COST OF LIVING STRUGGLES DURING THE FESTIVE PERIOD

On my way to Bangkok, our stopover was in Qatar, lavished with palm walkways and ferns and lights that beamed bright white. You’d tune in to the recordings of birdsong and the artificial sound of a breeze brushing leaves against one another up in the treetops.

Being within the enclosed tamed jungle, where growth felt constricted to the perimeters of the airport walls, the seemingly peaceful place was tainted with controversies and endless metaphors. Beyond the serene green walkway was a vast bleach-stained space where cleaners swept and mopped after every person’s step.

Huge elitist shops that glistened with unsustainability and exclusivity, Gucci, Dior, Burberry – it stank of classism. This overwhelming reality check, large price tags desperately trying to grab me, reminded me of Christmas. I used these moments to cling to my gratitude for my freedom, financial security and rights. Empathy for those who struggle with feeling hope in the darkness.

During the Christmas period, working-class people could find it overwhelming, on top of the enhanced pressures of the Cost Of Living Crisis. Not only choosing to empathise with the working class but anyone who isn’t religious, who’s without family and friends or isn’t happily persuaded by overwhelming consumerist advertisements. A depiction of happy families, the abundance of food and money and shelter that currently in the UK, feels a struggle to maintain.

These times, the discriminated against are pushing hard for representation, and equity of sexuality, race, size and gender whilst companies use this opportunity to pull on your heartstrings to make you buy things, insensitively capitalising on poignant topics.

There is a constant hum of desperation to buy things at Christmas, this evokes feelings of pressure for a large proportion of the country, we should be conscious of this as a society. I didn’t experience growing up poor, but I feel a responsibility to recognise it as potentially traumatic, to experience financial anxiety vicariously through my parents.

These high levels of stress experienced by parents lead to emotionally neglected children as parents feel a lack of capacity to be present and affectionate when under so much financial worry. This is an example of an Adverse Childhood Experience, other examples include violence, abuse or growing up in a family with mental health or substance use problems.., Dr Sharon Lambert an Irish psychologist researches Trauma. She explains..,

• Single incident Traumaunexpected and overwhelming

• Complex Traumainterpersonal and enduring

• Developmental Trauma exposure to early life Trauma

• Intergenerational Traumaliving with Trauma survivors

• Historical trauma - sexual abuse, residential schools etc.

• The experience of marginalised groups, ethnic minorities and immigrants.

Experiences like bullying, poverty, peer rejection, having no friends, racism, grief, community violence, food scarcity, the experience of the care system, poor academic experience or living in an unsafe

By Chloe Jones

environment are ACE and could potentially lead to trauma. It’s important to notice that not all, but the majority of those listed, are more likely to be experienced by working-class people. We should consider this when developing a diverse and inclusive plan amongst workplaces and education systems and media.

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention believe the way forward for preventing ACE’S are to spread the awareness that everyone can help by,

Health Providers can:

Anticipate and recognize current risk for ACEs in children and history of ACEs in adults. Refer patients to effective services and support. Link adults to a family-centred treatment approach that includes substance abuse treatment and parenting interventions.

Employers can:

Adopt and support family-friendly policies, such as paid family leave and flexible work schedules.

Communities can:

Improve access to high-quality childcare by expanding eligibility, activities offered, and family involvement. Effective social and economic supports that address financial hardship and other conditions that put families at risk for ACEs. Enhance connections to caring adults and increase parents’ and youth’s skills to manage emotions and conflicts using approaches in schools and other settings.

Everyone can: Recognize challenges that families face and offer support and encouragement to reduce stress. Support community programs and policies that provide safe and healthy conditions for all children and families.

DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION - By Chloe Jones

Another poignant and impactful Thursday chat on drug abuse and addiction. The nonjudgemental space allowed individuals to open up about this topic. We discussed whether we think the community knows enough and do we feel supported.

The streets of Reading are growingly laced with drugs, according to one report from 2018 Reading has one of the highest rates of death caused by heroin in the country. Reading borough council launched a consultation titled the Drug and Alcohol Strategy 2018-2022. The focus is on reducing the harm drugs and drink can have on people, their families and the wider community. Setting out the need to provide treatment services for anyone who needs them.

Research shows that alcohol problems are greater than drug use in Reading, councillor Graeme Hoskin said ‘’In the face of mounting government cuts to the council’s health budget, now more than ever we need to focus our limited resources in areas that will have the greatest impact”. The council’s statistics gathered in 2015 show it is estimated at least 30,000 across Reading drink at a level that could harm their health and well-being.

One of the key priorities proposed in the strategy on reducing the number of drug-related deaths was the provision to take home naloxone, used to limit the effects of opioids and reduce risks of overdoses.

These statistics show us the facts but do not provide us with an indication as to why individuals end up here. We fail to empathise, and continue to want to ‘clear up our streets’ of beggars and drugs for a ‘safer’ community.

Firstly we should differentiate between ‘abuse’ and ’addiction’

Signs of abuse can be presented as

• Neglectful of work, relationships and other responsibilities

• Using drugs under dangerous conditions and taking risks whilst under the influence

• Getting into legal trouble

• Troubles in relationships (family, friends and partner/s)

Signs of addiction can be presented as

• Uses drugs and alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms

• Feels as if they have no control over the usage

• Abandoning activities/responsibilities you

Used To Enjoy

• Continue to use despite knowing the health risks and dangers.

The initial motives for trying drugs/alcohol are usually to relax, to feel good, to experiment, to relieve physical/mental pain and to socialise. The average age for first trying substances is 14, the brain is still developing and more susceptible to the effects of the drug.

Making teenagers want to keep experimenting and quickly become 6 times more likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who are exposed to drugs during adulthood.

We all have certain risk factors that can lead to addiction; some are more prone than others. Most often risk factors are environmental, if someone is exposed to drugs early on they are more likely to develop an addiction.

So who does this affect?

Working-class individuals who may have been raised by a single parent, already have troubles with the law and social services and lack inherent security. For people in the working class, they lack financial resources and sometimes emotional support from family. They are more likely to face dangerous risks. People of the working class will also experience a lot more mental health issues as their living conditions are considerably more difficult to cope with.

The ethnic diverse minority communities too who are rejected by family for their drug use, may have been raised to not talk about their mental health, these people will suffer considerably more if affected by drug abuse.

Individuals shared that when they went to seek mental health support, like NHS counselling, doctors were unable to provide this service until the person had become sober. Mental health issues and drug/alcohol abuse work in a perpetual cycle. A solution is seemingly unclear.

In Thursday’s conversation, there were divided opinions on whether the community is supportive enough.

Addiction can feel shameful and take a hold of us, lower our inhibitions and put us in survival mode. As a community, I believe that all we can do is remind ourselves and the person/s affected by addiction that recovery is possible and be conscious of the struggles leading to their choices.

BEING A PARTNER OF SOMEONE WITH ADHD AND AUTISM- By

Being with Jess has taught me so much about communicating needs and boundaries. I have learned that it’s best to treat everybody with awareness of sensitivity. I had not really considered how I could have been pushing someone to try new things when they don’t want to. Or presuming they aren’t as communicative as usual because they are annoyed with me, when really the task of getting the words out is causing them so much mental distress.

Chloe: How would you describe your sensory overload?

Jess: “I feel it more in my head like all around my brain, chest, and in my throat. Mine can be very auditory focussed but it entails everything so I feel very sensitive and vulnerable, overwhelmed completely until I can lessen sensory input and until I calm down (fingers in my ears, getting away from people and activity, closing my eyes and not talking). So, it really encompasses everything which is not accessible everywhere. “

“Finding a space away from people is usually the best thing but at work and social functions it is hard because when overloading, I can hardly explain what’s happening because being non-verbal is another help when overwhelmed, which leads to misunderstandings from others. That alone is a big pressure to have on top of everything else.”

Me and Jess have created ways in which we can let each other know it’s a non-verbal kind of day without words, and this level of communication is just as valuable as verbal, reading body language mainly. I think there is a particular pressure to be able to tell people with words what is okay and what’s not, however, this isn’t as useful for every individual, every day. Like Jess mentioned she will plug her ears, remove herself from situations, close her eyes. I will notice her hoods up and body language is closed, and naturally I adapt my response to this to give her space or ask her if she needs affection at this time.

Where I notice Jess’ autism and ADHD combat each other is how she has such a variety of hobbies but struggles to hyperfocus on one. She can jump

Chloe Jones

from instrument to instrument in moments and although this is different to how Lucy or Jasmin enters creative flow, Jess is also in a state of flow, experimenting with different frequencies and tunes. She is so eager and brave with foods and flavours when her mood is high. However, in times of low mood, she sticks to safe foods and having awareness of this has made it more comfortable for us both and I never pressure her to taste things she doesn’t want to, which I can apply to all aspects of our relationship.

The ways in which it could be considered a struggle, but I would never change for anything, is adapting to the fluctuating energy levels. They really do change so flippantly and suddenly and although Jess is so in tune with her cycles, they very rarely match mine. So, I have to adapt my behaviour and respond to her needs quite sensitively. However, this skill has been beneficial when making new friends and also understanding my own boundaries and noticing if I have a regular cycle of highs and lows. Plus, having this skill means I never take her quiet days personally. There is a mutual level of understanding, it’s just time for some quietness.

To conclude, from interviewing these girls who have so confidently worked their way through life without medical or educational recognition for their struggles, more awareness of the symptoms present in girls throughout education would be beneficial when completing academic tasks.

But in adulthood, there is no real answer to living day-to-day life as a girl with ADHD, finding a creative outlet seems to be where many of these girls have channelled the energy. But the benefits of society adjusting the system to fit these needs are endless. I could not name a single person who would happily sit for a long period of time doing something they are uninterested in. So why must we do it in school? Or where we continuously shaming someone and ourselves for being forgetful or disorganised, this has never been a productive way to develop ourselves.

Read more https://tinyurl.com/ykf5jrva

My Passion for Poetry writing goes way back from University. I didn’t tap into it until when I went back to Nigeria in 2013-2014 for my National Youth Service Corpers for foreign graduates to serve the motherland. During this period, I was just doing it as a hobby. I enjoyed reading novels that a family member had advised me to go back to previously in 2008/2009 which I didn’t realise the benefit of at first until later on in life down the line.

It wasn’t until I came back to the United Kingdom in 2015 that I met Mr Nkwo and discovered my other career passion for Community Development and Engagement. He introduced me to Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality, a community volunteer organisation. I acquired skills, knowledge and was also able to showcase my passion for writing.

I used poetry to promote and tackle issues that affect ethnic minority communities. Volunteering with ACRE has been a rewarding experience, connecting and engaging with communities and making an impact in their lives with my writing.

However as time went on, I discovered my writing came about based on feeling inspiration and experiences or anything that might connect with my soul. It could be political, social, economic and so forth. I am still learning more about writing, from famous poetry writers who have taught me a great deal about writing what I am feeling and connecting, including letting it flow naturally without overthinking too much.

Recently a fellow poetry writer from Sierra Leone, (under a friend’s project called Girls Rights Initiative Network) impacted me a great deal with knowledge. He taught me about channelling my feelings through experience in my writing rather than talking about my feelings. This should be a good lesson for writers because it challenged me in a good way to see the bigger picture and be more skilful as a writer. Examples of my poems.

The resilience of Black History Month

Black History month in the United Kingdom again: It rears its face with such uneasy energy. This causes extremely uncomfortable thunder in this dark season.

It still wails based on an inflicted and painful psychological scar.

This refuses to heal due to the neglect of its wants and needs.