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POSSIBILITIES Giles Period 3 Publications
February, 2017
“Oh the places you’ll go”
– Dr. Seuss
“College degree students that have traveled, are reported to earn 40% higher wages than their classmates that have not.”(health) Almstrong, Abigail. Cotton Candy Sky. 2016. Alberta, Canada.
February, 2017
By: Abigail Armstrong
H
ello, Bonjour, xin chào (sin jow), สวัสดี (S̄ wạs̄dī), (Nǐ hǎo), ( السالم عليكمalssalam ealaykum), (Kon'nichiwa), Hola, ជ"#បស&រ (chomreabsuor). When traveling you pick up and learn a lot of things, I just said Hello in nine different languages, English, French, Vietnamese, Thai, Mandarin (Chinese), Arabic, Japanese, Spanish and Khmer (language in Cambodia). Growing up overseas, traveling, has shown me a lot of things, it has shown me how to appreciate things that most people my age wouldn't and it has shaped me into the person I am today. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by other cultures every day. When I go back home, to Canada, I see how closed minded everyone can be. They don’t understand the same things that I do, because they have not seen what I have, and they don’t see everything the same way I do. Traveling has changed how I look at the world, and the people in it.
Importance of Travel Xenophobia is the fear, dislike, or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, strangers, or the customs, dress, etc, of people who are culturally different from oneself. In a lot of western countries, especially the U.S, people see nothing but stereotypes in other nationalities. According to media expert, Jack Shaheen, who has been researching for the past four decades how Arabs and Muslims are demonized in American pop culture, Muslim stereotyping is the worst it has ever been, even worse than after 9/11. Shaheen says that it is the Islamic State that is shaping how all Muslims and Arabs are viewed. This is why travel is so important, it teaches us things about life that we can not learn in a classroom, and it changes your thinking. And, to stop this, it is especially important to travel while you are young, because the younger you are when you learn about other cultures and customs the more they stays with you and you become a caring global citizens. As youngsters, we are far more willing to accept differences than when we get older and more set in our ways. In 1989, Dr. Michael H. Stitsworth, Associate Professor, Purdue University, studied a group of students from the U.S. that were studying abroad in
Japan. The study showed group of students that went over seas became more adaptable, independent and less conventional. These students also experienced an increase in personal growth, self-understanding, patience, and openness. Just think what the world would be like if people were more open to things. Kelman and Beilyn (1962) stated that, "Experience in a foreign country exposes an individual to a variety of influences that may challenge his existing attitudes and values” (p. 215).
Best Way to Travel Now, some people may be saying, ‘I have traveled,’ however, there is a difference between being totally immersed in, and experiencing the culture of another country first hand, than from seeing it from a fancy hotel room. If you stay in a hotel you won’t get to see any of the nitty gritty, the real deal, you won’t learn anything authentic about the culture. That's why when traveling you should do home stays, because the people that you stay with can sometimes show you more than a lot of fancy tours, and you can avoid the tourists traps. It gives you a chance to see the country like locals do. Servas.org, homestay.com and couchsurfing.com are all websites that allow you to travel and stay with people, and on top of it, it is either really cheap or
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous
February, 2017
Advantages of Travel
All three websites have a common goal, homestay.com was established in 1994, and “[aspires] to provide [an] authentic travel experiences, staying with locals in their homes.” couchsurfing.com started as a small passion project in 2004 because the creator “[envisioned] a world made better by travel and travel made richer by connection… [and having users foster] cultural exchange and mutual respect.” And last Servas.org, “the idea of Servas grew from a group of people calling themselves "Peacebuilders" in 1949 in Denmark. After the devastation of World War II……..the idea of a work-study travel system that made it possible for people of various nations to travel in a more thoughtful way, by visiting the homes of hosts offering hospitality. The first international meeting [was] in 1952…….Twenty years later, in 1972 Servas International was set up. with its registered office in Switzerland.”
After I got to a certain age in school, my school trips began to get, you could say, better. I started to travel to different countries, or different parts of the country I was living in, I got to learn about the locals and their cultures and customs. People who study abroad and /or travel are twice as likely to finish their college degree than students that do not and are reported higher earnings by 40% than their classmates that have not (health). This is because companies often look for people who speak more than one language. If you were for example working in business, in trade or something like that they would want someone who has traveled widely and who is familiar with other cultures and customs working for them. Go out and see the world, you may be shocked to see what is really going on out there. Learn, experience, explore, don’t just look at the world through the window of your luxurious hotel room, because there is more than what you see to that big world outside. Immerse yourself in other cultures, customs, traditions and more. Open your mind to new experiences and travel as much as possible. You have no idea what you’re missing. Bon voyage, as the French would say.
“It is not down in any map;
true places never are.” – Herman Melville.
Dr. Michael H. Stitsworth, in another study on exchange students, Stitsworth talks about the exchange program, and how its nothing like going on vacation, like most people think it is. “In most exchanges, students are immersed in the host society--trying to learn a new language, experiencing new and different values, and increasing their global understandings and responsibilities.” This is what travel should be like, actually seeing and experiencing the culture and surroundings of another country, not just from the window of your swanky hotel room.
“The world is a book, and those who do not
February, 2017
travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher
Dine All Day Magazine
Binging
Late nights in front of the fridge… daily, weekly, monthly, yearly… has it now become a habit?
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By: Alina Chan
here you go again! Standing in front of the fridge at (what time?) 11.38 pm, that’s right. Secretly removing the lid from that box of heart-shaped Godiva chocolates. Your muscles are tense because you are trying so hard to not make a sound and wake everyone up. Finally, the box is opened and you quickly pick up that piece of heart shaped hazelnut milk chocolate and stuff it in your mouth, but suddenly… Beep Beep Beep Beep… you quickly slam the fridge shut and run back to what you were doing outside of the kitchen, hoping you aren’t caught finishing half the box of Godiva chocolate within a few minutes. People often say that staying up late will make you “fat”. Many studies, for example, the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort study, reported that sleeping late consequences with a bigger appetite the next day, which makes you eat more and thus gain weight. Others say that staying up late means that you have to eat a late dinner, which also contributes to your weight. However, only a few will admit that staying up late allows them to binge eat without anyone knowing. I know, chocolate may be addicting (especially during those late night cravings), but is it to the point where you can’t stop thinking about it?
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Dine All Day Magazine
OVEREATING OR BINGE EATING?
There’s a difference between overeating, and binge eating (What?! There’s a difference?!) Yes, although they are similar, since 2013, Binge Eating is now a problem allowed for formal diagnosis. Those who overeat, often overeat during holidays or special occasions such as birthdays or christmas dinners. Overeating means that you would have more than one dessert after dinner, or finishing an entire box of popcorn during a movie. But for Binge Eating, it goes to a whole other level because it isn’t a one time thing, it gradually forms over a regular basis, through weeks and months. People who binge are usually embarrassed of the fact that they eat until they’re sick, so they don’t want to show it to their friends and family. It’s different than Bulimia, since those with Bulimia would vomit or do intensive exercises, which isn’t part of the Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Simply, Binge Eating is when you sneak chips or candy in room to finish it secretly, finish an entire cake in one sitting and feel disgusted afterwards or finish 3 cheese tarts after lunch even though you are already full. See the difference?
WHAT CAUSES THIS?
Have you ever heard of the term “stress eating”? Well, this is what Binge Eating stems from. You must be stressed about something to be “emotionally eating”, and if this stress is consistently part of your life, your once in awhile “binge” may grow into a daily habit and a Binge Eating Disorder. According to Dr. Christine Morgan, the CEO of the Butterfly Foundation that helps people with eating disorders and negative body image, she states that people who binge eat feel psychologically distanced from this horrible eating and feel disgusted afterwards.
“I couldn't stop until the food ran out or
Jenny
I felt sick” admits , a 47-year old who suffered from binge eating after her husband left her with two children after being together for 20 years. Due to the absence of her husband, she needed to work and provide for her children instead. Jenny would work from 6am to 4pm, and after work, she would come home and binge. A study by the New York Obesity Research Center have shown that there is a stress response that triggers binge eating.
Binge Eating is also caused by genes, stress, depression, loneliness and low-self esteem , for example after breakups or a stressful job. A study done by a psychologist Carlos Grilo, PhD from Yale reports that a third of the 101 BED patients suffered from psychological disturbances. Which shows how stress and mental illnesses by play a role in the causes of Binge Eating.
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Dine All Day Magazine
I’d buy food, hide it and eat when everyone else was asleep QUIZ UP!
YES NO
1. Do you often “overeat”? 2. Are you embarrassed from this? 3. Do you eat really quickly? 4. Do you wait for everyone to fall asleep before you indulge your “cheat meal”? 5. Have you ever lied to someone about your weight or your food portion? 6. Do you still eat even though you’re full? 7. Do you feel ashamed and disgusted after you eat?
- Lisa,
worked at a place where everyone had a thinner body frame than her.
And lastly, has this enormous “cheat meal” become something that you can’t control? YES NO
(Don’t worry, if you aren’t comfortable answering that then don’t, just take it into account of something to think about)
HOW DO I KNOW I HAVE IT? If most of your answers were ticked off in the “yes” box, then you should start taking a better look at your eating patterns. A study published by Dr. Krawczyk and Dr. McAdams in the journal, social cognitive and affective neuroscience showed that women with anorexia nervosa compared to a women without an eating disorder, have different brain activities. Dr. Kaye reports that the brain functions contribute to the control of appetite and other symptoms, thus, leads to uncontrollable eating. So take a moment to think about the questions that you’ve just answered above. If they are mostly “yes’s”, then take a step back to reflect about your eating habits, and let’s see what you can do about it.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ME? Lisa, gained 30kg in a few months, since people with BED don’t burn off or vomit their excess calories, the fat builds up, and the person will rapidly gain weight. Normally, a human diet requires around 1,500-3000 calories; however, one binge eater may eat from 1,000-10,000 calories in one sitting… (shocking right?) A study by a psychiatrist Stewart Agras, MD from Stanford explains that those who suffer from Binge Eating disorders have a higher chance of benefiting from weight loss. This means that those who suffer from BED are often obese, due to the huge amount of calories they intake, thus the most significant effect would be weight gain. However, not all people who obese suffer from BED. A huge amount of weight gain is a bad sign, because this could lead to high cholesterol and heart diseases. It doesn’t only happen in adults, but teenagers can experience them as well.
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Keep a food journal to keep track of all the foods you eat and notice patterns
TIPS!
Go see a psychologist because they will be able to recommend you with tips that may suit you the best, or make you think positive
Think positive, body image isn’t everything, stay true to yourself and to others
Eat normal meals and snack accordingly, rather than wanting to always snack on something
Reflect upon why… why you are depressed or stressed or nervous?
So now you know… So now you know, Binge Eating isn’t some random joke that people like to make up… it is actually a serious problem. Some of us like to pretend that we don’t do it, because we are all afraid of exposing ourselves to others about an “eating” problem. But please, don’t be afraid… there are many more people who are facing the same problem as you, so don’t be shy and seek for help. Even if your cravings really get to you, you have to remember that your health and you real heart is so much more important than that heart shaped milk chocolate hazelnut Godiva sitting in your fridge.
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The Truth Behind Posture
Being hunched over may be comfortable for the time being - but what
is it doing to your health in the long run? It’s the first day of school, you just gave yourself a mini pep talk, and now you’re hyped and ready to stroll on into math class. But, just as you’re opening the door to a sea of new faces, you feel something tug on your shoe and before you know it you’re lying face down on the floor with your pencils and books scattered around you. So now what? You gather your books, pull yourself together and stand back up but there's something different about you. You’re more bent over, your shoulders are rolled forward, your chin is tucked down, and now everyone can tell from your posture that you’re embarrassed.
If you’re a teenager in high school like me, then chances are, your posture isn’t something you think about much. I mean I’m sure we’ve all heard at least one speech about it from your mom telling you to stand up straight and keep your shoulders back. But, between dealing with school, family, friends, sports, and other things possibly going on in our lives, it can be hard to do and the whole idea of having good posture can easily fall to the bottom of your list of priorities.
So why is this a bad thing? Just like how you’re feeling affects your posture, your posture can also affect how you’re feeling. Not only that but posture also plays a part in how others think of you and how healthy you are physically in terms of your back and your whole body overall.
Why It’s So Common The idea of good posture is nothing new but recently it has become a much bigger problem than before, especially for the newer generations like millennials. According to Karen Fittall who has been a health journalist for over 18 years,“Using a tablet computer puts up to five times more strain on Psychology Today
neck muscles, because of the posture we adopt when we use them - head forward and shoulders hunched,” So, considering the amount of time so many people spend just sitting at a desk on a computer throughout the day, it is no surprise that at least one in two people who use computers for work have a spinal deformity called kyphosis or the excessive curving of their back.
Physical Effects With good posture, your body is able to align and grow correctly. Your spine is strong and everything can work properly. But without it, your muscles have to become strained in order to hold yourself up. Over time this can lead to neck and back pains as well as numerous possible back problems including kyphosis as mentioned previously and scoliosis which is when the spine is curved laterally.
Being crouched over all the time also pushes all of your vital organs together so that over time they are no longer able to function at an optimal level. “Having poor posture can adversely affect many different systems in the body, including the nerves leading to the digestive organs,” says Chris James, an expert in body alignment. “If the body’s ability to break down food is impaired, it can lead to an accumulation of toxins. This may affect the thyroid, causing weight gain, bloating, hormonal imbalance and even the health of our skin and hair.”
There are many factors that can play a part in causing headaches but one possible cause I bet you normally don’t think of when you get one is, you guessed it, posture. “I will get teenagers in with headaches and nine times out of ten, February 15, 2017
it’s posture related,”says Sue Daughhetee, a physical therapist at St.Francis Medical Center Outpatient Clinic. Bad posture can cause tension in the neck, shoulders, and back resulting in that uncomfortable tight feeling around your head.
Mental and Emotional Effects It can be easy to tell through someone's posture and body language if they are feeling sad, happy, scared, etc. because how you are feeling directly affects how you carry yourself but studies show that the opposite is also true. How you align your body and carry yourself can also have a direct effect on how you feel. In a study that was published by Health Psychology, 74 participants were randomly told
How to Achieve Good Posture When you are standing, make sure that your shoulders are back, your head is up and in line with the rest of your body, and you feet are roughly shoulder width a p a r t . Yo u r e a r s , shoulders, ribs, hips, and feet should all be in a straight line.
When sitting, a lot of the same things apply except that your elbows should be bent at
“Children as young as seven are suffering from back problems due to poor posture” - body alignment expert Chris James
to either sit with posture that had a slouched position or an upright position. Afterwards, the participants were told to perform a series of tasks with the same posture that was previously assigned to them. By the end of the experiment, the participants that had adopted good posture reported higher levels of selfesteem, lessened fear, and a better mood compared to the participants who had had poor posture. When you sit a certain way so that you are slouched over and making yourself small, it is often because you are sad and not feeling so well but it is also true that part of the reason you feel sad is because you are sitting that way. So by paying attention to your posture and changing it so that you are upright and correctly aligned, you are actually changing your body chemistry and making yourself feel better.
around a 90 degree angle so that they are parallel to the floor and your thighs. Also your legs should not be crossed and the bottom your feet should be flat against the floor.
It’s really important to make sure to follow these guidelines but it is also equally if not even more important to move around and not stand or sit in the same position for too long. Although adopting this new way of sitting and standing may feel uncomfortable at first if you’re used to being hunched over all the time, after awhile it will become like second nature to you and you won’t even have to think about it anymore.
Change in How Others Perceive You Posture also communicates to other people how you are feeling and what you think of yourself. “Bad posture to me says I don’t care about myself and don’t care about how I look or my outcome. Good posture conveys that I care about myself, who I am and how others think about me. It conveys that even if others don’t like what they think of me, I’m OK with that.” says physical therapist Sue Daughetee. Even if you don’t feel that way at that moment, standing up straight with good posture, will make you come off as more confident, energetic, and likeable.
It can definitely be hard to break old habits but it is completely worth all the health benefits and improving your posture is something that everyone can and should do. Just by changing how you stand, sit, and carry yourself, you can change the course of your physical health, how you feel emotionally and mentally, and even how others see you.
Psychology Today
February 15, 2017
ANGIE WINTER
FEBRUARY 6, 2017
The Travel Benefits Why leaving home can help you in many ways
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raveling. Everyone loves to do it but not everyone might enjoy those long plane rides. Nevertheless I’m sure that everyone loves the feeling of seeing a new city for the first time or stepping into a different culture than the ones we are used to at home. Traveling gives you the experience that you can’t gain while you are in your country. It enables you to create memories and experiences that would last a lifetime. Not only that but it also provides you with a tremendous amount of health benefits.
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research shows that regular walking actually modifies your nervous system so much that you'll experience a decrease in anger and hostility
The Travel Benefits
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NYC, USA
MENTAL HEALTH You might ask: why is traveling actually good for my health? Well to answer your (or my) question, traveling has been linked to lowering mental illnesses such as depression. According to a 2005 study done by the PassportHealth, a travel medicine service, showed a remarkably reduced risk of depression among 15,000 women. I for once have experienced this first hand. When I was little I didn’t have the nicest group of friends which lead to me not being my happiest at school which became very obvious to my parents. My dad had thought that maybe sending me off to my cousins for a few weeks in the summer would boost up my mood and overall happiness due to the fact that we were the same age and were interested in the same things. My parents planned it out and the day finally came where I would leave the place where I wasn’t my happiest to the place my parents thought was perfect for me, Germany. A place I consider myself happiest. When I arrived I could feel my eyes getting smaller (curse me for being asian) while I had the biggest smile on my face, therefor I knew that I was instantly thrilled to be with my family members that I was actually meeting for the first time. Everything felt so new to me at the time and I was so curious to see what these few weeks would bring. Now that brings us to the question why? Why was I so excited to be in a different place that’s not my home? The answer according to M. Farouk Radwan, a MSc graduate, states that “We human beings absorb inputs through our senses. When something gets seen for the first time it usually appears much more exciting because of the following reasons: one it’s unpredictable and 2. It’s mysterious.” Which if you think about makes a lot of sense because everyone has their own sense of curiosity and eagerness.
PHYSICAL HEALTH Traveling is one of the best things we can do for ourselves because of the permanence that it affects the 5 dimensions of our health. However how does it actually benefit our physical health? A study done by Brooks B. Gump and Karen A. Matthews states that men who do not regularly take a vacation are 30% more likely to have a heart attack. Relatively men who do travel or go on vacation are actually 21% less likely to receive a heart attack. This might be a shock to some people but if you look closely these statistics are very self explanatory. Travelers tend to be more active due to the fact that they’re in a new place and one does want to explore the city, however if you’re at home you are most likely going to be sitting by your table doing work and are unmotivated to go out for a walk because you see the same things every single day. According to another study done by the World Heart Federation just 30 minutes of walking or any type of exercise can lower your risk of a heart attack by up to 50 percent (oh my god! I bet you just wrote down your workout plans for the next 3 months just because of this fact!).
The Travel Benefits
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POON HILL, NEPAL
SOCIAL HEALTH As you can already imagine being able to travel with one of your best friends, partner or family will benefit you for a tremendous amount of reasons such as; you make amazing memories together plus you grow closer and you have to literally spend every day with the person you’re with. A survey done by the U.S. Travel Association reveals that up to 53% of families believe that their yearly vacationing brings them closer together and up to 64% of the families admit to creating long lasting memories that they’ll never forget while vacationing with their families. Nevertheless traveling doesn’t only benefit families but also couples. A different survey that has also been conducted by the U.S. Travel Association in 2012 proclaim that up to 94% of the couples who travel together feel closer together since they have to spend every minute with their significant other whether it’s on the plane or in a hotel room. Furthermore up to 86% of the couples who do not travel together revealed the opposite, meaning that they don’t feel as close to their significant other at all due to work and etc. Couples who travel together believe that travel positively impacts their relationship in a number of different ways, up to 67% of respondents believe that their relationship is improved after traveling or going on a weekend getaway.
SPIRITUAL HEALTH A lot of people tend to forget how important your spiritual health can be. Setting personal goals to improve yourself and calming your mind can come in handy for a brighter future. An amazing way to improve this dimension of health is (you guessed it) traveling! According to the Illinois State University taking time off for yourself to travel to a comforting place such as flying back home or going to a new city can do so much for you and your mind. Up to 86% of people state that they have a more positive outlook on life due to traveling. When you are at a place where you feel peaceful your mind can keep out the interruptions and let you rest or as people like to call it meditating. After clearing your mind you’ll have a better connection with yourself which is an important factor for leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Some other activities to take part in when on a trip can be exercising or speaking with strangers and sharing your story.
YOSEMETIE, USA
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The Travel Benefits
Now that I have convinced you that traveling is good for your health and you should do it more you might think I’m too poor to travel. Let me tell you now that there is no such thing as being ‘too poor to travel’ because everyone can. You just have to find the right way to travel that matches your style. So without further ado here are 3 ways to travel on a budget.
1. Hostels
2. Couchsurfing
3. Walk Walk Walk
Staying at a hostel might not be the most comfortable choice compared to a hotel or motel but I can assure you that it’s cheap. If you decide to stay at a hostel you can look forward to making new friends. Some hostel even offer a deal of only 5$ per night so you never have to stress about finding the cheapest hotel!
If you’re not up for hostels you can always turn to couch surfing, it connects you, the traveler, with locals who are willing to let you stay in their home for free! This might seem sketchy to you but hey at least it’s free. However you really can’t be picky when it comes to couch surfing because you might end up sleeping on a couch or even an air mattress but at least everything will be free (which is obviously all we care about)
Walking is the best way to get to know a city. It gives you a chance to experience the local cafes and markets that you can’t come across while in a car plus it’s an amazing way to keep yourself active on your journey. With only 30 minutes of walking per day, it can drastically improve your mood. Dr. Melina Jampolis, the author of The Calendar Diet conveys the fact that "research shows that regular walking actually modifies your nervous system so much that you'll experience a decrease in anger and hostility."
Ultimately traveling benefits all dimensions of health whether it would be mental, social, spiritual or social. So I highly encourage you to book a flight, find a place to stay and start exploring the city by foot. TOKYO, JAPAN
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The Travel Benefits
February 6, 2017
What's Wrong with Being Confident?
Instagram, Facebook, and Photoshop are all things that make us feel better about our lives but how do they affect our selfconfidence? As I entered my favorite clothing store, I saw her. Looking at the gorgeous human specimen, I muttered to myself “she has a such beautiful, skinny, perfect body”. I wished I were her. To me she might just be an image behind glass, but I knew I could never have that body. There is a reason stores choose beautiful people to advertise to their customers. It made me think… Am I ugly? Demi Lovato, an actress we all loved growing up, is not as perfect as we may think. She too struggled with self-confidence issues due to the media's portrayal of her. Lovato felt the need to look perfect for her fans. This extreme low self-esteem led to the beginning of a bad habit, cutting herself - “I was matching the insides to the outsides,” says Lovato on Good Morning America. Overcoming her self-confidence issues led her to become a voice for women everywhere. With her song ‘Confident’ listeners hear an imperative message, “What’s wrong with being confident?” Needing Approval As an active user of Instagram, I know what it is like to compete for likes. However, when I received a snapchat from my friend saying “go like all my pictures on Instagram” I was a little taken aback. Sure, having a lot of likes on a picture makes Claire Sherwood
you feel good, but why do likes matter to us? “Approval from others gives us higher sense of self-esteem. We’re convinced that their recognition matters to our self-worth and how deeply we value ourselves,” said Tom Ferry, CEO of YourCoach. Likes on a picture do not define beauty or popularity. Researchers from the Institut Pluridisciplinaire de Hubert Curien conducted an experiment that found that the more time we spend on social media comparing ourselves to others, the more depressed and insecure we become. On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr people are always in competition with each other for likes. Looking at these seemingly gorgeous people and photos online make us feel less beautiful. Another study done by psychologist Ethan Kross, of The University of Michigan, evaluated people’s overall happiness based on their usage of Facebook. The study showed that the more time people spent on social media, the more they reported the feeling of being depressed and lonely. Kross concluded that by looking at pictures of others being happy the subjects in the study felt like they had little to show the world. Confidence doesn’t come from likes, it comes from within. It may sound corny, but it’s true. !1
February 6, 2017
Photoshopping Our Lives Looking back to the model in the window, I now know that seemingly beautiful girl was photoshopped. No matter what magazine you look through, or poster you see, most of it has been retouched in some way or another. Whether it be brightening someone’s face or getting rid of a person’s cellulite, nearly 100% of what we see is photoshopped. High school students are the most self conscious of the lot. With pressure from social media to be skinny, 44% of girls and 15% of boys have tried to lose weight in their lives. Half of the girl population feels too fat to be pretty. Now if that doesn’t say anything about how messed up our world is, I don’t know what does. Zendaya, a young woman who is famous for her feminist ways was, without consent, photoshopped by Modeliste. Speaking out against the magazine she said, "These are the things that make women self conscious, that create the unrealistic ideals of beauty that we have". This inspiring 20 year old made an important point. Now take a page from Zendaya’s book and be yourself on social media.
1. It may sound cheesy, but looking at yourself in the mirror and simply saying “I look good today” can brighten your mood. 2. Pamper yourself. Go out and get your nails done or get a haircut. Simply cutting off your hair, or maybe even dying it blue can make you feel like you are restarting. Rocking some new hair can make you feel more confident and powerful. 3. Thinking positively! Everyone may tell you “look on the bright side,” but there is a reason why. Positive thinking can lead to a better outlook on life and thus, resulting in a better self-image.
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance” ~ Oscar Wilde According to DoSomething.org, an organization on helping young teens, 7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough physically. Due to the stigma created by magazines all over the world, young teens believe they aren’t beautiful when compared to others. Loving Yourself Now some of you may feel ugly, and so did I for a while. I was a short girl with mousy straight hair and my eyes weren’t the same distance from my nose (I even measured). I was praying puberty would hit me like a bus and fix the mess that was my body. And I can’t say that I’m gorgeous by any means, but I learned to love my body. How can you? Claire Sherwood
4. Being generous. One simple action can make the world of a difference. Sure, getting presents is fun but giving to others is more rewarding and enjoyable. Giving to those in need brings smiles to faces who need it the most. 5. Smile. Smiling has been physiologically proven, by Adrian Furnham Ph.D., from the University of College London, to brighten your mood and make you happier. This may sound like some evil trick but it can lead you to feel legitimate joy. So, I ask you, what is wrong with being confident?
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CHANGE THAT BAD HABIT FOR GOOD Healthy Living
How To: Fixing Bad Habits With Five Simple Steps
dopamine every time we complete a habit, which is the reason why it’s so hard February 7, 2017 to stop a habit.” Bad habits are as addictive as drugs, except amped up. A lot more amped up. According to Patricia A. Farrell, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Englewood, N.J. and author of How to Be your Own Therapist, 88% of the people that she surveyed admitted to failing to fix their bad habit (it’s ok, you’re not the only one that had to read that number twice).
By David Lim
Y
ou come home with bundles of work after a long day. As you drop the heavy packets of paper that you need to fill out on your desk, you notice out the corner of your eye a TV remote resting on the top of your desk, waiting to be used. You ignore the remote and set your mind on completing the assignments. However a few minutes later, you find yourself on your couch browsing through TV shows just like yesterday, and the day before. As guilt overwhelms you, you promise yourself that you will never make the same decision ever again. But will that promise be kept? These bad habits are never temporary, they’re here to stay. But you’re not alone. People all around the world are suffering the same fate as you. No matter what these habits may be, we’ve all tried to break some form of a bad habit out of our own good will, but come on, who here has actually accomplished in breaking a bad habit? So, why is it so hard to break these plaguing habits? When we undergo a habit, such as eating unhealthy food, a reward system is triggered in our brain. In an article written by Brandon Ambrosino, he mentions that a chemical reaction takes place in our brains when we go through with a habit. As the professor and chair of the Department of Living Psychological and Brain Sciences February in John7, 2017 Healthy Hopkins University would put it, “our brains release
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Kieran Babra An ISB Student Trying to Break a Bad Habit
“98 out of 100 people have reported to be ‘diagnosed’ with at least one bad habit that occurs on a daily basis” - Rubin Gretchen You may be wondering, ‘so what if I have a bad habit? What’s so bad about that?’ Well, the World Health Organization stated that in 2012, that 78% of Americans suffered severe health diseases such as obesity along with mental health issues like depression because of bad habits. These health problems were all statistically due to daily unhealthy routines. For example, if you are known to have poor nutrition (and this happens every day), you could become overweight and obtain high blood pressure. Therefore, it is crucial to fix that bad habit and live a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Healthy Living
habits such as smoking, drinking and poor nutrition can lead to a variety of different cancers. If you want to save yourself, start by fixing a bad habit. What if your bad habit is not directly related to nutrition? Why should you change it? In a recent study on a group of 45 teenagers conducted by Tim Pychyl, an associate professor at Carleton University, showed that teenagers that procrastinate on a daily basis have a significantly lower GPA in comparison to the teenagers that don’t procrastinate or procrastinate at a minimal frequency. Although a study of this kind wasn’t done on adults, it can easily be said that adults would face a similar fate (procrastination will take a negative toll on their career). Bad habits such as distracting yourself while studying, can lead to the inevitable downfall of your academic career. This alone should be enough incentive to get you to change your February 7, 2017
What habit are you trying to break? Also, why are you doing this? Well a bad habit that I have had for a long time is being inactive or lazy. I want to become more active and fit. I believe that this change will benefit me in many ways, such as my health. How long have you been trying? It has been 2 weeks so far, and I have made outstanding progress. My fitness grades in P.E. have improved drastically after this change. As you mentioned in this article, when I reach 21 days, I am confident that I will achieve my goal. What technique seems to work best for you? For me, the most important step was noticing my issue with inactivity. As soon as I noticed it, I took action. I set up realistic goals and made sure I had back-up plans. 2
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bad habit! Now, the essential question must be discussed: Now that we know why we should break a bad habit, how do we do it? Only the professionals seem to successfully put down a bad habit. And as for us, the non-professionals, very little hope exists. However, after countless hours of research, I have collected a step by step list that could successfully eradicate all these bad habits! After only 21 days of hard work (I can guarantee that number from personal experience, as I have successfully eradicated my bad habit of poor nutrition in exactly 21 days), you will be able to say goodbye to those pathetic habits and you will be introduced to a balanced, and suitable lifestyle.
response, or is it because you want to live a healthier life? It is essential to have a good motivation or incentive. This way, you will be far more committed to fixing your bad habit. For instance, fixing a bad habit because someone else told you to (oh the irony) or to fit into some sort of social norm is usually not such a great source of motivation. “Too many young girls in 2016 are changing themselves to be ‘cooler,’ says Shirley Wang, a health and science reporter from The Wall Street Journal’s London Office.
Identify the Bad Habit This is the very first step that you MUST complete before doing anything else, and can be painfully underestimated. Rubin Gretchen, the author of the Better than Before: What I learned about making and Breaking Habits, highlights this step to be the most important out of all. Identify your bad habit and then create a realistic and measurable goal to end that habit. Make sure it is realistic enough, your goal shouldn’t be to do 300 pushups everyday to get fitter, because let’s be serious, who would want to do that? Here, let me give you an example: Want to have better study habits? Just get rid of distracting items in your study space. Pew Research Center indicates that 79% of students who study at home are logged into their cell phones.
Think Realistic This step is similar to the first one. You want to know who you really are to set an appropriate and realistic goal. For instance, if you’re not a morning person, then don’t set a goal that requires you to run in the morning! An unrealistic goal is inevitable for failure.
Re-evaluate Your Motivation Jessica Migala says that this question should stick in your mind as you attempt to fix your bad habit: “Why do you stick to this goal?” Does it make you feel better, is it a social
You Are Not Perfect This may be alarming to all you perfectionists out there, but things are bound to go wrong along the way. You will inevitably encounter an obstacle that will stand in the way between you and fixing your bad habit, so make sure to
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have an if-then plan, suggests Denise Mann. For example, if you’re goal is to eat healthy and you encounter a mountain of delicious-looking cupcakes, think to yourself, ‘I will take only ONE cupcake and walk away.’ Retrace it Remember, you’re never quite done after you fix a bad habit. As our bad-habit-expert Rubin would put it, “Don’t think of it as a finish line. Consider it to be one of the many milestones that you must accomplish.” Get out there and fix more bad habits! Take Rich Roll as an example. He is known all around the world as the “fat dad to ultra-fit father.” He didn’t achieve that title for nothing. He is the prime example showing that it is possible to fix your bad habits and live a healthy lifestyle! According to Christian DuChateau at the age of 40,
Rich had a ‘moment of clarity’ and the fear of getting a heart attack drove him to improve his lifestyle and drop his bad habit of being lazy and unfit. “You have to put your mind to it. Just identify your problem, and roll (nice pun, Rich) with it,” states Rich Roll. Now, with all the information that I have provided, you now have the hope and the power to start living a healthier lifestyle. The next time you see the TV remote laying on top of your desk, remember this article and resist the temptation!
Rich Roll’s Before and After Photos
Young Adults (Ages 18-39) Engaging in Bad Habits (%)
Physical Inactivity
Smoking
UK
63 USA
40
France
32
Japan
60 Healthy Living
UK
24 USA
29
France
31
*These numbers were provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) February 7, 2017
Japan
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Living a Lie Many children live their lives without knowing they’re emotionally abused, are you one? All photos are taken and credited by Emma Turner
Nobody Should Be Abused As a young child, being exposed to emotions and decision making is a challenge. If you choose to eat a cookie before dinner, you get scolded. If you choose to eat it after, you get praised. In your head, you’ve done nothing wrong. You see the cookie, and you’re going to eat it either way, so having it before or after dinner doesn’t seem relevant. You don’t see the difference. These situations come up in your life repeatedly, and sometimes choosing the “wrong” one gets you hurt, surprisingly by those who are closest to you. Parent’s don't realize it, but they influence their children the most. In doing so, they inflict emotional and physical abuse as a “punishment”.
In its Truest Forms
Emotional abuse comes in different forms. According to the HM Government (2015) London: Department for Education (DfE), it is “the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on t h e c h i l d ’s e m o t i o n a l development.” In basic words, this is saying that constant negativity towards a child can cause them to grow up in a ‘poisoned’ mindset.
It is either projected by making them feel they’re worthless or unloved, by not giving the child opportunities to express themselves and their views, and ‘taunting’ or silencing them and of what they say or communicate. It may also be expressed by having inappropriate expectations that are imposed onto the child, which includes tasks that are beyond their capability, as well as overprotection and having them locked inside a ‘cage’ for an excessive amount of time.
Seeing Past the Eyes There are two noticeable forms of emotional abuse. There are Passive and Active. Passive abuse is when a parent or carer denies their child the love and care they need in order to be healthy and happy. It’s harder to spot than active abuse, mainly due to it targeting their mental state.
There are many factors as to why adults choose to abuse their children. They may be engulfed with stress, tension, or worries which steers their focus away from providing emotional love and support that a child needs. They may also have experienced similar or worse actions when
Active abuse primarily targets the child’s physical body. These two forms of emotional abuse are equally as damaging towards the child’s development, and both have motives in order for the adult to perform them. According to the NSPCC, emotional abuse can include, “humiliation, threatening, sarcasm, blame, degrading acts, ignorance, manipulation, emotional neglect, and others”. More than often, parents will show signs of passive abuse by not being connected with the child, having low opinions, expecting the child perform tasks that they are not emotionally mature enough to perform, relying on their child to fulfill their needs, and not giving the proper encouragement for a child to make friends and have a social life.
they were a child, which highly affects the way they look after their own children. Parents might a l s o h a v e a d i ff i c u l t t i m e understanding why a child is behaving a certain way, and they can react negatively. Emotional abuse may also be caused by a
poor bonding or relationship between a parent and their child.
Don’t Blame Yourself
“My father often unintentionally compares me to other kids, and at times it feels like it’s less about my There are many things you can do if you or a friend are experiencing emotional abuse. You can share the situation with an elder member of your family. They are the ones who support the family through all of the harsh times and also guide the members of the family through difficult situations. They will always provide their support to any family member who needs it. They will never reject or cause harm towards you, and will do anything in their power to solve the trouble. You can also express your emotions with someone you’re comfortable with. If you trust someone with all of your heart, like a best friend or a partner, try to discuss the problem. Keeping emotions inside can lead to a lot of problems, which can affect you both mentally and physically and can also lead to depression. Sharing emotions will at least not make you feel alone and the presence of somebody that is there for you.
feelings, but more about his social status. It feels as if he doesn’t see me as his child sometimes, which doesn’t feel very good.” A young girl speaks about how she feels targeted by her family, and how it makes her feel as if she’s not his own child.
A majority of the time, the victim of abuse blames themselves for the behavior of their parents. They think that it may be because of their attitude, they are not being treated properly. The feeling of doing something wrong tends to build up inside, and not only does that lower self confidence, it can also lead to other problems which can make the victim mentally sick. Not blaming yourself will help with coping with the situation. You can also keep yourself busy outside of home, which will help bring happiness back into your life. Spending time away from a negative environment will help you become confident in standing up to the problem. You can also stand against it, which means you advocate for people who are victims of child abuse, you can ignore what your parents are saying, and remind yourself that what they’re saying is out of anger and stress. Try not to lose your patience and temper either, that will only cause you to develop into the person you don’t want to be. Overall, these options will help you with learning how to deal with different situations. If you don’t want to become your parents, work hard for it and don’t. It will make you better.
Emotional abuse is seen as less serious than other forms of abuse and neglect because it has no immediate effects. Although, over time emotional abuse can have serious long term effects on a child’s social, emotional, and physical health and development. A child who is being emotionally abused may develop risk taking behaviors such as stealing, bullying, and running away. It can also increase the risk of a child developing mental health problems, eating disorders or self-harming. Experiences they’ve witnessed when they’re a baby or toddler can affect them throughout their life. There is a link between emotional abuse in early years and a child developing problems with eating or language. As the child becomes older, the effects can become more serious. Teenagers who have been emotionally abused over a long period of time are more likely to self-harm and experience depression than children who are not emotionally abused. It can also restrict a child’s emotional development, including their ability to feel and express a full range of emotions, and to control them.
Children who grow up in homes where they are constantly berated and belittled may experience selfconfidence and anger problems. Children who don’t get the love and care they need from their parents may find it difficult to develop and maintain healthy relationships with other people later in life. Adults who have been emotionally abused as children have a much lower satisfaction with life and higher level
of depression and health problems compared to those who have experienced a different form of child abuse. Emotional abuse can cause a child to change the way that they behave. They might not care how they act or what happens to them, which is also known as negative impulsive behavior. Contradicting, they may try to make people dislike them, which is called self-isolating behavior.
“Sometimes I feel as if my parents abuse me verbally, but not to the extreme. Meaning, they add pressure on me at times and they are the main source of my stress. Sometimes, I wish I could escape because it feels like they don’t give me personal space or privacy.” A young boy talks about how he feels as if his parents abuse him verbally, by adding pressure and they’re his main source of stress. He feels like he wants to escape because of their actions.
Hungry Times Magazine
A Berry Good Choice How Acai berries are extremely beneficial towards your health By Ginnie Na-Eak
T
hanks to Oprah, this South
American fruit has become a trending ingredient for snacks, adding a sweet and sour flavor. Most importantly, it provides a vibrant magenta color to the dish (which everybody loves). Many of you may have heard of acai bowls or acai smoothies. The beautiful color of the berry captures people's attention-- or as many of you may call it, “Instagram-worthy”. Perfect for colorful feeds and video blogs. Adding on to what I mentioned before, its flavor creates a refreshing taste (especially in smoothie form), which is perfect for people who are living in a tropical location (like me).
On December 11, 2010, Oprah discussed about the desired fruit, acai berries on the Dr. Oz show. And I agree that this fruit “should be in your refrigerator”. After being marketed on the show, the fruit gained a lot of fame from the viewers, resulting it to be considered as a fruit that is taking over social media. If Oprah recommends it, then it would probably be good, right?
“Acai berries are great and powerful and it also had twice the antioxidant content as a blueberry” - Dr. Mehmet Oz, a health expert from “The Oprah Winfrey Show”.
This fruit is not only super appetizing, but it is also a superfood, meaning that it is extremely beneficial to your health. Consuming it daily can help you improve in areas such as your physical looks and it can also be a cure to damages in your inner body parts and diseases, such as those that exists in the heart. What more would you want from a fruit?
Photograph by Alina Chan
Hungry Times Magazine
When it comes to fruits, I am extremely picky. I can say that I despise fruits. Even with cheesecakes, I would rather eat it plain than with strawberry sauce trickled on top. During summer, I was dragged by a friend to a popular brunch place called “Brekkie”. This cafe is particularly famous for their acai smoothie bowls. When my friend ordered a bowl, I was quite grossed out considering that it’s a mixture of fruits-ew-- and most importantly they added bananas into it (which I hate the most). Its presentation may have looked appetizing, but my mind was not up for the risk. My friend dug into the bowl using her spoon the second the waiter placed it on the table. Her face brightened with excitement after the first bite. From there, she raised a spoon of the smoothie to my face, attempting to get me to eat that fruity snack.
“This is seriously good,” she promoted. “C’mon, Ginnie, what would it hurt?” After multiple attempts, I considered trying it (because I won’t hurt if I tried. After all fruits are healthy). I took a small spoon and scooped the smoothie into my mouth. I did not spit it out nor raced to dilute the taste with water. My face glowed with excitement. The taste was heavenly. Its sweet and sour taste remained on my taste buds for a while. I couldn’t resist and took another scoop of it, but this time using a bigger spoon. Weird, right? I never would’ve ever imagined myself liking a fruit. Though it was hard to admit that I like acai berries, it was even harder to admit that my friend was right; this fruit was worth tasting.
Photograph by Alina Chan
Hungry Times Magazine
DIY Acai Smoothie Bowl Ingredients 1 cups Acai berries(obviously) 1 Frozen banana ½ cup of strawberries ½ cup of blueberries ½ cup of milk
Toppings (Optional) • • • • •
1/2 a banana (sliced) ¼ cup of blueberries 3 strawberries (sliced in half) ¼ cup of granola or nuts (or both) 1 spoon of honey drizzled on top
Steps 1. Prepare the ingredients and the materials 2. Add the various berries to the blender and blend it at low speed 3. Next, add the banana and gradually increase the speed to medium 4. Then, add the cup of milk and continue to blend the mixture, at medium speed, until it creates a smooth texture
Make sure to snap a picture when you’re done because you never know when it will come in handy. Whether it’s for Instagram or just for recreations.
Photograph by Alina Chan
Hungry Times Magazine
Long Before When It Was Just for the Feed Acai berries are no ordinary fruit. In Peruvian culture, the decoction extracted from acai roots was discovered effective for healing liver diseases, menstrual pain, and malaria. I’ve always knew that fruits were healthy, but I never imagined that a fruit could be used for cures. Based on the website, nutrition-and-you.com, Amazon natives employed acai berry extract as a treatment for curing diarrhea, hemorrhages, ulcer treatment, and parasitic infections. They also stated that, a type of decoction, acquired by crushing acai seed, was used for treating people with fevers (I would rather eat acai than swallow pills any day).
Boosts Weight loss Have you ever wished that there was a food that you would be able to both binge on, not gain weight from, and soothed your mind? If you are struggling to stick to your dieting program, try eating acai berries. You may consume as much of it as you please, and only ingest a small amount of calories. This fruit can be eaten without a single bite of guilt. Based on “nutritionand-you.com”, even though there aren’t any confirming scientific evidence about it benefiting this area of health, it is highly recommended by herbalists and naturopathic doctors. Based on a research by Dr. Edward, a doctor from the Global Healing Center, acai berries have a large capacity of detoxification in the human body, or also known as diet fibers. It is known to boost weight loss due to the fact that it can improve your digestive system. According to Kathleen M. Zelman, a researcher from WebMD, consuming acai berries can lower level of cravings and boost your metabolism. She also explained that some ads claim that it can provide you with “450% more weight loss than dieting and exercise alone" and also assured that you can lose a maximum of 20 pounds in a week (I should’ve thought about eating these berries earlier). Taking dieting pills may have severe side effects. On the other hand acai berries provides effects in the same ways, but it is completely safe from any harmful side effects.
I ♥ Acai Berries Have you ever eaten a snack as mentioned to yourself, “man, I wish feel extremely unhealthy”? And wish that there was a way to Acai berries are literally what the heart desires. According to Dr. Axe, a doctor from “draxe.com”, the mentioned that drinking acai juice regularly (I would do it without any hesitation) can improve the level of blood lipids and support the heart. He also revealed that acai berries are filled with monounsaturated fats for example oleic acid. These fats encourage the body to use the omega-3 fish oils, which lowers inflammation (preventing hormone-associated problems, as well as type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart diseases) and can create cell membranes. If you are thinking of eating heart-healthy food, look no further!
Would You Mind Trying it? Most of you guys have probably experienced stress eating before (especially during the week of final exams). Bags of chocolate and other junky snacks laying around your desk can be such an aggravating sight. Don’t you feel guilty after eating all those snacks? Well, you guessed right. It does exist and again: they are acai berries. Based on Dr. Axe’s research, consuming this fruit can balance the nervous system, which is beneficial towards both the mind and body. Consuming foods with a large amount of antioxidants can improve your memory and your focus. Its pulps in fact are the most favorable for brain cells, and can improve motor and cognitive functions. I wouldn’t
Losing weight or being sick should not stop anyone from eating luscious foods. Eating healthy may not always sound exquisite, but these acai berries will absolutely change your opinion about eating healthy. The fact that it has the heavenly taste of sweet and sourness makes it even more appealing to snack on. The trend of binging on these acai berries are spreading around the world. If you don’t want to miss out on all the pleasure and divine tastes, considering eating acai berries. You surely won’t regret trying it. You will only regret the chances you did not take.
BY IZAAK NICHOLS-LEMON
“Those who check social media frequently are 2.7 times more likely to be depressed”
“We check our phones an average of 150 times a day”
“30% of the total time spent on phones is dedicated to social media”
White, Catriona. "Is Social Media Making You Sad? - BBC Three." BBC News. BBC, 2017. Web. 30 Jan.
Do you use social media? Facebook? Snapchat? Instagram? To keep up with your friends? If you do then you could be at risk of being less happy than you could be. Although social media could make you think that you are growing and keeping friendships you actually aren’t. Most people only put the happiest, most interesting parts of their lives on social media making you feel like your life is not as fun and interesting as theirs. But in reality it is. You have been living life just like they have with ups and downs, the only difference between you is that person on the internet has the choice to alter reality. Depression There are over “2 billion active social media accounts currently online” many of which becoming depressed because of social media (Kulraj). A study done by the BBC shows that if you check your social media frequently you are 2.7 more likely to be depressed. Depression does not start on social media but can help worsen the problem. Abigail a Clinical Psychologist says that “you can get so hooked that it takes you away from your real relationships. It can be a fantastic thing, but used in the wrong way it can be really unhealthy.” Already having not being as happy as you could be and then starting using social media has a high chance of making you more depressed. Since you are spending more time online talking to and watching other people having fun would make you feel less happy about your own life.
“You don't always know you are addicted till it is too late” Addiction When people think of the word addiction the large majority of the time they will think of drugs. This means you can become addicted to social media the same way that you can be addicted to drugs. You become addicted when you are looking at your phone fully aware that they is probably not any changes from the last time you looked 5 minutes ago. Whether you check your phone to pass time, find entertainment, relax, seek information, to express emotions, have things to talk about, or to know about others you check your phone for the same reason. Pleasure. Addiction begins when your brain has an experience that our brain thinks is pleasurable. The word addiction is used when a person needs to return to that “pleasure hit” that they had before. This might be an extreme way to describe someone that uses social media but there are tons of places where you can see social media addiction. Have you ever seen a table of people eating each one looking down to their smart phone not even acknowledging the people around them. Or a person almost get hit by a car because they were looking down at their phone. Or even checking your phone more times than needed, i think i am guilty of that one. Following your own life and not others Social media takes a lot of time to check if you have Facebook, snapchat, twitter, reddit, Instagram and
more then it will take a lot of time to see all the things other people have posted or how many likes you have. With this time you could be starting your day sooner by going on a run or meditating. Both of these have been known to relieve stress and clear your mind. With a clear mind you can become a better person and pursue the things you want in life. Positive effects of Social Media Although Social Media can become a problem to your mental health if used properly and maturely if can be a very helpful thing to have. Social media keeps people in touch and can help connect people easier and quicker. There are many ways to keep yourself from using too much social media, by putting settings on your devices to limit the amount of time you have or tell your friends to tell you when you have been online for too long, but the best way to change it is by putting your own mindset to the test. How to make yourself happier If you want to stop using social media as much then you have to tell yourself to not pull your phone out of your pocket and talk to the people around you. If you can grow real friendships the same way that you can online they you will become a happier person. So the next time you are out on a dinner with your friends or on the train, instead of looking down at your phone look up at the people around you and have a conversation, i can guarantee you won't regret it.