Title: Peanuts

Author: Ayun Halliday

Illustrator: Paul Hoppe

Format: Paperback

Page:216 pages

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade

ISBN: 9780375865909

"Before you write me off as a delusional psycho, think about what it's like to be thrown into a situation where everyone knows everyone.....and no one knows you. "

Sadie has the perfect plan to snag some friends when she transfers to Plainfield High and pretend to have peanut allergy. But what happens when you have to hand in student health form that your mom was supposed to fill out and what if your new friends want to come over and your mom serves them snacks? And then there's the bake sale, when your teacher thinks you ate a brownie with peanuts. Graphic coming-of-age novels have huge cross-over potential and Peanut is sure to appeal to adults and teens alike.

From my point of view, the main character from this graphic novel could represents someone in real life. Sometimes we feels insecure, we need a fresh start, we want to live in others life because what we have seen is only the pretty part that others shown not the entire life. Always have to remember that we only see what we want to see. Sometimes we do it before think the consequences that might comes to us. 

Same as the main character of this book which is Sadie. She fakes her life at new school with medical issues, a peanut allergy that she claims is so severe that even a tiny morsel could literally kill her. She even buy medical bracelet and ties to buy EpiPen online. All because she want people to pay attention to her. This is the part that I don't understand her. I mean why she need attention? why she don't have any friend? This whole story  not clear to me. That's the big question mark to me. Why she want to fake her life when she could totally be herself at the new school. 

The beginning of the story didn't tell why she need to transfer to the new school, and there is a scene when her mom offering her peanut sandwich and she ate that without hesitate and nothing happens to her (by that time I didn't know she only fake the allergy) I was like "wow, something wrong somewhere")I try to understand the main character, but the more I try to understand her, the more frustrated I become. This book have a lot of loop. Why her bestfriend from her old school suddenly being forgotten as soon as possible? why she want to change her life so bad? Why the author never mention about Sadie's father? a lot of stuff that are brought into the story but never be explained for.

This book was so disappointing on many levels, therefore only ⭐⭐over⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-xoxo-

How to deal with depression | Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression.

Credit to american psychiatric association 

Being listened to

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It is important for people to have the opportunity to explore difficult feelings.  Being listened to in confidence, and accepted without prejudice, can alleviate general distress, despair and suicidal feelings.

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Often being listened to is enough to help someone through a time of distress.  Even just showing that you are there for them, and that you know they are going through a distressing time, can in itself be a comfort.

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Are you a good listener?

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Do you:

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• Always try to give people your undivided attention?

• Let them sit in silence and collect their thoughts if they need to?

• Question them gently, tactfully and without intruding?

• Encourage them to tell their story in their own words and in their own time?

• Refrain from offering advice based on your own experience?

• Always try and see their point of view even though you may not agree with it?

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... these can help show someone that you are really listening to them.

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or Do you:

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• Look around the room or glance at your watch while they are talking?

• Finish their sentences for them and correct their grammar?

• Interrupt to tell them how you once had a similar problem?

• Make a snap judgement based on their accent, dress or personal appearance?

• Tell them what you would do in their position?

• Say you understand before you've heard what their problem is?

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... but these can give the impression that you are not listening.

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Helping a Suicidal Friend or Relative

Be quiet and listen!

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If someone is feeling depressed or suicidal, our first response is to try to help. We offer advice, share our own experiences, try to find solutions.

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We'd do better to be quiet and listen. People who feel suicidal don't want answers or solutions. They want a safe place to express their fears and anxieties, to be themselves.

Listening - really listening - is not easy. We must control the urge to say something - to make a comment, add to a story or offer advice. We need to listen not just to the facts that the person is telling us but to the feelings that lie behind them. We need to understand things from their perspective, not ours.

​

Here are some points to remember if you are helping a person who feels suicidal.

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​

What do people who feel suicidal want?

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• Someone to listen. Someone who will take time to really listen to them. Someone who won't judge, or give advice or opinions, but will give their undivided attention.

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• Someone to trust. Someone who will respect them and won't try to take charge. Someone who will treat everything in complete confidence.

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• Someone to care. Someone who will make themselves available, put the person at ease and speak calmly. Someone who will reassure, accept and believe. Someone who will say, "I care."

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What do people who feel suicidal not want?

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• To be alone. Rejection can make the problem seem ten times worse. Having someone to turn to makes all the difference. Just listen.

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• To be advised. Lectures don't help. Nor does a suggestion to "cheer up", or an easy assurance that "everything will be okay." Don't analyze, compare, categorize or criticize. Just listen.

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• To be interrogated. Don't change the subject, don't pity or patronize. Talking about feelings is difficult. People who feel suicidal don't want to be rushed or put on the defensive. Just listen.

  
  

  credit to befrienders.org.my

Hello October | Thank You to my faithful readers because you made my day and makes me want to constantly updating my blog. I create my blog somewhere around 2012 and that time I still studying. Actually a lot of my teenage post i already deleted from this blog. I couldn't dare to let you guys read it..some of it seems so childish and the choices of words that i been using it's embarrassing me..hahaha  By that time I also on and off blogging, sometimes I will update only 1 post per yea, only recently i became active and have a lot of ideas to share with you guys.For now  as usual, I will do a month goals which is things that I want to archive for this month. Please scroll down.

MY GOALS FOR APRIL  

⎸ I got this box from Cuya! I have already posted about my first mystery box that i received from Kak Sha, you can read it HERE. For those yang baru je follow my blog..anda boleh dapatkan more information about mystery box HERE. Ini adalah segment khas dedikasi untuk para peminat buku.. tak kisahlah novel atau komik atau non fiction.

Sebenarnya AD yang approach Cuya, sebab Cuya pernah komen die teringin nak baca buku english but as usual la buku english memang harga Israel  hahaha. Then since ada a few englsih books yang AD dah siap baca dan sejenis yang suka clearkan shelve so AD terfikir why not bagi je kat Cuya. Then since Cuya cakap die mau then AD pon try risik Cuya if die berminat nak join this segment..since memang nak bagi die buku pon kan. Itulah kisah camner kami boleh terjebak dengan book swapping antara satu sama lain nih.

Tak sangka cepat pula cik Cuya kita hantar box ni..padahal AD yang cakap nak hantar dlu..aipp mana aci nih.. Jom kita unboxing dulu!

First think in my mind bila nampak kotak ni terus cakap gile creative dak nih. gegeh weh siapkan kotak camtu..hape aokmer semua igt senang ke nak create box macam tu..kesabaran itu tinggi tau dak. Ni aokmer tengok ni..kemain banyak weh hadiah lain die bagi..pastu mintak satu je buku die bg extra satu..alolololo syok! Tetiber ase ehh birthday aku arini ke (nampak tak berangan lebey) Bukak2 je ada surat..aww sweet sangat..eh nak tau apa die tulis?nope tak boleh..it's mine! hahaha.

Actually AD ada buku scrap yang AD dedikasikan untuk happy things yang berlaku pada AD. AD akan tampal gambar, notes, tickets anything la..then since AD dapat monsters, my actual plan nak gunting monster tu and letak dalam buku scrap tu.. but end up  my colleague cakap tampal la kat dinding cantik. Since library ada banyak space adn kitwg sejenis yang memang suka decorate library makanya monsters tersebut selamat dilekatkan di dinding. Comel kan..btw AD ada upload unboxing video minta jasa anda semua like and subs hokey.

-XOXO-