Anger

My teen is addicted to vaping. How can I help them quit and manage their withdrawal symptoms?

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 4, 2023

Rates of teen vaping have been rising rapidly in Australia, from 0.8% of 14- to 17-year-olds describing themselves as a current vaper over the past six months in 2018 to 14.5% in 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Rates of teen vaping have been rising rapidly in Australia, from 0.8% of 14- to 17-year-olds describing themselves as a current vaper over the past six months in 2018 to 14.5% in 2023.
  • Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 19.8% have been a current vaper over the past six months.
  • But at some stage, they will have a drastic reduction in their use of vaping.
  • Some vapes tested in Australia contained 900 milligrams of nicotine – the equivalent of the nicotine in almost 100 cigarettes.

What is nicotine dependence and withdrawal?

    • Nicotine dependence means a person is physically and psychologically addicted to nicotine.
    • This produces a strong desire for, and difficulty controlling, nicotine use.
    • Young people are at greater risk of nicotine dependence than adults and can develop dependence faster.

I don’t even know if my teen vapes …

    • If your teen is unusually irritable or has an unexplained low mood, consider the possibility of nicotine withdrawal, particularly after vapes are no longer readily available.
    • Vapes can be hidden in plain sight, as they look like a highlighter pen or USB stick.
    • During the conversation listen out for hints that mean your teen could be a heavy user of vaping, such as:


    Read more:
    TikTok promotes vaping as a fun, safe and socially accepted pastime – and omits the harms

So how do I help my teen quit?


    Once you know your teen is vaping, broach the subject of quitting with them in a non-judgemental way. Try questions like “have you ever tried having a break from them?” and “how did that feel?” If they are willing to attempt quitting, or are already withdrawing due to reduced access to vaping products, let them know you are there to support them and help is available.

First try counselling and cold turkey


    The Quitline or a GP can help with goal setting, such as setting a quit date, making a quit plan and identifying triggers for vaping and strategies to address them. There are also online tools your teen may like, such as My Quit Buddy, an app that provides practical tips, progress charts and health information to help with quitting.

Nicotine replacement therapy

    • If counselling alone is not successful, nicotine replacement therapy may help.
    • Nicotine-replacement therapy is available in a fast-release form (used by mouth via a nicotine inhalator, spray, gum, or lozenges) or a slow-release patch.
    • Combination therapy is better when the teen is highly dependant on nicotine and has strong and frequent urges to vape.
    • When using nicotine replacement therapy, adherence is critical to successfully quitting.

Niger coup: Ecowas must do these 3 things to break the stalemate

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 4, 2023

Ecowas commissioner for peace and security Abdel-Fatau Musah said the regional bloc wanted an immediate restoration of constitutional order and the release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum.

Key Points: 
  • Ecowas commissioner for peace and security Abdel-Fatau Musah said the regional bloc wanted an immediate restoration of constitutional order and the release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum.
  • I believe there are three things Nigeria-led Ecowas can do to resolve the situation without using force or losing its credibility as an organisation.
  • Ecowas now needs to re-strategise by re-evaluating and properly targeting its sanctions; negotiating a short transition period; and negotiating foreign interests in Niger.
  • Ecowas needs to make sure its sanctions target only leaders of the military junta and their allies.

Re-evaluating the use of sanctions

    • While the sanctions seem to be effective, they are affecting ordinary Nigeriens more than the junta.
    • The impact of the sanctions is fuelling resentment towards Ecowas and the organisation is accused of acting on behalf of France.
    • The sanctions have had the effect of forcing the junta to negotiate and reopen the possibility for dialogue.

Negotiate a short transition period

    • Ecowas should push for a short transition period.
    • A short transition period will restore stability to the country and help western partners to protect their assets and continue to support the fight against insurgency.

Negotiating foreign interests

    • France has significant economic interests, which the people argue have not benefited them.
    • The US has security interests in the country, including one of its largest drone bases in Africa.
    • Any attempts to have these countries relinquish their interests will be met with stiff opposition but will also have a negative impact on the economy and security of Niger.

Women are less happy than men – a psychologist on why and four things you can do about it

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 1, 2023

A recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association may hold some clues as to why.

Key Points: 
  • A recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association may hold some clues as to why.
  • The results found that most US women are unhappy with how society treats them.
  • Most also have the double burden of managing the home and family arrangements on top of paid work responsibilities.
  • In one 2019 study, researchers found that women scored higher than men for positive relationships with others as well as capacity for personal growth.

Happiness versus purpose

    • And having meaning and purpose in life is associated with better health and living longer.
    • While putting others first does not necessarily make you happier, having a sense of meaning in life definitely contributes towards happiness.

1. Try therapy


    Having a place just for you, where you can talk about how you feel and express your emotions is important for your psychological wellbeing. Art-based therapies are particularly beneficial for women as are group-based interventions that allow women to speak openly with other women – which can reduce feelings of stigma and shame.

2. Connect with nature

    • A recent study found that nature-based interventions are particularly healing for women who have experienced trauma or illness .
    • So make sure you factor some time outside in nature into your daily or weekly plans.

3. Move yourself


    Studies show that when women engage in regular physical activity it increases self-acceptance and personal growth. Aerobic exercise is particularly helpful for cognitive health as women age. High impact, weight-bearing exercise such as jumping and running improve bone health for women in middle age and regular moderate exercise, such as walking has been shown to improve symptoms of the menopause.

4. Cut down on alcohol

    • Women face gender-specific risks related to alcohol, including a greater risk of being a victim of violence and more health-related issues such as heart disease and breast cancer.
    • Given that women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety, reducing or eliminating alcohol may be sensible.

'I almost lost my will to live': preference for sons is leaving young women in China exploited and abused

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 1, 2023

The country has a huge surplus of men – around 722 million compared to 690 million women in 2022.

Key Points: 
  • The country has a huge surplus of men – around 722 million compared to 690 million women in 2022.
  • This is largely because of sex-selective abortions linked to China’s one-child policy, which ended in 2015.
  • This cultural norm has affected the wellbeing of young women, many of whom now suffer from financial, labour and emotional abuse as a result of son preference.
  • My findings show how difficult it is for women to break this exploitative relationship, even when they have grown up.

‘I almost lost my will to live’

    • I am insecure and I have very low self-esteem … I wanted to jump from stairs to commit suicide so that I could finally be happy.
    • The first few months when I had my first job, I was pestered by them so much for money, I almost lost my will to live.
    • The first few months when I had my first job, I was pestered by them so much for money, I almost lost my will to live.
    • Even though I have a boyfriend now, I am prepared for a break-up at any time.
    • I wanted to know why when they knew I was a girl, they didn’t just strangle me to death.

Socially isolated

    • But others showed little sympathy, not understanding why these women don’t leave such abusive situations.
    • Within families, these values are socialised from an early age, making them difficult patterns to break.
    • It is hard for women from strong son preference families to find fulfilling relationships outside of them, as they become socially isolated and more entrenched in family expectations.

Winnie and Mandela biography: a masterful tale of South Africa's troubled, iconic power couple

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, August 31, 2023

A new book on South African liberation struggle icons Nelson and Winnie Mandela is a masterful biography of the pair.

Key Points: 
  • A new book on South African liberation struggle icons Nelson and Winnie Mandela is a masterful biography of the pair.
  • Jonny Steinberg’s splendid 550-page biography, Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage, ends on a note of pathos with a poignant tale from Nelson Mandela’s deathbed.
  • Four days from death in December 2013, Nelson is in an advanced state of dementia and refuses to eat.
  • Winnie, on the other hand,
    is at once the most commanding figure and a figure of terrible subjection.

Ambition and expedience

    • The early Nelson is portrayed as a man consumed by insecurity and ambition.
    • Sometimes ambition and expedience get in the way of altruism and principle.
    • He joins the Communist Party, but when the Pan-Africanist Congress takes off, he proposes sidelining whites and dropping the Party.
    • This book gives space to just two of his many lovers – the Women’s Federation leaders Lilian Ngoyi and Ruth Mompati.

Nelson and Winnie post-1990

    • It was in his bid to save her after the murder of Seipei that Nelson bared his teeth and emerged in the least favourable light.
    • First, when Winnie failed to get elected to the executive of her local ANC branch in Soweto, he got his aides to set up a new branch, which duly elected her.
    • Nelson did all this to save Winnie.

Four murders

    • The book directly implicates Winnie in the murders of two young men, Lolo Sono and Siboniso Tshabalala (both falsely accused of being informers, when the real informers were Winnie’s lover Johannes Mabotha and Jerry Richardson).
    • It also strongly implies that she was behind the murder of her doctor Abu Baker Asvat (who’d examined Seipei) but leaves the question open as to whether she’d ordered Seipei’s murder.

'Motherhood is hard': young, HIV-positive mums in South Africa open up about regret and anger

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Becoming a mother brings with it a range of emotions and, in many African cultures, positive emotions are centred when talking about motherhood.

Key Points: 
  • Becoming a mother brings with it a range of emotions and, in many African cultures, positive emotions are centred when talking about motherhood.
  • Generally, mothers are not expected or encouraged to share any negative emotions about their experiences and role.
  • This is underscored by our study among HIV-positive mothers in South Africa about their experiences of motherhood.
  • It was clear they were experiencing conflicting internal emotions as they considered the roles, responsibilities and difficulties of motherhood.

Motherhood is hard

    • Their children’s ages ranged from two months to seven years old.
    • Others were unemployed, as is the case for most adolescent girls and young women aged between 15 and 24 in South Africa.
    • They depended financially on others such as their grandmothers, the government’s monthly child support grant, or transactional sex partners.

No judgment

    • The most prominent emotions they expressed were negative: specifically, they felt regret and anger.
    • One said:
      I will always feel like I robbed myself of my childhood, and at times I will resent my child.
    • I will always feel like I robbed myself of my childhood, and at times I will resent my child.
    • The notion that the fear and doubt will be pushed aside and only positive emotions will dominate is simply false.

Freedom and support

    • It’s time to shift the conversation from conventional and rigid constructions of motherhood to a more open, inclusive picture across Africa.
    • These might include access to need-specific, supportive, non-judgmental counsellors and therapists, and increased peer mentorship programmes, as well as access to sexual and reproductive health information and career support programmes.

Birth trauma is a growing problem — experiencing it myself revealed how few people understand it

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Many people are now aware of conditions such as postnatal depression, which affects one in seven mothers.

Key Points: 
  • Many people are now aware of conditions such as postnatal depression, which affects one in seven mothers.
  • But less is known about postnatal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), also known as birth trauma – a severe mental health condition caused by the birth experience.
  • By sharing my story, I hope to bring greater awareness to postnatal PTSD and help more women get the care they need.

Traumatic birth

    • Birth trauma is typically triggered by the fear that you or your baby are going to die.
    • Many factors increase the risk of experiencing birth trauma – including long and painful deliveries requiring medical intervention (such as induced labour, an unplanned caesarean and deliveries using forceps).
    • Birth trauma can also happen after delivery.
    • Needing treatment for heavy bleeding, your baby needing medical treatment and, understandably, experiencing a stillbirth, all increase risk of birth trauma.

Postnatal PTSD

    • In the months after giving birth, I had all the symptoms of postnatal PTSD.
    • Not all women who experience a traumatic birth will develop PTSD.
    • I had night terrors, where I would “wake” screaming, frantically searching for my son – convinced he was trapped in the duvet.
    • My husband would try to reassure me – but even showing me our son didn’t help.
    • But sadly only 7% of women with maternal mental health symptoms get referred for specialist support in the UK.

Making improvements

    • Improving the quality of maternal care is essential as not being listened to or treated with compassion are direct contributors to birth trauma.
    • Addressing issues of underfunding, staff shortages, burnt-out staff and poor accountability in health systems will also help improve maternal care.
    • Income, disability, mental illness as well as race and ethnicity also impact the quality of maternity care women receive.

When being a new mum feels overwhelming, here's some expert advice on what you need to know

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Yes, they may love their baby very much but the broader impact of having a baby and becoming a mother can feel far more complex.

Key Points: 
  • Yes, they may love their baby very much but the broader impact of having a baby and becoming a mother can feel far more complex.
  • Research shows that when we look at happiness over our lifetime, the year after having a baby can be one of our lowest points.
  • It’s not about our relationship with our baby but rather the other parts of our lives that have changed so much.
  • We are all tempted to just share the best bits, thinking we need to hide our feelings because we think everyone else is so happy.
  • You might feel trapped, wanting to escape yet at the same time feeling you can’t leave your baby.
  • Sometimes these feelings are linked to physical events during the birth, but often they’re more about how you felt or were treated.

Getting support

    • Many doulas (a person who can support you through pregnancy, labour and birth) also offer help to explore how you are feeling about your birth and caring for your baby.
    • Focus on looking after yourself, too: Your diet, activity levels and time outdoors can all affect how you feel.
    • Try baby massage: It can help you to slow down and connect with your baby.
    • Often mothers experiencing mental health difficulties are highly attuned to their baby’s needs because they are so worried about not getting it right.

Interactive Children’s Book THE FABULOUS FEELINGS OF FOLLY Teaches Emotion Regulation

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 29, 2023

The Fabulous Feelings of Folly is an interactive children’s adventure story that teaches kids about having big emotions.

Key Points: 
  • The Fabulous Feelings of Folly is an interactive children’s adventure story that teaches kids about having big emotions.
  • Filled with delightful color illustrations that each serve as mini arts and craft example, The Fabulous Feelings of Folly will delight children from infancy to six years of age.
  • Through The Fabulous Feelings of Folly, kids can learn important regulation techniques to handle big emotions like anger, sadness, fear, surprise, and joy.
  • The Fabulous Feelings of Folly is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com .

What social change movements can learn from fly fishing: The value of a care-focused message

Retrieved on: 
Monday, August 28, 2023

Over the past century, participation has declined in some activities, such as hunting, and increased in others, like bird-watching.

Key Points: 
  • Over the past century, participation has declined in some activities, such as hunting, and increased in others, like bird-watching.
  • As scholars who think about organizational theory, management and entrepreneurship, we are interested in understanding effective ways to promote social change.
  • We found that since its founding in 1959, Trout Unlimited has pursued a unique type of social change.
  • In our view, this strategy offers a powerful example of energizing social change through care, rather than disruptive strategies that emphasize power, anger and fearmongering.

A sport that inspires devotion

    • Trout Unlimited was founded in 1959 on the banks of Michigan’s Au Sable River with the aim of building a strong conservation ethic among anglers.
    • Today, the group has more than 300,000 members spanning hundreds of local chapters across the U.S.
    • It’s a sport that combines deep knowledge of a specific location with time-honored techniques.

Fly-fishing and stewardship

    • For Trout Unlimited, that meant subtly removing harvesting practice from images of fly fishing, while simultaneously reinforcing anglers’ deep connections to rivers.
    • Editors of “Trout” scrubbed away images of harvesting gear, such as creels, stringers and spears.
    • Instead, they featured photos of trout being safely released and of caught fish remaining underwater in their environment.
    • Editors included poetry and sermonettes in the magazine that modeled normative values of conservation and catch and release practices.

Caring for fishing grounds

    • Americans were recognizing that industrial development was harming precious natural resources, including fishing grounds.
    • Dam construction, particularly in Western states, was blocking fish passage, preventing trout and salmon from swimming upstream to their spawning grounds.
    • Trout Unlimited framed these efforts as supporting fly fishing through positive change.

An inclusive message

    • We see the organization as an important model in a world driven by social media algorithms that amplify negative emotions.
    • In our view, driving change through actions that represent love and care, rather than anger and shame, could engage more people in tackling major social challenges.
    • Nonetheless, the key takeaway for us from Trout Unlimited’s work is that social change doesn’t have to vilify in order to succeed.