40 — Friday, March 27, 1992 - North Shore News ¥-5G IN THIS excerpt from Degrassi Talks Linda talks about her treatment for anorexia. After her initial hospitalization, she had a relapse and it was discovered that the real problem was depression. She is still under her doctor's care, but is now back at school. Degrassi Talks is a series of TV documentaries airing on CBC. It deals with with the tough issues that affect Canadian teens today and is hosted by the teen stars of the award-winning Degrassi High series. How my depression started It had a lot to do with com- munication, but I think it was also because my parents were having problems. If they got into a fight, I'd try to keep peace or try to get them back together. ft was sort of like a role-reversal where I was the parent and they were my kids. My parents and I talk to each other, but we don’t talk about how we're feeling. If I’m upset about something my mom did, I wouldn’t say “I’m really upset that you did this.’ We just talk about everyday things, like how was work, regular conversation, nothing in depth. The pressures at school It’s hard at school. You have to wear a certain thing, act a certain way, talk a certain way. And that’s a lot of pressure. I was afraid if I'd just be me, they wouldn’t like what they saw. I didn’t think [ was an interesting person. ABOUT MY ALL THE TIME! y LAST WEEK'S ZAP! The beginnings of depression One thing is you feel really tired all the time. I'd go to school and then I'd come home and I'd sleep. I'd just cur! up in a litde ball on the floor with a heavy blanket on me and I'd sleep for hours. My parents would wake me up for dinner. I'd have a small portion of something and then I'd go back to sleep. The second stage of my depres- sion was when ! started to become anorexic. That's when I started focusing all my attention on everything I ate. When I looked in the mirror, I saw ugliness. I just wanted to change. I thought everything I did had to be perfect; my marks had to be perfect, my family had to be perfect, 1 had to !ook perfect. Anorexia: A way to be perfect One thing 1 found with anorexia was that I bought a lot of Vogue magazines and fashion magazines. I have a whole stack of them. | kind of idolized the models because they itooked so perfect. They had a lot of pictures of models in bathing suits and I’d think: “Wow, looks good!” I’d look at the picture and say this is what I want to look like, this is what I want to be like. It wasn’t me. I think my anorexia was a cry for help. I think it was to make other people realize that I was having problems. If you just say to somebody, ‘‘I’m depressed. I’m unhappy with myself,”? they don’t G Set f a This week's question: The NDP government has a new policy that requires 33 B.C. hospi- tals to perform abortions. Do you approve of this policy? Or should it be up to community hospital boards to decide whether their hospitals perform abortions? ote NEWS photo Mike Wakeileld ARGYLE STUDENTS Cheryl Largilf (left) and Claudia lantorno raised over $420 canvassing for the Heart and Stroke Foundation recentiy. The two collected the money fer a grade 12 course on community recreation. take it seriously. What to do if you feel isolated Find someone that you feel comfortable talking to and just talk to them, about anything.. Just don’t keep it in, because when you keep it in, it just blows up. And you never know how you might end up if it blows up: suicidal, anorexic, bulimic... 2 8. YOU_HAVE NO IDEA OMPLAIN: COOKING SHE SAID SHES HAD IT... SHE@ FEDUP question asked your opinion on our Dr. Ruth column. Is it offensive and # docs it get youth into trouble? | and old kids I don’t find anything wrong with it. | think it’s good for adults in their 20s and stuff. So you can get help if you need it and (you know if) you're having problems that there’s someone there. Some of my friends read it to get a laugh. No one reads it to find out what bad WHAT GOES INTO 71 PREPARATION OF GONE OF MY DINNERS! HE things they can do. I don’t see | anything wrong with it. No, ! don’t agree with the letter that Dr Ruth’s things get us in trouble. It just sounds like a bunch of religious crap to me. Keep her up there. She talks about interesting things. Keep her there. Hey, I like it, man. R have. § proposed plans with you. e For further information call: P=R®*O#P#O#S*#E#D CAPILANO HYDROELECTRIC POWER PROJECT PUBLIC INFORMATION OPEN HOUSE The Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD), a division of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), is § considering the installation of an underground power generating § facility at the existing Cleveland Dam in Capilano River j Regional Park. The intent of this proposal is to use revenues J from the sale of power to B.C. Hydro to help offset the present § cost of supplying water. : THE PROJECT If approved, the project would involve construction of: an underground chamber to house a power station on the west side of the Cleveland Dam; , a small fenced transformer yard located near the dam § at a site which will be screened from view; either an above ground or underground transmission line connecting to the existing Glenmore transmission line and substation. COMMUNITY INPUT A preliminary impact assessment is being initiated to determine § the possible effects of the proposal and to identify ways to B avoid or lessen any negative effects. You are invited to attend and provide input and we would § welcome any questions, comments or suggestions you may Staff and consultants will be on hand to discuss the § Greater J Vancouver j Regional District § Paul Archibald Senior Project Engineer, GVRD 432-6473 or fax 432-6297.