I’m under My Bed

By Catherine Steele

Do you ever feel like hiding under your bed? Do you ever have a bad day? Well, sooner or later, everyone does... Everyone gets in a bad mood. Research shows that 69 per cent of Canadian youth, aged 11 to 16 years, get in a bad mood once a week.

But what about youth with disabilities? A study of 319 youth with disabilities (also aged 11 to 16 years) found that 50 per cent of these youth get in a bad mood at least once a week.

Okay, youth with disabilities do get in a bad mood as much as their peers... But why do youth with disabilities get into funks, and how can they beat the "grumps"?

Good questions! Let’s go right to the source and ask youth with disabilities!

First question: why youth with disabilities get into funks. Our source gives us reasons: a bad day at school; a disagreement with parents; an argument with a sister or brother; illness; a falling out with a friend; bad weather... Yes, everyone has been down for most, if not all, of these reasons.

Second question: how youth can beat the grumps. Our youth with disabilities came up with many ideas! You can pet a pet, phone a friend, have a bubble bath, read a book or magazine, listen to music (and take part in a singalong), talk to someone in your family, exercise or go for a walk/wheel, go out with friends, eat your favourite food, watch a comedy or movie, take a break, and count the good things in your life.

Wow, twelve ideas! In most cases of the grumps, these ideas work. However, if the grumps stay with you for more than a couple of weeks, and you just can’t shake them, then talk to a professional -- for example, a teacher, guidance counsellor or doctor. Seek help. You deserve to be happy.

So, the next time you feel like hiding under your bed, remember to try some of the above ideas -- the ideas have helped others escape from under their beds!

(If you have any other ideas about beating the grumps, please call Catherine Steele at Bloorview Macmillan Centre in Toronto, (416) 424-3855 (or 1-800-363-2440), ext. 3642. Or leave an e-mail message at ortccs@oise.utoronto.ca. Many thanks to Laura Booth, Dave Candido, Zeb Lewis, Christine Stapleford and Beth Ellen Rossen for their terrific ideas.)