SAC Corner

Issue No. 10

BORG

College campuses are seeing students with BORGs. BORG is short for "Black Out Rage Gallon". Students are taking gallon jugs (think for water, milk, iced tea) and filling them with liquor and a mixer and using it has their drink for a party or event.

First and foremost, underage drinking is illegal and should never be promoted in any context. Abstinence from drinking is the safest way to prevent alcoholism, black outs, physical harm, risk to safety, and more.

Something we know is that high school students typically adopt the college culture they perceive to be cool. And BORGs are trending on TikTok. So we need to stay informed. From a risk reduction standpoint, there are some pros to BORG (again, drinkers should be 21+) but of course there are some major cons.

Pros

You made it so you know what is in your drink, and provided you kept the cap on and with you, the drink isn't spiked. + you can mix with water & electrolytes to stay hydrated better
Everyone typically has their own, preventing germ spreading
You have the opportunity to measure and know what is going in

Cons

Most drink "recipes" call for 1/5 of liquor which is WAY too much alcohol. About 17 shots/standard drinks
Most people guesstimate and free pour - not realizing how much liquor is going in
The name BORG standing for black out rage gallon, we do not want to promote black out culture - it is HIGHLY dangerous
Most drink "recipes" call for a caffeinated beverage (like energy drinks) which is very dangerous. Alcohol is a depressant and caffeine is a stimulant. When you mix the two, the stimulant can can somewhat cancel out the depressant impact making the drinker feel less drunk and not realize how intoxicated they are - increasing the risk of alcohol poisoning

If your student is using BORGs, talk to them about this. Bring up your concerns. Remind them that there is no rush to drink so young. They're only about 1/8 of the way through their life right now. Plenty of time later once they're legal, their brain is fully developed, and their liver is fully developed.

Caffeine, Sleep, Self-Harm

Something we hear constantly from students revolves around sleep. They didn't get enough sleep, they have a hard time falling sleep, they can't stay asleep, etc.

We also see our students frequently with coffee, lattes, energy drinks, etc. in hand. Did you know that caffeine can disrupt your sleep up to 6 hours after consuming it?

So if you're trying to go to sleep by 10pm, you'll want your last caffeinated drink by 4pm.

Also, if you click the title of this section you'll be taken to a study involving the use of melatonin reducing risk of self-harm. Essentially leading to the idea that increasing successful sleep will decrease risk of self-harm.

Anger - Impacting All Genders, Especially Male, Click Here for More

(click title above for article link)

Anger is important. It can let us know something is bothering us, whether it be directly related to the anger or the anger is covering up other emotions. Therapy can help decode our anger.
Coping with anger starts with recognizing our own triggers
Men are most at risk for displaying anger to cover up vulnerability of sadness, shame, or fear (69% of young men believe they should be willing to punch someone if provoked)
One study showed women feel angry just as often as men, but that men had more difficulty controlling impulsive responses to anger - possibly due to women having a larger orbital frontal cortex & societal conditioning

Anger Expression

Outward Aggression: physical violence, belligerence, resisting direction
Directed Inward: stuffing anger (results in hidden depression)
Passive Aggressive: indirectly expressing negative feelings (withdraw, comments, procrastinating)

Stages of Anger

Triggering event, an event or situation that prompts a series of…
Negative thoughts, beliefs, or interpretations about the event, often irrational, that produce a rush of…
Negative emotions linked with those beliefs or interpretations, whether or not they are true, which are reflected in…
Physical symptoms of those emotions, such as racing heartbeat, clenched fists, or flushed cheeks, which can lead to…
Behavioral reactions, such as fighting, criticizing, or shutting down, based on the sequence of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations rather than the event itself. An aggressive behavioral reaction can become a…
Triggering event for someone else, continuing the cycle.

Approaches

Self soothing
Self awareness
Rethinking situations
Self-Expression
Build Resilience

Being Proactive

Sensitive Content?

If certain content is sensitive or a "trigger" for you, try using this website:

https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/ for books

http://www.doesthedogdie.com before watching a new movie, tv show, or reading a new book. It lists a wide variety of content warnings. It is public/user driven - like Wikipedia.

Make A Safety Plan!

The link below leads to the SAMHSA website were you can print (or order for free) safety plan sheets. You don't have to be in crisis to be prepared. Talk to your kiddo or loved one about:

How they know when things aren't right for them
What helps when things don't feel right
Who/What are people/places for distraction
Who are they willing to go to for help
What are some crisis numbers
What are some actions that can be done to make a safer environment

https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/PEP22-08-03-007.pdf

Teen Mental Health Temperature Check

Newport Academy is offering a guide on how to do a mental health temperature check with your teen(s) using 10 questions. Newport Academy also offers ways to incorporate evidence based "temperature" lowering activities into your teen's life and routine. Check it out!

https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/mental_health_temperature_check/?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11_09_21_na_resources_temp_check&utm_content=1st_img

Take It Down

Did someone post an exploting image of your kid?

https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline/cybertiplinedata

The link above is a way to get it down.

Megan Thee Stallion

Click the title to be taken to Megan Thee Stallion's new website that acts as a landing page for mental health resources. CAUTION: the website title and linked song both use language deemed inappropriate.

The website includes therapy connections, including free therapy, resources for suicide, crisis, substance use, and more specifically labeled ones such as for: LGBTQ+, Black Girls, Black Men, and more.

Vaping Education Online Class - Sign Up!

If you'd like your student to join a free online vaping education class to learn the truth about vaping and receive a completion certificate, have them sign up here:

Have students go to everfi.com/register, enter code 8bdfd959 and click Next.

This is a Truth course supported by EverFi and monitored by our district SAC (me).

Do you have a student you feel needs to meet with me? Print and fill out this referral form and send it to me.

Disclaimer

Newport Academy/Institute is a treatment center/teen rehab. They are not in any way partnered nor affiliated with the Haddonfield School District.

They do provide a lot of free information and resources that I share when appropriate.

Haddonfield Virtual Wellness Room

A place to go when you're stressed out, bummed, or feeling not yourself and need some resources to help reset yourself.

Missed an Issue?

Haddonfield School District SAC - Holly Penna

Email: hpenna@haddonfield.k12.nj.us
Website: https://haddonfieldschools.org/
Location: A104 HMHS
Phone: 856-429-3960 . 1155

SAC Corner

Issue No. 10

BORG BORG

Caffeine, Sleep, Self-Harm Caffeine, Sleep, Self-Harm

Anger - Impacting All Genders, Especially Male, Click Here for More Anger - Impacting All Genders, Especially Male, Click Here for More