Newswise — Christmas is coming. We have all endured a global pandemic. There are coughs and colds everywhere. Bills are mounting. It is safe to say we are all exhausted – but when does tiredness tip into burnout?
An expert in mental health and mood disorders has been studying the phenomenon of burnout closely for several years. The extensive research has now been released in the first complete self-help guide to burnout.
The study highlights some of the warning signs of burnout and suggests that people who tend to be perfectionists are more likely to veer into burnout due to their own ‘unrelenting standards’.
What is burnout?
With the worries accompanying pandemic lockdowns, the pressures of inflation and other life stressors, many people are feeling at the end of their tether.
For some people, the cumulative effect of these prolonged periods of stress can result in burnout.
Unlike normal tiredness, the experts suggest burnout symptoms include constant exhaustion, emotional numbness and confusion at home or in the workplace.
Some conventional tools used to diagnose burnout focus on work-related stress, however mental health expert and lead author Professor Gordon Parker suggests that the impact is much more extensive.
Professor Parker said: “Most people consider burnout to be extreme tiredness, but in our studies we have found that the symptoms are much more wide-ranging.
“People struggling with burnout also suffer from cognitive dysfunction, sometimes known as ‘brain fog’ and disconnection from their friends and family, as well as the more typically-recognised reduced performance in work and tasks around the home.”
Who is most likely to burn out?
Burnout is widespread among high achievers in the workplace – but is becoming increasingly more prevalent in personal lives.
Professor Parker said: “Most people think that burnout is a work problem. Actually, we found that stress experienced at work or at home can set the wheels of burnout in motion.
“Our analyses indicated that burnout may also develop as a result of predisposing personality traits, especially perfectionism.
“People with perfectionistic traits are usually excellent workers, as they’re extremely reliable and conscientious. However, they’re also prone to burnout as they set unrealistic and unrelenting standards for their own performance, which are ultimately impossible to live up to.”
What can be done about it?
Professor Parker is the founder of the Black Dog Institute, which conducts research into mood disorders and works to remove the social stigmas around mental illness.
During his extensive research on burnout, and with decades of clinical work under his belt, he has determined how to best identify and manage it.
This research is outlined in a recently published book – Burnout: A Guide to Identifying Burnout and Pathways to Recovery.
Critically, the book offers a guide for navigating out of burnout, including identifying sources and coping strategies to minimise the impact of stress.
It contains new evidence-based tools for readers to work out for themselves whether they have burnout and generate a plan for recovery based on their personal situation.
Chapters help readers recognise their own burnout patterns and provide approaches to help them regain their passions and build their resilience.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Burnout: A Guide to Identifying Burnout and Pathways to Recovery
Professor Gordon Parker, AO, is a clinical psychiatrist and Scientia Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. He previously headed university and hospital departments and was founder of the Black Dog Institute. He was the recipient of the Australian Mental Health Prize in 2020.
Gabriela Tavella is a research officer at University of New South Wales and is completing a PhD on burnout.
Kerrie Eyers, AM, is a psychologist and writer.
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ATLANTA — Pulse was more than a safe space for Brandon Wolf and his friends. The nightclub was a haven for members of Orlando, Florida’s LGBTQ community — a place to be themselves without fear.
“It’s probably the first place I ever held hands with somebody I had a crush on,” Wolf said. “Without looking over my shoulder first, it’s one of the first places I ever wore my skinniest pair of jeans without being afraid of what someone might call me.”
On June 12, 2016, a gunman targeting the club’s patrons killed 49 people there, including two of Wolf’s best friends, and wounded 53. “It’s left such a hole in our hearts,” Wolf said.
After mass shootings, the loss felt by marginalized groups already facing discrimination is compounded. Some public health experts say the risk for mental health issues is greater for these groups — communities of color and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community among them.
The trauma is especially acute when the shootings happen at schools, churches, clubs or other places that previously served as pillars of those communities — welcoming and accepting spaces that are difficult to replace due to a lack of resources or the sociological and historical impact they have had.
“Folks from marginalized communities are already dealing with the burden of … discrimination and racism … and the emotional toll that they take,” said Dr. Sarah Lowe, a professor with the Yale School of Public Health and a clinical psychologist who has researched the long-term mental health consequences of mass shootings and other traumatic events. “All these other stressors can not only increase risk for mental health problems following a mass shooting, but they also increase risk for further loss of resources.”
As a result, there is the potential for members of such marginalized communities to leave or for the community itself to shut down, said Alan Wolfelt, a grief counselor and educator at the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado.
“That is why it is vital to support these communities, acknowledge their grief openly and honestly, and then help them rebuild their community in terms of meaning and purpose while realizing they have been totally transformed,” said Wofelt, who provides mental health services and education for individuals and communities that have experienced loss.
Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado, says it will eventually reopen at the same location, but with a new design and a permanent memorial, to honor five people killed last month in a targeted shooting. Club Q was a sanctuary for the LGBTQ community in the mostly conservative city of Colorado Springs, patrons said.
Pulse will not reopen. The site where it operated is now a memorial, and supporters plan to convert it into a permanent museum. The club’s closure has deeply scarred the LGBTQ community, which has tried to “re-create the sense of belonging” that Pulse had, Wolf said.
“I live next to a few other LGBTQ establishments and those are really important, but there was something truly special about Pulse and the community that we were able to create here,” he said. “For communities like ours, safe spaces are lifelines. They’re the refuges we carve out in a world that threatens violence against us every time we walk out the door.”
In some cases, traumatic events threaten basic necessities for marginalized groups, increasing the risk for mental health issues, said Lowe, the clinical psychologist.
Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York, was closed for two months after 10 Black shoppers and workers were fatally shot during a racist rampage. During that time, there was no grocery store on the East Side.
Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was founded in 1816 and became a pillar of the African American community in the state’s Lowcountry region.
On June 17, 2015, a self-avowed white supremacist who targeted a Bible study at the church killed nine Black congregants. One of the victims was minister Myra Thompson, sister of South Carolina State Rep. JA Moore.
“My sister was a servant to the other parishioners at the church, and she dedicated a lot of her life and her love to serving others through the church,” Moore said.
The church reopened for Sunday services four days after the massacre. It was important to send a message, he said.
“Even seven years later, the church is still resilient and still rebuilding and still serving,” Moore said. “I think the message that reopening up after such a horrific event is the story of African Americans in this country, the history of this country, where no matter our trauma and our pain and the horrors that we have to endure, we recognize that it’s an obligation as Americans to continue to push forward.”
Wolf, now 34, has also pushed forward. Following the shooting at Pulse, he became an advocate and activist for the LGBTQ community and now works as press secretary for Equality Florida.
He said Orlando nonprofit organizations that support the LGBTQ community have expanded their services, and other LGBTQ-owned bars and restaurants have grown their customer base. Wolf believes the city has become more inclusive since the shooting.
“While I think there’s a hole and there will always be something missing where Pulse used to be, I also think it’s beautiful that we’ve chosen to take the important components of what made Pulse, Pulse, and infuse them into every which way we live our lives in this city,” he said.
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Associated Press journalists Cody Jackson in Miami and Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston contributed to this report.
As 2022 draws to a close, Moore Kismet has opened up about the highs and lows of their breakthrough year—and the toll it’s taken on their mental health.
The prolific electronic music producer and songwriter penned a heartfelt letter to fans, reflecting on an “intense” year full of both personal triumphs and stress.
Kismet opens up about the difficulties of juggling a blossoming music career with graduating high school, which they accomplished in the first half of 2022 before diving into their most ambitious project to date, their debut album, UNIVERSE.
“Then, [UNIVERSE] finally came out,” Kismet wrote. “And I was the happiest I’d ever been. My mind was on cloud nine.”
But the pitfalls of life on the road—especially those experienced by young artists—are sadly often overlooked by many in the electronic music community. After finding themselves performing nearly every weekend during the second half of the year and captivating audiences at Coachella, EDC Las Vegas and Tomorrowland, among other major music festivals, their mental health eroded.
“making music is something that became such a saving grace in my life. creating entire worlds and stories with sound, emotion, and intention is something I will ALWAYS love,” Kismet wrote. “and there are a lot of times where I struggle with finding a reason to keep going. it’s because of this that I’ve had thoughts about stopping entirely. but I wanna keep doing this for me and for anyone else who wants to listen.”
It seems Kismet is now in good spirits heading into 2023, a year that will likely see the release of their sophomore album. They revealed their “next big project” is currently in the works, calling it a “love letter to why I do this.”
Newswise — Sights, smells and sounds of everyday life can supply the triggers that take someone with PTSD right back to the scarring scene they’re trying to forget.
With PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, a honking horn, a crowded coffeehouse or a sharp scent can bring back traumatic memories that can raise the heart rate, increase muscle tension and lead to anxiety and depression. These reactions occur even without the presence of danger, but they pose their own threat by causing strains on relationships at home and work, igniting the need to avoid certain situations and contributing to mood changes.
PTSD can happen to anyone at any age, according to the National Institutes of Health, and treatment options include medications as well as therapy. Researchers at MUSC Health recently published a paper in the Journal of Psychiatric Research where they worked with medical device company Zeriscope to test a device called Bio Ware, which is designed to enhance the effects of prolonged exposure therapy, a common, evidence-based therapy for patients with PTSD.
And with between 11 and 30% of veterans experiencing symptoms of PTSD, the research team looked at using Bio Ware with service members at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center specifically.
With in vivo exposures, which are a key component of prolonged exposure therapy, patients are tasked with putting themselves in safe but uncomfortable or triggering situations outside of their therapy sessions, as a form of homework. If they have a fear of crowded spaces, for example, their therapist may ask them to go to the grocery store at a busy time and then share their reaction at the next therapy session. If the service member is stressed by loud spaces and avoids them, their therapist may send them to a loud sporting event, for example, in an effort to help them learn to feel more comfortable in those situations and not have to avoid them in the future.
When done properly, in vivo exposures have proven successful and helpful to patients, but with so much relying on the patient and their interpretation of their own stressors, Sudie Back, Ph.D., a professor in the department of psychiatry at MUSC Health and principal investigator for the NIMH-funded study, sees room for error.
“What I find so exciting about this new Bio Ware device,” she said. “Is that when used alongside evidence-based, exposure treatment methods for PTSD, we’ve seen significantly better results for our patients.” Back and her team saw significant decreases in both PTSD symptoms and depression symptoms with their patients who used the new technology.
As a wearable device, the Bio Ware system includes a discreet button-shaped camera attached to the patient’s clothing, a watch-sized tool around their wrist and a Bluetooth headphone in their ear so their therapists can be virtually with them in the experience or situation that causes them stress. The clinician can see immediate recordings of the patient’s heart rate, breathing and emotional distress, and they can guide them through the experience by either pushing them to do more or pulling them back to do less, to optimize the in vivo exposure.
According to Back, “This is the first time, to my knowledge, that we’ve been able to virtually go with patients during their in vivo exposures and have instant access to their physiological data in the moment to really help them get the most out of those exercises, which I believe will translate into them seeing significant reductions in their PTSD symptoms.”
Bill Harley, the co-founder and CEO of Zeriscope, compares it to working out on your own versus with a personal trainer.
“Communicating with patients while simultaneously seeing their biophysics is incredibly helpful,” he said. “A lot of healing happens in the in vivo exposures, and Bio Ware enriches that experience.”
The “special sauce” created with Bio Ware lies in the autonomic nervous system according to Robert Adams, M.D., the president and co-founder of Zeriscope and a professor of neurology at MUSC Health. Previously developed watches aimed for something similar, but they only collected pulse information. This system goes a level deeper, he says, by directly questioning the autonomic nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system controls physiologic reactions like heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. By using the same technology used in lie detector tests, physicians can take this galvanic skin response, change the patient’s triggering experience accordingly and watch how the actions that they direct the patient to do impact the autonomic nervous system.
One of these days, they know they gotta get goin’,
Out of the door and down the street all alone.
Adams thinks the line from the Grateful Dead song “Truckin’” summarizes the need for Bio Ware. “It’s an expression of what exposure therapy really is. You’ve got to go back out into the real world on your own, but we can help.”
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About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,000 students in six colleges – Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy – and trains more than 850 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $327.6 million in research funds in fiscal year 2021, leading the state overall in research funding. MUSC also leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $220 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It’s widely recognized that having a healthy mind and body is necessary to have a healthy, productive work life. But as life continues to move at an increasingly fast pace, this is much easier said than done.
As a business owner, it’s important to stay aware of your mind and body’s needs so you can remain productive and creative. But it can be easy to let these things slip by the wayside during busy seasons — and honestly, what seasons aren’t busy as an entrepreneur? Many of us are familiar with late nights at work, forgetting to eat meals or exercise and unfortunately dealing with great deals of stress, exhaustion and burnout. Although it’s important to pay attention to the needs of your body and mind, it’s also important to remember your employees have the same needs.
Life and work are intertwined in a way that cannot be separated. It might seem simple to put aside whatever you’re dealing with at home to focus on work for the day, but it’s not realistic. Similarly, problems at work come home with you. Both our personal lives and our work lives affect our moods, energy levels and ability to focus. If your child is sick or you’re having a tense argument with your spouse, of course you aren’t going to be able to fully engage in your job — what’s going on at home is more important to you. And problems in the workplace, such as stress, burnout or a negative work environment will affect your mood and energy level when you go home. You might make your argument with your spouse worse because you’re tense and stressed out, or you might be unable to sleep because you dread returning to your toxic work environment the next day, further exacerbating the problem.
By promoting the mental and physical health of your employees, you can create a better working environment and encourage employees to succeed, creating a more sustainable workplace in the long run. Happy, healthy team members will be more productive and create better results for your company. But promoting your team’s health isn’t as simple as putting some exercise equipment in your office, especially when you factor in mental health, which is complex and can majorly affect the way a person thinks, feels and performs their job. Strong mental health is reliant on several factors, but here are a few necessary things, which you can apply in various ways for you and your team:
1. Fuel your mind with good food and hydration
Staying hydrated and eating well is necessary to keep your body and mind running. And brain functions like energy, focus and creativity are some of the first to suffer when you don’t get these things. If you forget to drink enough water, it might be beneficial to use a large water bottle with measurements on it to keep track of exactly how much you’re drinking. This is an easy tool you can provide for your team as well. It’s a good idea to keep healthy snacks around the office, both for yourself and your employees. Some foods will give you a burst of energy, while others, especially fat- and carb-heavy foods, will slow you down or make you sleepy. Having healthy options easily available will help you make good choices. Another way to promote healthy eating for your team is to allow them to work from home, where they can cook healthy meals for themselves. When employees are in a rush to reach the office in the morning, where they might order takeout or pack things that are quick and easy rather than nutritious for lunch.
Sleep is possibly even more important than food and exercise, but unfortunately, it’s overlooked by many people. A phenomenon in many offices is a sort of competition to see who slept the least. If you notice this kind of attitude toward sleep, it may be worth addressing. Often lack of sleep is due to bad habits, but it can also be a result of busy schedules that don’t allow enough time to sleep. To ensure you and your employees have enough time to sleep, consider offering flexible working hours, which will allow them to adjust their schedules if needed.
Did you know that sitting is literally killing you? Excessive sitting lowers your life expectancy, and it can lead to injuries from repetitive motions and weakened muscles. And as we all know, exercise is excellent for both the body and the brain. Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas form when you’re exercising? Or have you ever taken an exercise break and come back to your work feeling energized and highly productive? Take regular breaks to go for walks, and encourage your team to do the same. Even if those breaks take 10-15 minutes out of the workday, they will increase your team’s overall productivity. You can also provide exercise equipment and standing desks in your office, or provide wellness benefits such as gym memberships to encourage your team to exercise outside working hours as well. Sharing links or apps for breathing exercises or mindfulness practices can help employees to better manage their stress levels.
One of the words that’s most commonly used when someone is struggling with their mental health is “stress.” Mental health is innately tied to physical health, and just like treating your body right can help your brain, negative emotions can seriously affect your body. Reducing stress, burnout, depression and other mental health challenges is complex, but there are a few things you can do.
First, ensure you’re getting enough sunlight. Not only does vitamin D improve your mood, but the light itself plays a major role. Working in an office without much sunlight can be draining, but if you can’t manage to arrange your office so everyone has access to sunlight, consider allowing at least part-time remote work.
Burnout is another factor that affects many people’s mental health, and there has been an epidemic of it lately. Watch carefully for burnout in yourself and your employees, and when you identify it, take steps to improve the situation that’s causing it. Have managers include this discussion during their regular one-on-one meetings. Create a culture of support around burnout and other challenges people might be facing, such as family matters and health challenges, which can contribute to burnout significantly. There are many resources to help address burnout, as it’s a complex issue. Remember to prioritize your employees as people rather than workers. If you’ve hired well, your team wants to do a good job. If they’re struggling, there’s likely a reason for it. Ask for and listen to feedback, even if it’s not what you want to hear. Work and work-related activities take up a majority of a person’s waking hours, so the environment you provide plays a major role in an employee’s quality of life.
I highly recommend offering some kind of mental health benefits, even telehealth options. This might look like paying for counseling for those who need it. Or try allowing mental health days. We’ve changed our sick leave policy to include a mental health day, not just a physical sickness day. Just knowing they have the option to take a day off if needed is likely to be enough for most employees, and you likely won’t experience a significant cost as a result.
To keep a happy, healthy and productive workforce, the most important thing you can do is to create a positive workplace culture. A negative or toxic culture can easily wear on anyone, causing problems both at work and at home. With these steps, you’ll be on your way to improving the health of your entire team and creating a stronger and more sustainable work culture.
Newswise — New insights into the opposing actions of serotonin-producing nerve fibres in mice could lead to drugs for treating addictions and major depression.
Scientists in Japan have identified a nerve pathway involved in the processing of rewarding and distressing stimuli and situations in mice.
The new pathway, originating in a bundle of brain stem nerve fibres called the median raphe nucleus, acts in opposition to a previously identified reward/aversion pathway that originates in the nearby dorsal raphe nucleus. The findings, published by scientists at Hokkaido University and Kyoto University with their colleagues in the journal Nature Communications, could have implications for developing drug treatments for various mental disorders, including addictions and major depression.
Previous studies had already revealed that activating serotonin-producing nerve fibres from the dorsal raphe nucleus in the brain stem of mice leads to the pleasurable feeling associated with reward. However, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin levels in the brain, fail to exert clear feelings of reward and to treat the loss of ability to feel pleasure associated with depression. This suggests that there are other serotonin-producing nerve pathways in the brain associated with the feelings of reward and aversion.
To further study the reward and aversion nerve pathways of the brain, Hokkaido University neuropharmacologist Yu Ohmura and Kyoto University pharmacologist Kazuki Nagayasu, together with colleagues at several universities in Japan, focused their attention on the median raphe nucleus. This region has not received as much research attention as its brain stem neighbour, the dorsal raphe nucleus, even though it also is a source of serotonergic nerve fibres.
The scientists conducted a wide variety of tests to measure activity of serotonin neurons in mice, in response to stimulating and inhibiting the median raphe, by using fluorescent proteins that detect entry of calcium ions, a proxy of neuronal activation in a cell-type specific manner.
They found that, for example, pinching a mouse’s tail—an unpleasant stimulus—increased calcium-dependent fluorescence in the serotonin neurons of the median raphe. Giving mice a treat such as sugar, on the other hand, reduced median raphe serotonin fluorescence. Also, directly stimulating or inhibiting the median raphe nucleus, using a genetic technique involving light, led to aversive or reward-seeking behaviours, such as avoiding or wanting to stay in a chamber—depending on the type of stimulus applied.
The team also conducted tests to discover where the switched-on serotonergic nerve fibres of the median raphe were sending signals to and found an important connection with the brain stem’s interpenduncular nucleus. They also identified serotonin receptors within this nucleus that were involved in the aversive properties associated with median raphe serotonergic activity.
Further research is needed to fully elucidate this pathway and others related to rewarding and aversive feelings and behaviours. “These new insights could lead to a better understanding of the biological basis of mental disorders where aberrant processing of rewards and aversive information occur, such as in drug addiction and major depressive disorder,” says Ohmura.
Newswise — The joy, excitement and rush – physically and emotionally – of the holidays are here. Along with gifts, magic and memories comes the stress: shopping, over-spending, cooking, events, expectations and family dynamics. It should be no surprise that, left unchecked, the stress and anxiety of creating the picture-perfect holiday can be detrimental to physical and mental health. And that includes heart health.
“When we try to be everything to everyone we lose sight of our personal health,” says University Hospitals cardiologist Myttle Mayuga, MD. “We don’t eat right. We don’t get enough exercise, rest and downtime. And we get stressed easily. All of these factors increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.”
Heart Disease Risks
Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. Most people know the common risk factors for heart disease, which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking. But fewer people are aware of the significant risks that stress, depression and anxiety can pose to heart health.
Ongoing or sudden extreme life circumstances, such as divorce, ongoing family conflict, personal disaster or the death of a loved one, have been linked to heart attacks and heart failure. And persistent stress can diminish or prevent healing. But how does stress actually cause heart problems?
Connecting Stress with Heart Disease
When under stress, the body releases cortisol and other stress hormones. Cortisol signals the nervous system to increase heart rate and blood pressure for the body’s “fight or flight” response. In the short-term cortisol is good, powering you when you need it most. But in the long-term, ongoing stress can contribute to high blood pressure and can cause stress in other parts of the body as well.
In addition to increasing the risk of heart attack and blood clots, high blood pressure may also increase the risk for heart failure. Narrowed and hardened vessels require the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body. To meet the demand, the heart gets larger and pumps faster. With the heart working harder than it should and beyond its capabilities, in time, a person could experience fatigue, shortness of breath and an inability to accomplish daily activities – all symptoms of heart failure.
How to Relieve Stress & Protect Heart Health
Despite the stress of the holidays, it’s crucial to make your health a priority throughout the season. Lifestyle choices that benefit your physical and mental health will also support your heart health.
First, support your physical health. Along with the occasional indulgences of holiday treats, try to maintain a healthy diet of nutritious whole foods. Stay hydrated by choosing water or low-calorie, non-caffeinated beverages which can help curb overeating and high-calorie cravings. Drink alcohol responsibly and sparingly. If you smoke, find help to quit. And stay active through focused exercise, daily activities and high-energy opportunities such as dancing or winter sports. Get plenty of rest and good quality sleep.
Second, do your best to reduce stress. Focus on things that add joy and meaning during the holidays. Make your holiday season to-do list, then consider each item and choose what’s most important. Let go of unachievable expectations and extras that simply add stress. Calm yourself with physical relaxation exercises, breathing and meditation. Strengthen your spirit and soul through volunteer services or events, small acts of gratitude and kindness, and charitable giving to boost personal meaning and connection.
Finally, to reduce heart risk, it’s critical to know your numbers – your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels – and follow your doctor’s advice. An ounce of prevention is more valuable than a pound of cure. If you find that holiday stress is taking over, talk with a health care provider. Get the help and advice you need to improve diet and exercise, reduce alcohol intake, quit smoking and reduce stress.
The experts at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute have the advanced training and experience to diagnose and treat all types of cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension. Their expertise ranges from the management of chronic diseases to the most complex open heart surgical procedures – and everything in between.
In fashion, the top headlines of 2022 were brimming with excitement and chaos.
Scandals swept Balenciaga and any brand associated with the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Legislation offered a new pathway for sustainability in fashion. A new guard of creatives took the helm at some of the world’s most stories houses, while a recession loomed over the whole industry.
Ever since the pandemic struck in 2020, the years have felt as though they’ve all bled together. That’s certainly true for fashion news — so, we’re recapping the biggest headlines in the industry from 2022, from the biggest controversies to the most notable moments of progress.
Designers Act Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine
Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/Getty Images
In a major escalation of a longstanding conflict, Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, kicking off an intensified war that hasn’t stopped. The fashion industry responded with letters, donations and posts on social media. Vogue Ukraine called designers to action, while Granary — the fashion education platform founded by Ukrainian Central Saint Martins graduate Olya Kuryshchuk — shared an open letter urging the community to condemn Russia.
Groups like LVMH and Kering donated to aid groups like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), while some brands suspended business in Russia altogether. Meanwhile, designers like Demna took to the runway for messaging against the war (before the brand was embroiled in scandal).
Balenciaga ended the year not with a celebration, but with a series of apologetic statements.
The Kering-owned luxury brand released its Balenciaga Gift Shop campaign on Nov. 16, showing a range of new giftable items from the brand, “staged around children dressed in the Balenciaga Kids line” — however, it soon started trending, with many criticizing the photos showing children next to wine glasses, holding teddy bears in BDSM-reminiscent harnesses.
#BalenciagaGate only got more heat when people turned attention to its Spring 2023 campaign, released just a few days after on Nov. 21. The Joshua Bright-photographed imagery was set in an office, and among a variety of props strewn across a desk, there was a printed copy of the 2008 United States v. Williams decision on child pornography laws. More controversy ensued.
Every era in fashion has had its big names. Now, the industry is moving forward with a new guard of creatives taking seats at the helms of the world’s biggest, most influential houses.
Meanwhile, we’re seeing some of the most powerful names in fashion step back. Riccardo Tisci showed his final Burberry collection in September, and has been replaced by Daniel Lee. Alessandro Michele, who ushered in a new era of extravagance at Gucci, stepped down in November, after seven years at the helm and two decades at the brand. That month, Raf Simons also announced the closure of his eponymous label after 27 years in business.
Known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the industry and larger-than-life presence, Talley was creative director and then editor-at-large at Vogue, responsible for some must-read columns that inspired the next generation and becoming one of the first Black editors to reach the top of the masthead.
Raised in the Jim Crow South, Talley detailed his ascension in fashion and the racism he had to work against in his memoir, “The Chiffon Trenches.” He peeled back the curtain with language as entertaining as it is profound, welcoming wonder in a world often guarded by walls. He ushered in a new guard of dreamers, building his audience and developing close ties with educational institutions like SCAD.
As Fashionista reported, size diversity on the runway regressed in 2022, with the number of New York Fashion Week shows featuring non-sample-sized models dwindling from past seasons, after this issue had become such a talking point pre-pandemic. With runways often being in the market of what’s in and what’s cool, the exclusion of different bodies served as a disappointment.
Sustainability’s next frontier
Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The fashion industry is notoriously under-regulated, but a new chapter is on the horizon in the U.S., with legislation presenting a path forward for the conversation around sustainability.
… All the while, Kardashian was laughing her way to the bank, by way of Skims, which reached a $3.2 billion valuation in 2022, thanks to new funding and ever-loving fans.
“This latest round will allow us to focus on bringing more innovations and solutions to our customers and become even more of a trusted resource for them,” Kardashian told Fortune.
Since launching in 2019, Skims has found rapid success in shapewear and loungewear, with the pandemic catapulting its cozier categories. This year, the brand also took home the inaugural CFDA Innovation Award presented by Amazon at the trade organization’s annual ceremony.
Patagonia literally gave itself away as a company in the name of environmental preservation and sustainability: This year, American rock climber-turned-businessman Yvon Chouinard transferred ownership of the brand he founded to a trust and nonprofit. The company said it was “going purpose” instead of “going public,” making Earth its main shareholder — a first-of-its-kind move.
The year of the ‘nepo baby’
Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
For the (somehow) uninitiated, “nepo babies” are relatives of successful, famous or otherwise well-connected people who then end up successful, famous or otherwise well-connected. In 2022, they got called out on online and on the front pages of magazines, with the connections that may have helped them reach their heights of career success being called into question.
Of course, fashion has always lovednepo babies, from Hadids to Jenners to Gerbers. And every year, there’s a new class to look out for in campaigns or sitting in the front row at a Miu Miu show.
Rihanna’s maternity style
Photo: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Rihanna has changed any and every new space she’s entered, so it’s no surprise she had the same effect on maternity style as she flaunted her pregnancy in the first half of 2022.
Rather than opting for clothes that covered up her growing bump, the Fenty founder refused to tone down sexiness or her own style. That meant: beaded halter tops, vintage Chanel, diamond belly chains and more. She even got “maternity crop tops” to trend.
Even after their split, Fox continued serving looks, becoming a TikTok star and highlighting emerging designers. She opened LaQuan Smith’s Fall 2022 show and was crowned one of Fashionista’s best dressed celebrities in 2022. She took the cake in ambitious dressing, daring any fan to take it up a notch and dream bigger through their clothes.
This month, Google released its annual “Year in Search” list to show which terms saw the highest spikes over the past year. The roundup offers some insight into what internet users around the world cared about, were curious about and concerned about in 2022.
One big topic is noticeably absent this year: Covid-19. Last year, vaccination and preventing infection were of great interest, but this year saw no mention of coronavirus in the top health and wellness searches.
Instead, this year’s searches focused on physical and mental recovery — how to get stronger physically and how to cope with issues like anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Here’s a breakdown of 2022 in Google searches and some ways to address these topics going into 2023.
Workouts were a big focus of conversation this year: “Body weight workouts,” “weekly workouts,” “exercising for mental health,” and “core workouts at the gym” all were among the popular health searches.
Body-weight workouts are a good access point for exercise because you don’t need expensive equipment, and you can build a foundation for eventual weight training, said Dana Santas, CNN fitness expert and a mind-body coach in pro sports, in a previous story.
If you are looking to go further and build a regular exercise routine, a 2021 megastudy found that the keys are to make a plan, build in reminders and reward yourself for sticking to it.
Google users asked “how to handle stress,” “how to stop a panic attack,” “how to cure depression” and “focus with ADHD.” They also looked up good mental health practices for little ones, with searches for breathing exercises for kids.
It might not be surprising that many people were focused on coping and stress, especially in light of an ongoing global pandemic, economic concerns, and the adjustments associated with returning to school and workplaces.
While stress is a normal physiological reaction that all people experience, it can slide into a severe condition like anxiety or depression if left unchecked. One thing to look for is whether the feeling goes away after a stressful event has ended, said Dr. Gail Saltz, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
Stress can also exacerbate mental conditions like depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Saltz said in a 2021 interview with CNN.
If you suspect you might have chronic stress or another mental health disorder, you should talk to a trusted friend or family member to see whether they have noticed differences and reach out to a mental health professional, said Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, psychologist and founder of the AAKOMA Project, a youth mental health nonprofit, in a 2021 story.
The quest for better mental and physical health didn’t stop at a quick internet search, according to the data.
Among the popular terms were searches for more resources on mental health, like books, podcasts and journaling techniques aimed at improving wellness.
“Expressive writing works for a number of reasons,” said James Pennebaker, a psychologist, researcher and professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Acknowledging an upsetting event has value, he added in a previous CNN story. “And writing about it also helps the person find meaning or understand it.”
There are also guided and formatted journals to help keep you going.
Those numerals were among the health-related searches that saw a surge this year.
The dialing code is available across the United States and is meant to be easier to access for people in mental health crises, similar to 911.
“One of the goals of 988 is to ensure that people get the help they need when they need it, where they need it. And so, when a person calls 988, they can expect to have a conversation with a trained, compassionate crisis counselor who will talk with them about what they’re experiencing,” said Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, the administrator of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in an interview with CNN in July.
“If it’s the case that they need further intervention, then likely the crisis counselor will connect them with a local mobile crisis team,” she added.
SAN DIEGO, December 23, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) is celebrating the momentous passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act within the Omnibus bill, which includes Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) as Medicare providers.
“Access to mental health services is vital to the health and well-being of our communities, and without Marriage and Family Therapists, these services would be limited,” said Representative Mike Thompson. “I am proud that my legislation to make Medicare cover mental health services provided by counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists was included in the government funding bill. This permanent expansion will ensure broad access to care for communities across the country, and I look forward to seeing more Americans take advantage of these mental health services.”
The mental health data for elders is sobering, with one-in-four suffering from mental illness or substance use disorder. The problem is compounded by economic and racial disparities, a growing senior population, and the COVID pandemic, with some studies showing only 4-20% of elderly Americans needing mental health support being able to access a therapist. This legislation will add over 200,000 mental health clinicians to the Medicare workforce, allowing increased access to desperately needed mental healthcare.
“We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, and we applaud Congress for taking this important action to help meet the mental health needs of our elderly and all those utilizing Medicare. The bipartisan passage of this bill shows a commitment by Congress to embrace the role of MFTs in addressing a shortage of skilled therapists for Medicare beneficiaries. This is a momentous day for mental health,” expressed CAMFT Executive Director Joy Alafia.
MFTs are extensively trained mental health clinicians who comprise 55% of the behavioral health workforce in California, providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups and working with people struggling with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. This legislation is critical to ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries have access to adequate mental health care, especially those in rural areas. If signed into law, the bill will allow the coverage of MFT services under part B of the Medicare program, providing a significant influx of trained and licensed mental health providers into the Medicare system, effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. John Katko, Senator John Barrasso, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the entire Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition are recognized for their outstanding leadership and dedication to mental health access.
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS CAMFT is an independent professional organization representing the interests of over 35,000 Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) who are experts in diagnosing and treating mental health issues for any person who seeks therapy. CAMFT is dedicated to promoting mental health, advancing the MFT profession, maintaining high standards of professional ethics and expanding awareness for the profession of marriage and family therapists.
Source: California Assoc. of Marriage and Family Therapists
Newswise — PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — The risk of firearm death in the U.S. is on the rise: in 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults. Yet the risk is far from even — young men in some U.S. zip codes face disproportionately higher risks of firearm-related injuries and deaths.
To better understand the magnitude of the gun violence crisis and put it in perspective, researchers at Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania compared the risk of firearm-related death for young adult men living in the most violent areas in four major U.S. cities with the risks of combat death and injury faced by U.S. military personnel who served in Afghanistan and Iraq during active periods of war.
The results were mixed: The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that young men from zip codes with the most firearm violence in Chicago and Philadelphia faced a notably higher risk of firearm-related death than U.S. military personnel deployed to wartime service in Afghanistan and Iraq. But the opposite was true in two other cities: The most violent areas in New York and Los Angeles were associated with much less risk for young men than those in the two wars.
In all zip codes studied, risks were overwhelmingly borne by young men from minority racial and ethnic groups, the study found.
“These results are an urgent wake-up call for understanding, appreciating and responding to the risks and attendant traumas faced by this demographic of young men,” said Brandon del Pozo, an assistant professor of medicine (research) at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School and an assistant professor of health services, policy and practice (research) at the University’s School of Public Health.
Del Pozo conducts research at the intersection of public health, public safety and justice, focusing on substance use, the overdose crisis, and violence. His recently released book, “The Police and the State: Security, Social Cooperation, and the Public Good,” is based on his academic research as well as his 23 years of experience as a police officer in New York City and as chief of police of Burlington, Vermont.
“Working as a police officer, I witnessed the toll of gun violence, and how disruptive it was for families and communities,” del Pozo said. “It stood out to me that the burden was not distributed evenly by geography or demographic. Some communities felt the brunt of gun violence much more acutely than others. By analyzing publicly available data on firearm fatalities in cities and in war, we sought to place that burden in sharp relief.”
At the same time, del Pozo said, he and the other study authors were responding to oft-repeated inflammatory claims about gun violence in American cities.
“We often hear opposing claims about gun violence that fall along partisan lines: One is that big cities are war zones that require a severe crackdown on crime, and the other is that our fears about homicides are greatly exaggerated and don’t require drastic action,” del Pozo said. “We wanted to use data to explore these claims — and it turns out both are wrong. While most city residents are relatively safe from gun violence, the risks are more severe than war for some demographics.”
Illustrating the magnitude of the firearm crisis
To conduct their analysis, the researchers obtained information on all fatal and nonfatal shootings of 18- to 29-year-old men recorded as crimes in 2020 and 2021 in Chicago; Los Angeles; New York; and Philadelphia — the four largest U.S. cities for which public data on those who were shot were available. For New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, they used shooting death and injury data sets made public by each city; for Los Angeles, they extracted firearm death and injury data from a larger public data set of recorded crimes. Data were aggregated to the zip code level and linked to corresponding demographic characteristics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
The researchers acquired wartime combat-related mortality and injury counts for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan from peer-reviewed analyses of U.S. military data covering the years 2001 to 2014 for the war in Afghanistan and 2003 to 2009 for the war in Iraq, both of which were periods of active combat. Because there is limited data about the risks of serving in different military units at different times during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the researchers considered the mortality and injury data of a single, de-identified Army brigade combat team engaged in combat during a 15-month period of the Iraq War that involved notably above-average combat death and injury rates at a time considered to be the height of the conflict.
The analysis included 129,826 young men residing in the four cities considered in the study.
The researchers found that compared to the risk of combat death faced by U.S. soldiers who were deployed to Afghanistan, the more dangerous of the two wars, young men living in the most violent zip code of Chicago (2,585 individuals) had a 3.23 times higher average risk of firearm-related homicide, and those in Philadelphia (2,448 people) faced a 1.9 times higher average risk of firearm-related homicide. Singling out the elevated dangers faced by the U.S. Army combat brigade in Iraq, the young men studied in Chicago still faced notably greater risks, and the ones faced in Philadelphia were comparable.
However, these findings were not observed in the most violent zip codes of Los Angeles and New York, where young men faced a 70% to 91% lower risk than soldiers in the Afghanistan war across fatal and nonfatal categories.
When the researchers looked at the demographics of the young men in the zip codes studied, they determined that the risk of violent death and injury observed in the zip codes studied was almost entirely borne by individuals from minority racial and ethnic groups: Black and Hispanic males represented 96.2% of those who were fatally shot and 97.3% of those who experienced nonfatal injury across all four cities.
In the study, the researchers make the point that the risk of firearm death is not the only thing that young men living in violent U.S. zip codes have in common with young men at war.
“Exposure to combat has been associated with stress-inducing hypervigilance and elevated rates of homelessness, alcohol use, mental illness and substance use, which, in turn, are associated with a steep discounting of future rewards,” they write. “Our findings — which show that young men in some of the communities we studied were subject to annual firearm homicide and violent injury rates in excess of 3.0% and as high as 5.8% — lend support to the hypothesis that beyond the deaths and injuries of firearm violence, ongoing exposure to these violent events and their risks are a significant contributor to other health problems and risk behaviors in many U.S. communities.”
Del Pozo added that the health risks are likely even higher for people in cities, because they need to face their “battles” every day over a lifetime, as opposed to military personnel in a tour of duty in Afghanistan, which typically lasted 12 months. The study results, del Pozo said, help illustrate the magnitude of the firearms crisis, a necessary understanding to municipalities seeking to formulate an effective public health response.
“The findings suggest that urban health strategies should prioritize violence reduction and take a trauma-informed approach to addressing the health needs of these communities,” del Pozo said.
Other Brown contributors included Dr. Michael J. Mello, a physician and researcher at the Warren Alpert Medical School and the Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital.
The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K01DA056654) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P20GM139664).
Schools are looking for a way to reduce teenagers’ cellphone use, as studies show too much screen time can have a negative effect on a child’s mental health. One rural Massachusetts school banned smartphones for both teachers and students during class. Meg Oliver shares more.
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What Are the Post-Sex Blues? Here’s How To Deal With This Common Issue
After sex, some people feel a sense of euphoria, relaxation, and closeness to their partner. But that’s not the case for everyone.
According to a 2019 study, almost half of men report feeling sad, distant, or irritable after sex. This is often called “post-coital dysphoria” (PCD), or the post-sex blues. But why does it happen? And are there ways to treat it?
First things first: PCD is nothing to be ashamed of. As previously noted, it’s super common. More importantly, experts say it’s nothing to worry about, and often just goes away on its own with time.
That said, if this condition is negatively impacting your sex life, relationship, or overall mental well-being, know that there are things you can do to cope — starting with pinpointing what’s driving your PCD.
Here’s what to know about the common signs and causes of PCD, and how to treat it.
What Are the Signs of Post-Coital Dysphoria?
Experts say PCD can manifest in different ways. You may be experiencing this condition if you feel any of the following after sex:
Aggravated
Sad
Apathetic
Restless
Uneasy
These feelings may set in immediately after sex, or up to an hour or two after you finish.
Depending on personality and history, a person experiencing PCD may start crying or seem easily annoyed, says Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist and relationship expert.
“Some people with PCD may feel the need to leave the room or the situation altogether,” she explains.
What Causes Post-Coital Dysphoria?
A 2019 study found that PCD is linked to:
Psychological distress
Childhood sexual abuse
Sexual dysfunctions
If you’ve had traumatic sexual experiences or are currently dealing with sexual dysfunction, then intimate situations can trigger all kinds of negative emotions — like fear or shame.
There are many other possible causes, too.
Since you have higher levels of the feel-good chemical dopamine during sex, your body releases the hormone prolactin afterward to bring you back to your baseline.
In other words, you go from a major high to a sudden crash. According to Tufts University, that post-coital drop in dopamine may contribute to a low mood or other symptoms of PCD.
“For example,” she explains, “if a person is already sad or depressed, the feelings can be magnified if the sexual intimacy was not connective or fulfilling. As well, if other stressors such as arguments, financial unrest, body issue images, etc. are at play these issues can be exacerbated given the vulnerability involved in sexual intimacy.”
How PCD Can Impact Your Sex Life & Relationship
“Post-coital dysphoria is unlikely to have a major impact on your sexual and romantic life if it’s experienced rarely,” says Dr. Justin Lehmiller, a social psychologist, research fellow at The Kinsey Institute and founder of Sex & Psychology. “However, if it’s a common occurrence, it can potentially be distressing — especially if you have a partner who does not understand it or takes it personally, in which case it may become a source of conflict.”
According to Manly, PCD can create ongoing feelings of disconnection, particularly if your partner notices that you seem cold or distant after sex.
Bisbey notes that PCD can also lead you to avoid sex and the negative feelings associated with it. Over time, this avoidance can begin to take a toll on your overall intimacy and relationship satisfaction.
“You may choose to use pornography instead of intimacy with a partner as solo sex often feels emotionally safer due to the lack of vulnerability,” adds Manly. “Over time, unaddressed PCD can actually tear a relationship apart due to the lack of emotional and sexual intimacy.”
How to Treat Post-Coital Dysphoria
If PCD is something you only experience once in a while, Lehmiller says it’s nothing to worry about.
“Psychologists think this may be a normal variation that sometimes happens following sex and that we shouldn’t pathologize it,” he explains.
On the other hand, if PCD is a persistent issue for you, and is triggering feelings of anxiety or depression, or negatively impacting your sex life or relationship, Lehmiller suggests consulting with a sex therapist. A licensed provider may be able to help you get to the root cause of the issue, whether it’s related to a mood disorder, an underlying sexual dysfunction, or a history of trauma.
Bisbey notes that it can also be helpful to tell your doctor about your symptoms of PCD, as they can help rule out any physical health issues that may be causing it.
While psychotherapy can be tremendously helpful, Manly notes that there are many other ways to address PCD — such as through support groups, self-help books, or journaling.
Manly also highly recommends being open and honest with your partner about the symptoms you’re experiencing. By openly discussing your feelings before, during, or after sex, you’re giving your partner an opportunity to be more supportive and accommodating.
“When partners work together to face PCD and address the issues with compassion, the relationship can actually become stronger and more loving,” adds Manly.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Hallmark symbols of business building and entrepreneurship are constructed on a series of rules, parameters and functions that rely on established experiences over time.
What if I told you there is a world without limits built on a set of constructs, not rules? You would undoubtedly think a world with an endless horizon line might be less than calming.
If you’re a famed thought leader (emphasis on thought) like Deepak Chopra, you cross the chasm without concern for what lies beneath your feet. The real-life Indiana Jones crossing a bridge on utter faith, Chopra and his partner Poonacha Machaiah are welcoming all of us into our own homes through their conscious Web3 platform, Seva.Love (meaning service and love in action).
Let’s take the horizon line back two decades before Machaiah became the CEO of the Chopra Foundation and before Chopra himself became an author of over 90 books translated into almost 50 languages.
Chopra and Machaiah met through a common friend and famed filmmaker of Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Shekhar Kapur. It was at this meeting that the technology background of Machaiah and Chopra converged.
“I met Deepak and quickly asked him about his vision. So many people pined to understand the vision of this icon. He responded by saying that he planned on reaching a billion people for a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. My reply was, sign me up!” shares Machaiah.
Chopra wasn’t pitching Machaiah in the classic sense of business building, but he had ignited a path for the College of William and Mary grad that had been kindling under the surface for some time. “That conversation started our journey into wellbeing together. I wake up every day and ask myself, “Poonacha, what are you going to do to ensure a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world?”
Machaiah’s computer science and engineering background has proved complimentary to the globally renowned leader of the meditation revolution. He had been a part of the Motorola team that innovated cellphone technology, so new adventures were a part of his DNA. “Deepak focuses on our joint efforts through the lens of wellbeing and consciousness, and I look at our work through technology and the ability it [technology] has to democratize access for people.”
Chopra and Machaiah believe that the world is at a nexus point in history and the world of Web3, or as they like to say, the multiverse has the potential to change the course of personal and professional experiences.
Seva.Love has bundled together an initial consumer offering that aims to reach people outside of the standard Web3 fare. A combination of apps and metaverse meditation experiences are punctuated by the Chopraverse opening the digital door to Chopra’s “House of Enlightenment,” a Roblox offering under the Choprakids umbrella, and a curated library of educational resources created by the Chopra Foundation.
The app gabl (Give. Ask. Borrow. Love.) is emblematic of leadership that understands business is about walking, not running. The app integrates documented experiences of good deeds in the physical world through social technology, seeding user behavior reflective of the Seva.Love world.
Machaiah sees an opportunity to lean into the metaverse as a therapeutic. Chopra and his endlessly engaging partner, Machaiah, might be the best tandem to think beyond Web3 gaming conventions. They were at the forefront of online meditation offerings beating out Calm and Headspace. Having Oprah as a collaborator on the 21-day meditation challenge with Chopra and the foundation didn’t hurt either.
“Imagine integrating an experience that helps you to breathe, to meditate. That is an experience that can lead to kindness. I believe the metaverse is going to be the place where digital therapeutics will come to play. And that’s the reason why Deepak and I are so excited about Seva.Love.”
The story of Seva.Love is just evolving, and Chopra’s roots might explain his excitement for this stage of the endeavor.
“My mother was one of the most interesting storytellers,” says Chopra. “When my little brother and I were young, she would entertain us with stories. But, she would stop halfway through her story. She would leave a cliffhanger for each of us to finish the next morning. We had to share our own conclusions and include all aspects, including the villain, the good and bad guys.”
The unknown excites the global icon, citing those initial storytelling sessions as trigger points for his imagination. Chopra and Machaiah appear to have written a script that includes a vivid set of imaginative experiences where we all get to play in the scene. A welcomed opportunity for personal and professional experiences to take center stage.
Coming home from a long day at the office has been forever and creatively depicted by Hollywood authors as an activity of respite in the face of the trials and tribulations of the cold, dark, unforgiving world of the adult experience. The front door closes, sealing off the subject from the unrelenting pressures of life.
That physical door transforms through Chopra’s guidance and Machaiah’s tech wherewithal into a portal void of locks and peepholes to reveal a world governed by self-control, a sense of belonging and without outside edicts.
The neighborhood is open. Chopra and Machaiah have laid out the welcome mat. Now, they believe, the time has come to hand over the keys to a new generation of digital users ready to take off, where life and one’s place converge to create wonderfully new and immersive adventures.
The keys are yours, and Deepak Chopra and Poonacha Machaiah beam at being your hosts.
Newswise — Some people can’t wait for the end of the season of yuletide peace so they can have a little actual peace.
Forty-four percent of women and 31% of men in the U.S. say their stress levels actually increase during the holidays, according to data from the American Psychological Association. And only 4% of women and 12% of men say life calms down during what TV commercials would have you believe is a time of serenity.
For many, all the shopping, snow shoveling, food, family, travel, traffic, parties and partridges in pear trees add up to one big holiday ball of pressure. But Dr. Ramnarine Boodoo, a child psychiatrist at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, suggests adding one more gift to your list this year. Make this one just for you – mindfulness meditation.
During the past couple of decades, both words have become well worn in self help circles, but they might still sound a little strange to some ears. You might be thinking robes, incense and monks twisting themselves into pretzels. But you don’t have to be a guru to meditate, Boodoo said.
“All you really need to practice meditation,” he said, “is to be a human being.”
Try this
Find a quiet place. “You can listen to music,” Boodoo said, “but you don’t really need anything.”
Sit down or lie down. Get comfortable.
Close your eyes.
Pay attention to your breathing. Feel the cool air go in and warm air go out. Pay attention to the sensations in your belly. “Don’t try to manipulate them,” Boodoo said. Just be aware of them.
If you’re like most people, your thoughts will run. Probably, they’ll keep orbiting around whatever you’re stressed about. That’s OK, Boodoo says. Just gently call them back to your breathing and the sensations to which you’re paying attention.
Do this for as long as you want, but a few minutes is probably best to start with. More time is often better as you progress.
Open your eyes and go about your day.
OK, so what’s the point?
It’s not as spooky as it sounds.
“What all meditation has in common is that it deals with paying attention in a certain way,” Boodoo said. “As you pay attention to something in a certain way, it starts to exclude extraneous things that don’t matter a whole lot.”
Mindfulness meditation in particular, Boodoo says, is all about paying attention to a specific thing. In this case, your breath.
Say it’s a typical December day. You’re running 150 miles an hour, you need to get a gift for your grandmother, you’ve got work, caroling practice and the list goes on. Your brain keeps ticking off tasks in an endless loop. “All these things clutter up our stream of consciousness,” Boodoo said.
If each list item carries stress along with it, people can develop anxiety as it builds. Mindfulness meditation breaks the cycle. By focusing on something other than your problems, their importance diminishes. You are teaching your brain that it’s OK to let go of some of these thoughts, if only for a few minutes.
Does it really work?
A 2020 National Institutes of Health (NIH) review of 14 studies including more than 1,100 participants showed that practicing mindfulness among people with health conditions like cancer, diabetes and hypertension led to significant reduction in blood pressure. Other studies connect mindfulness meditation to relief from chronic pain; reduction in stress, anxiety and depression; and recovery from sleep problems and substance abuse disorders.
None of that means you should drop your treatment plans and focus entirely on meditation as a cure-all. In fact, another NIH review found that 8% of study participants reported negative effects from some forms of meditation, so proceed with caution.
But even with that caveat, the benefits are worth exploring. “It may help improve your quality of life,” Boodoo said.
So, all I have to do is lie there one time, breathe, and my life will suddenly be better?
Well, not exactly.
If you’re looking for a little holiday stress relief, then yes, you could do worse than a few minutes of meditation to calm your mind. But regular practice holds greater benefits, Boodoo said.
“Part of what we’re doing when we’re meditating is taking ourselves outside of that cycle of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain,” he said. “And we’re starting to focus on what’s really going on here. Why are we doing this?”
Adherents say regular practice increases clarity and sparks reprioritization. You ask yourself important questions that can reach into spiritual and existential planes – your place in the universe.
“You might start asking more important questions,” Boodoo said. “Like what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of existence?”
For many, meditation helps improve focus on what’s important and put what’s unimportant in its proper place. Boodoo says it might even help you in your quest to find meaning in what you’re so stressed about celebrating – the real reason for the season.
And what could be a better holiday gift than that?
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The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health. Articles feature the expertise of faculty, physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.
Dec. 21, 2022 — A year ago in December, mapping specialist Whitney Tyshynski, 35, was working out 5 days a week with a personal trainer near her home in Alberta, Canada, doing 5k trail runs, lifting heavy weights, and feeling good. Then, in January she got COVID-19. The symptoms never went away.
Nowadays, Tyshynski needs a walker to retrieve her mail, a half-block trip she can’t make without fear of fainting. Because she gets dizzy when she drives, she rarely goes anywhere in her car. Going for a dog walk with a friend means sitting in a car and watching the friend and the dogs in an open field. And since fainting at Costco during the summer, she’s afraid to shop by herself.
Because she lives alone and her closest relatives are an hour and a half away, Tyshynski is dependent on friends. But she’s reluctant to lean on them because they already have trouble understanding how debilitating her lingering symptoms can be.
“I’ve had people pretty much insinuate that I’m lazy,” she says.
There’s no question that COVID-19 cut people off from one another. But for those like Tyshynski who have long COVID, that disconnect has never ended. It’s not just that symptoms including extreme fatigue and brain fog make it difficult to socialize; it’s that people who had COVID-19 and recovered are often skeptical that the condition is real.
At worst, as Tyshynski has discovered, people don’t take it seriously and accuse those who have it of exaggerating their health woes. In that way, long COVID can be as isolating as the original illness.
“Isolation in long COVID comes in various forms and it’s not primarily just that physical isolation,” says Yochai Re’em, MD, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City who has experienced long COVID and blogs about the condition for Psychology Today. “A different yet equally challenging type of isolation is the emotional isolation, where you need more emotional support, connection with other people who can appreciate what it is you are going through without putting their own needs and desires onto you — and that can be hard to find.”
It’s hard to find in part because of what Re’em sees as a collective belief that anyone who feels bad should be able to get better by exercising, researching, or going to a doctor.
“Society thinks you need to take some kind of action and usually that’s a physical action,” he says. “And that attitude is tremendously problematic in this illness because of the post-exertional malaise that people experience: When people exert themselves, their symptoms get worse. And so the action that people take can’t be that traditional action that we’re used to taking in our society.”
Long COVID patients often have their feelings invalidated not just by friends, loved ones, and extended family, but by health care providers. That can heighten feelings of isolation, particularly for people who live alone, says Jordan Anderson, DO, a neuropsychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
The first patients Anderson saw as part of OHSU’s long COVID program contracted the virus in February 2020. Because the program addresses both the physical and mental health components of the condition, Anderson has seen a lot of people whose emotional challenges are similar to those Tyshynski faces.
“I think there’s a lack of understanding that leads to people just not necessarily taking it seriously,” he says. “Plus, the symptoms of long COVID do wax and wane. They’re not static. So people can be feeling pretty good one day and be feeling terrible the next. There’s some predictability to it, but it’s not absolutely predictable. It can be difficult for people to understand.”
Both Anderson and Re’em stress that long COVID patients need to prioritize their own energy regardless of what they’re being told by those who don’t understand the illness. Anderson offers to speak to his patients’ spouses to educate them about the realities of the condition because, he says, “any kind of lack of awareness or understanding in a family member or close support could potentially isolate the person struggling with long COVID.”
Depending on how open-minded and motivated a friend or relative is, they might develop more empathy with time and education, Re’em says. But for others, dealing with a confusing, unfamiliar chronic illness can be overwhelming and provoke anxiety.
“The hopelessness is too much for them to sit with, so instead they say things like ‘just push through it,’ or ‘just do X, Y, and Z’ because psychologically it’s too much for them to take on that burden,’ he says.
The good news is that there are plenty of web-based support groups for people with long COVID, including Body Politic (which Re’em is affiliated with), Survivor Corps, and on Facebook. “The patient community with this illness is tremendous, absolutely tremendous,” Re’em says. “Those people can be found and they can support each other.”
Some long COVID clinics run groups, as do individual practitioners such as Re’em, although those can be challenging to join. For instance, Re’em’s are only for New York state residents.
The key to finding a group is to be patient, because finding the right one takes time and energy.
“There are support groups that exist, but they are not as prevalent as I would like them to be,” Anderson says.
OHSU had an educational support group run by a social worker affiliated with the long COVID hub, but when the social worker left the program, the program was put on hold.
There’s a psychotherapy group operating out of the psychiatry department, but the patients are recruited exclusively from Anderson’s clinic and access is limited.
“The services exist, but I think that generally they’re sparse and pretty geographically dependent,” Anderson says. “I think you’d probably more likely be able to find something like this in a city or an area that has an academic institution or a place with a lot of resources rather than out in a rural community.”
Tyshynski opted not to join a group for fear it would increase the depression and anxiety that she had even before developing long COVID. When she and her family joined a cancer support group when her father was ill, she found it more depressing than helpful. Where she has found support is from the co-founder of the animal rescue society where she volunteers, a woman who has had long COVID for more than 2 years and has been a source of comfort and advice.
It’s one of the rare reminders Tyshysnki has that even though she may live alone, she’s not completely alone. “Other people are going through this, too,” she says. “It helps to remember that.”
Newswise — “Volunteers” tasked with enforcing the Chinese Communist Party’s zero-covid policies have suffered from stress and anxiety, a new study shows.
Having to act as a “buffers” between disgruntled citizens and the Party’s image has led to “grassroots fatigue”, high workloads and people being put under intense pressure, researchers have found.
These members of residents committees are responsible for monitoring and tracing sick residents and enforcing quarantines, as well as administering vaccines and achieving centrally set vaccination targets.
Academics conducted 37 semi-structured interviews during summer 2021 in eight Shanghai estates in three districts. This included secretaries and directors from residents committees, government officials, representatives from property management companies and people who worked in party-community and social centres, as well as social workers, volunteers and residents.
They found an increasingly pressurized grassroots infrastructure, then exhausted after 18 months of mobilizational governance, in which party secretaries are required to shoulder ever greater workloads and manage increasingly hierarchical chains of command.
At the pandemic’s height, government officials were also sent into communities to assist with grassroots COVID management. In the second phase they went door-to-door providing information about the vaccine, alongside working in their usual party jobs. They were expected to do this voluntary work. One party worker described the work as ‘voluntary’, but when asked if she could choose not to go, she replied, ‘it seems like we cannot”.
One residents committee secretary told researchers: “Now it seems like the public is forcing Party members onto the moral high ground in all issues. It feels like, if you are a Party member, you have to do this. If you don’t, you will be ashamed of your title of Party member.”
The research, by Dr Catherine Owen from the University of Exeter and Xuan Qin from Fudan University, is published in the Journal of Chinese Political Science.
Dr Owen said: “Since Spring 2022, when Chinese citizens have become increasingly dissatisfied with the on-going commitment to zero-COVID, the high costs of resource mobilisation and the hierarchical chain of command have resulted in intensified workloads and intense pressure on local cadres, leading to grassroots fatigue.
“Following the emergence of Omicron and the hike in public dissatisfaction with the on-going lock-down policies it was the grassroots cadres that filtered out public discontents, protecting the Party’s overall image.”
Another residents committee secretary said: “Now the secretary and the director are under too much pressure. It’s just hard work, and the psychological pressure is too great. We have indicators for every job, including vaccination, and every residential area has a ranking every day. I’m too anxious to sleep at night. Because the city has indicators for the district, the district has indicators for the streets, and the streets have indicators for the residential areas, it is very anxiety-inducing”.
Researchers found tensions were created because higher-level authorities have asked for compulsory enforcement of policies at grassroot levels, but citizens are not formally required to comply. Local volunteers were told to meet vaccination targets, but mandatory vaccination was prohibited. This put the grassroots cadres in the impossible position of having to meet rigid targets without the authority to enforce the policy.
Dr Owen said: “Leeway for street-level bureaucrats to adapt or customise decisions from above during periods of campaign governance is very limited. The tension between the requirement for comprehensive compliance and the basic need for personal freedom is a result of top-level design, but it is experienced and negotiated at the grassroots level.”
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
On July 3rd, 2020, Bradi Nathan got the call no parent wants to receive: her son, Jack, had passed away at the age of nineteen. The prior evening, Jack had been at a friend’s birthday party and swallowed, what he thought, was a Percocet. The pill was laced with Fentanyl and he never woke up.
Bradi Nathan
Prior to Jack’s passing, he had created a company called Happy Jack, an online lifestyle brand and community designed for those struggling with mental illness. Jack had periodic bouts of depression and painting became his therapy. Happy Jack showcased the founder’s designs on apparel, with a portion of the proceeds going to mental health foundations. From the very first week of sales, Jack donated $1,000 to the Child Mind Institute.
Bradi chose to continue what Jack started to honor his legacy and to continue his mission.
“He wanted to change the world,” recalled Jack’s mom. “He wanted to make this world a better place by speaking openly and by letting other kids know that they were not alone.”
Bradi continues to use Jack’s designs on new product drops and has since donated $60,000 to mental health foundations like Active Minds, Born This Way, Release Recovery and the American Cancer Society. The path to donation is not an easy one: sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, site management, customer service and fulfillment were all roles that Bradi stepped into in her son’s absence.
“It’s funny when someone tells me that they contacted customer service,” revealed Bradi, “because I am customer service.”
Happy Jack is a family-run business welcoming advice and consults from experts as they grow the brand organically. Bradi and Jack’s father David would ultimately like to have a COO step in, gain financing and build a proper infrastructure. This would allow them the space to focus on personally sharing Jack’s story.
With the additional aid of Jack’s sister, Drew, the project has partnered with fraternities across the country to create fundraising events. Brand ambassadors across college campuses are enlisted to help create mental health awareness. Happy Jack has also conducted pop-up shops in spaces like WeWork and the Seaport District. These allow the family to meet and share stories with many who too are struggling.
“There was never a question as to whether or not I would continue Happy Jack,” added Bradi. “It seemed like the obvious thing to do.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee judge on Friday promised to rule quickly on a request for public access to records that detail the treatment of a death row prisoner who cut off his penis while on suicide watch in October.
In a lawsuit filed in Chancery Court in Nashville, inmate Henry Hodges accused the state of providing inadequate medical and mental health care.
The inmate, who was sentenced to die for the 1990 killing of a telephone repairman, also accused the state of cruel and unusual punishment for his treatment upon his return to the prison from the hospital. That included keeping him naked and tied down with restraints on a thin vinyl mattress over a concrete slab in a room where the lights were always on and there was no TV or radio.
Hodges was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where surgeons reattached his penis. After a few weeks in the hospital, he was returned to the prison. Hodges ended up having to return to the hospital to have his penis surgically removed after necrosis set in, according to court filings.
The state has asked for a court order that would protect broad categories of documents from public disclosure, including all video recordings of Hodges’ treatment while inside the prison. The Associated Press and the Nashville Banner are asking for those records to be open.
In court on Friday, Assistant Attorney General Dean Atyia argued that state law exempts certain categories of documents from public disclosure. Those include investigative reports, surveillance video, and other document directly related to the security of the prison.
The state has filed an affidavit by Ernest Lewis, the associate warden of security at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution, stating that public disclosure of the prison records “could pose a severe security risk to both inmates and staff.”
“We have to protect the public,” Atyia said. “We have to keep prison transportation safe, keep prison officials safe, keep contraband out of the prisons.”
Nashville Banner attorney Daniel Horwitz argued that the state’s assertions of a vague security risk and the single-page affidavit from Lewis are not nearly sufficient to justify keeping the records secret. Officials have to demonstrate specific harm that would come from release of specific documents, rather than broad, conclusory allegations.
“The state has concerns about prisoner transportation?” he said. “Great. Let us know where that is” in the videos.
Hodges’ attorney, Kelley Henry, spoke in favor of disclosure, saying that videos of the prison interior are already public on the Tennessee Department of Correction’s own YouTube channel.
“By putting it on the internet, that shows it doesn’t compromise safety and security,” she stated.
In addition, the videos refute the state’s version of events about Hodges’ actions and his treatment by prison officials, she said.
In addition, there is an exception to the statute that protects video and other records deemed to implicate security. They can be released in several cases, including where they show possible criminal activity, said Paul McAdoo, an attorney with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, who is representing The AP.
Henry, who has seen the videos in question, suggested in court that Hodges’ treatment by prison officials could be considered criminal, although she did not go into detail.
No official has been charged with a crime.
Prison security is important, McAdoo argued, but it is up to the judge to review the records the state wants to keep private and determine whether security is likely to be compromised by them.
Hodges has said he wants all the records open to the public, including his medical records. Atyia said they would not oppose the release of the medical records.
A Nashville jury convicted Hodges of murder in 1992 and sentenced him to death for the killing of the repairman, Ronald Bassett. Hodges also was sentenced to 40 years in prison for robbing Bassett.
Dec. 16, 2022 — Laken Brooks, a 27-year-old PhD student at the University of Florida, has dealt with the skin condition psoriasis since she was a preteen. It’s always been a painful and difficult condition to manage, but over the past several years, Brooks has struggled even more. She suspects her psoriasis is worse thanks to climate change.
“Each year, the summer seems to last a bit longer,” Brooks says. “When I first moved to Florida (5 years ago), I noticed that sunburn and sweat made my skin feel even itchier than normal. I tried to alleviate some of the symptoms by wearing hats and head scarves, and I expected that I would acclimate to the new climate. But it’s difficult to acclimate when each year, the temperatures continue going up and my skin can never really get accustomed to the Florida climate.”
Brooks is onto something — climate change is having increasingly bigger impacts on health. The seventh annual The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, released this fall, confirms that. The report, authored by nearly 100 experts from over 50 academic institutions and agencies, tracks the impact of climate change on global health. The 2022 version revealed that every year, in every region of the globe, climate change is undermining health.
The Lancet report this year identified four major harms from climate change: air quality, heat-related illness, infectious disease, and mental health.
Renee Salas, MD, of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is one of the report’s authors. She’s regularly sees how climate change is harming her patients’ health — especially those who cannot afford to mitigate its impacts.
“We had a patient present to the emergency room last summer with a core temperature of 106,” she explains. “He met the criteria for heat stroke. He and his wife lived in an upper story apartment with no access to A/C.”
Salas sees it as part of her responsibility to her patients to make the connections between climate change and health effects. Heat, in particular, is a palpable way for people to understand that connection, she says.
The impacts go beyond heat, however. “I have concerns about all of them,” says Salas. “And how climate change impacts a person will be impacted by how they live and the resources they have.”
Climate’s Impact on Mental Health
While heat might be the most obvious of harms people recognize from climate change, the mental health piece of the equation is likely the least. Susan Clayton, PhD, is a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio. She’s been studying the link between the two for several years and has written three papers on the subject, the first in 2014.
“We’re reaching a point where people express that they’re anxious about climate change, but they don’t recognize that as a mental health threat,” she says.
In her work on the subject, Clayton has identified four categories where climate change impacts mental health:
Increasingly severe weather events: As more people experience devastating weather events, more people are also experiencing PTSD, clinical anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
Slower changes: It doesn’t take a category 5 hurricane to dole out mental health harm. As temperatures rise higher than normal for longer periods of time, so too do the rates of suicide and psychiatric hospitalizations.
Involuntary displacement: Many people love and are rooted to where they live. As coastal flooding, wildfires, and other weather events displace them, they suffer deteriorating mental health.
Awareness of climate change: As everyone bears witness to climate change and become increasingly aware of its impacts, collective anxiety levels rise. For most people this is manageable, but it’s still harmful.
While talking about climate change and how it harms mental health can sometimes increase feelings of anxiety and other conditions, it’s an essential conversation to have, says Clayton. “When you’re overwhelmed and disempowered, it can be too much to cope with,” she explains. “But it can also encourage you to attend to the issue.”
Mitigation in the Meantime
As the data continues to pour out and demonstrate the link between climate change and health, it remains difficult for people to understand. For Salas, this can often be frustrating.
“I often have to walk upstream to understand what’s causing patients’ issues in the first place,” she says. “That’s why I do the work I do — I cannot just treat patients in the ER and call it good. That’s like putting a band aid on a bullet wound.”
Recognizing and pointing out that those in the line of fire are often those with fewer resources to change how climate is impacting their health is a starting point.
“We recognize that policy and higher-level decisions have drive these situations,” Salas says. “So I try to find the risks, educate patients, and then give them recommendations to protect themselves.”
This might look like suggesting a patient add an air filtration system in their home, or ensuring they have a back-up plan for using a nebulizer if the electricity is knocked out. The biggest message to get across, says Salas, is that health is harmed by what is happening “upstream.” “We need political and social will to change,” she says. “We’re beginning to see this — the health community is rising up and recognizing it as fundamental to the mission of medicine.”
For people like Brooks, who are not able to relocate now, the temporary fix is trying to minimize how climate change exacerbates existing conditions. “I have been able to mitigate some flare-ups by taking cool showers,” she says. “I don’t plan to live in Florida forever, but right now I don’t have the resources to transplant my life and move somewhere else.”
