March 29, 2024

Paramedic pushes through PTSD

BY BRANDY FULTON There were no tears or anxiousness as Natalie Harris searched through her kitchen cupboard for the best sleeping pills she could find. Her thoughts went far beyond just wanting a good nap to quiet her busy mind. Harris wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. Bringing in her dog from outside for what she thought would be the last time, she took half of the … Continued

Region lacks affordable housing

BY ROLAND FLEMING Natasha Carter, who has been smoking marijuana since she was 12 and cigarettes since she was 14, can finally say she is done with them. The former Kitchener resident is now 25, which means that these substances were a part of her life for more than a decade. While fierce willpower and determination have played a part in her continuing abstinence from these substances, having her own … Continued

PTSD more widespread than first thought

BY ASHLEY NEQUEST Take a moment and imagine going out for lunch with your friend. You see a used CD store up ahead and begin to psych yourself up to walk past it. You’re here, in this day, so you’ll be fine. As you walk past, the friend suggests you head in and browse for the Alanis Morissette CD she had been wanting to listen to. That is when the … Continued

Breaking the cycle of victimization

BY BETH CROUSE As children we are taught about stranger danger and about personal boundaries when it comes to sexual assault, but what about what victimization is or how to recognize someone who is being victimized? Sandy Lozano, a fourth-year community and criminal justice student at Conestoga College and volunteer at Victim Services of Waterloo Region, has completed a research project that focuses on how victims can be better supported … Continued