Orange and Blue magazine - Spring 2019 - The Mind Issue

SPRING 2019

h ow c l o t h e s c a n

BOOST

you r c on f i de nc e

10

SONGS THAT SOOTHE

t h e a n x iou s m i n d

. .

BEST FOODS REALLY w h at you r s o i s

t o h e l p you s l e e p

t h i n k i ng a b ou t

TABLE h e a lt h

of

C ONTENT S

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07

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

08

M E D I TAT I O N F O R A WEEK

10

MINDFUL DIETS

12

MESSY MINDS: THE TRUTH ABOUT OCD

14

S E L F-C A R E SOLUTIONS

15

I H AV E I M P U L S E CONTROL DISORDER

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B AT T L I N G M E N TA L H E A LT H S T I G M A

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H E A LT H Y A G I N G T I P S

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NEUROLOGIST D R . J U S T I N YA N C E Y

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W H AT Y O U R HEADACHE MEANS

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r e l at ion s h i p s | 26

27

M E N TA L I L L N E S S & FA M I LY H I S T O R Y

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W H AT ’ S O N T H E OPPOSITE SEX’S MIND?

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M I N D O F A PA R E N T OF A SICK CHILD

BENEFITS OF CBD

32

HOW TO SPEAK YOUR MIND

FOODS FOR SLEEP

34

THE LIFE OF A CAREGIVER

2 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

l i f e s t y l e | 36

37

MAKEUP FOR YOUR MOOD

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Z E R O WA S T E LIFESTYLE

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PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR

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L O O K G O O D, F E E L G R E AT

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PRODUCTS FOR STRESS & ANXIETY

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POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

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PERSONALITY TESTS

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BACK TO SCHOOL AT A G E 3 5

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ANIMAL ANXIETY

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M I N D S PA C E COLLECTIVE

e n t e rta i n m e n t | 52

53

WHY WE LOVE STRESSFUL SHOWS

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S O N G S T H AT S O O T H E

56

C E L E B T H AT S P O K E THEIR MIND

58

MOVIES ON OUR MINDS

60

O D D LY-S AT I S F Y I N G TRENDS

61

PA S S I O N AT E M E D I A CONSUMER

62

MINDLESS SCROLLING

64

TRUE CRIME OBSESSION

66

M I N D -R E A D I N G PHONES?

table of contents

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LETTER

from the

EDITORS

The year 2019 has already been a rough one, and it’s only April. The last few years have been a lot to handle, and it seems as if everyone around the world is stressed out at all times. Whether you’re consumed by social media or desperately trying to figure out what’s going on in your significant other’s head, there are a million reasons why it’s important to take care of your mind.

The mind is complex and ever-changing, and our writers tackled the ins-and-outs of the human psyche. Our focus was learning about maintaining the physical health of the brain and the clarity of your headspace. The mind can also be riddled with disease, and if we’re not careful, we can let it get away from us.

When we were selecting a theme for this semester’s magazine, we kept returning to the topic of mental health. Now more than ever, talking about mental health needs to be a priority, and our staff wanted to help do just that. In this issue, we explore all the things that affect the mind from the food you eat to the clothes you wear. In 2019, discussing mental health in the public sphere shouldn’t be taboo, and we wanted to do our part to make that happen.

We hope the Mind Issue will serve as a breath of fresh air for our readers. Take a break from the 24-hour news cycle and your full inbox to read awe-inspiring stories about the resiliency of the human spirit and learn tips for taking care of your most important asset: your mind. Each of us put a little bit of our hearts into this magazine in the hopes that some of it will resonate with yours.

A huge thank you goes out to our amazing all-female Orange & Blue Magazine staff. You’ve all been instrumental in creating this beautiful magazine and running our blog, orchestrating promotional works and forming a social media presence. Together we’ve carefully curated content that we hope will cater to all audiences, where each reader will find a story they can connect to.

This magazine has been on our minds for months, and we are so excited to share it with you all.

Sincerely,

jessica giles

&

i s a b e l l a s or r e s s o

4 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

MEET

the

STAFF

ISABELLA SORRESSO co-ed itor -in-chief

JESSICA GILES c o- edi t or- i n - ch i ef

AMANDA ROL AND c o - c rea t iv e d i re c t o r

S AVA N N A H A U S T I N co-creat iv e director

B R I T TA N Y WA L L A C E c o- bl og edi t o r

MINERVE JEAN c o - b l o g ed i t o r

RANDI ZIEGLER co-m ark eting director

JUZANNE MARTIN c o- mark et i ng d i rec t o r

E M A N E L S H A H AW Y s o c i a l m ed i a d i re c t o r

JAMIE SHAPIRO co pyeditor

c ov e r p h o t o by s ava n na h au s t i n

TAY L O R C AVA L I E R E c opye di t or

&

KARL A ARBOLEDA copyeditor

s ta f f p h o t o s by c a r r i e b i n k l e y

W

e would like to thank our wonderful adviser Nicole Irving, Ted Spiker, Dean Diane McFarlin, Spiro Kiousis, Martha Colleda and Hal Herman. We also extend a huge thank you to our beautiful cover model Michell Estevez, contributing photographers Carrie Binkley and Michelle Poznansky, and special thanks to our

videographer Parker Bohner. Orange & Blue is published semiannually by the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications students enrolled in Applied Magazines. This issue was printed by Publications Printers. Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any means without written permission. Orange & Blue is protected through trademark registration in the United States. Send letters to Box 118400 College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. acknowledgments

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HEA LTH

“THERE IS HOPE, EVEN WHEN YOUR BRAIN TELLS YOU THERE ISN’T.” john green

6 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

FOOD

for

T HOU G H T

F O O D S F O R A H E A LT H Y M I N D A N D B R A I N s t ory

Y

&

p h o t o by j u z a n n e m a rt i n

ou misplaced your keys again. With your head down, you pace back

BLUEBERRIES

and forth attempting to figure out the last place they were seen. Your

This bite-sized fruit is packed with nutrients. Shuyang Qu, a doctoral

memory floods back in an instant as you reach into your back pocket to

student in agricultural education and communication at the University

reveal the keys. Memory loss scenarios such as this increase with age.

of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, led a study questioning consumers’ knowledge of the healthy brain benefits

A 2017 article published in Medical News Today said, “Throughout our

blueberries provide. The findings concluded that “most were aware

lifetime, our brain changes more than any other part of our body.” Brain

of the benefits of blueberries in warding off cancer and lowering the

aging is inevitable to an extent. This process is unique and affects each

risk of heart disease,” but the fruit is also proven to protect against

human being differently.

aging because of its high level of antioxidants that protects molecules from damaging cells, most importantly those in the brain. According

Although there is no cure for this impending change, eating specific foods

to Hope and Healing: The UF Health Blog, “this fruit has been linked

can be the next best thing. In terms of boosting brain power, listed below are

to curbing cognitive decline,” as it labels blueberries in its top 10 list

some common foods known to increase the overall health and function of the

of healthy foods.

human brain while lessening the chance of memory loss.

ROSEMARY Besides being a delicious cooking herb, smelling rosemary can boost brain power according to UF Health’s podcast, Health in a Heartbeat.

Researchers from Northumbria University said, “this occurs because a key component of the herb, called 1,8-cineole (sin-ee-OLE)” is detected in the bloodstream as soon as a person breathes in rosemary’s aroma. According to the podcast, “This compound is thought to boost brain power by keeping a neurotransmitter associated with memory in good working order,” according to the podcast. Although it is unknown if the same effect happens when eating rosemary, adding the herb to a recipe can be an easy way to smell its fragrance.

D A R K C H O C O L AT E A sweet treat ends the list. Dark chocolate is made from cocoa tree seeds and is proven to be one of the best sources of antioxidants.

Another episode of the Health in a Heartbeat podcast suggested giving “your brain a boost by eating dark chocolate.” Cocoa has flavonoids, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. “Research shows flavonoids widen blood vessels, boosting oxygen and blood flow to the brain for two to three hours,” according to the podcast. Try dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate the next time you are looking for dessert options.

Despite blueberries, rosemary and dark chocolate having additional health benefits, their contribution to improving brain function is sometimes overlooked. These specific foods are easily accessible in any local grocery store. Incorporating them into your diet is the next step to help enhance brain power.

health

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I TRIED MEDITATING FOR A WEEK AND MY LIFE IS STILL A MESS

s t ory by j e s s i c a g i l e s

S

&

horoscopes religiously, neither of which are really my thing. But after an especially stressful season filled with never-ending migraines and emotional breakdowns, I decided it was worth a shot.

After a little bit of research, I discovered the Headspace app might be a good introduction to meditation for me. It offers a free 10 day course that goes over the basics of meditating. I didn't need any fancy equipment or a professional instructor, just my phone and a soft place to sit (shoutout to my bed). I made a plan to carve out about ten minutes of time each night before bed to meditate and embarked on a wellness journey I hoped would fix all my problems:

p h o t o s by s ava n na h au s t i n

D AY O N E ome might call me a hurricane of a human. Most days, I’m running

I climbed into bed on the first night of my little experiment already regretting

out the door 10 minutes late with my backpack half open, papers flying

that I committed to this. It took everything in me to resist shutting off the

out while my coffee is spilling, and my mind usually matches that. My

light and sinking under my weighted blanket. Begrudgingly, I pulled up

superpower is finding something to worry about every minute of every day.

the Headspace app on my phone and opted for the shortest meditation

Several people in my life have touted the benefits of meditation, and even the

session I could find. At the very least, I was hoping it would banish the

Mayo Clinic says the practice offers numerous psychological and physical

splitting migraine I’d had all day. At best, I wanted it to magically get my

benefits. Even still, I dismissed it as something that wouldn’t work for me. I

life together. Unfortunately, I got neither. Maybe it's because I didn't light a

pictured meditators as people who stocked up on crystals and checked their

relaxing candle or unfurl my yoga mat, but even the simple task of breathing

8 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

D AY T H R E E Today I decided to shake things up and meditate lying down instead of sitting. I pretended that I did this for the good of my meditation, but really I was just tired. Maybe it was the exhaustion or maybe I was actually getting the hang of it, but at the end of this session I truly felt different. My emotions had been a whirlwind all day and this quiet time gave me a chance to slow down. It was the same breathing exercises I had been doing the previous days, and it didn’t feel nearly as forced. I only managed to write a few notes about today’s session before I clocked out.

D AY F O U R The app encourages users to meditate wherever is most comfortable, but I realized that my bed might not be the best place for my practice anymore. Emboldened by my success the previous day, I settled in for a 10-minute lesson. Today, I opted to meditate in total darkness. It was so effective that I was out cold as soon as I pressed play.

D AY F I V E By now, I had learned what worked and what didn’t work for me.

No more lying down, and I promised to cut myself some slack if I didn’t meditate perfectly the whole five minutes. Although I did still struggle to reel in my meandering mind, I stopped criticizing myself when it happened. It might not have been the most serene session, but I was learning to be more kind to myself, and I’ll take that as a win.

became a source of stress. While the app’s narrator prompted me to breathe naturally, but focus on my breath, I started to obsess over how well (or really, how poorly) I was performing the task. Too shallow. Not in through my nose.

“It didn’t fix all my problems or heal my anxiety, but it did teach me to be patient with myself.”

This isn’t how I naturally breathe. What was supposed to be a relaxation tool had transformed into an assignment that I couldn’t complete to my arbitrary standards. If I weren’t writing a story about it, this would be the part where I delete the app and never meditate again.

W H AT I L E A R N E D Meditation is hard. I expected to plop down and meditate like a

D AY T W O

seasoned monk the first day, so I was in for a rude awakening.

I did my best to go into this session with a more open mind, and I even

Although it seems to be no more than sitting and breathing,

sprung for the five-minute session instead of the three. I climbed onto my

it takes practice just like any other skill. It didn’t fix all my

bed, launched the app and waited for that sweet, soothing British accent to

problems or heal my anxiety, but it did teach me to be patient

teach me the secrets of meditation. After six hours of class, my body instantly

with myself. I also found myself turning to meditation tools

melted into the pillow but my mind proved to be much more stubborn. The

throughout the day when my anxiety started to run wild. Pressing

idle time gave my thoughts ample room to wander, and most of the time they

pause on my thoughts and taking a few, purposeful breaths were

went straight to worries. I managed to worry about everything from tornadoes

often effective in halting my spiraling worries throughout the

to filing my taxes in the span of one minute. In the spirit of full disclosure,

day. You probably won’t find me on any meditation retreats

I actually became so uncomfortable with the silence that I picked up my

soon, but squeezing in five minutes of quiet time each day feels

phone and scrolled through Pinterest, which is really just a modern form of

like a manageable change. Maybe now when you see me running

meditation, right?

down the street, I’ll only be five minutes late instead of 10.

health

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MINDFUL DIETS FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL s t ory

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p h o t o s by a m a n da rol a n d

E

veryone loves food. We use it as fuel, to satisfy cravings and to bring people together, but which diets are the most mindful? Let’s discover

some diets that are good for the mind, body and soul.

“Starting to eat clean completely changed my life.”

GOOD FOR THE MIND: THE PESCATARIAN DIET A diet that is good for the mind should be high in veggies and healthy

and improve your memory. People aren’t lying when they say that eating

fats to improve things like memory, brain function and development, and

carrots improves your eyesight and broccoli improves your memory.

that is why the pescatarian diet is perfect for the job. You can think of the

The pescatarian diet is a great way of eating to keep your mind sharp while

pescatarian diet as the vegetarian diet plus seafood. Fish, shrimp, clams and

eating delicious, filling food all day long.

crab are all a yes with this diet as well as all the veggies, beans, fruits and roots your heart desires.

GOOD FOR THE BODY: THE PALEOLITHIC DIET

This diet is great for your mind because the healthy fats, nutritious veggies and grains fuel your brain in order to improve cognitive abilities and

The paleolithic, or paleo, diet can be a tricky one, but the end result is a healthy,

development in your brain. According to East Coast Polytechnic Institute

good looking body that isn’t dependent on food to keep it happy.

University, fish are packed with healthy fats and Omega 3’s that block free radicals and strengthen neural connections. Also, these healthy fats keep

On this diet, you quit grains, sugar, dairy, soda, legumes, gluten and all

you full longer so you don’t have those pesky “maybe I should have that

processed food to train your body to be free of food reliance and cravings. The

midnight snack” thoughts.

good news about this diet is there is no calorie counting. When you’re eating whole foods that are nothing but good for your body, you can have as much

Grains like quinoa and whole grain rice are high in amino acids, and veggies,

as you want to get full, and you can even have snacks here and there to keep

especially the green ones, have nutrients that also aid in brain development

you satiated throughout the day. This means no more stomach rumbles in the office or cookie monster cravings when you come home from work.

“You must stick to it, and then you will see results,” said Allison Breunig, the hiring and enculturation manager at Gainesville Health and Fitness.

Breunig started the paleo diet about five years ago because she had issues when she ate certain foods, and she later found out that she had allergies to dairy, soy, gluten and peanuts.

“Starting to eat clean completely changed my life,” she said. “It provides my body with proper nutrients for training, and I can increase my performance levels in not only exercise but my normal workday.”

There are so many tasty meals you can create with the lean proteins, fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs and spices that you can enjoy during your paleo experience.

If you are looking for a challenge, look into the Whole30 diet that was created

by Melissa Hartwig. The Whole30 is a variation of the paleo diet, but you only do it for 30 days. It is a great way to test out the paleo diet and see if it works

Poke Bowl from Gainesville’s Big Island Bowls

10 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

for you!

Paleo Beef Stew

GOOD FOR THE SOUL: THE VEGAN DIET The vegan diet cuts out all animal products, making it a very humane and

The vegan diet has proven to be very doable, and it’s fun to create new dishes

environmentally friendly diet. Those who are vegan feel good about the

or even mock-meat dishes using vegan options that are just as satisfying as

choice they have made because, for whatever reason they decided to go

the real thing. Not to mention, the vegan diet is an extremely healthy and

vegan, they know that they are respecting all life, making this diet good for

clean way of eating.

the soul.

It is in good practice to be more mindful, especially with what we put inside People choose to go vegan for a variety of reasons. Many have more spiritual

of our bodies. While all these diets may seem like the culinary answer you’ve

reasons to why they cannot eat meats or animal products, or they feel like

been looking for, they don’t work for everybody, and it is important to consult

they have a moral obligation to protect the lives of animals. Also, the vegan

your doctor before you start any new dietary regimen. Whether you are

diet is very environmentally conscious, as the production of animal products

looking to replenish your mind, body or soul, do some research and ask your

require a lot of crop and water use and leads to habitat loss, according to The

doctor if these diets could put you on track to being more mindful with what

Vegan Society.

you eat.

Paige Davis, a senior sociology student at the University of Florida chose to be vegan for spiritual reasons, and she sees animals as conscious beings.

“I don’t want to eat anything that was once suffering, and I want to live a life of compassion,” she said. “It makes me feel happy with my choice to live ethically, and I know that I’m helping momma earth and the animals.”

The vegan diet is similar to the vegetarian diet, except all animal products, not just meats, are off limits. You have to stay away from all dairy products like cheeses, yogurts and milks, and you can’t have any fats derived from animals like butter or lard.

Feed your soul with the vegan diet, and rest easy knowing that you are respecting the lives of all living things and protecting the earth.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse health

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M E S SY M I N D S OCD ISN’T AS NEAT AS YOU MIGHT THINK IT IS s t ory

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i l lu s t r at ion by s ava n na h au s t i n

magine you’re driving your car down the street, and you see a person on the

reinforces the fear because it implies that it is fact and makes the doubts

side of the road, or a cyclist riding by. You think, “I could hit this person,”

stronger, Gayle said.

which might strike you as an uncomfortable image, or what mental health professionals refer to as an intrusive thought. According to an international

This is an example of what OCD really looks like. From examples on the

study in 2013 led by Adam Radomsky, about 94 percent of people typically

television screen or public perception, one might believe that OCD, an anxiety

experience these kind of thoughts, but for most people, it is easy to brush it

disorder, is a personality quirk for someone who doesn’t like for things to be

off. However, for about 1 percent of the population who suffer from obsessive

messy. The term gets tossed around as a synonym for a neat freak, which is

compulsive disorder, they react to the thought and fear they are a horrible

a false perception that further perpetuates the misunderstanding surrounding

person for thinking such a thing.

the disease.

OCD specialist Dr. Cindi Gayle explained the driver with OCD in this scenario

The portrayal of OCD presentation in media is often limited and narrow, said

might begin to think, “Because I had this thought, that means I’m a danger, so

Gayle, a Gainesville area OCD clinician. Sometimes OCD can manifest as

therefore I should stop driving, or maybe I’ll only drive during certain times

contamination, but there are an uncountable amount of ways it can present, from

or only on certain roads to make sure I don’t hit somebody. Or if I see a cyclist

parents terrified they will harm their newborn to an individual experiencing

ahead of me, I’m going to change my route.” This rumination on the thought

unwanted, inappropriate sexual thoughts.

12 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

“Obsessive compulsive disorder is characterized by having obsessional

trigger the obsessive thoughts and allow them to see that just because they

thoughts, and there’s a lot of different domains that they can be in, including

think it doesn’t mean they are going to act on it.

aggressive obsessions, contamination obsessions, sexual obsessions… and then there’s catch-all miscellaneous obsessions,” Gayle said. “Then it’s

For example, if a patient had a fear of knives because they had an intrusive

followed by compulsions, which are things that you do in response to an

thought about stabbing someone, treatment might look like saying the word

obsession in order to reduce the feelings associated with it – so they can

knife, then looking at a picture, then watching a video of someone cutting

be cleaning [and] washing compulsions, checking compulsions, repeating

vegetables and training the individual to build up their distress tolerance, the

rituals, counting compulsions, ordering and arranging compulsions,

OCD specialist said.

reassurance seeking and things like that.”

“What they learn is that ‘I can trust myself, and I can trust myself more than According to the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), about one in 100

I can trust my OCD,’” Gayle said. “And so through that process of trust and

people, or two million to three million adults in the U.S., currently experience

having a clinician who trusts in them and having them build that trust within

the reality of OCD. For kids and teens, it’s estimated one in 200 do, too.

themselves is really powerful… [The patient can say that] ‘just because I

These sufferers might have different levels of the “O” and “C” in OCD,

have these thoughts, doesn’t mean that they’re going to define me or define

Gayle said, with some displaying more compulsive behavior than obsessions

the choices that I make or limit me in my life.’”

and others with many obsessions and few compulsions. Ultimately, the condition is egodystonic, which means that they have these thoughts, images and feelings that they desperately don’t want to act on, Gayle explained.

“They’re not neat freaks, they’re not crazy or trying to be controlling or trying to make other people’s lives miserable,” Gayle said. “It’s a condition where people are really taking their thoughts as fact and having difficulty managing their thoughts, and so they engage in compulsions, which in the short term resolves the obsession but in the long run, perpetuates the symptoms and maybe even make them more.”

While no one knows for sure what causes OCD, there are stressful times in a person’s life where it can be triggered when one might be more likely to react to intrusive thoughts. The thoughts can be completely nonsensical or directly related to the things a person values most – faith, relationships, family and more.

“‘JUST BECAUSE I HAVE THESE THOUGHTS, DOESN’T MEAN THAT THEY’RE GOING TO DEFINE ME OR DEFINE THE CHOICES THAT I MAKE OR LIMIT ME IN MY LIFE.’”

“These symptoms can wax and wane, so somebody may have contamination obsessions and then go through treatment and a month later those are gone, but aggressive obsessions have popped up,” Gayle said. “It’s kind of like a game of Whac-A-Mole, you treat one and another pops up or just goes away

However, when it comes to treatment, getting the right kind is important,

and it shifts its attention.”

as many individuals receive OCD treatment from therapists who are not specialized in CBT and ERP, she explained. If you or someone you know

However, despite the confusion of disturbing and distressing thoughts, OCD

suspects OCD is present, find a clinician who specializes in OCD in your

is a treatable disease, and there is still hope, Gayle said.

area by visiting the IOCDF website and search by zip code.

“It is very treatable if you’re with the right clinician and getting the treatments

“If you had the flu or something like that and they said you could choose

that have been shown to be highly effective. It is something I want people to

between an antibiotic and Vitamin C, you know, you might choose the wrong

have hope for if they are diagnosed with this condition – not to be afraid of

medication. So, it is important that those who have OCD or [are] maybe

[it]. That’s such a big part of [OCD] that we really want to help people see

wondering about OCD get with the right treatment protocol,” Gayle said.

they can move past it,” Gayle explained.

“Having somebody who’s skilled and knowledgeable in that domain I think is going to help make sure that you get one diagnosed appropriately and also

What clinicians have found to be very effective is a combination of

the right treatment – that you’re not getting ‘vitamin C’ when in fact you

medication in the form of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and

need ‘antibiotics.’”

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which includes Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Gayle said. CBT is a process of helping OCD patients to

For individuals with OCD, proper treatment can bring great relief, Gayle

become okay with the thoughts they experience and trust that they will not

said, in seeing that their thoughts were just thoughts – that they can finally

act out on them through a series of exposures, Gayle said. The exposures

realize, “Wow, I’m not this dangerous person that my mind told me I was.” health

| 13

why should

YOU CARE about

SELF-CARE?

FOLLOW A SELF-CARE BLOG –OR START ONE There are so many blogs and online self-care resources that you can use to motivate yourself to start practicing self-care and stick with it. Jennifer Nash, the creator of Take Care self-care brand and a University of Florida graduate, started her blog in 2018 to inspire people to “live a better life on purpose.”

“Self-care is so important because it’s the difference between thriving and surviving,” she said. “We all too often stretch ourselves in so many directions while neglecting to ‘take care’ of ourselves in the process.”

Nash believes that self-care can take many different forms, but she urges people to “create self-care habits that are consistent, adaptable, realistic and enjoyable.” You can follow Nash’s blog at HelloTakeCare.com, or get

s t ory

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p h o t o s by a m a n da rol a n d

s life gets busy and stressful, it can be easy to forget about taking care of the one thing that keeps us all going: ourselves! In recent years,

inspired by Nash to create your own brand. Blogging about your experiences and struggles can be freeing and therapeutic, and you can use your blog to help others practice good self-care.

the practice of self-care and “treating yo self” has finally become incredibly normalized, and people are aware of the importance of taking care of their mental, physical and emotional health. Practicing self-care can be easy even with busy schedules and heavy course loads. Here are some reasons why it is important to practice good self-care and ways to do it in a simple and effective way.

JOIN A GYM Yes, getting sweaty isn’t everyone’s favorite thing to do, but it can greatly improve your mental health as well as your physical health. Yoga, stretching and barre classes are all low-impact exercise styles that most gyms offer to work your body and your mind. A Harvard Medical Study found that yoga can actually help moderate our stress responses and even help with anxiety and depression. Many gyms in Gainesville, like Gainesville Health and Fitness (GHF), provide yoga and stretching classes with their memberships. GHF also has a hydromassage lounge called CHILL intended to let members relax and de-stress after a workout. Treating yourself to a gym membership is a way to take care of yourself in a productive and healthy way.

Jennifer Nash created her website (shown above) after graduating from the University of Florida.

SET TIME ASIDE FOR A HOBBY As work and school pile up, we can forget to take some time to just do something that we love, and this can have an effect on our well-being.

According to Head to Health, an online mental-health resource funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, studies show that people who have hobbies are less likely to experience stress, depression and low mood.

Decreasing your stress levels while having fun sounds like a pretty good deal.

Whether it’s being active with friends, baking, playing guitar, painting or even reading cheesy romance novels, plan some time over the weekend or after work to exclusively focus on your hobbies – and enjoy the self-care benefits later.

With a little effort and mindful action, you can care for your mental, physical and emotional health. These easy self-care solutions can help you get on the right track when it comes to taking care of YOU.

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M O R E T HA N A HA B I T: LIVING WITH A HAIR-PULLING IMPULSE CONTROL DISORDER s t ory by tay l or c ava l i e r e

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I

i l lu s t r at ion by a m a n da rol a n d

grew up being told that when an eyelash fell out, I was supposed to place it

normal. It is not simply a bad habit—trichotillomania is a mental disorder.

on my finger, make a wish and blow it away. I loved this. I loved it so much

There is no standard cure. About a year and a half ago, I finally sought

that one day, I pulled out a hair from my eyebrow just so I could do it. I wish I

treatment. Currently, the most successful treatments are cognitive behavioral

could say I didn’t like how it felt. I wish this story ended right here.

therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Zoloft. I

can say from experience that these help. However, a lot of it is dependent on

My seventh-grade yearbook photo was the first school picture where you

what I do when no one is watching. I have to have discipline and the desire to

could start to notice that my eyebrows didn’t always look like everyone else’s.

rise above the urge.

Throughout middle and high school, my brows went through various states of disarray. They became patchy and sparse, causing me to pluck them into

The urge to pull is so embedded in my mind that I have recovered and relapsed

unnatural shapes. Sophomore year, I discovered that there were makeup

multiple times. As with any mental disorder, recovery is not linear. It ebbs and

products that exist solely for your eyebrows. I jumped on the brow pencil train,

flows, full of triumph and failure. It’s painful to acknowledge that the thing

and I was able to look and feel normal. The following year, I realized there

holding you back is the result of the way your own brain is wired. It hurts

was something that felt better to me than pulling my brows: pulling my lashes.

to realize that your mind is working against you when it’s supposed to be

working for you.

Plucking hair from your body should not feel good. Truthfully, the pulling doesn’t feel good—it’s the tension and release I crave. The tension of feeling

I keep trying to overcome for myself and for everyone else who is facing

the urge to pull, followed by release and the feeling of pleasure and relief. This

something similar. I posted about my struggle on Instagram this past summer,

recurring, irresistible urge to pull your hair out is known as trichotillomania.

and I received an outpouring of love, support and gratitude. Whenever I feel I

can’t overcome trichotillomania, I remember the way I felt when I had a full

Trichotillomania is classified as an impulse control disorder, according to the

set of real eyelashes after thinking I never would. My mind digs me into the

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, or DSM-

deepest hole, but my mind also pulls me out.

5. Those who suffer from it may pull their eyebrows and eyelashes like I do.

They may also pull hair from their scalp or other parts of their body, according

Last summer, I didn’t pull for two months. My eyelashes almost completely

to the Mayo Clinic. This disorder varies in severity—some people only pull

grew back. Although I have since relapsed, I know that I can improve. I have

occasionally, and some people pull out enough hair to create bald spots.

the ability to control the impulse that plagues my life, as does every person who struggles with similar disorders. It’s not so simple as deciding to stop. It

Today, I still struggle with pulling. Some days I don’t even have the urge, but

is a battle. It’s an epic tale of wins and losses, of triumphs and failures. But I’m

others I spend the entire day reapplying makeup so if I see someone, I look

determined to come out on top.

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DESTROYING THE STIGMA OF

MENTAL ILLNESS s t ory

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p h o t o by b r i t ta n y wa l l ac e

ental illness is a topic that we as a society like to throw a blanket

that “68 percent of Americans do not want someone with a mental illness

over and pretend doesn’t exist. Amber Motes’ family followed that

marrying into their family, and 58 percent do not want people with mental

ideology and didn’t discuss mental illness. Motes, who is an echocardiologist

illness in their workplaces. These negative ideas lead to real damage.”

at UF Health, was lost and confused after giving birth to her son. A time

In a society where those suffering from mental illness are ostracized and

when she was supposed to feel happiness and joy was flooded by a sadness

exiled, it’s no wonder people who need help are hesitant to ask for it. The

that suffocated her. She may have been more prepared for these feelings

Mental Health Foundation reports that one in four Americans suffer from

if her mother and grandmother had divulged to her about their own past

a mental illness.

struggles with postpartum depression. Unfortunately, this information was not relayed to her until she was already in the thick of her depression.

DePaola stressed that now psychologists have better ways of diagnosing someone with a mental illness. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

“I had previous spats of depression before, but there was nothing that could

Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, (DSM-5) is a standardized manual that

compare to this,” Motes said. “One thing I told my doctors is, ‘I don’t know

psychologists can refer to when assessing symptoms and diagnosing patients.

how people can live like this.’”

While the world of psychology is making strides to better serve those with a mental disorder, it’s time for our culture to do the same. One major step in the

The stigma surrounding mental illness often discourages people from

right direction is making mental health as much of a priority as physical health.

seeking help. The negative and false ideas associated with mental illness can come from a myriad of places. The media, our background and culture are

“We wouldn’t ever not treat high blood pressure, diabetes or whatever it is,”

some sources that can strengthen the stigma of mental illness.

DePaola said. “The same needs to be true for mental health.”

Lauren DePaola, a licensed clinical social worker and director of Better

The stigma of mental illness can come from other people, but there is also

Beginnings, a perinatal mental health care center, believes historically it all

self-stigma too. Self-stigma is when people dealing with mental illness start

starts from a lack of knowledge when it comes to mental health and the

thinking negatively about themselves because of their mental illness.

absence of traditional physical symptoms.

Sarah Coe, who also dealt with postpartum depression, felt a huge wave of “It is a lot easier to tell if you’re diabetic, and there is a clear path to getting

guilt when she was not able to connect with her newborn son, River. Her

that rectified,” DePaola said. “Mental health is a little different.”

depression led to her moving away from home and staying with family. She even checked herself into a mental hospital. Unfortunately, on her path to

This lack of knowledge led to the mistreatment of people with mental illness

recovery, people judged her harshly for her mental illness. Friends shamed

in the past. DePaola believes that the criminalization and institutionalization

her and called her a bad mother, and ultimately her husband of 18 years fell

of people with mental illness is still a problem faced today. This fear of being

out of love with her and divorced her.

dragged away from loved ones and friends causes people with mental illness to stay silent about what is happening to them.

Finally, when she started going to therapy and was prescribed medicine, she was able to create the connection she dreamt of with her child.

The criminal justice system and the child welfare system lack adequate knowledge about mental health, which can make people wary of speaking up,

“I am doing really good now,” Coe said. “I am not ashamed of my postpartum

DePaola said. Since these establishments don’t have enough people equipped

depression anymore.”

to identify and treat mental illness, it can lead to knee-jerk reactions. DePaola uses the example of a parent who has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),

Something Coe, Motes and DePaola all agree on is that the best way to fight

which includes having negative intrusive thoughts about the health of the

the stigma surrounding mental health is for families and our society to talk

baby. She says the reaction may be to think the child is unsafe and needs

about it more. Checking in on a family member’s mental health should be as

to be separated from the parent. DePaola explained that a trained mental

routine as making sure your child brushes their teeth, Coe said.

healthcare provider would know this is not true and the parent’s illness can be treated. Most importantly, the child can stay with the parent.

People shouldn’t have to fear losing a job, friendship or a lover over mental illness, but they do. The only way for us to help people dealing with mental

This long history of maltreatment comes from ignorance and thinking

illness is to have an open ear and educate ourselves on the topic. When the

that people suffering from mental illness are bad or dangerous. Research

shame of mental illness washes away, it leaves a path for people to get help

published by the Journal of Health and Social Behavior (JHSB) reports

and our society to be a healthier place to live.

16 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

health

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HEALTHY AGING CHECKLIST s t ory by j u z a n n e m a rt i n

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p h o t o s by da na m a rt i n

othing beats a shocked face the moment you tell someone your age. Most people want to hear, “You look great,” a compliment

cherished more with age. As we grow older, however, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that keeps you looking and feeling your best.

Understanding our bodies and incorporating these mindful tips can help to avoid age transitions catching you by surprise.

MAKE TIME FOR EXERCISE Exercise can have many benefits at any age. As the body ages, so does the mind. The brain’s overall functionality and its ability to process gradually decreases. Exercise can be beneficial for more than weight maintenance and heart health. “Not only does exercise keep the heart healthy. It helps with fighting anxiety and depression, attention, self-control and can even help you feel more awake during the day,” according to a “Healthier You” article from the UF Health’s Hope & Healing Blog. As your heart rate increases while exercising, the amount of blood flow to the brain subsequently increases. This results in the brain being exposed to more oxygen and receiving more nutrients, which helps promote better brain function. Spending hours in the gym is unnecessary. Dr. James Medley, M.D., an Alachua County physician situated in Jonesville, Florida, recommended spending “150 minutes each week doing moderateintensity exercises such as brisk walking, swimming and running,” a tip he suggested in the same “Healthier You” article. Start off with a manageable exercise plan and slowly increase this to avoid injury.

A C U P U N C T U R E A S A N A LT E R N AT I V E Acupuncture is defined as the process of strategically inserting thin needles through the skin on the body, according to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. This natural treatment is one of many used in traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is often used to treat pain, but it is also a unique remedy for stress relief and mental issues.

Endorphins, hormones that act as pain killers, are released when certain pressure points are activated by the needles, according to the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The body experiences a positive feeling as a result.

Ashley Upham is a local acupuncturist and owner of the Healing House of Alachua, a wellness center that offers massage therapy, mental health counseling, salt therapy and acupuncture services. Upham’s passion to

18 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

treat people battling anxiety, depression, fear and grief pushed her to obtain her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in oriental medicine. She opened her wellness facility with a primary focus on acupuncture treatments for local residents.

“Acupuncture is also amazing for mental health,” Upham said, as it is credited with boosting your mood and helping anxiety. The brain communicates through neurotransmitters. These are affected by acupuncture in the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory among other things. Acupuncture works to soothe the brain in times of an anxiety takeover by encouraging the body’s parasympathetic nervous system to intensify. In doing so, heart rate slows and blood pressure drops. The Healing House of Alachua’s own receptionist, Gail Hursey, has been getting acupuncture treatments for over 17 years as a way to keep her mind sharp and help with pain. As an advocate for acupuncture treatment, Upham insists “you really can’t disconnect the mind from the health.”

B E N E F I T F R O M Y O G A A N D M E D I TAT I O N Yoga is one of the oldest and most commonly practiced ways to keep your mind sharp. A more peaceful state of mind results from this form

of meditation. In an article discussing yoga’s benefits, “Therapeutic yoga

the destruction of certain cells by unstable molecules called free radicals,

involves meditative movements and breathing practices used to calm the

something our body produces constantly. That destructive process, “known

mind and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system,” UF’s Academic

as free radical-induced oxidative stress, contributes to aging and disease.”

Health Center said. Your body is in a relaxed state as you pursue inner

The study points to vitamin E helping to combat cell, tissue and organ

peace. A UF Health Hope & Healing blog post detailing yoga benefits also

damage resulting from free radicals. As our bodies produce less antioxidants

mentions how “the relaxation response from the parasympathetic nervous

and more free radicals as we age, the need to infuse diets with vitamin E

system promotes the production of dopamine, which helps to reduce anxiety

is crucial as it works to promote healthier, more active brain function. The

and stress.” The combination of movement and focused breathing makes

study suggests spinach, almonds and avocados as other good sources of

yoga an ideal practice to achieve a healthier mind. Flow Space, a local yoga

vitamin E however, “most people—old and young—are vitamin E deficient,

studio in Gainesville, is taking meditation to a new level. Owners Maggie

as it is difficult to get enough of the antioxidant from diet alone.”

Rucker and Humm Hill believe in the therapeutic health benefits of yoga through their instructional classes filled with live music.

With no known cure for brain aging, these tips are the closest we can get to finding the “fountain of youth,” so to speak. There isn’t a single way to slow

TA K E Y O U R V I TA M I N S

down the aging process, but a combination of practices such as exercise,

Whether you swallow a pill or chew a gummy, daily vitamins are effective

acupuncture, yoga and vitamins can work to improve mental health overall.

supplements to sustain the body. More specifically, vitamin E has been

It is never too late to keep your mind sharp but should instead be something

reported to “slow the harmful effects of aging,” according to a UF Health

maintained throughout life. Staying active will allow you to continue being

study titled “The Effects of Endurance Exercise and Vitamin E on Oxidative

independent without having to sacrifice the lifestyle you enjoy. Figure out

Stress in the Elderly.” University of Florida nursing researchers “found

what works best for you as you seek new ways to preserve your mind and

that older men and women who exercised regularly and took vitamin E

nourish its contents. The brain is the body’s control center after all, and

supplements became healthier.” Additional findings include a decrease in

therefore deserves the best treatment. health

| 19

B O DY, M I N D

and

BRAIN

LIFE AS A NEUROLOGIST WITH DR. JUSTIN YANCEY s t ory

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p h o t o s by s ava n na h au s t i n

E

ven before he went to college or medical school, Dr. Justin Yancey

form relationships with his patients and see them through treatment,

had neurology on his mind. By the time he was finished with middle

whereas if he worked at a hospital he often wouldn’t see them after the

school, both of his grandmothers were showing signs of dementia.

initial appointment.

“[They] lived fairly close so I saw them on a regular basis. I saw how

“I just love getting to talk to people, find out about their lives [and try]

things changed as their disease progressed and how they forgot people

to help them out with whatever issues they’re having neurologically,”

and [were] repeating themselves,” Yancey, 33, said.

Yancey said.

He knew he wanted to pursue medicine at the time, but seeing how the neurologists interacted not only with his grandmothers but how they worked with his entire family to come up with a diagnosis and treatment options influenced his career goals. It sparked his interest in studying the brain and a desire to help others with similar conditions to his grandmothers. Yancey attended medical school at the University of Alabama and completed his residency in neurology at the University of Florida, then took a fellowship at Augusta University. Now, Yancey works as a neurologist at SIMEDHealth in the Gainesville office.

SIMEDHealth is a multi-specialty physician group that got started in 1986 with offices around North Central Florida, according to its website.

The group has an integrative approach to medicine that allows doctors to communicate and collaborate. Yancey is one of four neurologists at SIMEDHealth, and they each work with their patients and families to

“The brain serves as the processing unit of the body and is an actual concrete structure that, in turn, creates the mind, a more abstract process responsible for our feelings and emotions. The two involve an intricate combination of nerves firing and chemicals releasing and can greatly affect each other.”

identify the cause of neurological problems, help explain a diagnosis and explore treatments for nervous system related problems.

“I think SIMED is a great place. We have a bunch of different specialties here. It’s kind of a one-stop place, and it’s convenient because most

Oftentimes, neurological diseases might not have cures or treatments, so

of the specialties here are in one building,” he said. “A lot of patients

having the opportunity to help a patient and their family understand their

obviously have some neurological conditions, [and] some will have

illness and improve their quality of life is the rewarding part for him, he said.

trouble remembering things or trouble getting around so it’s really nice that everything’s really close.”

“I just think the brain is really fascinating in the fact that it controls everything – everything you don’t think about from breathing to talking. It

As a neurologist, Yancey’s field is a branch of medicine dedicated to the

controls everything you do in your body. So, your movements, your thinking,

disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves, he explained. In a typical

your coordination, your emotions, your feelings, [it’s all] housed in the brain

day, he works in the clinic at the facility and sees patients with everything

… Taking care of things in the brain when something goes wrong is also

from headaches and migraines, which are more common, to strokes,

fascinating, seeing all of the things we can help out with,” Yancey said. “The

seizures, multiple sclerosis, dementia and Parkinson's disease.

brain is really the frontier of medicine, I would say.”

While delivering bad news about diagnoses can be a difficult part

Neurologists like Yancey are learning new things about the brain every day,

of the job, for Yancey the rewarding part of neurology is getting to

and developing new therapies, medications and diagnostics, he said.

20 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

“I think neurology is a really great field, [and] there’s a lot of cutting-

This relationship between the brain and the mind is complex, he explained,

edge things,” Yancey said. “Going forward, we’re constantly having new

as the two are so interconnected. The brain serves as the processing unit of

medications and learning more about the brain and the mind connection.”

the body and is an actual concrete structure that, in turn, creates the mind, a more abstract process responsible for our feelings and emotions. The two

Neurology not only focuses on the physical symptoms presented, but

involve an intricate combination of nerves firing and chemicals releasing

also includes psychological training, he explained. Often, his patients

and can greatly affect each other.

will present neurological issues like recurrent seizures that are really psychologically induced – sometimes caused by stress or even a history

“I think people a lot of times focus on physical health, but their mental

of physical or emotional abuse. Yancey works to help diagnosis the

health is very important as well. So it’s important that they keep their mind

neurological problem and prescribe medicine and will refer the patient to

active. Just like you’ve got to exercise your heart, you need to exercise

a psychiatrist to address the underlying issue.

the brain with reading and learning new things,” Yancey said. “You want to keep exercising the mind and body and making sure you have a good

“We do study a lot of psychology, so the way that I think of it is that

network of people around you.”

the brain is like a computer … Psychiatry [and] psychology is the software, and the brain itself is the hardware,” Yancey said. “You can either have a software problem or a hardware problem sometimes.”

health

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WHAT

CLUSTER

H E A DAC H E

These headaches are extremely painful. They are frequent, short attacks

DO YOU HAVE?

discharge. Men are more likely to suffer from cluster headaches than women.

s t ory

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p h o t o by b r i t ta n y wa l l ac e

J

ennifer Klammer, a dance major at the University of Florida, suffers from

that last for 60 seconds to four minutes before coming back again. They can last up to weeks or months. Symptoms include tearing of the eye or nasal The pain is described by patients as an ice pick going through your eye, Greene explained. Doctors do not know yet what causes these headaches.

TENSION

headaches. Sometimes she has spells of headaches that last for days or

weeks. During her freshman year of high school, Klammer was so overwhelmed

This is one of the most common headaches, Greene said. The pain can be

by the new experience she had a headache for three weeks straight.

anywhere, but Greene notes that patients often describe these headaches as feeling like a tight band around your head. It is caused from lack of sleep or

“It was just a bad time,” she said.

water and high levels of stress. Usually taking an ibuprofen or even drinking water can help.

Dominique Greene, an advanced practice registered nurse who works at Quality Neurology and specializes in headaches, identified some of the most common headaches and their symptoms.

MIGRAINE These headaches are harder to categorize since there are multiple varieties of migraines, Greene explained. Though the symptoms vary a lot, pain is often felt on the side of the face, and the pain is throbbing. People experiencing a migraine are sometimes sensitive to light and sound. Greene also mentioned

CERVICO-OCCIPITAL

(NOT ON DIAGRAM)

This pain originates in the occipital nerve and it radiates from the back of the neck to the back of the head. Greene notes that these headaches are treated a bit differently from other headaches. They give patients occipital nerve blocks, which are injections that contain lidocaine and steroids.

SINUS

that doctors don’t always know what causes these headaches.

This type of headache is characterized by pain that runs down both sides of the nose, the front of the face and top of the head. It is usually accompanied by a runny nose. This is caused by a cold or a sinus infection. Greene recommends going to an ear, nose and throat doctor for this type of headache.

Greene mentioned some common ways to help get Match the colors on the diagram to the descriptions!

rid of a headache. The first thing to try is drinking more water and having less caffeine. Exercise is known to lower the frequency of headaches. She also mentioned that putting yourself in a cold, dark room can help the headache.

Greene talked about how a lot of people live with headaches and never get them checked out. Klammer herself has never gone to a doctor for her headaches.

Headaches are something most people deal with, and if your headaches are frequent, it’s important to seek help. For one, it could be serious, and even if it is not life threatening, it is a painful inconvenience that can be helped by a doctor, who could make life run a whole lot smoother for you.

22 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

M E D IC A L C A N NA B I S CBD FOR A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY s t ory

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p h o t o s by e m a n e l s h a h aw y

T

here’s been recent buzz sparking from the use of medical cannabis, but it’s not the type of buzz you’re thinking.

You may have heard of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is cannabis’s notorious psychoactive molecule well-known for its intoxicating effects often associated with concertgoers and couch potatoes. Unlike THC, “CBD is a non-psychoactive molecule in a cannabis plant,” explained Curtis Cybenko, 49, who owns High Tides Tobacco & Gift store in Gainesville, Florida. He sells certain forms of CBD products in his shop.

When cannabidiol, or CBD is consumed, it’s supposed to treat medical symptoms ranging from chronic pain to anxiety, Cybenko said.

He shared how CBD from marijuana provides an option optimally suited for people who can’t have THC in their system because of its psychoactive effects. While he says the effects of CBD are supposed to mimic a muscle relaxer, users also report feeling this relaxation extending to their minds.

“It’s kind of like getting high, but without having THC and being classified high,” Cybenko said.

He shared that CBD comes in a variety of forms, which include but are not limited to, vape juice, pills, tincture oil and candies. CBD user Colby Jefferson, a 25-year-old comedian, uses it for its sleep aid properties.

“When I ate the gummies, it put me out like a light,” he said.

Aside from using CBD to help him sleep, Jefferson said that he also uses it for relaxation. According to the 2018 “CBD in the United States” study conducted by Dr. Jamie Corroon, founder and medical director of the Center for Cannabis Education, “With retail sales of hemp-derived

In Florida, the amendment to legalize medical marijuana passed in 2016, and

CBD products reaching $170 million in the United States in 2016, and

just recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill allowing smokable medical

a projected compounded annual growth rate of 55 percent over the next

marijuana in Florida. Additionally, state-led efforts by Florida legislators to

5 years, CBD is well on its way to becoming the darling of the natural

legalize recreational marijuana have already begun.

products industry.”

State Sen. Randolph Bracy has filed measure SJR 1298 that reads, in part, CBD’s popularity has skyrocketed over the years, integrating so deep

“any person in this state of 21 years of age or older has the right to the

into mainstream culture that even non-users know about it or claim to

possession of, the use of and the cultivation of cannabis.”

know people who are current users.

With CBD on track for more widespread health use, only time will tell CBD has no psychoactive properties, but users who can’t use THC,

when more measures to legalize the crop are passed across the U.S. As of

can use CBD as a substitute or way to wean off of THC instead of just

now, CBD use continues to flourish in states with laws that allow its sale

quitting all forms of marijuana cold turkey.

and distribution.

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EAT SOME FOOD TO CATCH SOME Z’S s t ory by m i n e rv e j e a n

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p h o t o s by e m a n e l s h a h aw y

leep is an important factor when it comes to a healthy mind and

BANANAS

body. According to the National Sleep Foundation, it is generally

Bananas are an all-around health promoter. Benefits such as being

recommended for adults to obtain between seven to eight hours of

high in fiber and helping to fight off free radicals are just some of

sleep. Research from the National Institutes of Health estimates

the things this super fruit can do. Bananas are also high in potassium

that between 50 and 70 million Americans have sleep disorders

and magnesium, two rich sources that contribute to the production of

or are not sleeping properly. A lack of sleep is linked to a range of

serotonin and melatonin.

diseases including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. There are several recommended methods of getting a better night’s sleep,

WHITE RICE

such as creating a new routine, using aromatherapy or even changing

Another carbohydrate-rich food, white rice is a staple among many

positions at night. Surprisingly, food is another relatively obscure way

countries in the world. The difference between white and brown

of catching a generous amount of Z’s.

rice is that white rice has had the bran and germ, two of the most nutritious parts, removed. It is recommended that it be consumed in

We often don’t think about the effects food can have on our slumber,

moderation and at least an hour or two before bed.

but according to University of Florida nutritionist Hannah Stahmer, what we eat can make a world of difference.

ALMONDS Along with their numerous health benefits such as being high in

“Foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan are thought to be

vitamin E, almonds are also high in magnesium, which is a mineral

helpful for sleep because the tryptophan can be converted to serotonin

essential for a good night’s sleep. Stahmer further notes that “the

and melatonin, which are brain chemicals known to have a relaxing

mineral magnesium found in whole grains and nuts is thought to

effect,” Stahmer said. In other words, eating certain foods can help

have additional relaxing effects, so a meal like cereal and milk

increase these two important chemical processes within the brain.

topped with banana slices and nuts would have all the components

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information,

to help you fall asleep.”

certain foods that are rich in tryptophan include milk, oatmeal, bananas and white rice.

“While these foods may help you feel relaxed and sleepy, it is not known if they can help you stay asleep,” Stahmer said. “There are so

MILK

many factors to having a good night’s sleep, and there is no magic

Milk is rich in tryptophan and is a popular drink used among

food that can guarantee a good night’s sleep.”

children and the elderly. A glass of warm milk can help increase your serotonin levels.

She advises having a small snack before bed that can help you feel sleepy, but to be careful because for some people, eating before bed

O AT M E A L

can cause gastrointestinal distress. So, make sure to know which

Aside from its benefits including containing fiber, lowering bad

foods sit well with your stomach and change up your routine or even

cholesterol and improving insulin levels among the diabetic, oatmeal

consult a doctor if you feel as if you are not getting an adequate amount

is a carbohydrate-rich food and another on the list of tryptophan-rich

of sleep.

foods. A hearty bowl of oatmeal, especially after a good workout, will help you fall asleep quicker.

24 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

Sweet Dreams!

health

| 25

R EL ATION SHI P S

“ T H E B E ST T H I N G T O HO L D ONTO IN LIFE IS E AC H O T H E R .”

Audrey Hepburn

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LET’S TALK MENTAL ILLN E S S : KNOWING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY s t ory

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p h o t o by r a n di z i e g l e r

ental disorders are health conditions that affect how a person thinks,

thinking, attention and memory – functions that are commonly interrupted

acts and feels. So, what’s the best way to know your own personal

by mental illness. CACNB2 regulates the flow of calcium in brain cells and

risk of developing a mental disorder? Your genes. Research suggests mental

is also linked to the five disorders, according to the National Institute of

illness runs in families and having a family member with one could put you

Mental Health. It’s crucial in helping neurons communicate with one another.

at a higher risk for developing certain disorders.

A disruption in calcium channel function could be one open pathway that leaves an individual vulnerable to developing one of these disorders.

Five major mental illnesses – autism spectrum disorder, Attention DeficitHyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, major depressive

However, there is more evidence that schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and

disorder and schizophrenia – appear to share genetic risk factors, according

major depression run in families, according to Rethink Mental Illness, a

to the American Psychological Association. In February 2013, researchers

charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for those who are affected

screened for evidence of illness-associated genetic variations among 33,000

by mental illness. To start off, the general population has a 1 percent chance

patients who were all diagnosed with at least one of the five disorders. A

of developing schizophrenia and about a 3 percent chance of developing

comparison group consisted of about 28,000 people who had no major

bipolar disorder. If one of your biological parents has schizophrenia, that

psychiatric illnesses, according to The Lancet, a peer-reviewed general

1 percent jumps to 13 percent, and that 3 percent jumps to 15 percent for

medical journal.

bipolar disorder. If both your biological parents have schizophrenia, you now have a 45 percent chance of developing the disorder and a 50 percent

Researchers were particularly interested in the disruptions in two specific

chance if they have bipolar disorder.

genes, CACNA1C and CACNB2, according to the American Psychological Association. A variation of CACNA1C has previously been linked to bipolar

It’s extremely important to consider your family history when starting

disorder, ADHD, autism, schizophrenia and depression. Meaning, this

a family, but even though mental illness may run in families, it doesn’t

variation of the gene may be associated with a particular symptom cluster

mean you or your child will definitely develop one. However, if you are

instead of one specific disorder, according to The Journal for Psychoses and

worried about passing down a mental illness to your child, there are genetic

Related Disorders. It’s known to affect brain circuitry involved in emotion,

counselors you can consult for advice. relationships

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WHAT’S really ON THE OPPOSITE SEX’S MIND?

T H E “ H E S A I D, S H E S A I D ” D Y N A M I C TA K E S A T W I S T O N H E T E R O S E X U A L D AT I N G , M A K I N G R E L AT I O N S H I P S W I T H T H E O P P O S I T E S E X E V E N M O R E C H A L L E N G I N G . s t ory by e m a n e l s h a h aw y

&

p h o t o by a s h l e y b rya n t

W

hether you’re single, playing the field or in a committed relationship,

flirting success are the bar, the laundromat or the gym. First dates present a

you know the struggle is real when it comes to figuring out what is

challenge from the pressure to seek emotional and intimate connections with

really on the opposite sex’s mind. If you’ve ever contemplated what you

someone completely new. This anxiety is totally normal and you’re not alone.

would wear to a date hours in advance, stressed over receiving a one-word

Both genders claim their mind races a million miles per second before a

text or woken up wondering what your partner thought of that new thing you

first date.

tried in bed with them last night, then you’ve experienced this first hand.

We would like to think we know what the opposite sex is truly thinking,

Men, like sales associate Anselm Weber, 23, admit to feeling a bit nervous

but oftentimes our assumptions can be far off. There is no better way to

before a first date and focus on being suave to make the best impression. For

understand what goes through the opposite sex’s mind than to delve into the

Esquire Cole, a 28-year-old entrepreneur, he tries to keep it cool while keeping

minds of four single heterosexual men and women and their thoughts when

his eyes and attention on the lady at all times.

it comes to mingling.

“Pre-date I’m first just thinking of what not to do or say, and once the date gets T H E F I R S T D AT E

started, my thoughts are more focused on her — how interested she is in certain

Meeting someone for the first time can be nerve-wracking in any situation.

topics, which topics lose her interest, body language, that type of stuff,” he said.

According to the “Singles In America” research study conducted in 2016

by Match.com, Helen Fisher, Ph.D. and Justin R. Garcia, Ph.D. surveyed

Women like Stephanie Candiano, 20, a college student, and Alexandria Olsen,

5,500 singles to put into perspective some of the dating preferences by

a 24-year-old medical sales representative and leg-amputee, similarly worry

men and women. It also notes that the places bringing singles the most

about their appearance before and during a first date.

28 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

“I definitely think about how I look or if I’m overdressed,” Olsen said. “As an

The Match.com survey showed that millennials are the main culprit of the “dick

amputee, I’m nervous if they like me for me or if they just want to have me as

pic” phenomenon. Forty-nine percent of men admitted to sending a “dick pic”

a notch under their belt and hit cool positions.”

and 53 percent of women claimed to receive one. Of the women on the receiving side, 49 percent of the women said they did not ask for the picture.

INTIMACY While some think of sex as a mindless, pleasurable activity, both sexes say they

PETTY ARGUMENTS

put more thought into the experience than one might think. Key takeaways

There comes a time in every relationship when conflicts arise from something

from the singles who were surveyed in the aforementioned Match.com study

trivial, such as a man not noticing how his girlfriend did her hair differently or

concluded that “overall, men are three times more likely to use a one-night

someone expressing displeasure with their partner liking a picture on Instagram

stand as a way to start a relationship.” Ladies shouldn’t get too worked up

of the opposite sex. Men and women handle dating hiccups differently, which

about how they’re doing, because according to Weber and Cole, they both

make it a nuisance in most relationships. When it comes to men’s thoughts while

express how they are often more preoccupied with the longevity of their lower

arguing with a woman they like, Cole and Weber think men shouldn’t be so

bodily function during sex.

quick to surrender. The two of them shared how they’ll usually try to diffuse the situation by adding humor to antagonize any petty argument they get into with

Weber sheepishly revealed he thinks of something boring to delay orgasm.

a girl they like as a way to emphasize the insignificant scale of the argument.

And with good reason. Ladies like Olsen hold a degree of expectations during sex.

“I’ll be equally petty back,” Cole says. “Girls who frequently pick and start arguments are a turn-off for guys.”

“He better last long, and he better reciprocate oral,” she said.

According to the Match.com study, 58 percent of singles found complaining on Candiano says having a clear mind is key to easing the mental pressures of

social media to be a big turn off, and Cole says the same rules apply whenever

intercourse. She believes the process starts with having a limited number of sexual partners.

“If you’re just going out with a bunch of people and having sex I think you would be more likely to second guess yourself and wonder how you look or if you were as good as the last person,” she said.

“Men and women can overcome the challenges of heterosexual relationships through more effective communication.”

TEXTING If communicating with the opposite sex wasn’t already hard enough, technology has augmented the challenge through dictating the way we interact with one another. Interpreting texts today from the opposite sex can be like deciphering a foreign language. According to Cole, the best things to say

he gets into a petty argument with a woman. Candiano and Olsen both agree that

to women over text are messages that make her smile and laugh, not just

when women tell their partner to leave them alone or not to talk to them, they

compliments. Occasionally, he’ll send a one-word text or not reply, which he

almost always mean the opposite.

said is more often than not because he’s genuinely busy.

“When I shut a guy I’m into ‘off’ during an argument, I definitely expect him Weber will also keep the conversation going with humor, but on the contrary

to continue talking to me and make some form of effort toward a resolution,”

he believes one-word texts and no response expresses disinterest from both

Candiano shared.

sides. For Olsen, she tends to overthink her texts a lot, including whether or not to send the first text.

CONCLUSION: It’s important for us to understand that all people, regardless of being the opposite

“I get anxious over sending risky text messages, especially sexting,” she added.

sex, are different. But, this aspect doesn’t have to impede our dating lives. Men and women can overcome the challenges of heterosexual relationships through

In a dating culture where everyone is sliding into one another’s DMs or swiping

more effective communication. The closer you become with the opposite sex,

right to match on a dating app, communicating online becomes mundane for

the better you’ll be able to identify what he or she is specifically thinking as

women like Candiano. Additionally, she says her in-person preference also

the relationship evolves. We can’t read minds, but we can utilize dating insight

applies to body parts.

and past relationship experiences from men and women to develop a better understanding of the opposite sex.

“I can only text so much,” she notes. “I prefer in-person interactions, so I may not be as flirty over text than I’d be face to face... I don’t find “dick pics” attractive through text, but in person it’s a different story.”

relationships

| 29

INSIDE THE MIND OF

A PARENT WITH A SICK CHILD s t ory by r a n di z i e g l e r

&

p h o t o s c ou rt e s y of da nc e

“No one in my family has ever been that sick,” Phillips-Genuardi said. “To me, really sick was throwing up, or [getting] pneumonia or bronchitis. That’s the most sick I’ve ever had to personally deal with.”

Beckett was intubated, which is the process of inserting a tube through the mouth and into the airway so that a patient can be placed on a ventilator to assist with breathing during severe illness. After receiving an echocardiogram, the doctors found that his heart was severely enlarged. He was transferred to the cardiac ICU floor and remained there for 24 hours until the doctors decided to transfer him to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. They arrived at Shands on Christmas Eve at 4 a.m.

m a r at h on at t h e u n i v e r s i t y of f l or i da

“It was Christmastime, so it was really hard,” she said. “I promised myself I

T

aylor Phillips-Genuardi had an extremely easy pregnancy, but nothing

wasn’t going to be bitter, and I’ve always been a pretty positive person, which helps as well.”

prepared her for what was to come in the first month of her son

Beckett’s,life.

Beckett was placed on a heart transplant list on Dec. 26, 2014. His heart was in such bad shape that medicine was not going to fix it. He received a “Berlin

Beckett was born Oct. 12, 2014, about a month after Phillips-Genuardi

Heart,” which is an artificial heart that pumps blood so his own heart can rest.

graduated from nursing school. But before his first-month appointment, she noticed his breathing was off. The pediatrician didn’t seem too worried

“It’s extremely difficult to want that for your son when you know what has to

because Beckett was hitting all his milestones. But by the time his two-

happen for him to get a heart,” she said. “But, you want your son to be saved,

month appointment came around, Phillips-Genuardi still did not like the way

and that’s the only way he’ll survive.”

he was breathing.

Phillips-Genuardi prepared herself to be in the hospital with Beckett for a “At first, I thought he was retracting. I thought maybe I was being a first-time

long time because the average wait for a heart is six months, she said. Ten

crazy mom, and in nursing school you don’t learn that much about babies.

days later, she received the call she prayed and wished for. Beckett received

It’s mostly adults,” she said. “You have one semester of babies, and that’s it. I

his new heart on Jan. 5, 2015.

always believed doctors because I didn’t have a reason not to.”

Two days after his two-month appointment, Phillips-Genuardi started to get frustrated because he wasn’t eating. Beckett ate for a little bit, then he’d latch off and start crying. He was also sleeping all day.

“He would wake up and scream bloody murder until I got him back to sleep,” she said. “So he would sleep, wake up, cry, sleep, wake up, cry. It was like a cycle.”

That night, Phillips-Genuardi was changing Beckett’s diaper and noticed it had two red dots on it. She called the on-call pediatrician, who said if he ran a fever or had another bloody diaper, she’d need to bring him to the emergency room.

Around 2 a.m. that same night, Beckett had another bloody diaper. PhillipsGenuardi dropped everything and brought him to the local hospital. There, the doctors tested him for a urinary tract infection, but the test came out negative. They were at a loss, so she was referred to Dr. George Palmer at AdventHealth Orlando.

It was after Palmer examined Beckett at AdventHealth that Phillips-Genuardi was hit with the worst news possible. She still remembers the urgency in Palmer’s voice when he said, “Your son is very sick. We have to rush him to the ICU.”

30 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

Beckett; his mom, Taylor; and his sister, Harper, are at a Halloween event where Beckett was dressed as the Tin Man.

Beckett got on stage at Dance Marathon at UF’s main event to sing with his Dad.

“It was 10 p.m., and the nurse transplant coordinator called me. She asked me

going to happen with my son, and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to

where I was and when I said I was still in Beckett’s room, she said, ‘Well stay

have more kids.”

there because a heart’s coming,’” Phillips-Genuardi said. “It was a whirlwind

and a moment I’ll never forget.”

Her biggest frustration today is not knowing the cause of Beckett’s complications. Doctors tested Beckett’s old heart to see if the enlargement

The only thing Phillips-Genuardi knew about the donor was the fact that he

was due to a virus or gene. Phillips-Genuardi had a smooth pregnancy, so she

or she was about one year old, so the heart was a little bigger than a 3-month-

didn’t think it was a virus.

old’s. But, because Beckett’s own heart was enlarged, his body had room

for it.

After a few blood panels and echocardiograms, the tests were not revealing the cause, so the doctors encouraged the two to try again naturally. On March

After Beckett’s surgery, Phillips-Genuardi noticed he regained color in his

5, 2017, they had another child, a girl named Harper.

face and looked like a whole new person. She didn’t realize how much better

he looked when he had a good, working heart.

Harper just turned 2 years old, and her heart hasn’t shown any signs of irregularity.

“Every day, something new was coming off. One day he got his chest

tubes taken out, another day the doctors took him off intubation,” she said.

“I feel like some people would think ‘Well why would you take the chance?’

“Once everything was off his face, he was smiling again, and I got to hold

But if something were to happen to Beckett, I never just wanted one child,”

him again.”

Phillips-Genuardi said. “You’re never really out of the woods yet.”

A whole new set of nerves kicked in for Phillips-Genuardi when the doctors started to talk about releasing Beckett from the hospital. She felt safe knowing he was being taken care of in the hospital.

“Bringing him home was nerve-wracking, and it was like starting all over again,” she said. “It was exciting because you finally get back into a routine and get back into the life you had before, or the life you thought you were going to have. You’re basically trying to find your new normal.”

However, Phillips-Genuardi’s next struggle was whether or not she and her husband wanted to have another baby.

“We definitely wanted more than one, and we wanted them to be pretty close in age,” she said. “It was sort of a double punch. I didn’t know what was relationships

| 31

A GUIDE TO

SP E A K I N G YOU R M I N D s t ory by b r i t ta n y wa l l ac e

S

&

p h o t o by m i c h e l l e p o z na n s ky

peaking your mind for some people is as easy as tying a shoe or as

So, reflect on your emotions and try to understand the person you are talking

hard as figuring out the caption for your Instagram post. It is the fear

too, that way you can go into the conversation with a calmer and more open

of confrontation that makes some people avoid speaking their mind, but confrontation doesn’t mean you have to get ready for battle. Holding your tongue could make you a ticking time bomb in the long run. Speaking your

mind.

DON’T BLAME

mind is important, and how you speak your mind can make solving problems easier and keep treasured relationships intact.

People “peace out” of a conversation once they feel they are being blamed.

They want to become defensive, and that can lead to the unwanted part of

Tawanna Frazier Lumpkins is a licensed mental health counselor with her own

confrontation, like yelling. Frazier Lumpkins advises against saying the

practice in Gainesville, Tawanna Frazier Lumpkins LMHD, in Gainesville,

phrase, “you made me feel,” since it implies blame and can make the other

and she believes confrontation in relationships is healthy. Frazier Lumpkins

person become defensive. She suggests saying, “I feel” or “I am disappointed”

stressed three ways to speak your mind in a healthy manner.

when speaking your mind.

DON’T PERSONALIZE OR CREATE HYPOTHETICALS

“When you are communicating your feelings, you have to own your feelings.

Frazier Lumpkins used her husband as an example for this one and how he

If you hold in your feelings too much, you aren’t being your authentic self,

leaves his socks on the floor of their bathroom. She says if she doesn’t open

and this can cause stress, she said. This stress leads to mental health issues

up a dialogue, she can have preconceived notions of the situation.

like anxiety and depression, and physical issues like hypertension, which

“I would personalize it and think he was doing this to make me bend over and

can increase your risk of a stroke. It turns out, holding in your feelings can

pick up his socks, and why would he do that?”

actually send you to an early grave.

Preconceived notions give you an idea in your mind of how the conversation

“Another reason to express your feelings is people love authenticity. I’d

will go and why people are acting the way they are. You’ll be sitting there

rather be around people who are real with me, and you can feel that,” Frazier

angry at someone for what you imagine they feel. This is not the mindset you

Lumpkins said.

You allow people to make you feel a certain way,” Frazier Lumpkins said.

want before confronting someone.

UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF AND THEM

People hold their tongues because they’re afraid of hurting others’ feelings.

Following these tips can help you navigate difficult conversations with ease and be more authentic. So, speak your mind with confidence to live a happier

When you go into a conversation, Frazier Lumpkins suggested understanding where you are first. Are you making a molehill into a mountain because you had a bad day? Are you too angry to communicate properly? You need to understand why you are feeling the way you are before you talk to someone else. Also, understand where the other person is coming from and who they are. Are they in a bad place in their life right now? Are they a friend or an authority figure? These are things to keep in mind so you can communicate with that person accordingly and effectively.

Frazier Lumpkins used an example of how to speak to an authority figure. She suggested lowering your pride and speaking humbly. While talking to a friend you can communicate more casually as equals.

“When you are communicating with a person, you always have to make sure you are aware of where they are, who they are and empathize with them,” Frazier Lumpkins said.

32 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

and healthier life.

relationships

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‘NO ONE IS A SUPERHERO’ CARING FOR A LOVED ONE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE s t ory by j e s s i c a g i l e s

&

p h o t o s c ou rt e s y of k a r e n de w e e s e

T

he changes were subtle at first. Karen DeWeese’s mother would wear the same clothes for days at a time and there was less food

in the fridge. But it wasn’t until the boxes started showing up that the reality dawned on DeWeese. Blenders, pots, pans and other random items were delivered to her 80-year-old mother’s doorstep each day.

The boxes weren’t just a harmless symptom of a shopaholic, in fact, her mother had never been one for excessive shopping.

“Good God, she hated credit cards,” DeWeese said. “And then all of a sudden she’d find everything under the sun, and all these boxes were being delivered.”

They pointed to a deeper problem. Ida Pearl Kuschill hadn’t been sleeping. Instead, she’d stay up all night watching QVC, buying most of the things she saw on TV. Suddenly, the changes became more noticeable. She refinanced her home with little information and would forget where she was going when she went outside to fetch the mail. What DeWeese used to dismiss as normal old age forgetfulness seemed to be intensifying.

Kuschill was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her early 80’s. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disorder that results in the gradual loss of memory and thinking skills, according to the National Institute on Aging. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia and differs from typical age-related changes. While it’s normal to occasionally forget about an appointment or get confused about what day of the week it is, those who suffer from Alzheimer’s often struggle with things they used

emotional toll it can have on the caregivers often goes unspoken about,

to be able to do on their own, such as retracing their steps or driving to

DeWeese said.

a familiar location, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

"It is so exhausting, and not because you don't want to care for your

An Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be profoundly difficult, not only for the

loved one,” she said. “You're doing everything that you can, but you're

individual diagnosed but also their loved ones. Karen DeWeese, who

killing yourself."

runs her own home healthcare agency in Gainesville, always knew her mother to be fiercely independent. Kuschill raised five children on

It’s common for caregivers to neglect their own physical and mental well-

her own and rarely asked for help with anything. But after Kuschill’s

being when they’re taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s, said

diagnosis, it was her daughter who took on that caregiver role.

David Huckabee, the vice president of programs at the Central and North Florida chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Even something as simple

"It’s someone that's cooked for you your whole life, someone that's

as taking a shower or attending your own doctor’s appointments can be

cared for you your whole life, and now you're trying to care for them,”

placed on the backburner when you spend so much of your time serving

DeWeese said.

someone else.

It’s a role no one prepares you for, she said. Caring for someone

Huckabee suggests caregivers schedule time for their own mental and

with Alzheimer’s is a 24-hour task. Unfortunately, the physical and

physical health the same way they would for their loved one. Start with just

34 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

Far left: Ida Pearl Kuschill Middle: Karen Deweese (right) poses with her mother, Ida Pearl (left).

Right: Karen Deweese and her family smile for a photo.

15 minutes a day for yourself, he said. Use this time to take a shower, go

"Too often caregivers get bogged down in the physical, day-to-day

for a walk or journal. Caregivers might feel guilty for carving out this time

elements of caregiving and don't address the emotional side of it,” he said.

for themselves, but Huckabee reminds us that it’s a win-win situation for both the caregiver and the loved one.

Huckabee has found that even people who were initially resistant to joining a support group typically saw the benefits after attending their first meeting.

“If you're so burnt out and frustrated and angry and you know you're not

Support groups proved to be a powerful tool for DeWeese, and she even

taking care of yourself, you're not being as effective of a caregiver as you

decided to begin hosting her own, she said. These meetings helped her

could be,” he said.

realize she wasn’t alone in her trials, and she was even able to use her experience to educate those newer to the life of caregiving.

When Kuschill was first diagnosed, it was a daily battle for DeWeese to balance her mother’s needs with her own. While the physical demands of

“You'll find that those people are either going through the struggles you

daily care exhausted her body, it was the emotional toll that often drained

are currently going through or they've been there, but their wealth of

her the most.

knowledge definitely can help the next person along,” she said.

"It becomes so hard and hurtful on the family members,” she said. “Now

Kuschill passed away about one year ago, but DeWeese continues to

your own parent doesn't trust you. Your own parent is hesitant to share

educate people about Alzheimer’s disease. She believes that talking about

with you, or they don't recognize their grandchildren, and it just hurts your

it can help people see the signs of Alzheimer’s early and provide better care

heart so deep."

for their loved ones.

Watching a family or friend suffer from Alzheimer’s is an undeniably

No matter how big the support system or how educated the caregiver,

painful experience, but there are some resources caregivers can use for

some days are just hard. Alzheimer’s disease can transform the people

emotional support. Huckabee believes one of the best things family

we know and love into someone who can’t even remember our names.

members can do after the diagnosis is seek out reliable information.

This type of disease results in a mental burden that no one can bear alone.

Oftentimes, a lack of knowledge and uncertainty about the disease can be

It’s crucial that caregivers reach out and ask for help, despite their pride,

one of the most daunting things to overcome initially. Family and friends

shame or denial that tells them otherwise. Asking for help is never a sign

can call the Alzheimer’s Association helpline at 800-272-3900 where they

of weakness.

can speak with a trained professional 24/7. Caregivers shouldn’t wait until they feel they’re in crisis to call, he said.

“No one is a superhero,” DeWeese said. “You will find that you do need other people. You can't do it alone."

Huckabee also believes that support groups, whether in-person or online, are an invaluable tool for caregivers. Here they can meet and talk with others who have a more intimate understanding of the emotional aspects of the disease.

relationships

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L IFEST YL E

“THE MIND IS NOT A VESSEL TO BE FILLED, BUT A FIRE TO BE KINDLED.” plutarch

36 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

MAKEUP

to get your

MOOD UP

s t ory by j a m i e s h a p i ro

O

ver 90 percent of women in the United States wear and purchase makeup annually, according to a 2017 survey conducted by Statista. Out of that 90 percent, 48 percent say they wear makeup to boost their confidence, 22 percent wear makeup because they find the effect of a nicely applied coat of

lipstick or mascara comforting and 16 percent wear it simply because makeup brings them joy. Whether you’re looking to boost your confidence or add a little joy to a day where nothing seems to go right, adding one of these to your makeup bag could change your mindset.

NARS JUNGLE RED LIPSTICK; SEPHORA, $28 Whether it’s a daily ritual or just a little pick-me-up on a day when you feel less than your best, this red lipstick is the perfect choice. The color red is often associated with confidence and romance, so if you’ve got a first date or a big job interview, this shade will put you in the right mood.

TARTE MARACUJA OIL; TARTE, $16 FOR TRAVEL-SIZED BOT TLE Sometimes a makeup product isn’t about completely altering your appearance, like a bright lip color or dramatic smokey eye, but how it makes you feel wearing it. This face oil is the yoga pants of makeup, and while it doesn’t provide much PHOTOS BY MANUFACTURER

in the way of bells and whistles, it does smooth and soften the skin of your face and neck. It can also provide relief for skin that may be irritated from wearing heavy foundation or using harsh face treatments.

SEPHORA CREAM LIP STAIN LIQUID LIPSTICK; SEPHORA, $14 If you’re having one of those days where it seems everything that can go wrong does go wrong and you can’t quite get out of that funk, this Sephora liquid lipstick can turn your day around. With its long lasting formula and massive color selection, this lipstick has the power to bring your mood up and make sure that it stays that way all day.

NEUTROGENA HEALTHY SKIN ANTI-AGING PERFECTOR; TARGET, $8.89 Some people might tell you that you can’t have it all, but a makeup product that’s effective and comfortable? This Neutrogena product would definitely give those folks a run for their money. Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Anti-Aging Perfector gives the coverage of a foundation with the comfort of your favorite moisturizer. You can leave the house confident that your skin tone looks even and your skin is happy and hydrated, an amazing combination of comfort and function.

GLIT TERALLY OBSESSED IN STAR PART Y; COLOURPOP, $8 Sometimes all it takes to go from a bad day to a great day is a little pop of color or a swipe of glitter. ColourPop’s Glitterally Obsessed eyeshadow in Star Party gives you both in an eyeshadow gel that could help boost your mood even after some of the most stressful days. The gel formula promises that your eyelids will be no less than ethereal, and the cost assures that you can purchase one of the dozens of other color options to create an uplifting look for going out or just staying in and experimenting with your makeup.

“

22 percent wear makeup because they find the effect of a nicely applied coat of lipstick or mascara comforting. lifestyle

”

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Z E R O WA ST E I N I T IAT I V E : GAINESVILLE GOES GREEN s t ory

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&

p h o t o s by k a r l a a r b ol e da

H

uman life comes and goes, but the results from our habits are proven to

“Even if you just start off with bringing reusable bags to the grocery store and

last longer than our very own corpses. As the next corporate company

doing that consistently for a good period of time, it becomes second nature,”

makes a move to please the ever-growing social awareness of environmental

Bhattacharyya said. “After that point, adopt something else. Bring some bags

issues, the Gainesville community has been making consistent strides toward

and jars for bulk food items or for your produce instead of using a plastic

environmentally friendly progress with zero-waste principles in mind.

produce bag,”

Nina Bhattacharyya, the founder of Zero Waste Gainesville, has made it a

Choosing grocery stores such as Lucky’s or Ward’s that participate in

point to contribute her desire for a healthier planet directly into the town she

promoting environmentally healthy principles can make all the difference,

lives. By practicing a zero-waste lifestyle at home and heading the drive for a

too. Bhattacharyya knows that nothing can start too small, and progress can

better community, Bhattacharyya has become a supporter of her surroundings

always grow from there. For her, zero-waste principles were integrated into

and a positive influence for those who wish to practice better habits for

her lifestyle at a certain pace.

the Earth.

“I typically would try to target one area of my life, whether it be grocery

“Each and every one of us needs to kind of evaluate our lifestyle choices and

shopping, the house, going out and about, traveling and dining; I kind of

reduce waste,” Bhattacharyya said. “People may not, right from the get-go,

handled each one of those as its own separate thing,” Bhattacharyya said.

recognize that waste is upon all parts of our lives.”

“I identified what I needed to get things done and figured out alternatives to

Bea Johnson, owner of the blog-turned-brand Zero Waste Home and

basically reducing waste along the way.”

Bhattacharyya’s inspiration, said zero-waste principles revolve around

While advocating for environmental improvement moves toward even bigger

the four R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle. What has become the most

projects such as composting and reusing construction materials, the journey

common knowledge for people does not include the first R, “refuse,” but it

always starts small and humble with each person who chooses to give back

could soon become a norm.

to the Earth.

“I like to include that as well because zero-waste is not about recycling

“Remember to be patient with yourself and others as well,” Bhattacharyya

more,” Bhattacharyya said. “It’s about looking at what you need and reducing

said. “Each and every one of us needs to evaluate our lifestyle choices and

that consumption from the get-go.”

reduce waste.”

Zero Waste Gainesville, an organization that has grown in popularity over the last couple of years, host workshops to teach zero-waste methods of living as well as sharing local City Commission events that rile up support for change.

“Zero-waste strategic plan is something that communities have really done to have a roadmap to making decisions,” she said about the Gainesville City Commission’s efforts in progress. “It also looks at the current waste production. Of course, that is really helpful for learning where we need to go.”

Joining forces with environmental change makers is just what the city wishes to accomplish. Today, Zero Waste Gainesville and Alachua County, a program that advocates for a more environmentally friendly city, is helping to make the strive for less waste in our community a reality. City Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos hopes the journey to becoming less wasteful can be shared by many people in the community.

Additionally, the Gainesville City Commission is reviewing Ordinance No. 170487, otherwise known as the plastic and Styrofoam ban. While this excludes straws, the ordinance would prohibit businesses from using singleuse plastic bags. Violators could see up to a $250 fine. The ordinance will be officially enforced on January 1, 2020.

As far as trying to begin a zero-waste lifestyle, some of the principles Bhattacharyya applies to her life start in her home. Making homemade cleaning products, reusing containers and opting for glass jars are a few of the ways you can get around having to create more with paper or plastic materials. lifestyle

| 39

A COLORFUL MIND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR s t ory by m i n e rv e j e a n

T

&

p h o t o by m i c h e l l e p o z na n s ky

he psychology of color is an interesting concept. It’s

to a relaxed one. It’s better off used as an accent color to

the theory that color affects one’s state of mind. Color,

spruce up a muted room,” DeGange said.

in a universal sense, is representative of various cultures and meaning. What blue can mean in the Eastern Hemisphere is

While some colors elicit similar reactions across all

much different than the Western.

spectrums, others, much like fingerprints, are different.

The difference stems from a number of factors including

Color is also a powerful tool that can be used for

culture, experiences and deep-rooted memories that might

communication purposes. The color white in the Western

arise when viewing that specific color.

Hemisphere is viewed as a representation of purity and innocence. According to the Journal of the Royal Society of

With color affecting our emotions, it’s also important to

Medicine, a hospital with typical white walls and healthcare

note the influence it has within our surroundings. “The

workers who wear white is used to create a sense of security

environment makes a big difference,” DeGange said.

within the minds of patients. It enables those who are

“Cooler colors such as blues and seafoam greens are

admitted to trust their surroundings and those in charge of

recommended for interior design.”

their well-being.

According to DeGange, one thing to be mindful of is the Another common color, red, often represents anger, love,

colors that you surround yourself with. Make sure to use

passion and strength. Opposite from white, it can increase

calming colors such as pale blues, greens and purples

one’s heart rate and blood pressure. Maria DeGange, interior

that are positive, peaceful and evoke cheerful emotions

designer and owner of Chroma Home, states that “Red is a

from you.

very vivid color. It gives a sense of rush. It’s a bold color representing vitality. Red has an immediate response that commands attention.”

“Blue creates a sense of fresh air or reminds one of the ocean,” DeGange said. “You can use a variety of shades such as turquoise, navy and teal. You can also incorporate

When trying to create a relaxed state of mind, DeGange

it into different styles and areas in your home, such as the

doesn’t recommend vivid colors such as red. “It’s a symbol

bathroom, rugs and pillows.”

of passion and on the negative side, anger. If you’re trying to create a restful room, red is not the way to go.”

The next time you’re in a bad mood, think of switching up the colors of your surroundings with cool colors for an

“Red will give you a playful and energetic mood as opposed

40 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

even cooler sense of well-being.

look

G O OD feel

G R E AT

s t ory

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p h o t o s by i s a b e l l a s or r e s s o

E

very time I wear my brown leather boots with a

This identity may even change day to day depending

two-inch heel, I feel like I can conquer the world.

on what version of yourself you want to be. Just as

Maybe it’s the way that the shoes click when I walk down a hallway or the fact that they make me stand up a little straighter. All I know is that being even two inches taller, from a mere 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 4 inches, can make all the difference in my confidence that day. If they didn’t make my feet ache after a while, I might never take them off.

This may sound strange, but I’m not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. There is truth to feeling a shift in your confidence or self-esteem depending on what you’re wearing.

“People love to look good!” said Edwin Exaus, a University of Florida alumni and current manager of digital content and social at Sachin & Babi, a high-end retailer in New York. “Being well-dressed is one of the biggest confidence boosters to date. When a person feels great about their outfit, their mindset changes.”

Many fashion-obsessed girls and guys have probably felt their confidence levels rise when they put on an outfit

“”

“WHAT YOU WEAR CREATES A SENSE OF IDENTIT Y AND OTHERS SEE THAT.”

superheroes put on their cape and spandex to become their supernatural alter-ego, and just as actors go into hair and makeup to get into character, we can put on a structured blazer to feel more powerful and confident in ourselves.

“Fashion is an industry based on emotions,” Exaus said.

Designers and fashion companies know people love to feel good in their own skin, and that what we wear is just an extension of ourselves. Because of this, fashion has become a strong industry, and according to the State of Fashion Report from 2017, it is currently valued at $2.4 trillion (yes, trillion with a “T”).

The idea of “power-dressing” can also be a helpful tool in situations like job interviews, for which you want to dress formal and sharp to show both that you are qualified for the position and that you can look the part.

As for those days when you feel great just walking around in a pair of jeans and a beat-up sweatshirt that

they feel good in; it’s about feeling like yourself.

you love, Exaus has a theory for that, too.

“[Fashion] allows me to take pride in my appearance,

He said wearing items that you love “consistently

which ultimately follows the saying, ‘When you

evokes the same emotion that initially made you fall

look good, you feel good,’” Exaus said. “It’s a really

in love with it, and strong happy emotions are the basis

superficial thing to say, but when my outfit looks

to confidence.”

amazing to me, my confidence follows suit.”

So, whether you’re wearing a pair of brand new If you wear leather jackets and distressed denim every

pumps out into the world, slipping on your favorite

day, that becomes a way for people to recognize you and

hoodie or even applying a blinding highlighter to your

your personal style. What you wear creates a sense of

cheeks, wear what you love and you’ll always look

identity and others see that.

and feel good. lifestyle

| 41

AN X IOU S

or

ST RE S SE D?

HERE ARE SIX PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU OUT s t ory

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p h o t o s by tay l or c ava l i e r e

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e can try to overcome the struggles in our mind on our own, but sometimes, we need a little extra help. If your next vacation is a

COLORING BOOK: AMAZON, $5.99-$14.99

little too far away and taking deep breaths just isn’t cutting it, you may want something else. Here are some products you can purchase to help you relax and take some of the strain off your brain.

WEIGHTED BL ANKET: TARGET, $69.99 These are exactly what their name would lead you to believe – heavy blankets.

Generally, they are at least 15 pounds, and the feeling of this weight on top of you has proven to produce a calming effect. It feels almost as though you are being hugged or swaddled, helping you feel safe and more at ease. Deep touch pressure therapy is scientifically proven to boost oxytocin – a hormone linked to feeling relaxed, calm and happy. Cuddling or hugging has similar effects, but for those who live alone or don’t like human contact, weighted blankets can deliver the same benefits. Additionally, these blankets can improve sleep. The weight makes it harder for you to flop around and wake

We all remember these from our childhood, but coloring books for adults

yourself up during the night.

have become a pop culture phenomenon. Topics range from mandalas to

CANDLES: TARGET, $4-$20 The soft glow of a lit candle in your favorite scent can do wonders for your

curse words and everything in between. Even if you don’t want to buy a full book, you can Google “free coloring pages” for hundreds of choices. All you need is a flat surface and some colorful writing utensils.

state of mind. Candles are great because they are sold virtually everywhere eyes and your nose, a candle can help center you and refresh your space.

ESSENTIAL OILS: TARGET, $11-$30 FOR DIFFUSER AND $6.99 FOR OIL

FIDGET CUBE: AMAZON, $6

These are naturally sourced liquids that usually have an aroma. Some of

and come in a wide array of sizes, prices and scents. Appealing to both your

the most popular essential oils are lavender, sandalwood, jasmine, citron, peppermint and rose. They vary in benefits—for example, lavender is known for its calming effects, and rose is known for stress and anxiety relief. Essential oils can be used in a variety of ways, but perhaps the most popular use is in diffusers. Diffusers disperse the scent of the oil through the air, usually as a mist with water. Most are equipped with colored lights, too. They typically have customizable settings for length of time, strength of the mist and color and brightness of the light.

STRESS BALL: AMAZON, $10.99 FOR 3-PACK This desk toy boasts six sides of tiny activities. There is a switch to flip,

A stress ball can relieve tension or just keep your hands busy while

wheels to spin, a ball to roll, a button to slide and tiny buttons to press. It

performing menial tasks. These are particularly useful because they are silent

keeps your hands busy and offers a variety of ways to channel nervous energy

and portable. You can take these to work, in the car, on the bus or to the store.

into a nondestructive outlet. A Fidget Cube could help you focus and relieve

Stress balls also prevent you from resorting to nervous habits such as biting

some stress at work, in class or at home.

your nails.

42 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

JUST THINK POSITIVELY story by minerve jean

H

&

graphic by savannah austin

enry Ford once stated, “If you think you can or you can’t, you’re right,” and although that was said almost 72 years ago,

it still rings true. Your greatest motivator is yourself, and how you think strongly affects your well-being. This notion is called positive psychology, something that is growing more and more popular in the world of psychology and beyond.

“It’s a new field in psychology. It took just a little over 20 years until it was officially recognized,” said Dr. Ronald Chandler, a sustainability psychologist and environmental scientist at the University of Florida. “[Positive psychology] asks the question of what would happen if we paid attention to our strengths rather than our weaknesses,”

make an individual a “good” person and how those traits can

Chandler said.

contribute to a “good” life.

Positive psychology focuses on three aspects. These three include

It’s an idea that centers on how to transform a negative thought

positive experiences, positive traits and social responsibility. The first

into something positive and how to focus on the things that make

aspect is positive experiences, which includes emotions associated

life worth living.

with love, joy and satisfaction. This aspect focuses on feeling good and the emotions that come along with it. It’s about focusing on the

The third aspect is on a larger scale and focuses on social

positive emotions associated with a healthy mental state.

responsibility, such as altruism and work ethic. These all contribute to being a better person and living a better life overall.

“Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi were the original pioneers of positive psychology,” Chandler said. “They were social

“Lots of research shows that if we have an honest optimism and

psychologists by training but drew from literature that indicated that

recognize our strengths and are honest about them, as well as

there was a problem in psychology.”

work with optimism, gratitude and authentic happiness, then we feel better about ourselves and act better toward others,”

The problem was that psychology was too heavily influenced by

Chandler said.“We are more successful and have a better outlook

Sigmund Freud. Freud’s focus was on the negative aspects of

on life.”

psychology and took the position that we are flawed. If we don’t stay focused on illnesses and weaknesses, it can overtake us.

So how exactly would one start practicing positive psychology?

Positive psychology aims to help one focus on the positives instead

“Go online and take the characters strengths and virtues survey

of the negatives and direct their focus solely on the growth of

at the University of Pennsylvania. It points out your greatest

their well-being.

character strengths and virtues,” Chandler said. “I recommend printing it out and reading it every morning, sort of like a mantra.

The second aspect of positive psychology is positive and personal

Being able to practice positive psychology helps us to focus on

traits, such as gratitude and compassion. This identifies the things that

who we truly are and helps heal society.”

lifestyle

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W HO A M I , A N Y WAY ?

A LOOK INTO FIVE PERSONALIT Y TESTS s t ory by tay l or c ava l i e r e

I

f you hang out on Reddit, Tumblr, LinkedIn or any social media site for

fit into. Then, based on this and the other categories, they can graph their

too long, you’ll likely encounter some reference to a personality test.

tendencies. The shape of the graph (i.e., the exact relationship between their

Personality tests are used for countless reasons. They help us learn how other

scores in each category) indicates their specific DiSC style. Each letter is most

people’s brains work. They help us know how best to work with groups and

compatible with the one next to it, similarly to the Enneagram. The DiSC style

understand a variety of leadership styles. They provide us with insight about

options are D, Di, iD, i, iS, Si, S, SC, CS, C, CD and DC.

the topic that fascinates us more than any other: ourselves. Here are five popular personality tests, how they work and what the results mean.

EYSENCK

ENNEAGRAM

The Eysenck Personality Inventory measures two dimensions of personality,

The Enneagram personality typing system consists of nine different types

yes-or-no questions, and you are given three scores upon completion.

Extraversion-Introversion and Neuroticism-Stability. The test contains 57

(from the Greek word “ennea” meaning “nine”). A person’s Enneagram type is denoted as a number, one through nine. Each person is considered to be one

The ‘lie score’ is out of nine. It is a control for ensuring test-takers are not

type but can show characteristics of other types.

merely wishing to appear socially desirable by their responses. A score of five or more on this probably means the taker was not being completely honest

Type 1’s (The Reformer) are perfectionists, responsible and fixated on

with their answers.

improvement. Type 2’s (The Helper) are those who need to feel needed and love to give to others. Type 3’s (The Achiever) are focused on success and

The ‘E score’ and ‘N score’ are each out of 24. The ‘E score’ measures how

validation. Type 4’s (The Individualist) feel unique and different. Type 5’s

much of an extrovert you are, and the ‘N score’ measures how neurotic you

(The Investigator) are those who tend to withdraw and thoughtfully observe.

are. The scores you receive for each of these are plotted on a graph, and you

Type 6’s (The Loyalist) are stuck between trusting others and being closed off,

can learn about your personality based on where you fall. An ‘E score’ of

but once someone proves themselves, they are steadfastly loyal. Type 7’s (The

0 indicates extreme introversion and an ‘N score’ of 0 indicates extreme

Enthusiast) search for pleasure and adventure and make lots of plans. Type

stability, while an ‘E score’ of 24 indicates extreme extraversion and an ‘N

8’s (The Challenger) take charge and don’t like to be told what to do. Type

score’ of 24 indicates extreme neuroticism.

9’s (The Peacemaker) feel a need for peace and harmony and avoid conflict.

This is used for very broad, general tendencies of personality.

While this test gives people one type, they can show strong tendencies toward another type that is one number away. If you lean further to one side than the

TRUE COLORS

other, you are assigned a wing. These can be abbreviated as “3w2” or “3w4.”

If one side isn’t more dominant, the “wings” are balanced, and your type will

This personality test helps individuals understand their own personality type

just be shown as one number.

and how each type interacts with the others. The results of True Colors, as

DiSC

you’d expect, are given as colors. The four colors are gold, orange, green and blue.

A DiSC assessment works to provide insight into four categories: Dominance,

Golds are punctual, organized and precise. Oranges are energetic, spontaneous

Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. This test is a way to gauge

and charming. Greens are analytical, intuitive and visionary. Blues are

behavioral differences between people and is especially useful in work and

empathetic, compassionate and cooperative.

leadership settings.

This test gives a person their primary color but also shows their secondary The assessment is a questionnaire with 80 items. Once completed, the person

color. The secondary color, while less indicative of a person’s primary

uses their overall answers to establish which of the four categories they

tendencies, provides further insight into the person. One color is rarely

44 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

enough to truly explain a person, and the creators of the True Colors test call

The first letter (E or I) denotes favorite world. If a person focuses on their

these combinations of colors a “Power Combo.”

outer world, they are assigned an E for Extraversion. If a person focuses on their inner world, they are assigned an I for Introversion. The second letter

MYERS-BRIGGS

(S or N) indicates information. If a person prefers to focus on information obtained through their five senses, they are assigned an S for Sensing. If

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was created with the notion that people’s

a person prefers to interpret information and add meaning to it, they are

behavior is generally orderly and consistent based on the way individuals

assigned an N for Intuition. The third letter (T or F) denotes decisions. If a

perceive and judge the world around them.

person prefers to focus on basic information when making a decision, they are given a T for Thinking. A person who likes to first look at people and special

The full assessment has 93 questions. This test focuses on four aspects of

circumstances when faced with a decision is given a F for Feeling. The fourth

personality represented by letters. Each Myers-Briggs type is displayed as

letter (J or P) signifies structure. A person who prefers structure and a decided

a combination of four letters. There are 16 possibilities—each possible

lifestyle is given a J for Judging. If a person likes to keep their life adaptable

combination of the two options within the four categories.

and flexible, they are given a P for Perceiving.

Nf

Nt

VALUING

sf

VISIONING

RELATING

ENFJ Teacher Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible.

INFJ Counselor Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material.

INTJ Mastermind Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals.

ENTJ Field Marshall Frank, decisive, assume leadership readily.

ENFP Champion Warmly enthusiastic and imaginative.

INFP Healer Idealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them.

INTP Architect Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable.

ENTP Inventor Quick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, and outspoken.

ESFP Performer Outgoing, friendly, and accepting.

ISFP Composer Quiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind.

ISTP Operator Tolerant and flexible, quiet observers until a problem appears, then act quickly to find workable solutions.

ESTP Promoter Flexible and tolerant, they take a pragmatic approach focused on immediate results.

ESFJ Provider Warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative.

ISFJ Protector Quiet, friendly, responsible, and conscientious.

ISTJ Inspector Quiet, serious, earn success by thoroughness and dependability.

ESTJ Supervisor Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact.

DESCRIPTIONS COURTESY OF THE MYERS & BRIGGS FOUNDATION

st

DIRECTING lifestyle

| 45

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER NO MATTER THE AGE s t ory

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p h o t o s by

j u z a n n e m a rt i n

T

he journey to earning a degree is not the same for every student.

Q : T O D AY, T H E R E A R E A B O U T 5,300 C O L L E G E S A N D

A traditional college student is often referred to as a post-

U N I V E R S I T I E S I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S . W H Y D I D Y O U

secondary student between the ages of 18 and 22. It’s no secret that a

C H O O S E T O AT T E N D T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F F L O R I D A , A N D

university’s student body goes far beyond this. Institutions are seeing

W H AT I S Y O U R FAV O R I T E PA R T A B O U T T H E J O U R N A L I S M

a steady increase in their populations of nontraditional students. That

A N D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S P R O G R A M ?

is, “postsecondary students who are 25 years old and older,” defined by the National Center for Education Statistics. Brandon Meyers, a

A: I went back to school after spending too much time sitting around the house.

fourth-year student enrolled in the University of Florida’s College of

I thought mid-life retirement was a pretty good deal at first, but now I know why

Journalism and Communications, has embraced his nontraditional

all elderly shut-ins are curmudgeons. Toward the tail-end of my time at a two-year

student status. The 35-year-old journalism major details his unique

school, I got interested in campaign finance. I found the state’s website to be an

college experience below while demonstrating that it’s never too late

antiquated nightmare and wanted to build an open-source and user-friendly database

to pursue your dreams.

for Florida. When I was looking for a program that lined up with the tools I would need, I found out that the [UF] College of Journalism and Communications had a

Q : H O W D I D Y O U G E T W H E R E Y O U A R E T O D AY,

first-rate data journalism program. UF was the only school I considered. The two

A F O U R T H-Y E A R C O L L E G E S T U D E N T AT T E N D I N G

professors that built the program, Norman Lewis and Mindy McAdams, are my

THE EIGHTH RANKED PUBLIC UNIVERSIT Y

personal heroes.

I N T H E N AT I O N ?

Q : W H AT H A S Y O U R J O U R N E Y T H R O U G H C O L L E G E B E E N A: When I was 20, I was a bit indecisive about what I wanted to do

L I K E T H U S FA R ?

with the rest of my life. I visited the local military recruiting station and enlisted in the Marine Corps. After two tours in Iraq, I was burned

A: My first foray into college was a disaster. I redeemed myself by taking college

out. I left the service in 2010 and took a desk job in Afghanistan. After

courses in my spare time while in the military. I worked hard in community college. I

three years there, I never wanted to touch a computer again. When I

aimed to finish in four years, but it looks like I won’t finish until August. Fortunately,

returned home, I cut loose and hiked the Appalachian Trail.

I’ll be able to complete my degree while working an internship over the summer.

46 | ORANGE & BLUE MAGAZINE

A: I’ve been thinking of studying law. Call me crazy, but I can’t think of a more rewarding job than being a public defender.

Q : H AV E Y O U E V E R F E LT S E L F-C O N S C I O U S A B O U T BEING THE OLDEST STUDENT IN A CL ASS? A: Never. In fact, quite the opposite. I’ve found that if you raise your hand with an answer to every question in the first week of class, your professors will never want to hear from you again. Truly not caring about what others think of you is the ultimate strength.

Q: HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR AGE CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO YOUNGER STUDENTS WHEN LEARNING IN THE CL ASSROOM? A: I try to be a good mentor to other students when possible, but I refrain from giving unsolicited advice. If someone comes to me with a question, I’ll do whatever I can to help, provided it doesn’t run afoul of the honor code.

Q : W H AT A D V I C E C A N Y O U G I V E T O O T H E R NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS LOOKING TO GO B A C K T O C O L L E G E A N D O B TA I N A D E G R E E ?

A: Get to know your professors. It’s the same advice I’d give to traditional students.

Q : H O W I M P O R TA N T I S K E E P I N G A N A C T I V E M I N D Q : W H AT I S T H E B I G G E S T H A R D S H I P T H AT Y O U ’ V E FA C E D A S A N O N T R A D I T I O N A L S T U D E N T ?

A: After spending five years in combat zones, this is a vacation.

Q: BEING A NONTRADITIONAL STUDENT CAN ALSO H AV E P O S I T I V E FA C T O R S . W H AT W O U L D Y O U C O N S I D E R T O B E Y O U R FAV O R I T E PA R T ?

A: I think that by being a bit older, I’m not intimidated by my professors.

I hope that doesn’t come across as disrespectful. I try to establish a good relationship early on, and I take time to drop by their offices to just check in every so often. This helps quite a bit when trying to get a grasp on what their

TO YOU? A: As I get older, it’s very important. I don’t use drugs, and I probably drink about six beers per year. I’ve crossed the threshold from celebrating my birthdays to keeping an eye on the countdown clock.

Q: WHEN YOU’RE NOT REPORTING A STORY OR AT T E N D I N G L E C T U R E S , W H AT A C T I V I T I E S D O Y O U DO TO KEEP YOUR MIND SHARP? A: I try to walk 50 miles each week. There are no better exercises for the mind than a walk, jog or run.

expectations are. When I have a question, I ask in person.

Q : T H E F U T U R E I S L I M I T L E S S . O N C E Y O U WA L K

Q : H O W D O Y O U K E E P M O T I VAT E D T O F I N I S H A L L

W H AT ’ S N E X T ?

F O U R Y E A R S AT U F A N D O B TA I N A B A C H E L O R O F

A C R O S S T H E S TA G E AT G R A D U AT I O N ,

SCIENCE DEGREE IN JOURNALISM?

A: There are a handful of long-distance trails around the world that I’ve

A: I’d like to move on with my life. I’ve never been comfortable sitting in one

New Zealand. The Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas has been calling

place for too long. I’d like to find a job as a writer in a small mountain town in a state with one area code.

been wanting to hike. I’m going to start with the Te Araroa [Trail] in my name for a while. There’s no greater freedom than being able to stuff everything you own into a backpack and go for a stroll.

Q : C A N Y O U P I C T U R E Y O U R S E L F TA C K L I N G G R A D U AT E S C H O O L ? I F S O, W H AT W O U L D Y O U S T U D Y ? lifestyle

| 47

ANIMAL ANXIETY WHAT IS IT?

s t ory

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hen most people hear the words “animal” and “anxiety” together, they usually think of emotional support animals. But, what if the animals

are the ones who need emotional support?

Just like humans, animals get anxious and nervous, too. They may exhibit it in different ways, but the nerves are just as real. According to the American Kennel Club, anxiety in pets can stem from aging, separation and fear.

p h o t o s by i s a b e l l a s or r e s s o

In animals who are aging, the main anxiety-inducing factor is the development of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), according to the AKC. For pets who have CDS, they experience similar symptoms to humans in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to an article by The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, pets who develop CDS may begin to exhibit symptoms of cognitive impairment starting at the age of 9. These changes can incite anxiety in pets because of issues with memory and learning.

One of the biggest reasons why animals have anxiety is separation. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals outlines that separation anxiety can be caused by a change in an animal’s life and that it can result in several symptoms. The change can be as small as a shift in their owner’s schedule or as big as a change in ownership and residence.

This is Isabella’s Yorkshire terrier, shih tzu and Bichon Frise mix, Bear.

Symptoms can also vary. Some are what you might expect from an anxious cat or dog: pacing, barking, howling, urinating or defecating when their owners aren’t present. However, some animals also may try to escape, cause

“While animal anxiety may be difficult to diagnose and treat, it’s still a very real issue that may be bothering your furry family member.”

destruction in the form of digging, chewing on furniture or doorframes or may partake in coprophagia. According to the ASPCA, coprophagia is when animals are left alone and they “defecate and then consume all or some of their excrement.”

Lastly, fear can cause anxiety in animals, and this fear can be tied to a variety of things. Whether it’s seeing new people or animals, riding in the car, hearing

Here, Emily Klann is with her 3-year-old black cat Schrodinger, or Schrody for short.

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loud noises or going to the vet, they may start to pant, shake, bark, meow or

Though Klann isn’t sure what caused Schrody’s anxiety, she and the vets both

resort to destructive or compulsive measures.

have guesses. Both vets recommended playing with him more frequently to expend more of his energy, and to be aware of any major changes that may

One of the worst things is seeing your pet run around and cry because they

trigger the anxiety.

are visibly scared or uncomfortable during storms or fireworks displays and not being sure how to calm them. Because of this, some companies have even

Because of this, she’s tried to stick to a routine with Schrody by feeding and

started selling products to help animals with these anxieties.

playing with him at specific times each day. This structure has helped him become less anxious and helps to distract him from licking.

A popular product for nervous cats and dogs is the ThunderShirt. It’s a shirt that fastens securely and snugly onto your pet so that it provides a slight

Another theory stems from Schrody being abandoned when he was a kitten

pressure. This pressure provides comfort in the same way a weighted blanket

and how Klann tends to find more bald spots on him when she’s gone for long

might help a person with anxiety or being swaddled might help a crying baby.

periods of time, implying separation anxiety.

“One vet also suggested that his compulsive licking behavior might have been learned when he was exposed to fleas a while back,” she said. “[The vet] said that although he doesn’t have them anymore, this behavior became a compulsion for him to ‘feel relief,’ as he did with the fleas when

THUNDERSHIRT PHOTO BY MANUFACTURER

he was itchy.”

Klann may not know the cause of Schrody’s anxiety, but she’s willing to try anything to calm down her four-legged friend, and she even has an idea of what to try next.

“I do think that getting him leash-trained and taking him for daily walks might help,” she said. “He loves to be outside, but he is an indoor-only cat for safety reasons.”

So, while animal anxiety may be difficult to diagnose and treat, it’s still a very real issue that may be bothering your furry family member. Because they can’t speak to us, it’s easier to overlook their problems. But, if you notice any of these symptoms, remember that they may not be a bad or disobedient animal, they may just have anxiety. And with your help, they can learn to act and feel better!

Most of the information regarding animal anxiety tailors toward dogs because they tend to be more expressive in comparison to other domestic animals, so owners can notice their behavioral changes more often.

However, Emily Klann, a doctoral student at the University of Florida’s department of epidemiology, has been dealing with an anxious cat for a few years now. Her 3-year-old black cat Schrodinger, or Schrody for short, is constantly and compulsively licking due to anxiety.

“He licks so frequently that it will sometimes cause him to lose fur,” she said.

“He has a particular spot on his arm that he tends to lick most frequently.”

Klann said that in the past, Schrody has licked certain spots so incessantly that it created a wound and required antibiotics for a resulting infection. Before Schrody, she had never had a pet with anxiety and has been seeking advice from veterinarians on how to help him.

“One prescribed an anti-anxiety medication,” she said, “However, Schrody does not like to take pills, and I felt that they were not extremely effective in reducing his compulsive licking behaviors.” lifestyle

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MindSpace Collective doubles as a relaxing workspace and art gallery, where you can admire the beautful art as you work.

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EXERCISE YOUR MIND AT

M I N D SPAC E C O L L E C T I V E s t ory

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h, the life of an artist. They have so much vision and talent to share

Chaillot explained that MindSpace operates with a renting process, so creators

with the world but often have nowhere to exercise that talent or bounce

who work remotely can rent a desk and share in an office environment. It

ideas off of other creators. Luckily, Gainesville is the home to a community

allows for networking, which could be useful for new creators looking to

workspace that allows creators to not only have a space to work but also a

share what’s on their mind and for new business owners looking to learn

space to interact with like-minded people.

from the success of their peers. Also, over the weekends, MindSpace offers creative spaces for groups who want to host workshops, classes or creative

MindSpace Collective in Gainesville, Florida, is located in a historic building

space learning opportunities.

at 834 E. University Ave., according to Gabie Chaillot, director of operations at MindSpace. It was created in 2016 and has an all-female board of directors.

MindSpace also acts as a gallery for artists in the community. They can

Shortly after opening, MindSpace also became a state nonprofit. Chaillot said

display their work inside of MindSpace where people can admire them either

that what they have already going for them is their incredible space that offers

in the office or at a show. “Our wall space is dedicated to the gallery with

versatility and proves to be great as a space for co-working, workshops, a

public shows every month and a new exhibit opening bi-monthly,” Chaillot

gallery and so much more.

said. MindSpace also helps the artists sell their work through their online gallery for several years after their gallery show has ended.

“Our mission is to provide a platform for artists, makers, entrepreneurs and the like to engage with the community,” Chaillot said.

MindSpace Collective is a service to the Gainesville community that makes it a little easier to spread ideas, creations and art itself. They host different

The inspiration for starting MindSpace was fostered by the desire to offer

kinds of workshops from public speaking to healing mandala art, and they

a place where creators with a passion can come and share their ideas while

occasionally open public art exhibits for the community to enjoy. Check out

learning from other creators in the process. The team at MindSpace wants the

MindSpace Collective to exercise your creative side.

community to feel comfortable and open to engaging with each other and to create lasting relationships with like-minded people.

“Most importantly, we are a collaborative, and each partnership that we create is aligned with our fundamental goals to give back – to the planet, to each other and to ourselves,” Chaillot said. “Our workshops, our gallery and the

“Our mission is to provide a platform for artists, makers, entrepreneurs and the like to engage with the community.”

co-working space all lend themselves to this.”

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ENTERTIAINMENT

“M AY B E T H E C O O L E ST P E O P L E A R E T H E O N E S W HO D O N ’ T C A R E A B OU T B E I N G C O O L .”

Steve Carell

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N E T F L I X N ’ ST R E S S ARE OUR TELEVISION HABITS STRESSING US OUT? s t ory by j e s s i c a g i l e s

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fter a long day of work, school or whatever other obligations you

As the characters became more intertwined with murders, cover-ups and

have, most people find themselves sinking into their couch and turning

court cases, Stern found herself becoming more emotionally invested

on their favorite show. Whether it’s “Grey’s Anatomy” or “The Bachelor,”

in them.

it’s a simple way to pull our minds away from the stressors of our daily lives.

But when we flip on these shows, often times we’re just being sucked into

“You kind of empathize with them,” she said. “Not with the murder, because

other people’s stress-inducing scenarios.

I can’t relate to the murder, but you empathize with their own stressors and everything that’s going on with their life. So when they’re going through

Wildly popular television shows like “House of Cards” or “The Handmaid’s

stressful things, it’s stressful for you.”

Tale,” transport us to worlds filled with death, scandal, corruption and a number of other stressful situations. So if we’ve just wrapped up a day full

Even hours after the credits have rolled, Stern will sometimes catch herself

of our own worries and problems, why are we so quick to turn on a TV show

mulling over the characters’ problems and wondering what will happen next

that makes us feel stressed all over again?

week. It’s exactly this excitation transfer that draws us in.

Frank Waddell, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of

So, should we be worried about exposing ourselves to so much stressful

Florida, has done research in the field of media psychology and offered some

television? Waddell doesn’t think so. The minor stress we encounter during

insight on our obsession with stressful television.

an episode of “This is Us” isn’t likely to have any lasting negative impacts on our health, he said. Our personality traits and environment play a much

The stress we feel when we watch a tense scene unravel on TV can actually

bigger role.

intensify our enjoyment of the program because of something scholars call excitation transfer, Waddell wrote in an email. When we think about the

“If stressful shows did have an effect, it would be relatively meager relative

content later, we tend to feel the same excitement we did while we watched

to other known causes of behavior which are stronger,” Waddell wrote.

the episode. This is part of what keeps us coming back to these shows, even if we want to pull our hair out while we’re watching.

So if the first thing you want to do after a long day is get lost in a few “Stranger Things” episodes, more power to you. Waddell notes that watching

Jillian Stern, a 21-year-old UF student, knows the feeling well. The anxiety

stressful shows can actually be a powerful relaxation tool because it’s so easy

she feels when she tunes into “How to Get Away with Murder” hasn’t

to get lost in the content. Here’s your excuse to throw on some PJs and get to

stopped her from being a faithful viewer since it first aired five years ago.

binge-watching! lifestyle

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A S OU N D M I N D 10 SONGS TO SOOTHE STRESS & ANXIET Y s t ory

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hen waves of anxiety, depression or life stresses come, a productive way of refocusing and soothing the mind can be to put on a pair of headphones and press play. According to an article from Harvard Review of Psychiatry, studies show that music can improve one’s mood, and when combined with

treatment for depression, it can lead to greater success. So clear out the other noise in your life, and relax with a list of curated songs ranging from 98 to 150 beats per minute that relate to your mental struggles and remind you that you’re not alone.

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AT L A S : O N E – B Y S L E E P I N G AT L A S T Sleeping At Last, a moniker for the artist Ryan O’Neal, is the

C L E A R LY – B Y G R A C E VA N D E R WA A L Grace VanderWaal’s cover of the classic song “I Can See

king of sonically and lyrically beautiful music. “Atlas: One”

Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash provides a modern take that

is part of his series of songs dedicated to the enneagram – a

might just make you forget all about the version in the Claritin

personality test (you can learn more about in this issue!). The

commercials. Clearly speaks optimistically of a beautiful

song is like a comforting embrace for those more inclined to

day when the clouds part and the rain is gone, which can be

be perfectionistic who struggle to accept grace for themselves.

compared to mental clarity.

Y O U S AY – B Y L A U R E N D A I G L E This song is a beautiful melody of a reminder that you are

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B R E AT H E – B Y T É L É P O P M U S I K A song you might hear during a massage or relate to an

loved and supported even when you may not feel it, from

electronic-chill beat, Breathe is like waves of calm rushing

Daigle’s album “Look Up Child.”

through your headphones.

RABBIT HOLE – BY MINDY GLEDHILL Mindy Gledhill’s music feels like what an idyllic childhood might sound like, especially this tune from her latest album

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PEACE – BY HILLSONG YOUNG & FREE This electro-pop tune from Hillsong Young & Free speaks directly to those who struggle with crippling anxiety, yet

under the same title. Inspired by “Alice in Wonderland,” the

how peace can still be found in those times through constants

song is a comforting melody for a little one who has fallen

in life, like faith. The anthem, from the album “III,” is

down the rabbit hole and can be a metaphor for those in hard

helpful for calming down the racing mind in moments of

times in life.

panic or doubt.

I WILL BE THERE – BY ODESSA Combined with gorgeous vocals and a relaxing melody, the

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B R E AT H I N – B Y A R I A N A G R A N D E The pop song is Ariana Grande’s musical recount of how

song is about standing by a friend, simply just loving them or

anxiety affects her physically and mentally, but how people

being their person to cry to.

in her life support her and remind her to keep breathing through it.

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ANXIETY – BY JULIA MICHAELS WITH SELENA GOMEZ

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SCREEN – BY TWENT Y ONE PILOTS From the duo’s album “Vessel,” the song is an anthem for

In this slow-paced anthem practically made for anyone

those who struggle mentally but keep fighting everyday.

dealing with anxiety, Julia Michaels and Selena Gomez sing

With a happy beat yet deep lyrics, twenty one pilots perfectly

about their experience with mental illness candidly and how

captures the ebbs and flows of dealing with depression

it affects their daily life.

and anxiety.

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FIVE TIMES CELEBRITIES SPOKE THEIR MIND ON TWITTER CAPTURED MOMENTS FROM OUR FAVORITE ARTISTS WHO GOT EXTRA ONLINE s t ory

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p h o t o by e m a n e l s h a h aw y

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“W

hat’s happening?” “What’s on your mind?” Social media asks these pressing questions when we log in, and some celebrities

are notorious for using Twitter to share the good, the bad and the clapbacks.

Nothing attracts people to drama more than real life drama involving famous figures, due to the fan connection we develop for these artists over time.

Lisa Buyer, CEO and founder of The Buyer Group, a social public relations agency, said social media gives people the opportunity to feel like they have a personal relationship with celebs.

“They see what they eat for breakfast, what they comment on and who or what they stand for,” she said. “Social media breaks down the barriers and gate keepers once ruled by journalists and publicists. It's real, organic and authentic—for better or for worse.”

Over the years, Twitter has become a platform for public figures to spill the tea, and quite frankly, I am here for all of it with a bag of popcorn for my entertainment.

KANYE WEST Hip-hop artist and producer Kanye West has never been shy when it comes to igniting public controversy. More recently, West has used Twitter as his go-to outlet for publicly stirring the pot. Of all of his various online rants and outbursts, his tweets showing support for President Donald Trump have received the most attention. These tweets would lead to a public press talk with Trump and West where the two would mutually praise each other and form an unusual friendship that no one saw coming.

IGGY AZALEA Although singer and rapper Iggy Azalea hasn’t released any new music recently, she’s been in the spotlight for her tweet activity. She took to Twitter to publicly give her two cents about women in the music industry. With no context to her post, fans speculated online about who Azalea was sneak dissing. It may not be known who or what inspired her tweet, but Azalea was clearly passionate enough to make her voice heard.

SOUL JA BOY Aside from picking up beefs with other hip-hop artists, Atlanta rapper Soulja Boy has fired some shots at fashion designers through twitter. He tweeted at Gucci in response to their “Blackface Sweater” scandal, bashing the brand for their cultural tone-deafness. In addition to putting the Italian high fashion company on blast, “Crank Dat” rapper canceled the brand and expressed that he’d no longer wear any of their clothes or accessories anymore.

CARDI B Cardi B is no stranger to being extra on social media. During the U.S. government shutdown, the hip-hop star spoke her mind on the matter through Twitter. Her tweet got the attention of conservative Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren, who replied to the artist shutting her down for speaking about politics. Cardi clapped back at Lahren, sparking a back-and-forth between the two that trended rapidly throughout the Twittersphere.

ARIANA GRANDE The “sweetener” pop singer had some not so sweet things to share on her Twitter about the 2019 Grammy Awards. In a thread composed of three tweets, Grande features an article written about her not performing at the most recent Grammy Awards while sourcing Recording Academy producer Ken Ehrlich who revealed to the Associated Press that the “thank u, next” singer declined performing because she felt that she could not pull something together. Grande threw direct shade at Ehrlich in the second tweet of her thread and explained her side of the story to fans in the third.

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M OV I E S O N OU R M I N D S : MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2019 s t ory

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t seems that 2019 is the year of Disney, between its live-action adaptations and sequels in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether you’re looking forward to seeing Pennywise the Clown again in “It: Chapter 2,” traveling back in time to visit Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the

Neighborhood” or singing along to “Friend Like Me” in “Aladdin,” this year has some of the most anticipated movies we can’t get off our minds.

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AVENGERS: ENDGAME Release Date: April 26

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME Release Date: July 5

It’s been almost a year since we saw some of our favorite characters from the

Following the events we will soon see in “Avengers: Endgame,” Peter Parker

Marvel universe vanquish. The remaining Avengers – Thor, Black Widow,

goes on a school trip to Europe (cue Lizzie McGuire) with his friends, but

Captain America and Bruce Banner and more must figure out a way to bring

gets a surprise visit from Nick Fury. We’re introduced to Mysterio, who teams

back their allies to fight Thanos, the evil demigod who wiped out half the

up with Parker to fight the Elementals.

planet, in a final epic showdown.

THE LION KING Release Date: July 19 POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU Release Date: May 10

After the release of the trailer and stars who will be lending their voices to

Based on the 2016 video game of the same name, “Pokémon: Detective

these animated characters, fans went nuts. If you’ve gotten a peek at the teaser

Pikachu” is the first live-action film set in the Pokémon universe. When Harry

trailer, you’ll see how beautiful this films looks with photorealistic computer-

Goodman disappears after a car crash, his son Tim Goodman, ends up meeting

generated animation. The voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen and Beyoncé

Detective Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds), Harry’s former Pokémon

are only some of the A-list celebrities who will be bringing our favorite

partner. The two team up to uncover the mystery of his disappearance,

characters to life.

chasing clues in the streets of Ryme City.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Release Date: July 26 ALADDIN Release Date: May 24

We haven’t seen Leonardo DiCaprio appear on the big screen in a while, and

“Aladdin” is finally getting its live-action adaptation. Will Smith will reprise

it wouldn’t be a comeback if he wasn’t starring in a Quentin Tarantino film.

Robin Williams’ iconic role of the Genie in Guy Ritchie’s film based on

DiCaprio plays television actor Rick Dalton who embarks on a journey to

Disney’s 1992 animated film of the same name. From what we’ve seen from

make a name for himself in Hollywood. He is accompanied by his longtime

the teaser trailer, it seems to be following in the footsteps of Disney’s other

stunt double and best friend, Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt.

recent live-action films “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as those were nearly shot-for-shot remakes of the originals.

IT: CHAPTER 2 Release Date: Sept. 6 The sequel to the 2017 film, also adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the

ROCKETMAN Release Date: May 31

same name, takes place 27 years later when Pennywise the Clown returns to

With “Bohemian Rhapsody’s” roaring success, there’s no doubt

torture the now grown-up members of the Losers Club.

“Rocketman,” a film based on the life of Elton John’s rise to stardom, will have the same effect. Taron Egerton plays John as the new fantasy

JOKER Release Date: Oct. 4

re-imagining of the rock star’s life takes us through his years at the Royal

DC Comics’ most iconic villain is getting a new back story. Academy Award

Academy of Music, to his partnership with Bernie Taupin, as well as his

nominee Joaquin Phoenix will reprise the role of the Joker, a failed stand-up

acceptance of his sexual orientation.

comedian who is driven insane and becomes a psychotic criminal mastermind that wreaks havoc on Gotham City.

DARK PHOENIX Release Date: June 7 The sequel to Marvel’s “X-Men: Apocalypse” saga returns for a reboot with

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Release Date: Oct. 18

a stellar cast including James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer

Academy Award winner Tom Hanks plays beloved television icon Fred

Lawrence. Nearly a decade after the events of “X-Men: Apocalypse,” the

Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” in the heartwarming film following

X-Men heroes go on a rescue mission in space where Jean Grey loses control

a cynical journalist who begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write a profile

of her powers and unleashes the Phoenix.

piece on Rogers for Esquire magazine.

MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL Release Date: June 14

FROZEN 2 Release Date: Nov. 22

Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, who previously teamed up in “Thor:

Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad return to reprise

Ragnarok,” are back to star in the spin-off/sequel of the Men in Black film

their characters from the 2013 film “Frozen.” Parents, be prepared for more

series. Their London-based team of MIB secret agents become involved in a

Frozen-themed merchandise and sing-alongs. Though a more detailed plot

series of alien attacks, sending them around the world.

is still unknown, what we do know is that Elsa and Anna embark on an adventure far away from the kingdom of Arendelle.

TOY STORY 4 Release Date: June 21 After going through several directors, our favorite toys will return for a fourth

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX Release Date: Dec. 20

installment in Pixar’s “Toy Story” series. Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) and

The much anticipated third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy is

Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), among other returning cast members, star in the

here. Carrie Fisher, who reprised the role of Leia Organa, passed away in

film that continues from Toy Story 3. After being given to Bonnie Anderson,

2016 during filming, however, her brother, Todd Fisher, revealed that unused

our toy friends are introduced to Forky (Tony Hale), a fun spork that has been

footage from “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi” will be utilized to

magically changed into a toy, and help him embrace his new life as a toy.

complete Fisher’s story in the film.

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O D D LY S AT I SF Y I N G

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SATISFACTION s t ory by j a m i e s h a p i ro

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or some, it’s watching someone ice a cake in one go. For others, it’s

Not every individual is capable of reaching the state of ASMR, but 80 percent

watching the destruction of shapes made out of a substance called kinetic

of the research study participants reported feeling a positive change in their

sand. Then there are those who enjoy watching the concise deconstruction of

mood after watching videos intended to trigger the response.

a bar of soap via cutting or shaving, the flattening of a stress ball or maybe the creation of colored slime. The list of things people find visibly and audibly

For University of Florida freshman Breann Barone, the videos are soothing.

satisfying is nearly endless, and the number of “satisfying” videos that are

Barone watches the videos during study breaks, while waiting in line at

posted every day on multiple social media platforms is nearly as infinite.

Since the videos began to surface sometime in 2017, companies have used them for financial gain, often creating their own using specific content or curating lists of other satisfying videos to post on their websites.

The question now is, why do people find these videos so satisfying? What is it about watching someone else cut up a bar of soap or mix a bowl of colored slime that has warranted the creation of several daily Snapchat stories and hundreds of Instagram accounts devoted to bringing viewers this satisfaction daily?

One reason behind the fascination with these pleasing videos might be explained by something called Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR. In a 2015 study on ASMR, freelance researchers described it as “a flow-like mental state.” The mental state achieved by ASMR was recorded

Starbucks and sometimes before bed. The UF freshman has found that they’re a helpful way to wind down from the stress of a full course load and extracurriculars.

“It’s hard to explain,” she said. “I think it’s something about how, when they cut the bars of soap, they do it so perfectly, and it’s just so nice to look at.”

Barone’s main source of satisfying videos is her Instagram explore page.

It’s on this page that she sees everything from soap cutting to “match art,” the organization of matches into a pattern or image before igniting them.

While Barone doesn’t go out of her way to find the videos, they’re almost inescapable to anyone who uses social media.

Some people are definitely more invested in these strange-yet-satisfying videos that have been working their way into mainstream social media feeds everywhere, but the general consensus seems positive.

to cause tingling in the head or shoulders in some participants who reported

“They’re really soothing,” Barone laughed. “Sometimes I watch them to take

use of certain types of videos, many of which feature similar content to the

a break from studying, and for some reason, it just makes me feel like I have

satisfying videos that are all over social media.

my life together.”

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M I NDF UL M E DIA C ONSUMER s t ory

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he digital pioneers foresaw socialization, photo sharing, music downloading and meager discussion boards when they publicized their platforms. What they did not foresee, however, was a world where politics are created, learned and regurgitated time and time again. What was once intended to be a playful connector among Harvard college students has turned into one of the world’s greatest money-making entities and biggest household names: Facebook. Everyone has one. Rather, everyone is responsible for one.

Whether you’re sharing an article, joining a group, posting a live video or simply scrolling through your timeline, you are immediately subject to the experience that everyone else has on Facebook, too – but it’s not that simple.

According to a 2018 article titled “Exploring Echo-Systems: How Algorithms Shape Immersive Media Environments” by James N. Cohen, the algorithms used by Facebook collect user data to then tailor content back to the same user based on what they already like. This means that when you’ve been online shopping at Target all day, you shouldn’t be surprised when a Target advertisement pops up on your Facebook feed. Cohen writes that people using social media don’t realize their content is tailored to what the internet already knows about them. Essentially, your opinions in the real world could only be a product of years of what technology has forced into your brain, and not necessarily what is factual information.

For example, the forgoing of vaccines, or the “anti-vaxxing” movement among parents from the newest generation, stems almost entirely from the support and spread of misinformation online. Most recently in 2019, children who have gone without vaccines have brought back previously eradicated diseases such as measles and tetanus. While it may seem harmless to only see information on Facebook that confirms what you already believe, the underlying responsibility that goes into using your social media is actually a pretty big deal.

“In the lead-up to the 2016 United States general election, misinformation disguised as real news ‘outperformed’ factual news. In early 2018, it was revealed that some of the media reaching millions of users were misinformation provided by bad actors that manipulated the data provided on social media,” Cohen wrote.

The bizarrely sourced support for the misinformation was evident to some.

For Brannon Dukes-Green, a Gainesville native and active member of social media since 2005, using Facebook has become a way of learning about other people, teaching others when it is his turn and helping advocate for marginalized communities.

“By the time 2016 rolled around, a lot of election stuff started happening,” the 32-year-old said. “That’s when I started using it as a tool.”

Generally leaning to the left side of the political spectrum with his opinions, Dukes-Green saw the opportunity to join leftist Facebook groups, generally

known to him as “Leftbook,” as a chance to listen. Then, he grew to participate as he saw a continued need for self-proclaimed stubborn voices like his.

“I was able to use my ability to joke people into comfort or the opposite [of what they previously believed] or make people super uncomfortable, and then bring them in,” Dukes-Green said. “I got really good at honing my voice through that.”

So good, in fact, that he has been suspended from using Facebook for up to 30 days at a time during three separate occasions between November 2018 and February 2019. His crime? Sharing politically charged statements on race, gender, class and the government.

“I’ve been in ‘Facebook jail’ for saying ‘men are trash.’ I’m a man,” DukesGreen explained. “Logically, I’ve been in many situations where white people can say so many hurtful things [against other communities] and … it won’t go against [Facebook’s] standards.”

While Dukes-Green’s online participation has occasionally been cut off by Facebook’s algorithms, he believes other people do get to fly free with what they say. He was once only suspended because of others reporting his posts that offended them, but the technology behind the social media platforms seems to have gotten smarter. With the way these social media algorithms work, people need to be considerate of just how public their information is in the first place.

If sites like Facebook can control what opinions are most accessible in a world where many people formulate their belief system based on what they see throughout social media, then there is definitive oppression of opinions floating around the web. The solution? People like Dukes-Green, someone who believes in standing up for marginalized communities, say you should stay true to yourself while hearing people out.

“People could definitely do better in trying not to assume things of people and really trying to hear people,” Dukes-Green said of his almost 15 years in online communities. “You can touch people in a way.” entertainment

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MINDLESS SCROLLING: THE EFFECTS OF CONSTANT SCREEN TIME s t ory

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p h o t o s by i s a b e l l a s or r e s s o

“Social media is both a blessing and a curse in that it can help connect us to loved ones, create a sense of community and take our minds off of daily struggles. But, it’s also an unfair stage for comparison.”

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B

y having social media and the internet at our fingertips, there’s no

she said. Besides your eyes hurting or feeling uncomfortable, digital eye

need to look up from our phones... and we don’t. From texting and

strain can also lead to headaches, dry eyes, blurry vision and neck or

checking our emails to constantly refreshing social media, there’s endless

shoulder pain.

entertainment at the press of a touch-screen button.

Each time we look at one of these devices, we are also being exposed to Social media is both a blessing and a curse in that it can help connect us

blue light. Blue light is the term used for blue wavelengths, which is the

to loved ones, create a sense of community and take our minds off of daily

color of light that’s “beneficial during daylight hours because they boost

struggles. But, it’s also an unfair stage for comparison. People post what

attention, reaction times and mood,” according to an article published in

they want you to see and not necessarily the difficult parts of their lives. In

the Harvard Health Letter.

recent years, Kelly Aissen, a licensed mental health counselor, has seen a lot of social media-related issues make their way into her office.

“Not all blue light is bad,” Starling said. “Blue light is emitted from the sun, fluorescent and LED lights, TVs, computers, smartphones, etc.”

“Not just for teens and young adult clients, but adults of all ages are falling prey to the downsides of social media,” she said. “For many, social

Blue light is useful during the day to keep us awake and focused by

media has created breakdowns in communication, jealousy, assumptions

reducing melatonin production, but blue light at night will also keep you

and inaccurate story telling, which in turn negatively impacts their

awake and may prevent you from reaching REM sleep. She suggests

relationships with self, friends and family.”

using “night mode” on your phone to help reduce the amount of blue light keeping you up before bed.

These feelings come from the constant feeds on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter of models, celebrities and influencers. They share Photoshopped,

Starling said that blue light can contribute to digital eye strain, but we

retouched and FaceTuned photos of themselves and thier lives that their

don’t know yet how the constant exposure to blue light will affect us

followers may find unattainable. The idea of “FOMO,” or the “fear

long term because there have been no definitive studies that prove either

of missing out,” may have existed before, but social media has surely

positive or negative effects.

amplified those feelings.

“One thing is for sure, we are being exposed to more and more blue light Despite this, Aissen believes that we can become addicted to our phones.

today than we ever have been as we use devices for work and play, many

Just like any process addiction, such as gambling, eating or playing video

times for 12 to 16 hours a day,” Starling said.

games, our phones can become an object of obsession and serve as a way to check out of current reality, she said.

For those who have experienced digital eye strain, she recommends blue light filters, such as blue-light-blocking glasses, and practicing the 20-20-

This doesn’t always have to be a bad thing, though. Aissen suggests

20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something

taking a break from your phone only if it becomes a problem, or if others

20 feet away. However, her main suggestion is to see an eye doctor

have told you that your phone is becoming a problem. If it’s enough of

regularly to make sure your eyes are still in top condition.

a distraction, try leaving your phone at home while you walk your dog, or in the car while you quickly run into the store, and see how you feel

“It is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” she said.

without it.

Both Aissen and Starling can agree that there is no simple answer. Being “The bottom line question, as with any symptom of addiction is, is the

online all day can take a toll on us, both mentally and physically. So if you

amount of time we spend in screen time interfering with our ability to

need a break from the tangled web of the internet, take a break. Your eyes

connect in real life with friends, partners, family, co-workers, neighbors,

and your mental state will thank you.

school, work, etc.?” she asks.

Sometimes we just cannot escape our screens. Many jobs require using a computer, tablet or phone all day, and although you’re not using them for social media, this screen time can still affect you.

Being exposed to screens for hours at a time is both mentally and physically straining and can lead to “digital eye strain,” said optometrist Dr. Heather Starling of Starling Eye Group in Gainesville.

She said that the feeling of strain on your eyes can be caused by multiple factors. “Glare bouncing back off the screen, uncorrected and undiagnosed vision problems, as well as dry-eye, can all contribute to this feeling,” entertainment

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T H E T RU T H B E H I N D T RU E C R I M E s t ory

J

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p h o t o by j a m i e s h a p i ro

anuary 24, 2019 marked the release of the highly anticipated

in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The passion for true crime isn’t just limited

“Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” on Netflix. Hype

to shows and books. Podcasts like “My Favorite Murderer,” “True Crime

for the program began weeks before its release when the streaming platform

Garage” and “Serial” all bring stories of murder and evil to your smartphone,

started dropping trailers in early January. While “The Ted Bundy Tapes” is

allowing fans to listen on their commute, at work or just about anywhere else.

one of the most recent examples, the love of true crime in its various forms — books, documentaries, podcasts, etc.— has been a part of our cultural fabric

With the vast amount of options available for consuming true crime, it’s

for decades.

not shocking that it’s been able to maintain relevancy. But the appeal of the genre isn’t based solely on its versatility; it’s what true crime says about us

Starting with Truman Capote’s 1966 book “In Cold Blood,” the fascination

as human beings and its relevance in our day-to-day lives that continues to

with tales recounting gruesome murders, vicious attacks and brutal rapes has

draw people in.

been part of the normative culture in the United States. Shows like “Cold Case Files” (1999), “The First 48” (2004) and “Forensic Files” (1996) air

A 2010 study by social psychologists Amanda Vicary and R. Chris Fraley

often on cable TV and have been added to popular streaming platforms like

revealed some of the deeper underlying causes for the morbid love of true crime.

Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. These streaming services have also broken into the true crime industry themselves, most notably Netflix, with its

The study found that women tend to prefer true crime media to men. Around

original series “Making a Murderer,” first released in 2015 and more recently

70 percent of true crime book reviews on Amazon were written by women

released shows like “The Staircase” and “Abducted in Plain Sight,” released

while only 30 percent came from men. When posed with a choice between

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a true crime book and another genre, 77 percent of women selected the true

and/or their primary audience lives. One of the most popular of these accounts

crime book while only 51 percent of the male participants chose it.

actually stems from the website BuzzFeed. The subaccount, BuzzFeed Unsolved, has over 2 million subscribers, with most of their individual videos

When looking at the cause of this gender divide, Vicary and Fraley discovered

having double that in the number of views. These YouTube channels typically

that the motive might be the subconscious desire to learn survival skills.

focus on one case per video, and some channels infuse humor into the

It seems that a large part of the reason why so many people love to read

retellings, which makes the videos more appealing to certain demographics,

and watch these types of stories is that they, on some level, want to avoid

Williams said.

becoming a victim of a similar crime themselves.

Some YouTube accounts are devoted entirely to the research, creation and Jennifer Shockley, a Gainesville resident who grew up in Ocala, just an hours

publication of videos about murder and crime. Other accounts publish

drive from the Florida State Prison where Ted Bundy was executed, says that

videos that include true crime stories as segments in longer videos that aren’t

her love of true crime comes from a deep fascination with the inner workings

entirely about true crime and branch into other genres such as comedy for

of the killer’s minds.

entertainment purposes. It’s important to note the credibility of the sources when watching these videos. There are many times when a video has been

“I’m really interested in why they did it,” Shockley said. “I want to know

generally correct but contained minor fact errors, or been wholly incorrect

what was going through these people’s heads that led them to do such horrible

and passed off false information as true, Williams mentioned. She believes

things to other people.”

that this is the case particularly when YouTubers attempt to play up the shock value or drama of a story to increase views.

Shockley also disagrees with Vicary and Fraley’s findings.

“Overall I do like true crime as a genre,” Williams said. “But I think it’s important to remember that these aren’t fictional stories and that real people died or were hurt at some point.”

With the vast amount of options available for consuming true crime, it’s not shocking that it’s been able to maintain relevancy.

Despite the gruesome content, Williams won’t be calling it quits on the true crime genre anytime soon. In fact, she has already committed to watching “The Ted Bundy Tapes” with a group of friends, as well as “The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann,” which was released on Netflix on March 15, 2019.

Whether you watch to learn survival skills or just to get your adrenaline racing, it seems you’ll always have endless options to choose from.

“I get that maybe some people look at these shows as a way to become educated about how to fend off a serial killer or a rapist or some other horrible kind of person, but as far as I’m concerned, why would I watch a documentary about the people who didn’t escape to learn how I could?”

Danica Williams, a University of Florida telecommunication senior, both loves and hates the genre. She discovered true crime during her freshman year of college in 2015 with the onslaught of streaming options on Netflix and Hulu and has since taken up listening to podcasts and reading blogs devoted to true crime. While Williams agrees that it is interesting to get a glimpse inside the heads of criminals, she sometimes struggles with the scary picture of reality these programs can create.

“It’s really interesting, you know? What drives all those people, the Bundys and Dahmers of the world, to act like that,” Williams said. “But it’s also so scary to me because probably 90 percent of the time the victim seems to be some suburban housewife out for a run or a college student walking home from class at night, and that could easily be me or someone that I know.”

Williams also seeks out true crime on a somewhat less traditional medium: YouTube. YouTubers around the world post videos detailing the events of grisly crimes, some popular and some hyper-localized to where the poster entertainment

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C A N M Y P HO N E READ MY MIND? s t ory by k a r l a a r b ol e da

I

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p h o t o by a m a n da rol a n d

f you’re on social media, you’re being targeted. Targeted by advertising,

While targeted advertising will inadvertently show you things you want due

that is.

to algorithms that dictate what you like the most, it seems to create a culture

Digital Applications like Facebook, Twitter, Netflix and Instagram have

of repetitive interests. When the internet can read your mind as it has been, you have to make a conscious decision to be in control of what you view.

become notoriously creepier in some senses. Whether they’re telling you who your new connection could be or what you should buy online this week, the

“I moved away from Facebook because I felt like I was not as much in control

algorithms employed on the internet seem to have a look inside your brain.

of what I was seeing,” Looney said. “I don’t like seeing stuff that’s very socially construct because it tries to put me in a corner.”

It’s inevitable. In a 2015 paper titled “Targeted: How Technology is Revolutionizing Advertising and the Way Companies Reach Consumers,”

Our media consumption has accidentally grown to become more and more

Mike Smith references how total privacy is no longer a right when you put

accessible, and it’s starting to take its toll. Choosing to stay away from the

your information online. If you want to socialize online, the channels you use

mainstream means you can live in the good old times of blissful ignorance to

have your information signed off to them.

worldly knowledge, but does anyone know what that means anymore? If you don’t sacrifice your privacy, you can become an outcast.

“At some point, there is so much information about you being logged and stored in so many places that any marketer, hacker, political operative or government agency that wanted to could learn as much about you as they could if they had your social security number or credit card information,” Smith wrote.

So, how does it work? Since companies everywhere have always been trying to get your attention, and since they don’t always succeed, mining for data on every site you visit has become the main tactic to draw you in.

“When an internet user types the address of a web page in the address field of his or her browser and hits the return key, advertisers are instantly alerted to the impending presence – and the momentary attention – of that user,” Smith wrote. “All of this takes place in less than two-tenths of a second – less time than it takes for the web page to show up on the user’s computer screen.”

This universally employed method of targeted advertising is called real-time bidding because of the way technology will offer companies your information in a split second and later have them race each other to have their ad pop up first.

For Rhea Looney, an avid Instagram user since the app came out, targeted advertising has affected her desire to use social media at all.

“I constantly am pretty aghast at how often it is that in casual conversation I may mention a product or a service and then it comes up in my Instagram feed or my Facebook feed,” Looney said. “It’s very bothersome.”

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SPR ING 2019

“YOU MIGHT BE POOR, YOUR SHOES MIGHT BE BROKEN, BUT YOUR MIND IS A PALACE.” frank mccourt

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