Y7Humanities celebrity l luxury l diversity l nutrition
God is for Muslims Alone SUMMER SPECIAL
Foods that Fight Cancer! Execute Justice Not People! Read this in depth opinion piece on page 4
Did you know that certain foods cause cancer? Did you know that certain foods can also cure it???!!!
INTEREST:
How Powerful Are Subliminal Mmessages?
God is For Muslims Alone FATHER TONY EL KHOURY
(Translated by Dr. Laurence Aajaka)
Majesty within their own narrow ideological and geographical cocoons. God is the One is all religions and faiths.
“God is for Muslims alone” are the infamous words that the se- God is an entity that can encompass us all and any attempt at nior Malaysian judge Mohammad Abdani recently decreed. In limiting Him within one thought or belief is blasphemy in of itself. a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, he stated that all Instead of these futile games, a truce is in order to stifle these other religions, Christianity and otherwise, are prohibited from preposterous and pretentious claims. This truce should pave using the name and symbol of “Allah” because of its unique the way for a serious dialogue searching for common grounds symbolism among Muslims. Doing otherwise will only create where all religions coincide. Pope Francis called it “A necessity confusion and chaos among Muslims that may cause some to not an option that is detrimental for humanity's fate”. It's crucial revert.
to move beyond trying to possess God to loving other through the certainty of everyone being the image of His Holiness and
This issue can only be grouped with the tidal wave of funda- deserving of being loved. mentalism that has been sweeping the Islamic thought and philosophy in the last few years, rejecting any communication Only the strategy of love can build the future of the world. The or dialogue, willfully choosing to ignore all offerings for coexis- late Saint John Paul advocated for an open dialogue between tence.
Christians and Muslims. Pope Francis echoed this message of peace in his late visit to Turkey when he invited all parties
After non-Muslims were forbidden to use the word Allah in to a deeper understanding and tolerance towards each other. Malaysia, the Mufti of Syria Ahmad Badereddine Hassoun was If God is the Lord of all that is, then no party can claim His asked about this controversial issue. Instead of replying imme- Majesty for themselves. diately, he asked those in attendance if they prayed. Most answered affirmative, so he then asked them to recite what they say whenever they start praying. The audience answered, “In the name of the Merciful Lord, the God of all”. He then asked if those in attendance believe that the Qur'an contains the words of Allah and if they believe in it fully. When everyone answered by yes, he went on to inquire how they can claim they believe in all of God’s words but deny Him when He says He is the God of all. The word “Allah” is not a proper name, and its origin is the Hebrew name for God. Some modifications happened over the centuries to create the version used today. God is the source of all creation and knowledge; he brings forth all and determines their fates. It's true there are differences between the Christianity and Islam in terms of the completion of God in the holy Son, but that does not give the right to anyone to limit His
Execute Justice, Not People! DR. LAURENCE AJAKA The last few years have witnessed an alarming spike ted, execution robs the individual of their humanity. in the number of murders committed in Lebanon. No
If God was able to utter words of absolution and for-
week passes by without a media uproar about one
giveness for the centurions who were torturing Him,
crime or another. The lack of any control over gun
how can we not strive to follow His footsteps? How
possession and drug use are the main culprits for can we claim to be Christians in the footsteps of our this unprecedented crime wave, and the general pu-
Lord if we are demanding something as alien to our
blic is in an uproar. The recent murder of the 24-year-
teachings as the death penalty? Life belongs to God
old engineer, Roy Hamoush, thrust back the death alone, and it is not our place to set ourselves above penalty into the center of public attention with angry God by taking that decision. We are not only robbing voices demanding it be applied again. But should that person of their dignity but also from a chance at Christians support the death penalty? The word redemption and absolution. “Christian” means “a follower of Christ.” Being a true Christian is a way of life, not just an emotional Jesus Christ was sent into this world to show us the event. Hence, I allowed myself to delve into such an road to salvation. His teachings were those of mercy, extremely sensitive topic.
compassion, and forgiveness. It was His message and role to steer us away from the darkness and vio-
To start off, the law of capital penalty is clearly stated lence we were living in. By resorting to punishments in the Lebanese law, but its actual application has like the penalty, we are only going back to the dark been temporarily suspended. The Church’s stand is days that came from the light of Christ. Resorting to very clear and it was recently clarified again in a sta-
antiquated concepts of retribution in the name of jus-
tement that was released by nearly 400 Evangelical tice will only plunge us into a new dark age and undo and Catholic clergy that rejected the death penalty the sacrifice of our Lord. under any circumstances. There are other ways to protect the society without resorting to torture and We cannot, as Christians, adopt the death penalty; executions that are sins in of their own. Jesus Christ we have to maintain a vigilant stand about adhering was also executed on the cross and suffered for our
to the teachings of the Church in all matters. Our
sins. But instead of regarding His executioners with devotion to the message of Christ and Church is a any malice, He looked upon them with compassion beacon of hope for our society and steadfast harbor and understanding.
in the storm of a world that is expanding beyond our understanding day after day.
The Church sees no dignity in the act of death penalty. No matter what sins they may have commit-
E-Therapy Is it Right for you? Y7 STAFF
What is Online Therapy? Online therapy is the delivery of mental health counseling via the Internet. People also know it as e-therapy, distance therapy, Internet therapy and web therapy. Therapists and online therapy networks use a variety of mediums such as apps for texting, video chatting, voice messaging and audio messaging. Studies have proven the efficacy of therapy via the internet to the point where it has become a viable alternative and supplement to in-office therapy. There are even people who can afford and make time for in-office therapy but choose online therapy. Here are some common reasons why people prefer online therapy: (or use it as an alternative or supplement to in-office therapy) In-office therapy is expensive (average $75-150 per session) — e-therapy gets as low as $25 a week, depending on the service and plan you choose The commute can be inconvenient or impossible Some e-therapy providers do not require insurance People worry about the stigma of in-office therapy Clients are concerned people they know will see them enter or leave a therapist’s office Clients are more comfortable and open while at home Text or message-based therapy allows clients more time to structure their thoughts It is easier for clients to cancel, reschedule or change their therapist within a network of online therapists Clients who want shorter sessions prefer it Some clients feel therapy via the Internet provides greater anonymity Clients don’t have to cancel if they get sick Extra benefits for clients who will encounter less “triggers” if they stay home It benefits teens who cannot drive to a therapist’s office It is a convenient option for people with disabilities People in abusive relationship who want to receive therapy without their partner knowing There are unique benefits for therapists as well: More time to respond to clients and form better answers Easy to instantly send resources via links Therapists can travel more often The Difference Between Video Chats and Texting Therapy When people hear about therapy via the Internet, they first think of video chats facilitating the same therapy they would receive in an office. Nonetheless, e-therapy also includes text-based psychotherapy: clients and therapists exchanging an unlimited amount of text messages via the phone, an online therapy network or an app. There are no sessions. Instead, therapists or the online therapy network they work with usually charge a weekly, monthly or yearly rate. Millions of people choose text-based therapy because it removes
even more barriers that often prevent potential clients from committing to therapy. Barrier #1: Sessions Even when patients don’t have to commute, it can be hard to schedule sessions. People are sometimes not able to section off an hour of their day due to other commitments that can pop up at any time. The texting approach means no canceling, rescheduling or missing sessions, which saves therapists and clients time, stress and money. Barrier #2: Privacy When clients video chat, they need to find a place where no one can hear them. This can be difficult, and there’s the risk of thinking no one can eavesdrop when they actually can. Barrier #3: Stigma from Face-to-Face Interactions Revealing your darkest secrets and fears can be scary enough without having to look a therapist in the eyes while you do it. Not having the face-to-face interaction of video chatting allows many clients to open up and make progress more quickly. Barrier #4: Price Can Still Be an Issue Using video chatting to receive the same therapy often means going through the same health insurance obstacles and paying comparable prices. It can cost more than $100. Why Clients and Therapists Often Prefer Text-Based Psychotherapy Shattering more barriers isn’t the only reason people choose texting therapy. In the same way video chatting works best for many clients and therapists, people prefer texting therapy for the following reasons: They already enjoy texting, spend a lot of time doing it and feel texting therapy fits that lifestyle. Texting therapy is similar to journaling or keeping a diary. Therapists and clients can take more time to respond to difficult questions or issues. Some people express themselves better by writing rather than talking. It is easy to look at previous messages and progress. Clients and therapists do not need to take notes. Does Text-Based Therapy Work? There are several studies that prove the efficacy of texting used in psychotherapy. Here are a few we have curated: Therapist-delivered Internet psychotherapy for depression in primary care: a randomised controlled trial The Lancet Prevention of Eating Disorders in At-risk College Women National Library of Medicine A Preliminary Study of Talkspace’s Text-Based Psychotherapy
Columbia University Finding the Right Network of Online Therapists Finding a therapist without a network is possible but frustratingly difficult without a referral from a friend or family member. You have to search for in-office therapists via in-office therapy networks or Google searches and check page-bypage to see which ones offer their services online. But there are dozens of networks, so you’ll need to keep some tips in mind while you search and choose the best fit: There is a difference between therapy and coaching, counseling, consulting, etc. Ensure the network you choose only offers licensed therapists. If their certifications are not displayed, you can ask the network to provide them. Think about your price range and whether you want to bother with health insurance. Some sites do not require health insurance and are more cost-effective without using it. Does it comply with the the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [HIPAA]? You can ask site administrators to provide evidence if it is not listed on the site. This is relevant even if the site does not require health insurance. Do you prefer only texting/messaging, only video chatting or being able to switch between both? Do you want the option of being anonymous? Do you want a matching agent to help you or would you rather stick with a search engine? Is Your Online Therapist Ethical? In-office and online therapists follow a code of ethics set by large psychological organizations and the bodies that licensed them. For those who don’t want to read the documents, which can be lengthy, here are some general rules these codes cover:
or at the library Use a personal computer if possible Make sure payment forms are secure Have passcodes for your devices Protect your password and consider making a new password only for therapy rather than reusing an old one Don’t leave your computer out and open to others Ensure you are in a sound-proof environment when doing video chat sessions and use earbuds or headphones Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy Online 1-green_2x Does therapy via the internet work? Does it work as well as in-office therapy? In-office therapy works better for some people, but online therapy is an equally viable treatment and works for the vast majority of clients. Are online therapists licensed? All online therapists are licensed, but not all people who call themselves “online therapists” are licensed (same goes with in-office therapists). Here are some ways you can verify their authenticity:
An online therapist must protect your confidentiality and records of your sessions
Most online therapy networks display the therapist’s license number or will provide it to you upon request. Websites such as Psychology Today, Good Therapy and Psych Central provide credibility for licensed therapists. Most online therapists or therapists who take in-person and online patients will have a listing on one of these sites even if they don’t mention online options. You can ask your therapist to help you understand what their license means and how to verify it. Don’t worry, they won’t be offended. Therapists understand the need to protect yourself as a consumer.
An online therapist can only interact with you in a therapeutic relationship, not in a personal or sexual one
Can I communicate in-office and online with the same therapist?
An online therapist cannot misrepresent his or her credentials, services or fees
Yes. There are many therapists who see their clients both in-person and online. They often start by only meeting with the client in their office but then move to a hybrid approach that makes therapy more convenient and flexible.
An online therapist cannot make false or misleading claims about what therapy provides And here are some of these codes: Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct American Psychological Association Code of Ethics American Counseling Association Code of Ethics National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Ethics Policies and Procedures National Board of Certified Counselors Keeping Your Online Therapy Safe and Secure Joining a therapy network with advanced security technology is likely to keep the content of your sessions safe and be HIPAA compliant. You can also insist on using certain tools and services to securely connect with online therapists who work outside of a network. There are also safety measures you can take: Always log out of your account if you use a computer at work
Therapist Stephanie Moir told Talkspace most of her online clients began as in-office clients. Problems with traffic, weather, tight work schedules and commuting to pick up their children, Moir said, are common reasons why clients supplement their therapy with online sessions. On the other hand, therapist Tanairy Fernandez said she has a mix of clients who began online and only use that medium, clients who only meet in-office and clients who do both. Some of her online clients found her through a therapy network while others connected by searching independently. Is therapy secure on the Internet? Will my privacy be protected? You will receive greater security assurance if you sign up with an online therapist via a network. Individual online therapists will keep your information confidential, but they might need to rely on services with less security. After all, it’s easier for a company to afford a high-tech online security system with industry-standard encryption and authentication measures along with extra layers of passcode protection. Ethical rules for licensed therapists require they protect your privacy. With the exception of several rare situations (such as clients being at risk of harming themselves or others), they will not reveal the content of your conversations to
Foods That F
Dr. Laurence Ajaka
Cancer is a genetic disease characteriz ed by abnormal growth and multiplication of cells. Some individuals are genetically more susceptible to cancer, but other bacterial, viral and environmental causes are culprits. In the recent decades, people have been looking into holistic treatments and approaches for dealing with all sorts of ailments, even dangerous diseases such as cancer. Adopting a healthy diet is one of the methods of holistic living, and we met up with Dr. Toufic Naba’ to discuss this topic to glean knowledge from his expertise.
Fight Cancer
a
Food can be both a cure and cause for cancer according to Dr. Naba’; some foods may be digested into products that act as mutagens that cause cancer while others will cause the inhibition of some carcinogenic enzymes. An example of the latter is lycopene, an enzyme found in fruits and vegetables that gives them a red color. The foods with the most abundant concentration of lycopene include tomatoes, watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, etc. Unlike most enzymes, cooking lycopene foods will change the enzyme into a form that is easily handled by the body. So yes, ketchup is actually a soldier against cancer in moderate amounts! Fibers are also beneficial because they convert “volatile” fatty acids that cause apoptosis, or cellular death. Vitamin E and folic acids have been found to reduce the severity of colon cancer. The foods that can be potential carcinogens are also many. Additives, Colorants, growth hormones, flavoring agents, and preservatives are foreign compounds into the human diet, and as such, the body may not be capable of properly processing them. Because of the high demand, the food industry has been pressured to produce merchandises that are more flavorful and
have longer shelf-life. Dietary concerns were not as prevalent as they are now, so the food industry has not been paying proper attention according to Dr. Naba’. He added that consuming large amounts of tobacco and alcohol has also caused the number of cancer patients to spike and thus need to be minimized when changing one’s diet and lifestyle. Dr. Naba’ ended the conversation with a message of moderation. In his opinion, it’s expensive and time-consuming to follow a strictly organic diet, so it might not be the most practical choice for everyone. Having a balanced diet that follows the recommendations of the food pyramid as well as exercising regularly is enough to supplement the body with all the antioxidants and cancer-fighting agents needed.
How Powerful Are Subliminal messages belong to a select group of topics that no one can conclusively prove or disprove. While some believe that individuals and groups can be unconsciously controlled, others believe that to be untrue. But whatever your stance is, the conversation, if something as divisive can be labeled as such, remains the most debated topic in the realms of advertisement and politics. Although subliminal messages have been a their advertisements. Since there has been no concern for a long time, the mass media and conclusive proof of their success, companies communication boom of the last two centuries are reluctant to adopt them. Other studies have has made it easier to broadcast messages on a shown that subliminal ads will only be effective wide scale in both auditory and visual capaci- if the consumer is already motivated to make a ties. Some studies have suggested that an adult purchase. The negative press over the years has is subjected to more than 3500 advertisements prompted some nations such as Australia and every day without even being aware of them all. Great Britain to ban the use of subliminal mesThis shocking number is indicative of the consu- sages in any advertisement with heavy penalties merism bend that our society has taken.
for any transgression. There are lighter penalties in other countries, but subliminal messages are
Proponents of subliminal messages claim that frowned upon still. Ironically, there have never the hidden images are enough to bend our will been any substantial legal cases or any major especially after being repeatedly subjected to lawsuits concerning this topic. It casts further them. They rely on studies that showed increased doubt on the necessity of such propaganda. brain activity when being showed images related to sensory nostalgic memories about the product It is going to be extremely difficult to prove whecompared to advertisements that show the phy- ther subliminal messages are effective or not. sical direct image of the said product. Although Human beings are complex by nature, and there an interesting discovery, it doesn’t conclusively is much that science and physiology are yet to prove that consumers will be motivated to ac- decipher till this day even with all the advanced tually make a purchase.
equipment. It seems futile to dedicate so much time, money and effort in such a debate when or-
Furthermore, there is little proof that compa- ganizations are employing much more effective nies actually rely on subliminal messages in means for promoting their products.
Subliminal Messages? DR. TOUFIC AJAKA
Paving the Way!
DR. LAURENCE AJAKA
Father Nadim El Helou, the Superior of the Disciples College, is known for his message of peace and love. He has been working intensively and tirelessly with educators for the last nine months and has come to the conclusion that the path to success is by allowing each individual to be accountable for their own actions. Nothing else has been as successful because true change cannot begin before an individual is aware of who they are, where they were and where they are going. It’s never enough to just preach especially when it comes to teenagers. There needs to be a lengthy discussion and contemplation about the situation at hand from different perspectives: emotionally, scientifically and socially. It is not up to the educator to come up with the solutions because they are not the ones living this experience. It is up to the teenagers to reach the solutions that fix the situation. When educators first start a relationship with any teenager, there will be conflict because of the very explosive nature of teenagers. But with time, they will come to recognize a pattern of interaction that will sooth them. Some of the troubled teenagers they are working with are now capable of spotting their destructive habits on their own as well as figuring out healthy solutions instead of blaming others. Father Nadim confesses that he has unfortunately had some hopeless cases where he was unable to help some of the teenagers under his tutelage. He relates it back to the substantial lack of an appropriate support system within
academic institutions. He believes that having supported such as social workers and spiritual guides that would interact directly with families would help spot these difficult cases before they get too out of hand. Token attempts are done to appease one’s conscious, but that is never enough. He believes that ignorance rather than corruption is what is infecting today’s generation. Father Nadim thinks that it’s up to the educators to do what their name implies and educate these troubled teenagers before they spiral out of control instead of waiting out than attempting to patch them up again. Some educators have abandoned their roles believing that all knowledge is available for even a two-yearold forgetting that scholar education is only a part of an educator’s role. Even Greek philosophers lived among their pupils experiencing everything with them and reaching the same enlightened plateaus together. He ends by sending a plea to parents to start loving their children instead of loving themselves through them because most teenagers are not certain of their parents’ love. This is because parents have stopped showing them the attention they crave. Parents simply stopped talking and sharing with their children and showering them the much-needed love, attention, and validation. The familial life is exposed on the pages of social media instead of being within the bosom of the family. When a person is loved, no evil thoughts, intentions or abandonment would ever happen.
The Receipt for Happiness
By Dr. Laurence Ajaka No man’s life has ever been without bumps and obstacles that upset their equilibrium to the point of turning their lives upside down. The best-laid plans can be overthrown, and everything descends into chaos. This is inevitable, and the only determinant that segregates people is the attitude and the approach they adopt to face these obstacles.
Life is never going to stop happening, and only blearning how to deal with these maelstroms can a true sense of happiness and peace be reached. Throwing in the towel at the very first trial means dooming the future into a bleak cesspool of melancholy and despair. It blocks the path of future happiness when on is blind to the soothing rays of the little things such as stranger’s smile and one of the fate’s ranThe secret lies in realizing that any pro- dom serendipities to make a dent in a coblem is as big as we make it be. No one is coon of misery engulfing our hearts. born with a receipt for happiness even if they are born into a privileged childhood Something as precious and complex as life with all the emotional and financial sup- can never be plotted in a linear fashion. port they need. If we abandon our positive After all, chaos is the underlying theme outlook, every little setback would rob us of the fabric of the universe itself, and we from small bits of our happiness until it are intertwined within this tapestry where becomes a distant memory we can never each thread overlaps and interacts. We all even recapture. have a price tag to pay for our humble portion of ecstasy, but if we open our minds, The opposite is just as valid; some are born the sweet nirvana of success is sufficient with nothing more than the clothes on succor to sustain us through the labyrinth their backs and suffer a very challenging of life. childhood. Deprived of even a loving bosom of a family, they would embrace the hardships to wield them into armor shielding them from the spears of reality. Their previous misery serves as a reminder of the blessing they are enjoying giving them a profound sense of acceptance and peace. They are the ones blessed with the key to happiness.
Social Media: It's There's no official medical recognition of social tion to cigarettes and booze following an experiment networking addiction as a disease or disorder. Still, in which they recorded the cravings of several hunthe cluster of behaviors associated with heavy or ex- dred people for several weeks. Media cravings ranked cessive use of social media has become the subject of ahead of cravings for cigarettes and alcohol. much discussion and research And at Harvard University, researchers actually hooDefining Social Networking Addiction
ked people up to functional MRI machines to scan
Addiction usually refers to compulsive behavior that their brains and see what happens when they talk leads to negative effects. In most addictions, people about themselves, which is a key part of what people feel compelled to do certain activities so often that do in social media. They found that self-disclosure they become a harmful habit, which then interferes communication stimulates the brain's pleasure cenwith other important activities such as work or school. ters much like sex and food do. In that context, a social networking addict could be considered someone with a compulsion to use social Plenty of clinicians have observed symptoms of anmedia to excess -- constantly checking Facebook sta- xiety, depression and some psychological disorders in tus updates or "stalking" people's profiles on Face- people who spend to much time online, but little hard book, for example, for hours on end.
evidence has been found proving that social media or Internet use caused the symptoms. There's a similar
But it's hard to tell when fondness for an activity lack of data about social networking addiction. becomes a dependency and crosses the line into a damaging habit or addiction. Does spending three Married to Social Media? hours a day on Twitter reading random tweets from Sociologists and psychologists, meantime, have been strangers mean you're addicted to Twitter? How exploring the impact of social networking on realabout five hours? You could argue you were just rea- world relationships, especially marriage, and some ding headline news or needed to stay current in your have questioned whether excessive use of social mefield for work, right?
dia could play a role in divorce. The Wall Street Journal debunked reports that 1 in 5 marriages are ruined by
Researchers at Chicago University concluded that Facebook, noting that there appeared to be no sciensocial media addiction can be stronger than addic- tific evidence supporting such data.
s Addictive!!! Y7 STAFF
Your whole life depends on you being able to retrieve things from your memory. I’m sure you know what I mean… “Where are my keys?” “What major tasks do I need to complete today?”“What time is that meeting I need to attend?” Questions such as these bombard our minds daily. If you’re able to recall the relevant information, you’ll keep your life on track. However, if you fail to recall the information – your life will start to move in a confused and unproductive direction. We’d all love to boost our memories, but often we go about it in the wrong way. It’s not about how much information we can absorb into our minds, but how easily we can retrieve this information (which most people aren’t good at). Information Overload = Memory Failure We live in an information age, where our minds are besieged 24/7 by facts, figures, news, drama and trends. To maintain our standing among our peers, most of us strive in vain to keep up-to-date with everything from music to movies to politics. It’s a never-ending whirlpool of information. And if you try to remember all of this information – you’re likely to find that your mind becomes so full that you begin to lose the ability to think clearly. Information overload is a modern-day plague. And your memory is likely to be one of the plague’s victims.
started to forget the words to the songs. The more you try to recall the words – the further from your mind they seem to be. It’s frustrating, and has probably blighted a pastime that you used to love. Could it be that over the years, you’ve tried to remember just too many songs? Perhaps. As you’ll see below, continually overloading your memory, can lead to recall issues and embarrassing social interactions. It’s on the Tip of My Tongue, But… It can be distressing when the flow of our conversation is blocked by our inability to recall information. And this can be especially traumatic if it takes place during a formal work environment. For instance, imagine that you’re doing a presentation at work to some potential clients. You’ve created PowerPoint slides to guide you through your presentation, but the bulk of the message you’re hoping to convey is held in the memory banks of your mind. You start your presentation positively, but after a few awkward questions from one of the clients, you notice your confidence slipping
C n i a r B d n Your Seco
For example, when you were younger, you may have loved to sing along with your favorite songs. Sadly, as you’ve grown older, you’ve
Y7 STAFF
! e r o M r e b m e m e R N CA and your recall ability falling too! Suddenly, facts and figures seem out of your grasp. You’re stuttering, and rapidly losing the attention of the audience. To put it another way: you’re presentation has gone down the pan!
moving over some of the information to your digital brain. Whichever tool (or tools) you decide to use, you’ll immediately be able to take advantage of the following benefits:
Storing tons of information in your memory is worthless if you’re unable to recall the parts you need – at the time you need them. Luckily, there’s a way to give your physical memory some much-needed breathing space.
You can store as much information as you wish. (Free plans may offer only limited storage.)
How to Let a ‘Digital Brain’ Take the Strain Our physical brains can only offer us a limited amount of memory storage and recall abilities. These limits used to be sufficient, but as mentioned earlier, we now live in an information age, where our ability to absorb and recall information has been stretched beyond our normal capabilities. What’s the answer to this problem? Well, you could start by giving some of this storing and recalling work to a digital brain. By this, I don’t mean you should turn yourself into a cyborg. In fact, the only thing you’ll be turning yourself into is a super-efficient and productive version of yourself! I’ve called it a digital brain, but you’ll know it simply as digital or online storage. And you’re sure to recognize some of the tools: Airtable Dropbox Evernote Google Drive Pocket The above software (and other similar ones) allows you to store, organize, and easily retrieve information. For example, Pocket lets you capture blogs, news and videos into a digital pocketbook. This is achieved through a one-click process. Once the content is within your pocketbook, you can retrieve and view it at any time. Clearly, this is far more efficient than trying to remember which stories you’ve seen earlier in the day – but hadn’t had chance to read/watch. Instead of trying to remember everything with your physical brain, begin
You can easily organize and prioritize the stored information. The stored information is available in an instant, 24/7, 365 days a year. Compared to relying 100 percent on your physical brain, the addition of a digital brain will help you immensely. You’ll be able to determine what to store, what not to store, and when to retrieve information. You’ll also be able to use a digital brain to help you with your to-do lists and goal planning. I personally use Google Drive for storing all my documents and images, and I use Todoist to help me manage my day-to-day tasks and workload. I’ve found using a digital brain to be liberating. Before, I used to stress over trying to remember everything – now my mind feels relaxed and free. I also have more mental energy for creative pursuits. You may think that highly-productive people must be blessed with superpowered memories. For sure, some are, but most of these people are ordinary folks, with one difference… They have learned how to use a digital brain to help them store and retrieve information – and to organize their lives.
UN Sustainable D
Dr. Laurence Ajaka
Developemental Goals USJ Higher Institute of Public Health (ISSP) this year event took place on June 2nd and 3rd, 2017 at the Faculty of Medicine of Saint-Joseph University (USJ), Campus of Medical Sciences, Damascus Street, Beirut. The roundtable of the SDG’s which replaced the pre- views health problems to be integrated with the overall vious MDG’s (challenges related to public health in the wellness of the individual as a whole. Health problems MENA region) was moderated by Dr. Zeina Zeidan the cannot be conquered if efforts aren’t paired with a simifirst chairwoman of a major financial Royal Financial lar crusade on issues such as poverty and famine. firm Royal financials SAL. The aim is not to only conquer diseases, but also proIn her opening statement, Dr. Zeidan spoke at length vide a better life quality for every individual. The adabout the importance of uniting in the face of the ad- vanced countries have been able to provide for their versities that face mankind from poverty, ignorance, citizens, so the concentrated efforts need to focus on and discrimination. She emphasized the importance the poorest countries. of uniting as a species to combat all the dangers that threaten our global civilization, such as air pollution , Other participants in the roundtable were and Mrs. excessive use of pesticides and heavy metals, pharma- Rola Azour, UNDP-Senior Economic Advisor, Mr. ceutical effluent and plastic microfibers infiltrating wa- Maurice Saade, FAO representative, Mrs. Tanya Chater sources and polluted water, stressing that change puisat, UNICEF Representative represented by Dr. can only be the result of the accumulation of the small Genevieve Beghoyan, Chief of health and nutrition at contributions each of us makes.
UNICEF and Mrs. Mireille Girard, UNHCR Representative, all of which also spoke out in favor of developing
Mrs. Hilda Harb represented the Ministry of Public SDGS with focus on the Lebanese situation especially Health and spoke of the Ministry’s success in respon- with the unprecedented influx of Syrian immigrants into ding to the health issues associated with the influx of the country. Syrian refugees to Lebanon in the last few years. She also discussed the sustainable development goals Each with their unique perspective domain and experbeing pursued by the Ministry to make sure that there tise contributed to what is one of the greatest threats are long-term plans to reform the public health sector facing our world. This roundtable might seem like a with the collaboration of leading public and private or- little drop in the ocean, but to quote Dr. Zeidan “Even ganizations and NGOs.
though fireside gatherings like ours might be considered a little droplet, we know better than to underesti-
Dr. Allisar Rady represented WHO and discussed the mate the power and passion of righteous conviction”. migration from Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The UN
Y7 Staff Does Instagram Make You Feel Crappy? If you answeres "yes" -- you aren't the only one! Our addictive feeds of fitness models, exotic travel, and photo-perfect
Earlier research has found that the unrealistic expectations and “fear
moments don’t often match with our comparatively humdrum and
of missing out” created across our social feeds can lower self-esteem
badly lit lives. The discontent caused by that disconnect is enough
and fuel issues such as anxiety and depression. These issues are only
that a growing body of research suggests social media is contributing
compounded by cyber-bullying and lack of sleep, another harmful ef-
to mental-health problems such as anxiety, depression, sleep depri-
fect linked to social media. The report cites recent research published
vation, and body-image issues in young people, who are the heaviest
in the Journal of Youth Studies that found one in five young people
users of social media.
say they wake up during the night to check messages, causing them to feel exhausted during the day.
And Instagram, which now has 700 million users globally, appears to be the social network having the greatest negative effect, according
The findings weren’t all bad. Nearly 70% of respondents reported that
to a new report by the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), an
they received emotional support on social media when times were
independent charity focused on health education.
tough, and many said their accounts offered a forum for positive selfexpression. They were also able to create and maintain relationships
The report combines previously published research on the health
online.
impacts of social media with its own UK-wide survey of nearly 1,500 people between the ages of 14-24. To discover how respondents felt
The problems centered more on forgetting that what we see isn’t
different social networks—Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube,
always reality, and the RSPH offered some recommendations based
and Twitter—affected their health, both positively and negatively, it
on its findings. For one, fashion brands, celebrities, and others should
asked them about their feelings of anxiety, connection to a commu-
consider disclosing when their photos have been manipulated. It
nity, sense of identity, sleep, body image, and more.
also suggested that social networks give users a pop-up warning if they exceed a certain time spent logged on. Social platforms might
Only YouTube had a net-positive effect among the respondents. Every
even identify users with possible mental-health issues based on their
other social network came back with a net-negative effect. (In order
usage and send a discreet message on where to get help.
from least negative to most, they were: Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram.) Respondents rated Instagram in particular as having
Not least of all, the report said more research is needed into social
negative effects on anxiety and body image. One of the report’s
media’s health effects. Social’s spread among younger genera-
authors told CNN that girls often compare themselves to unrealistic
tions is only growing. It’s too big a force not to consider the health
images that have been manipulated.
consequences seriously.
The report quotes one respondent as saying, “Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough as people add filters and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect.'”
Is Instagram Harming Us?
How often do you get started on a project, full of enthusiasm, then slowly feel yourself losing motivation? The work that you used to look forward to starts to feel like a chore. You wonder why you’re even bothering. You might give up on the project all together. Perhaps you take a new job that’s full of challenges, but quickly lose interest and hand in your notice? Maybe you start taking up a hobby you’ve always wanted to do, but quit after a couple of weeks? If you’re struggling with motivation, you’re not alone. Don’t rely on quick fixes to get moti- project, or your schoolwork? Looking loss. vated.
for ways to avoid what you’re meant to be doing? Feeling sick and tired of Comparing yourself to others.
There is a way to get your motivation whatever you’re doing is a sign that back – for good.
your motivation is dwindling.
“We’re the same age, but he’s so much
We’re talking about long-term fixes, Feeling like you can’t make a diffe- more successful than me.” This kind of not short-term remedies like taking a rence.
comparison is a quick way to destroy
break, listening to motivational songs,
your motivation for whatever you’re
or downing energy drinks. While these Maybe you started on a project full doing. Stop trying to be better than strategies might work for a while, of hope and enthusiasm, looking others, and focus on being the best they’re nowhere near as effective as forward to changing the world with version of yourself instead. finding long-lasting motivation.
your contributions. If that feeling has left you, and you feel like what you’re Little do we know that there’re three
Do you want to struggle through each doing is pointless of meaningless, it’s hidden motivation killers. project, gritting your teeth and for- time to act. cing yourself to get the work done? Or
Lacking purpose
would you rather tap into endless mo- Are you a perfectionist? Trying to be tivation that doesn’t feel like a huge perfect is a common cause of moti- If you don’t care about what you’re effort? If you truly want to learn how vation loss, because it just isn’t pos- doing, you won’t be motivated. Fact. to stay motivated, you need to un- sible. Many of us are afraid to try new Find meaning in what you’re doing, or derstand what drives you – and what things or complete projects, thinking, change your focus to something you you really don’t care about. Maybe you “Why bother? I know it won’t be good do care about. experience some common symptoms enough.” Instead, we should focus on of lost motivation too.
trying our best.
Setting unrealistic targets
Wondering if your motivation has Feeling stressed about what you’re Setting impossibly high goals and faitaken a hit lately? See if any of these doing.
ling to reach them will make you want
common symptoms sound familiar.
Do you regularly feel stressed and ove- to give up, fast. Instead, set achievable
Being bored with your routine.
rwhelmed by your workload? When targets and enjoy the satisfaction of your work is causing you worry, you’re achieving many small goals – they’ll
Tired of doing the same old thing, day more likely to avoid it, which creates a soon add up. in, day out? Sick of your job, or your big vicious cycle or stress and motivation
Fixing the Motivation Problem Y7 STAFF
START BEING HAPPY IN 10 STEPS
Life seemed so much simpler when we were kids. Don’t you think? There were much less things to worry about, and more things that could make us truly happy. Y7 STAFF you make a mistake, just remember it will be really helpful in the future, and It was amazing how some simple things used to put a big smile on our face. that at some point you will be grateful for it. I still remember how happy I was when I got my first hula hoop. So much happiness because of one simple toy! 5. Stop putting your happiness into other’s hands The thing is, as we grow older and our world gets bigger and we gain new Why? If you don’t love yourself and know how to be happy on your own, experiences, we get overwhelmed and see happiness as something that is nobody else can do it for you. Happiness is inside you, not outside. And no hard to achieve, and fail to see it’s been here all along. one can fill the void if you are not happy. Besides, nobody is in your skin and Why is it so harder to be happy when you get older? Well, when we were kids, knows what’s best for you. we were completely focused on ourselves, everything we did, we did to make What you should do instead? Take a few days and be on your own, just you us feel good. As adults, we let the society define the notion of happiness, but and your thoughts. Do something relaxing, and figure out what makes you we are we in that story? We need to look for happiness inside and stop doing happy and what you can do to seek happiness without anybody else in the things that aren’t helping us. picture. Nobody can make the right decisions for you, because it’s something What You should stop doing and What You Should Do Instead? you live with, not other people. 1. Stop ignoring your own needs Why? Trying to please everybody is a mission impossible. You will never be 6. Stop trying to take control of all aspect of your life able to do that. And while you are taking care about everybody else’s needs, Why? Life is unpredictable, and that’s the beauty of it. Trying to control evewho is taking care of yours? No one. If you don’t think about yourself and rything in your life is like trying to control the weather – simply not possible. what you can do to be happy, nobody else will. That’s the hard truth. The Yes, there is rain and storm, but there is also sun and rainbows. There is no sooner you realize this, the better. point in stressing out about something you simply cannot change. The trick What you should do instead? Everyone is different, and nobody knows better is to go with the flow and look forward to the unknown. Life would be so than you what you really want and need. So, sit down and take a moment to boring if everything was planned in advance. think about your desires. Tune out outside voices, follow your emotions and What you should do instead? Try to not have every step of every day planned. they will tell you what you need. I learned from my experience there are always unpredictable situations, and I just get frustrated if things aren’t going the way I planned. So, I don’t make 2. Stop comparing yourself to others detailed plans and always have room for improvisation. Why? There are no two same people. And that is a wonderful thing. Being unique as we are, there’s no point in comparing ourselves to other people. 7. Stop living to others’ expectations or social standards We just end up being miserable and envious of the things we don’t have. We Why? We are all a part of a society, and every society will always have stanshould have faith in our life journey and that everything we want will find its dards people should live by. But trying to achieve those standards will not way to us in the right moment. make you happy. Why do you need to get married before 30? Why do you What you should do instead? Stop spending hours and hours looking at per- even need to get married if that’s not something you want? fect lives of other people on social media. Their lives might not be so perfect What you should do instead? You will never be able to please everyone, after all, they surely have their share of struggles. Instead, focus on your life so just follow your heart and do what feels right to you. Forget what other and how to make it better. Start making some real changes instead of just people expect, and create your own goals. staring at computer screen. Don’t just complain how some people have it all, and start working on achieving your goals. Praise yourself for the little achie- 8. Stop aiming for perfection vements and from time to time, stop to think how far you’ve come. Why? There’s no such thing as perfection. You will just waste valuable time and energy and drive yourself crazy if you want everything to be perfect. 3. Stop resisting your fear What you should do instead? Put that energy into something more creative. Why? Being afraid stops us from experiencing many great things. It limits us Aiming for perfection is a never-ending battle, so stop trying so hard and do and prevents us from feeling happy. If you are constantly afraid of everything, something more fun, like reading a book, or meeting your friends for coffee. you will isolate yourself from everything. But if you push yourself into overcoming your fears, you will see there are no limits as to what you can do, and 9. Stop trying to make others happy and forget about yourself you will realize your life is in your hands. Why? You must put yourself first. If you constantly put yourself last, you will What you should do instead? Approach every situation you fear as a step clo- be miserable as you will never have time for yourself. Being a little selfish is ser on your way of becoming a better person. I used to be afraid of saying not always bad. If you are happy and fulfilled, people around you will also feel “no” to people when I couldn’t or didn’t want to do something. I was so afraid better. people won’t like me anymore. But, I learned that not everyone can and What you should do instead? Every morning when you get up, do something should like me, and being afraid of saying “no” was doing no good to me – I nice for yourself. Forget about everybody else, and do something you like. was wasting my valuable time and energy on something I didn’t want to do. Treat yourself with something nice every time you finish a demanding task. Now, I say “no” and feel so much better. Spoil yourself, because nobody else will. 4. Stop feeling bad for making a mistake Why? If you don’t make mistakes, there are no challenges and no chances for personal growth. Not wanting to make mistakes means you don’t get to try new things and learn new things. Mistakes are also valuable lessons that will stick with us forever and make us better. What you should do instead? Don’t look at mistakes as something bad and embarrassing. When I had my first translation job, I was so embarrassed because of the mistakes I made. But I learned so much, and those mistakes made me more experienced and much confident in my translation skills. Every time
10. Stop putting off your dream Why? It’s never a perfect time to pursue your dream. The conditions will never be perfect, and the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be for you to start. What you should do instead? If you have a passion that drives you, start pursuing it immediately, don’t wait. When you do something you love, all the pieces will come together. If you want to change your job or quit it to start your own business, don’t be afraid to start now. Even if you fail, you will learn so much.
People who have low self esteem are always hard on themselves. Sometimes they even cannot truly accept compliments because they would second guess people’s intentions. Some common symptoms are: Unable to trust your own opinion Always overthinking Afraid to take challenges, being worried you wouldn’t overcome them Hard on yourself but lenient with others Frequent anxiety and emotional turmoil Some lesser-known symptoms: Being a workaholic At work expectations are set clearly. Even if there’s pressure in the workplace, compared to relationships or the social world where so much is unknown and uncontrollable, work is more straightforward. It’s easier to meet the expectations and perform well at work. Therefore, some people with low self-esteem would shift their focus to work and put all their energies there. Overachieving or underachieving Many of us have already heard that people with low self-esteem tend to be under-achievers as they’re too afraid to take new challenges and not confident enough to fully utilize their talents. However, there’s another extreme. Some of them are too anxious of failure and being rejected, so they will try their very best to be outstanding to prove their worth. What are the causes of low self-esteem?1 Most of the time it stems from our childhood. Negative early experience that leads to low self-esteem: Frequent punishment Frequent neglect Chronic abuse Harsh parental standards Being bullied/boycotted Being on the receiving end of someone else’s stress or despair Lack of praise, warmth and affection Staying in a family or group where other members are prejudiced towards Childhood is when we form our “Bottom Line” and “Rules for Living” which affects the way we think, that’s why all the negative early experiences can have a very long-lasting effect on our adulthood. What is “Bottom Line” and how does it affect your self-esteem “Bottom Line” is how you usually feel about something, based on your early experience. For example, “how you felt when you first left home becomes the emotional bottom line for when you leave other things in your life.”, according to therapist Robert Taibbi 2. When we talk about self-esteem, the bottom line is about how people around you treat you, as we grow up taking the voices of people who are significant to us. Did they say you’re adorable, or you’re always not good enough? Did they neglect you that made you feel worthless? That largely affects the way you view yourself and hence affect your self-esteem. How does “Bottom Line” determine your “Rules for Living“ Based on the “Bottom Line”, we would form our “Rules for Living”, which are the strategies for dealing with life. For example, if you have the belief that you are always inferior to others, your Rules for Living would be “better not to speak up and to keep a low profile”. How low self-esteem affects every aspect of your life It makes you confuse love with low self-esteem Having a low self-esteem, you expect people to treat you badly. When people are being just quite nice to you, you feel overjoyed and have unrealistically good feelings for them. This can be easily mistaken as love and also scare people away who might be just interested in being friends with you (at first). It makes you have a lower hand in the relationshi
s n g i S
f l e s w o l f o
m e e t s e f-
As you think your partner is too good for you, you bear things that you shouldn’t stand for. Sometimes you even confuse love with self-esteem. Are you giving in really because you love him/her so much or you just dare not to speak up and bargain? It makes your employers feel that you’re not talented People with low esteem sometimes are actually gifted. But they don’t know how to show it and “sell” themselves. During meeting they keep quiet, during presentation they speak weakly, during daily conversation they say “sorry” and “maybe” too often…As a result, employers and other colleagues perceive people with low esteem as people without much talents. It can lead to depression Over time low self-esteem can lead to depression according to a study done by University of Basel researchers3. Psychologist Dr. Lars Madsen added that low self-esteem is “a key factor in both the development and maintenance of depression”. So how to improve self-esteem? As we can see, low self-esteem is a deeply rooted issue and leads to lots of consequences. To solve it, it’s not an easy task, but it’s possible. The key is, to use the right ways. Ignore all those “positivity” advice Very often we hear people say “Stay positive”, “Hey cheer up!”. People with depression know all these do not help. It just makes them feel worse. Same for low self-esteem, simply telling people “To me you’re wonderful!”, “You’re actually awesome”, “Why don’t you appreciate yourself more?”, or even worse “Hey you should be more confident” does not improve their self-esteem. Instead they would feel inadequate or even guilty of their behavior. To improve self-esteem, you need to focus elsewhere “Healthy self esteem needs to emerge subtly”4. Same as happiness, you don’t immediately feel happier when you tell yourself to be happier. You need some concrete ways to do so like pursuing a goal that truly matters to you, like spending quality time with your loved ones. When you want to improve your self-esteem, don’t try too hard on thinking of ways to do so. There’s no direct way to improve it. It should be a by-product of our overall life’s satisfaction. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow5, to live a fulfilling life, you should take care the 5 levels of human basic needs. To help you understand more about this psychological model we made a video to explain it. Or you can refer to the graph below first: 5 levels of human basic needs To focus elsewhere, we’ve summarized the above items and put them into this list for you to focus on: Deep connection with loved ones A healthy body Sense of control A meaningful life purpose Recognition and respect from others Sense of security Creativity As you gradually equip yourself with the skills to fulfil the above needs, you’ll forget about self-esteem and suddenly you’ll find that you just feel proud of yourself when you know so much that others don’t. To start with, here’s a list of the best self-help books that can help you fulfil the goals: How to Win Friends & Influence People Outliers: The Story of Success By Malcolm Gladwell The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Busines The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Thinking, Fast and Slow The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Don't Focus
Y7 STAFF
s on Happiness As a child, whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always replied, “The happiest person in the world.” Adults probably saw me as either someone starting too early on a path to self-actualization or as just a really strange kid. Most of us are in pursuit of happiness, yet most base happiness on conditions. For example, many envision they will be happy if they were wealthy. I have met some of the wealthiest people yet they suffered from depression, loneliness and anxiety. I have traveled across the poorest countries and met some of the most impoverished individuals. Yet, they frequently laughed and seemed to enjoy life, despite owning almost nothing. True happiness is never in pursuit of happiness. It is a state of existence, irrespective of circumstances and this is what focusing instead on self-actualization will empower you to do. What is self-actualization? The psychologist Abraham Maslow created the Hierarchy of Needs 1 theory, which depicts a five-tier pyramid of human necessities. It begins with the most basic needs at the base and progresses to the top tier.
Instead of lamenting about problems, they focus more on finding positive solutions. Practice gratitude and appreciate the smaller things in life. Have a strong moral sense of right and wrong. While most people focus on the lower tiers in the ‘Hierarchy of Needs,’ they are more focused on personal and meaningful growth. Not driven by social pressures or superficial needs. Search for a deeper meaning of life. Despite it all, they are not perfect and they are happy with that. What are the benefits of self-actualization? Our society is governed by pressure and competitiveness which are exacerbated by TV, newspapers, magazines, movies, billboards, the Internet, friends, family, etc. on an hourly basis. By striving for self actualization 2, you can positively manage your life, happiness, and dreams. Your anxieties, stresses, and worries will be recognized for what they are: man-made fears, which mostly exist in the future. Anything that hasn’t yet happened (or may not happen) is not worth worrying about. How to achieve self-actualization
The model consists of:
Stop comparing yourself to others
Tier 1. Biological and Physiological needs – food, drink, air, shelter, warmth, sleep. Tier 2. Security needs – protection from elements, safety, security, job, stability, freedom from fear. Tier 3. Social needs – love, family, friendship, intimacy, belonging, affection. Tier 4. Esteem needs – achievement, accomplishment, selfworth, self-respect, respect from others. Tier 5. Self-Actualization needs – self-fulfilment, personal growth and peak experiences.
Don’t measure your worth based on what other people are doing. Maybe one of your friends became a high-flying lawyer and another friend settled into the perfect married life with children. And perhaps you haven’t found your dream career or partner yet, but maybe that gives you the freedom to go travelling. Something neither your lawyer friend nor married friend would be able to do.
What are the characteristics of people who have experienced self-actualization?
Remember that everyone’s path is different and everyone has days where they feel the same as you. Stop using social media
Unafraid of the unknown; they accept and embrace it. Instead of following what society dictates, they remain true to themselves. They are not sheep, but they do not reject everything like the average rebel.
A study revealed that 25% of participants 3 who used social media for an average of an hour a day, showed very high signs of depression.
Despite being unconventional, they are not deliberately so in a way to shock or cause a reaction. Accept themselves as they are, along with their flaws. They, however, recognize and work towards changing negative habits. Not dependent on the company of others. They are self-sufficient and can be happy being alone. More interested in the pursuit of deeper and more meaningful connections. As a result, they have deep relationships but only with a few people. That said, they have affection for all people and are not judgemental.
Social media promotes depression and jealousy. It creates indirect peer pressure. People feel inadequate by how others are (seemingly) over-achieving. They then feel pressured to validate how happy their lives are also by updating statuses or photos accordingly. It becomes a never-ending cycle where no one is ever truly being himself or herself. Don’t log in as often or if you are truly strong, delete it. Those who are your real friends will know how to stay in touch. This too shall pass No matter how stressed or worried you feel, remember that it is temporary and nothing ever remains the same.
Happy Summer from Ya 7elween