Dear Peer Pressure:

I’m really scared of the swine flu. I am afraid that my family might get it and I couldn’t be there to support them without getting the flu myself.  What might help me that might  calm me down?

—Sick with Worry

“Since the outbreak began in the United States, an increasing number of U.S. states have reported cases of novel H1N1 influenza with associated hospitalizations and deaths. By June 3, 2009, all 50 states in the United States and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were reporting cases of novel H1N1 infection.

“While nationwide U.S. influenza surveillance systems indicate that overall influenza activity is decreasing in the country at this time, novel H1N1 outbreaks are ongoing in parts of the U.S., in some cases with intense activity.”

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/

SR: The chances are slim that your family might develop the Novel influenza A (H1N1) virus formerly known as swine flu. However, it is wise to be prepared  if such a thing should occur.

It is also good to know what measures to take if someone you care about becomes involved in a harmful situation.

The media has informed the public that many people are going to the doctor when they first feel flu-like symptoms. This is a great prevention method. Your role would be to show support by lending help and assistance to family members if they become ill.

Transmission of the swine flu is not typically common. Yet, paranoia concerning the infection is contagious. News is thought to spread faster than the flu itself. Many schools that were closed—due to concerns of the flu spreading among students on campus—had reopened and hadn’t experienced any new cases or threats.

Though all 50 states have reported cases of H1N1, we are seeing an overall decrease in the virus; don’t worry yourself about a matter that may not happen for you or your family.

JPC: My first experience concerning swine flu was when my school held a meeting declaring that if a single person in our county was infected, school would close immediately and permanently for the rest of the year.

Naturally, this information was a bit alarming, especially at 11 a.m. on a Monday. The announcement caused a variety of emotions to rise up in that auditorium: excitement that school might be closing, anger that graduation might be canceled, and an ever-pervading air of fear and anxiety that this—for the most part—unknown entity could have such a great effect on our lives.

It often helps just to remember that many around you are feeling the same panic about this very issue that you are.

You may also want to do some research on the swine flu; removing the “unknown” aspect of the disease may help it seem less scary to you. Also,  keep in mind that the chances of your entire family contracting the disease without you are very slim. With that said, there are some precautions you and your family could take to lower the risk for all of you.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the swine flu spreads just like the regular flu, so similar safety measures are in order.

Knowing that you’re not alone in your worry and that you’ve taken the precautions necessary to keep yourself and your family healthy should help to ease your mind about this issue.

Dear Peer Pressure:

My brother is going to the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile next year and will be living away from home in the dorms.  My best friend’s sister is leaving for college next year.  

We both just have one  brother, one sister, so we’ll be like only kids. It will be great to have our houses to ourselves, but we have to admit that while we joke about not missing them, we think we will anyway. 

What do you think is going on  with us?

—Mixed Feelings

SR: Your situation reminds me of most experiences between two siblings. Even though brothers and sisters argue, they still love each other beyond measure.

No matter how fun it might seem to feel as though you are the only child, it should feel quite awkward as well. In the past you were accustomed to sharing food, toys, etc.—now you are likely to make choices for yourself without having to consider another young person’s desires within the  home.

If you and your brother were close and quite comfortable discussing school, friendships and critical decisions together, I would make it a point to call or write him regularly. Your dialogue might help ease the separation from home for him as well. Staying in touch will make the transition much easier for the two of you.

If your friend is experiencing similar feelings, the two of you could spend more time together and share your thoughts and feelings about the change.

Sometimes just simply  discussing the differences at home will make you feel better. Staying in touch with your sibling is critical and trying to keep things at home as normal as possible is important. In all aspects of life, change is inevitable, yet how we chose to deal with it  makes all the difference.

JPC: It’s totally normal to be excited about this new change in your life; after all, you’ve waited a good while to be the only kid in the house.

At the same time, it’s completely natural to miss a sibling when they go off to college or move out of the house for the first time, and becoming an only child will be a big change for you and your family.

If you’re too worried about missing them, remember you might still see this sibling more than you think you will, especially if they go to school relatively close to home; it won’t be on a day-to-day basis anymore, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be part of your life.

Plus, even if they are far away, programs such as Skype have made it easier than ever to keep in touch with people around the world. These programs will allow you to make free phone  calls from your computer at home to your sibling’s computer at school; you can even do video conferences if you are both set up for it. Ask your parents if maybe you could set an account and have one night a week where your family all gets together at home and talks to your sibling.

Continuing to spend time with your family as a whole should not only help strengthen your family, but also help you feel like your newly moved-out sibling is still a big part of your life.