Dear Teenagers and Young adults of Zuni, 

I’m sure that you know the topic of alcoholism and mental illness is very relevant today and has been a huge issue in our community for as long as you can remember. This issue is looked at as "normal" or as a social stigma which is most likely why it still lingers. It has become a generational curse that is repeated and passed down from parents to children.

As you probably already know, the majority of teenagers--including myself--have had to deal with parents or guardians that brought issues like this into our homes. We don’t question why or how it affects us until we end up falling into the same shoes as an alcoholic. We become blind to how this issue can be extremely detrimental to our mental health, and it goes unnoticed because it becomes our "normal." The Zuni community is a very small and isolated community, and as Zuni people we tend to share the same ideas and perspectives. Because of this, sometimes our ideas and perspectives aren’t wide enough to see around an issue like alcoholism. It is also sad to admit that some parents, maybe even your own, enable or allow alcoholism in their homes, but it is important to understand that these continuous problems influence teenagers to follow or fall into an alcoholic lifestyle which continues the repeated cycle.

You may say ‘I don't care’ or may question how bad could it possibly be. Alcohol and mental Illnesses feed off each other; because of this any amount of alcohol will likely affect a person's mental well-being and vice versa. There are various types of mental illnesses that play a role in alcoholism, such as depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, self harm & psychosis. Let's take anxiety for an example. When a person is coping with anxiety, alcohol gives a feeling of relaxation, and it may succeed to heal pain. However, such a feeling quickly fades, because the effect is very short lived. This then causes alcohol dependence and starts an addiction. Not only does this addiction affect you, but it affects people you love. For example, alcoholics tend to develop irritability, and they can lash out anger on their spouses and children. This anger can take an extreme mental toll on spouses and children, and they too can develop mental illnesses which take them down the same road as an abuser. Speaking from personal experience with a similar situation, I would never want any other teenager to live with treatment from their parents or guardian like this. I believe that it is crucial and valuable that you don't forget this, because if you are influenced or affected by alcoholism in any way, you know that there can be severe consequences in an alcoholic lifestyle. I want teenagers of Zuni to know that they are not alone, and that self-awareness exists.

Self-awareness is a positive factor that prevents alcoholism. Even if individuals may already have developed an alcohol addiction, self-awareness is still a key to recovery. Although an alcohol addiction may be curable, it can be difficult for those with alcohol issues to access the professional help they need to recover. There is a new program called “National Health Coach Project” that is being offered by Indian Health Services which will help IHS process patients that need substance abuse, behavioral and mental health support. I also have developed a solution for Zuni teens which is similar to the "National Health Coach Project," and which would be open to all ZPSD students. This solution would provide weekly check-ins with other students who have volunteered to be student mentors. Students would be encouraged to talk with student mentors if they have any personal issues they would like to share. Of course, check-ins would be private and far more suitable for teenagers today. Check-Ins would be a one-on-one format in which students would receive focused attention to their needs. I expect that this idea would be very effective because having peers support one another brings unity, and acceptance of care for our mental health in the Zuni community. I undoubtedly know that our elders and ancestors would be happy to see us striving in the aforementioned ways to make a better future for ourselves and our children.