Problem in my neighborhood: Stress
Stress in the City
I decided to write about stress because what is common between me and all the people I am surrounded by? Stress!! Not only stress blocks creativity but it makes you overthink things which end up making you even more stressed and its so unhealthy.. Lack of sleep? Lack of ideas? Depression? Sudden mood swings? Its all linked with stress.
New York is already one of the most stressful cities in the world, I swear just moving to the city made me x5 times more moody and made me more likely to be annoyed by people. I want to create something that will help deal with stress in the daily life in the city.
Not only New York is stressful but specifically the East Village in this current time.. There was just a fire in a few building going on, what could be more stressful than that?
My main idea is to create a stress free garment, something comfortable and aromatic.
Using photos from my photoblog:
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- Stressful weather, Stressful city.
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- After talking to some people in my neighboorhood I have discovered that money is one of the most stressful thing for the New Yorkers and probably the entire world which is really sad. This is probably one of the most expensive cities and I can imagine how many people’s dream is to live in this city or how many people is living here but struggle so much with paying bills, I talked to this little shop owner and he was telling me about struggling so much with paying rent and that he has lived in the streets before but never gave up and he got his business back. I am glad to have had met this guy and heard his story, I should maybe try to interact with more locals from the neighborhood, I just feel its hard because of time limit from my side and people’s side. People stressed about money
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- Stressful misfortunes
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- Stressful situations. (The East Village fire incident that just happened) This week (Thursday) has been even more stressful for the average East Village habitant. A restaurant in the area had a leak gas and three buildings ended up completely destroyed while other four were damaged. I can’t even imagine what that could even feel like, loose your home in one second, your business, your possessions. Its so scary how this catastrophes can happen in one second to the other, and you really can’t prepare for them, I feel so lucky right now to have had that happened so close from my home but everything in my life is still intact, I wish I could have helped somehow the people that suffered from this accident.
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- Police stressing situations even more. prostest against the NYPD
For the first draft I thought we had to already interview some people so I went out to ask some simple questions about stress within my neighborhood. These are really broad and basic questions but I will develop some more specific ones to ask to people that have more knowledge about the problem and more time to answer. The next questions were asked to random people I found on my neighborhood.
“Of course, its a stressful neighborhood, we are surrounded by fire departments, hospitals, student residences and tons of fast food”
- Person 1
Student
Are you stressed?
Yeah
What makes you stressed?
My situation in life wight now
How do you deal with stress?
Drugs
Do you keep it in or do you let it out?
I keep it in until I explode
How often do you feel stressed?
Everyday because I have anxiety
Do you think it has anything to do with your environment/neighborhood?
Absolutely
What would you change to calm down your stress?
UP my anxiety medication doses
Have you always been s stressful person?
yeah, whole life
- Person 2
Spa employee
Are you stressed?
Not right now
What makes you stressed?
Work
How do you deal with stress?
Massages
How do you deal with stress?
Cigarrettes
- Person three
Student
Are you stressed?
Not right now. Its a first
What makes you stressed?
A lot of work and not enough time. I cant sleep, I get social anxiety when I overthink things
How do you deal with stress?
By making to do lists. Clearing my mind, eating a lot, coffee, smoking. Relying on alcohol
Do you let your stress in or you let it out?
Ohhhh if I dont let it out.. When I am stressed EVERYONE knows
How often do you feel stressed?
Every day every night, every minute of everyday of the week, I am always stressed, I am not kidding.
Do you think it has anything to do with your environment/neighborhood?
I dont know. Some days. I dont like it when its quiet
What would you change to calm down your stress?
Say no to things and people sometimes and have some alone time.
Person Four
Are you stressed?
Not too much
What makes you stressed?
Stupidity and Laziness
How do you deal with stress?
I yell/curse a lot
How often do you feel stressed?
Once or twice a day
What would you change to calm your stress?
Understand that there is just stupid people in this world
- Person five
Do you feel stressed?
Always
What makes you stress?
Costumers
How do you deal with stress?
I walk away from it
How often are you stressed?
Monday-Friday
Do you think the environment of this neighborhood has something to do with this?
Of course, its a stressful neighborhood, we are surrounded by fire departments, hospitals, student residences and tons of fast food.
- Now my next step is to research about scents that help with stress, what commonly causes stress ( Maybe interviewing someone studying psychology and/or counselors ). Research about suicides in the neighborhood, noise pollution, how to relief stress.
The New York State Department of Financial Services has approved health insurance premium rate increases for health insurers doing business in New York.
The state agency said that overall, it has cut the requested rate increases for small group plans by half, cutting them by 52%, and also made a substantial cut in the increases requested for the individual plan rates, cutting those increases by 44%.
Its actions saves consumers and small businesses almost $732 mn. The state said that more than one million New Yorkers are enrolled in individual and small group plans, also Health insurance premium rate in New York has increased.
In terms of two of the HMO’s who do a lot of business in the Rochester area, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, and MVP Health Plan, Excellus saw its request for an increase in small group plans, reduced slightly, to 12%. The company had requested a 12.6% increase.