Africa Kenya’s sex workers have solutions to their problems, but international NGOs aren’t hearing them By Lise Woensdregt, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam In Kenya, rights organisations run by sex workers have gone into numerous partnerships with international organisations over the past decade. In recent research, I set out to understand whether these relationships worked in favour of the sex workers and their organisations. My research focused on an organisation in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, that supports male sex workers. Kenya’s laws punish activities related to […] todayFebruary 13, 2024 17
insert_link Lifestyle Anger, sadness, boredom, anxiety – emotions that feel bad can be useful A bad feeling can trigger behavior that leads to something better. Rawpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus Heather Lench, Texas A&M University Remember the sadness that came with the last time you failed miserably at something? Or the last time you were so anxious about an upcoming event that you couldn’t concentrate for days? These types of emotions are unpleasant to experience and can even feel overwhelming. People often try to […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 36
insert_link Health / Medical Stigma kills people with alcohol addiction sirtravelalot/Shutterstock Ashwin Dhanda, University of Plymouth One of my patients, Emma (not her real name), recently told me that she didn’t seek help for her alcohol problem because she was ashamed. She said that she didn’t want to waste anyone’s time on a self-inflicted problem. She lived with it for years, hiding bottles of alcohol so her partner wouldn’t find out. Only when she turned yellow and vomited blood did […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 15
insert_link Health / Medical WHO meeting report released on mental health content that supports young people The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report following a virtual roundtable meeting held on 4 October 2023, focused on exploring guiding principles for developmentally-appropriate online mental health content for young people. Twenty-two global health experts with backgrounds in digital media, child and adolescent mental health and suicide prevention participated in the discussions. Participants were diverse in gender and geographic locations, joining online from 16 different countries. Prior to […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 11
insert_link Health / Medical How dieting, weight suppression and even misuse of drugs like Ozempic can contribute to eating disorders Although semaglutide drugs like Ozempic are indicated to treat Type 2 diabetes, they are increasingly prescribed off-label because of their observed effectiveness at inducing weight loss. (Shutterstock) Samantha Withnell, Western University and Lindsay Bodell, Western University Up to 72 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men are dissatisfied with their weight or body image, according to a U.S. study. Globally, millions of people attempt to lose weight […] todayFebruary 2, 2024 44
insert_link Health / Medical Eating disorders are the most lethal mental health conditions – reconnecting with internal body sensations can help reduce self-harm An increased disconnect from your body can make it easier to harm yourself, whether by disordered eating or suicide. Maskot/Maskot via Getty Images April Smith, Auburn University Did you know that anorexia is the most lethal mental health condition? One person dies from an eating disorder every hour in the U.S. Many of these deaths are not from health consequences related to starvation, but from suicide. Up to 1 in […] todayFebruary 1, 2024 26
insert_link Opinion Pieces Teens on social media need both protection and privacy – AI could help get the balance right Social media can be both dangerous and a lifeline for teens. The Good Brigade/DigitalVision via Getty Images Afsaneh Razi, Drexel University Meta announced on Jan. 9, 2024, that it will protect teen users by blocking them from viewing content on Instagram and Facebook that the company deems to be harmful, including content related to suicide and eating disorders. The move comes as federal and state governments have increased pressure on […] todayFebruary 1, 2024 28
insert_link Lifestyle Spending too much time online? Try these helpful tips to improve your digital wellness Impacts of excessive use of digital technologies range from physical problems to emotional concerns. (Shutterstock) Bindiya Dutt, University of Stavanger and Mary Lynn Young, University of British Columbia Using digital platforms is increasingly the only option to manage our daily lives, from filling out forms at the doctor’s office or government offices to ordering food, booking a cab, paying taxes, banking, shopping or dating. Often, people are coerced into using […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 24
Health / Medical Young athletes learn importance of mental health and well−being at Gangwon 2024 Young athletes competing at the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 are being reminded that mental health is just as important as physical health and that they have access to a number of tools to help them protect their well-being. For Gangwon 2024, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has designed an educational booth integrating mental and physical health and safeguarding education called “Mind, Body and Me”, with the aim of normalising […] todayJanuary 26, 2024 20