![]() In March 2020, society ground open day to a halt, human face-to-face interaction ceased and the world went in to a lockdown. To some this is a moment that produced fear and anxiety of the threat to health, both physically and mentally. For others it was a time where the stresses and strains of everyday life were suddenly removed. We had no choice but to stay at home, metaphorically locked in to our houses to contain spread of the virus. With this, people began to find time to do something they may not ave done before; from a guilt-free day of boxset TV watching, learning a new instrument, to online video conferencing “pub quiz” style calls with friends and family. People kept in touch more than ever before using means of online interaction, including the world of the newest boom of social media at that time, TikTok.
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![]() Although there is no scientific evidence to support that ‘Blue Monday’ is physically a thing – with the Christmas come down, the dark nights, the challenges around keeping those New Year's resolutions, as well as the credit card bills falling on the doormat – these can all lead to feeling a bit low at this time of the year. Additionally, I would personally argue, the New Year New Me “Dry January” or “Veganuary” can also be reaching its pinnacle point in habit formation, which can seem the most challenging – however it takes 21 days to begin habit formation – so we’re almost at that first healthy hurdle. Click Read more for 5 top tips to beat those January BLUES: The Aftermath of Love Island – the Social Media battleground and its impact on mental health.2/8/2022 ![]() With the Love Island Final set to be watched by over 5 million people, the remaining couples in the villa are inching closer to a potential win of £50,000, as well – of course – their one true love? After the whispers of love and emotion are declared, the winners are announced, the prize money is received and the Spanish dust settles, what happens then? Weel, for the contestants themselves, they are catapulted into a life of media management, meet and greets, and social media fame – but what happens to them and the 5 million people who watched their declarations of love for the world to see, hashtag, and comment on. Click Read more for full article ![]() Amongst the sun, sea, and sponsorship deals, lies a villa in the heart of Majorca. A villa adorned with swimwear, sunscreen, and over 70 cameras watching the every move of a conveyor belt of contestants, heading to the summer hottest reality TV show. This ladies and gentlemen, is Love Island. Love Island has been on our screens since 2015 and now beginning it’s 8th series, with around 36 contestants gracing our screens over the 8 week show. So, is Love Island just Gen Z’s using their time on the daily primetime show to gain media fame and followers - or is there an underlying social experiment behind the love searching singletons than meets the eye - absolutely. The popularity of Love Island first of all is seen by the daily ritual of a 9pm primetime slots, whereby over 3 million people (ITV, 2022) watched the trials and tribulations, the love and laughter, the heart make and heart break of the opening episode for this years extravaganza. This 8 week reality shows may give the general public viewers an element of escapism from everyday affairs, watching the drama unfold with real people and real lives. So what makes this show so popular, and why do we watch it? What is the drive behind the storylines, is there more to it than just looking for love - and why are we so invested? Click Read more for full article
3 out of 4 UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the past 12 months they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope. The “busy but I’ll be okay” can soon turn to “too much to handle” with the smallest of things, the straw that broke the camels back as the saying goes. Between university, work, family and social commitments, one can suddenly feel overwhelmed with the smallest thing snowballing to cause unnecessary stress feeling difficult to manage, toppling the ever towering Jenga of life...
When we look to set a goal or a behaviour change, whether it be sometime throughout the year, or the inevitable "New Year New Me" Resolution, we want them to succeed. This gives us a sense of achievement and fulfilment, as well as a positive behaviour change that may support our lives, health and wellbeing. The struggles with resolutions can range from setting a goal unattainable with your life and work commitments, to facing obstacles and not being able to overcome them. With this, a 5 step process has been suggested as a way to SMASH your Resolutions - that can may I add, be made any time of the year, not just January 1st!
As the government reintroduces it’s work-from-home guidance, many are feeling their sense of normality slowly slipping, reversing back to the groundhog days of 2020.
Discussions of reverberating rules and restrictions echoing back and forth can lead one to feel exhaustion, fatigue and anxiety of the future. Recent research has found that although adherence to measures remains high, people are suffering with the seemingly backwards step so close to the festive holidays. This feeling of tiredness and exhaustion is termed “Pandemic Fatigue” or “Restriction Fatigue”, simply put - it’s at the point where short term measures and behaviour adaptations to the pandemic become longer term and longer lasting, without an end point in site. When the goal posts are moved and moved, the sprint becomes a marathon and the adherence to measures becomes more of longer lasting behaviour change, seeping in to our new sense of normality. Psychologists have discussed how is best to cope with feeling of pandemic / restriction fatigue and the ways to adapt over the festive period. Collated are five ways one can try to keep mentally and physically well over the holiday season - SOULS; Sharing is caring, Out and active, Understand the facts, Look to the future, Strength in self-care. |
Dr Rachael MolitorChartered Behavioural Psychologist Archives
April 2023
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