcohol consumption or cut it out entirely if you are serious about improving your mental health.
Don’t Isolate Yourself
College looks and feels different this year. Many people are taking online classes, or are living far away from their family and friends. Others may be near their support system but feel as though the time they can spend with their loved ones is limited due to social distancing practices. If you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s more important than ever to connect to your friends and family. Pick up the phone and call, text, or FaceTime your family. Meet up with a friend and go for a social distanced walk outside. Whatever you do, keep in mind that isolating yourself can aggravate existing mental health problems. Humans were not meant to live alone, and we thrive and grow in communities. Even if it’s hard, I’m encouraging you to just send a text to one person. Your loved ones are there for you. Remember that you are not a burden, and you’re not bringing people down. Your loved ones want to hear how you’re doing.
Spend Time in Nature
Spending time outside is not only fun, but it clears your mind. When you’re outside, you also get vitamin D from the sun, which you don’t get from being inside. Low levels of vitamin D can be linked to depression, so it’s important you get outside! It’s as simple as going outside to do your homework, or taking a walk outside. Many colleges have places to study outside where you can set up hammocks, so you can relax while doing your homework, too! It’s much better than being cooped up in the library, and COVID-19 doesn’t spread as easily outside, either.
Set Healthy Boundaries
Many students in college over-commit themselves. This is easy to do, when there’s so many wonderful opportunities to take advantage of. But sometimes, having too much on your plate can lead to unnecessary stress that exacerbates pre-existing mental health conditions. Remember that it’s okay to say no sometimes when you’re feeling overwhelmed. This might mean not hanging out with your friends one evening when you have a lot of assignments, but it also might mean something bigger too, such as not adding an extra minor to your course load. And that’s okay!
Get Enough Sleep
One of the best things you can do for your body is to get enough sleep. It’s very common for college students to not get enough sleep and to drink too much coffee. But sleep is important! It’s just as important as eating a healthy diet, and drinking water. Poor sleep is linked to mental health problems, and a weakened immune system, so it’s especially important right now when we all need to stay healthy!
Take Care of Your Body
Taking care of your body is another way to help your mental health. More and more studies are saying that a good diet is just as important to your mental health as it is to your physical health. Make sure that you have a colorful plate at each meal, and be sure to drink enough water! In addition to this, exercising is important too. Many colleges offer free exercise classes or have a gym open to students that they can use for free. While the gym and the exercise classes might look different this year, they’re likely still in effect. Or if you’re looking for something less strenuous, you can dance, or go for a walk or a hike. Be sure to take time to relax when you need it too. Take a nap, stretch, watch some youtube videos, or make some art! The possibilities here are endless. Remember that you aren’t wasting your time and that you’re allowed to take breaks to recharge.
Photo by Tim Goedhart on Unsplash
Call a Helpline
If you need immediate help, don’t hesitate to call (or text) a helpline. These helplines can be utilized if you need someone to listen, or want personalized advice about what to do next. Folks on these helplines can also direct you to a therapist in your area, and the conversation is completely confidential. There is no shame in utilizing these numbers, that’s what they are there for!
Suicide Hotline 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-827-7571
http://www.crisistextline.org/
Conclusion
If you’re still looking for more tips, look at the CDC website regarding mental health during pandemics. For information about other hardships during COVID-19, please look here. Please remember to utilize The Safe Harbor Prayer Garden. There are relaxing prayers to listen to at any time, and we take your submissions for specific prayers you want support with.
Written by Jackie Ebel, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/
by Jackie Ebel | Aug 31, 2020 | Healthy Lifestyles, Staying Healthy, Wellness
Photo by Aleks Dorohovich on Unsplash
Once you’ve finished school, your formal education is over. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue to learn. Continuing to educate yourself, even after you’ve graduated from school, has many benefits. You will keep your mind sharp by learning, and people who continue to learn and expand their minds are less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s later on in life. Learning also can keep your life interesting and fun, as well as help you out in your career! Here are some ways that you can continue to learn throughout your adult life.
Listen to Podcasts
Podcasts are an easy way to learn after you’re done with school. They’re extremely accessible and have become easy to find. Most of them are even free, and they’re a great thing to listen to while on your morning commute, or while exercising. These days, they’re becoming such a popular way to learn that you can find a podcast about almost any topic. Spotify is a great place to find free podcasts about lots of different topics!
Take Free Classes Online
If you prefer a more traditional style of learning, online classes may be for you. There are many types of online classes out there, especially now, as education moves online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are also many free classes online as well! Harvard offers a selection of free classes on a variety of topics, and the website Coursera offers classes on things you probably didn’t even know existed, and many of them are free! In addition, some universities offer free college classes to senior citizens who are over a certain age. Many classes even come with a certificate of completion at the end of the course, so completing classes in your career field could be an excellent way to boost your resume!
Photo by Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash
Visit Museums
If you live in a city, or close to one, chances are, there are lots of museums there for you to explore! From art to science to history, these museums are filled with information about topics that you likely didn’t learn all about in school. Not only will you have the opportunity to learn new information, but you’ll also get to see artifacts, paintings, or recreations that are likely to spark your interest. Oftentimes, there are videos, presentations, guest speakers, and events at museums too, so you can learn even more. Many museums even have a day once a week or once a month where admission is free!
Read Books
Books are probably the most obvious way to keep learning after you’ve finished school. Reading fiction and non-fiction books about a range of topics is a great way to educate yourself about the world. Joining a book club is a great way to meet people, and to be held accountable for finishing the books that you start. Book clubs are also great for providing a group of people to discuss the book with, and you will probably learn from these discussions! If you’re worried about the prices of books, check out sites like paperback swap, where you can trade books you’ve read for books you want, or Thriftbooks, where you can purchase books for cheap prices. And of course, you can always listen to audiobooks!
Photo by Susan Yin on Unsplash
Practice a Skill
Educating yourself isn’t just about learning facts and theories. It can also be about learning new skills! Doing puzzles or picking up a new hobby are wonderful ways to learn. Learning how to rollerblade, do magic tricks, play guitar, give a good speech or bake are all great ways to learn.
Have Conversations with People
One of the easiest ways to learn is through conversation. Talking to people helps you learn more about lots of different things, and can expose you to new ways of thinking. Surrounding yourself with people, especially those who are different from you in some way, is a wonderful way to learn. You’re going to expand your own understanding of the world this way, and you’ll likely become more creative, too!
Get Involved in the Arts
Getting involved in the arts is a great way to learn. From learning to sing or play a musical instrument, to painting and drawing, to acting or dancing, the arts have many benefits. Learning any of these things can make you more creative, and can give you a healthy outlet of expression, allowing you to learn more about yourself. The arts can provide skills in conquering challenges and can help with critical thinking skills as well as attention to detail. While learning these sorts of things traditionally might be more expensive, there are youtube videos that can show you how to do many of these things that are completely free!
Learn About Current Events
Now, more than ever, having a firm understanding of what is going on in our world is crucial. Not only will learning about current events help you become a more informed voter, but you’ll have a better understanding of our world and your place in it. If you learn about what you can do to help with the COVID-19 pandemic or issues that aren’t frequently talked about with the Black Lives Matter movement, you’ll be helping the world around you.
Learn a Language
Learning a language is easily one of the most challenging yet rewarding things you can do to keep your brain active. Free websites and apps, such as Duolingo or Busuu, can help you learn a language in small increments each day. Learning a language could help you communicate with others one day, and it expands your world, too! If you become fluent in another language, that means there are many more people you can now interact with, and more books, music, and other forms of media that you can utilize.
Travel
Much like talking to people who are different from you, traveling is a wonderful way to expand your mind! If you have the money to travel, I would highly recommend it. Traveling introduces you to new experiences you wouldn’t have otherwise had at home. It also introduces you to new people who are likely different from you, and you can learn a lot from them as well! Learning about another place’s history, culture, and traditions can be an interesting and fun way to spend your time as well as engage your brain.
Conclusion
There are many ways to continue learning after you finish school, and some of these are free or very cheap! Learning something new can be beneficial for you and for those around you. Oftentimes, knowledge really is power, and learning something new can give you the tools to make the world around you a better place for yourself and for others! So right now, give yourself a little bit of time to start learning something new: buy a new book, sign up for a class, or download a puzzle or language app on your phone. You can start today!
Written by Jackie Ebel, a blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page: https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
by Jackie Ebel | Aug 24, 2020 | Featured Post
It’s officially back to school season! Something that’s on everyone’s minds more than ever before this year is whether or not certain programs are going to be cut, or not funded. Budget cuts these days in schools are all too common. Often, the first things to go are the arts programs. These include music, theater, and painting, drawing, and sculpting classes. Many people believe that arts programs in schools are a frivolous waste of money, but this is not the case! Studies have shown that arts programs actually have many benefits for students. Here are several reasons why we should continue funding the arts programs in schools.
Increased Creativity
One of the biggest reasons to keep arts programs around for students is that children exposed to arts programs are more creative. Arts programs teach students to create new things and begin to establish a creative voice. These programs also encourage children to take calculated risks, which translates well into real-life skills. In addition, our society needs creative people to function. We constantly are finding new, better ways to make our world work and to fix our problems, and this wouldn’t be possible without the creativity that is fostered in arts classes in schools.
Boosts Critical Thinking
Several studies have shown that exposure to the arts can boost students’ critical thinking, as well as make students more open-minded in how they perceive the world. As students engage in music, drawing, or theater, for example, they become more used to being careful and taking time to think about their decisions before they make them. This leads to the students growing up to be conscientious adults.
More Successful in School
Students who regularly participate in the arts are more likely to be successful in school. Students who take arts classes are likely to participate in math or science fairs. They are more likely to be recognized for some sort of academic achievement or win an award for an essay or poem that they have written. Music students in particular are likely to have higher math grades. Students are also less likely to have disciplinary problems if they take arts classes. They’re likely to have higher rates of graduation, in addition to higher test scores.
Photo by Clark Young on Unsplash
Increased Learning Outside of School
Students become more curious about the world when they are exposed to the arts, increasing their desire to keep learning when they are not in school. If a student finds that they really enjoy painting, for example, they might be more likely to go to an art museum on the weekend and continue to learn while they’re there. These patterns that develop during a student’s years in school are likely to stick with them after they graduate, and they will continue to want to learn new things that they’re interested in once they become adults.
Established Appreciation of Art
Art programs in schools begin to establish an appreciation of the arts, as well as culture when students are exposed to a variety of different media and art styles. Once students have an appreciation of the arts, they are better able to understand the music and art that already exists. This is important, because students will be able to better understand art and music from different historical periods, and therefore have a better understanding of history.
In addition, once students have an appreciation for the arts, they will have a greater appreciation of creating art themselves! Art is much needed in our society in many different ways. We rely on the artists and creators to keep us entertained throughout much of our day as we listen to music at work, or go home and watch tv. Even many products we use in our day to day lives rely on people who have a passion to create art. Without arts programs, we wouldn’t have any of these things!
Healthy Outlets of Expression
Exposing students to the arts gives them a healthy outlet of expression. As students grow up, there are no doubt going to need a safe place to express themselves and a healthy way to share their thoughts with those around them. The arts are a wonderful way to do this! Through painting, drawing, or sculpting, a student can show what they’re feeling or thinking about. Music and theater are wonderful ways as well to express one’s emotions.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Conquering Challenges
The arts introduce children to challenging situations. Any form of art presents several challenges at each stage of every project. Any student that is involved in the arts is going to be able to tackle challenges later on in life with persistence and decisiveness, and without relying completely on others. These are valuable skills that art learned in arts classes that shouldn’t be taken away from school curriculums.
Attention to Detail
Another benefit of arts classes is that they increase a student’s attention to detail. This will serve these students well later in their lives. Kids who are exposed to the arts develop focus in many different areas. Acting, playing a musical instrument, and painting, for example, all require students to pay attention to the details to make sure their projects come out well!
Helps Students with Disabilities
Another crucial benefit to including arts in school programs is that the arts are extremely helpful to students with disabilities. Arts programs including music, dancing, crafts, and performing arts can be helpful in teaching important skills to students with disabilities. Music can help a student grasp rhythm and help hone listening skills, while dancing and crafts can help a student with their motor control, for example. The arts have many other benefits for students with disabilities, too. While these benefits are wonderful for all students, they are especially crucial for students who have disabilities. The arts help these students learn important skills in new ways that might be easier for them to grasp.
Conclusion
Arts classes can be incredibly beneficial for students. While some people think that the arts classes are unnecessary for students, it’s been proven that these classes actually have many benefits for students in the long run, even if they do not go on to continue learning about things they learn about in arts classes. Many of these benefits, such as increased test scores and graduation rates, are things that school districts across the country are trying to make happen in their classrooms. Advocating for funding in the arts has many benefits. If we place more focus on the arts and allow students to have more creative space, we might just solve many of our school’s problems!
Other Photos by Dragos Gontariu on Unsplash
Written by Jackie Ebel, a blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page: https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
