TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
TLC Attitudes of Gratitude
by Lynn Whitlow
Wow! It’s that time of year again -
the end of 2005. It seems only yesterday
that I was writing this column for Novem
ber. Time just slips away into another year.
How does it do that, anyway?
So we are at that place where all the
girls and boys try their darndest to be
good, especially if they still believe! That
seasonal “spirit man,” Santa, does work
his magic for a few days anyway. The
spirit of giving is in the air!
Lights are bright, good smells are
wafting around, and presents are coming
out of hiding places to be wrapped (or if
you’re like me, they are put away so well
I can’t find them until March). Folks are
going to parties, to church, to sing their
hearts out at caroling.
Then on the reverse side, often all the
hustle and bustle, bad memories of Christ
mas past, and fatigue can take the joy
away. It’s hard to feel gratitude when you
are feeling sad, tired, stressed.
It’s so easy to snap at friends and fam
ily members, to isolate ourselves, to fall
into old familiar patterns that lead us to
poor choices, so easy to find an excuse to
relapse. So easy ...
We need to make ourselves be aware
of the triggers that set us off on the path
we really don't want to be on. We need to
keep life as simple as we can to avoid big
stressors. We need to have personal ac
tion plans for when unexpected crisis or
stressors come our way. We just cannot
know or control when that may happen.
All we can do is be aware that the unwel
come can happen.
I know that from personal experience
- and I still love the Christmas season! I
don’t forget all the times that were wrecked
by a drinking father. I just focus on the
love that was evident from the other mem
bers of my nuclear and extended family.
I still get stressed and tired, but try
not to let it last too long. I try to remem
ber that I don’t have to do everything like
it used to be done and remember that I’m
only one person. It’s just OK to change
some old traditions to fit today.
Enjoy the holidays instead of resent
ing what you can’t do, who you can’t see
(or who you have to spend time with).
Face the holidays with a heart and atti
tude of gratitude. It might not change
what happens to you, but it can change
how you react.
At TLC, we continue to find gratitude
in the folks out there who share items with
us and those who serve us with the gift of
their time. We surely appreciated the
lovely and colorful bunches of chrysan
themums that Irene Huston of Logsden
shared with us. The TLC house and the
office downstairs benefited from that gift.
Tamara Morrow blessed us with some
very nice personal hygiene items. Doug
Scott came up and isolated the area from
whence comes a leak in our dishwasher.
Those community members and our
faithful overnight volunteers help keep
things going up here. Elizabeth Kosydar,
Jackie Ashley, Alice McCain, and Lisa
Brown have laid their heads on the pil
low several times this past month. Thank
you to all of you!
I plan to train some new volunteers
in the very near future. If you have some
time to serve, you would be so appreci
ated. Please call me at 541-444-8238 or
1-800-922-1399, ext. 1238.
A Merry and Healthy Christmas to all
of you!
Prevention Talk
Inhalant Abuse Continues To Rise
Written by Diane Hipp • Edited by Kris Gabrielsen and Jack Wilson • Issue Number 19
CSAP’S Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies • Julie Hogan, PH.D., Director
Most parents are not aware of the pop
ularity and dangers of inhalant abuse. In
halants are the common household prod
ucts that are among the most popular and
deadly substances young people abuse.
Young people are quick to discover
that common household products are in
expensive to obtain, easy to hide, and the
easiest way to get high. According to re
cent national surveys, inhaling dangerous
products is becoming one of the most
widespread problems in the country. 1
If your teen is “dusting,” they may
not be helping clean the house. A new
trend in inhalant abuse is called “dusting.”
The abuser inserts the straw into the com
puter dusting aerosol can and sprays it
directly into his or her mouth. The result
can be tragic, including sudden death due
to cardiac arrest.
Parents and caregivers need to arm
themselves with current trends in inhal
ant abuse and talk with their teen(s). Young
people must understand the consequences
of their choices to experiment with and
use these potentially deadly toxins.
Inhalants fall into three categories:
•
•
•
Solvents (paint thinner, glues, gasoline)
Gases (butane lighters, helium, propane)
Aerosols (hair spray, whipping cream,
computer dusting spray, spray paint)
Inhalant abusers use the following meth
ods to get high:
•
“Huff’ fumes from an inhalant-
soaked rag stuffed into the mouth
Sniff fumes sprayed into a paper or
plastic bag.
•
Sniff or snort fumes from containers
Spray aerosols directly into the nose
or mouth
Toxic chemicals can damage parts of
the brain that control learning, move
ment, vision and hearing.3
Action Steps
Remember
•
1 in 5 young people reports using
inhalants by eighth grade.1
•
Inhalants give the user a quick high
that lasts only a few minutes. Conse
quently, abusers often inhale repeatedly
over several hours, potentially causing
unconsciousness and even death. Other
health hazards linked to inhalant abuse are
brain damage, bone marrow damage,
hearing loss, suffocation, and heart failure.3
Early recognition of inhalant abuse
can make the difference between life and
death for the abuser. Inhalant abusers of
ten have chapped lips and faces, runny
noses, bloodshot eyes, complaints of a
numb tongue, chemical odors on their
breath or clothes, paint stains on the skin
or clothes, slurred speech, lack of appe
tite, lack of concentration, nausea, and a
disoriented appearance.4 There is a com
mon link between inhalant abuse and
problems in school - failing grades,
chronic absences, and general apathy.5
Think About
•
•
•
•
•
•
Young people state they abuse inhalants
because they are cheap and available.
Inhalants are popular substances of
abuse with potential tragic outcomes.
Inhalants are poison toxins. This is a mes
sage young people can comprehend. 2
•
•
Educate yourself about the dangers
of inhalant abuse and monitor the in
halants in your home.
Talk with your teen. Give him or her facts
about the effects of inhalant abuse and
communicate your expectations.
Pass this information on to other parents.
Visit www.inhalants.org for more
information.
For more information
Sources
ISubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. (2003). Results from the
2003 national survey on drug use and
health: National findings. Retrieved July
27, 2005, from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov
/nhsda/2k3nsduh/2k3Results.htm#toc
2Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2002,
October). Facts about inhalants. Retrieved
July 27, 2005, from http://www.
whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/
factsht/inhalants/index.html
3Mathias, R. (2002, November). Chronic sol
vent abusers have more brain abnormali
ties and cognitive impairments than co
caine abusers. NIDA Notes, 17(4), 1-3.
4Partnership for a Drug-Free America. (2005,
February). Drug guide. Retrieved July
2005, from http://www.drugfree.org/Por-
tal/drug_guide/lnhalants
5American Family Physician. (2003). Is your
child abusing inhalants? Retrieved July 25,
2005 from http://www.aafp.org/afp/
2003090 l/876ph.html
December USDA
Distribution
Dates
by Joyce Retherford
Siletz
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
9 a.nj. - 3 p.m.
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
9 a.^. - 3 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 5
Tuesday, Dec. 6
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Thursday, Dec. 8
Friday, Dec. 9
Salem
Monday, Dec. 19
Tuesday, Dec. 20
Wednesday, Dec. 21
1:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
With winter setting in and the holi
day season in full swing, please take it
easy on the highways. If you are not able
to make it to your scheduled appointment,
please call and if necessary, we can make
arrangements for you to pick up your food
at another time.
Also, with gas prices so high. I know
many of you are not able to make the trip
to the warehouse. We hate to see anybody
go without their food, so maybe you can
make arrangements to carpool.
Happy Holidays and Happy Meals!
See you next month!
Are You Really
Enrolled?
Not fully, if you haven’t submit
ted all of the required paperwork.
The Tribal Enrollment Depart
ment must have a copy of your or
your child's official Social Security
card or a completed W-9 for the en
rollment file to be complete.
Help us ensure that you will re
ceive future per capita distributions
by submitting this information for
yourself or your child if you have
not already done so. If your family
has been blessed with new babies,
take care of their full enrollment
right away.
For more information on obtain
ing or updating a Social Security
card, contact your local Social Se
curity office or visit www.ssa.gov/
online/ss-5.html.
For enrollment questions, please
contact Loraine Butler or Shelley
Upchurch in the Enrollment Depart
ment at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1258,
or 541-444-8258.
December 2005
•
Siletz News
•
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