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Staying Sane In A Hyper-Connected World
Plus: narcissism and its discontents
The 10almonds Team
November 06, 2023
Today’s almonds have been activated by:
❝I have learned to live each day as it comes, and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow. It is the dark menace of the future that makes cowards of us all❞
⏰ IN A RUSH?
Today’s 30-Second Summary
If you don’t have time to read the whole email today, here are some key takeaways:
It’s a grim world out there, and in today’s hyper-connected world, those horrors are all available in the palm of our hand. Needless to say, this is not fabulous for our mental health.
It is possible, however, to stay informed while also guarding one’s sanity, by the mindful and boundaried consumption of media, along with some other methods (see today’s main feature for these).
Doesn’t it feel a bit brutal sometimes when the dentist is scraping off plaque?
Today’s sponsor, LIVFRESH, have developed a gel that safely dissolves plaque without harming the teeth or gums (this is such an impressive breakthrough that we included a link to the actual science in the sponsor section; check it out!)
Read on to learn about these things and more…
👀 WATCH AND LEARN
Dr. Ramani Durvasula | Narcissism and its Discontents (16:21)
❝Now, things got confusing when people started using "narcissism" as a clinical term. It became a way of medicalizing bad behavior. It's actually not a diagnostic term. Narcissistic personality disorder is a diagnosis, but it's pretty rare because these folks don't show up to be diagnosed anyhow.
So narcissism is in fact a personality pattern. It's a sort of way of relating to the world. It's an adjective to describe their style, much like we could describe someone as agreeable or stubborn or introverted.❞
If we can recognize certain personality traits without unduly sensationalizing them, or the people exhibiting them, we can be more mindful about our interactions:
Key points menu:
Prefer text? Click here to read the transcript 😎
Want to watch it, but not right now? Bookmark it for later 🔖
💥 MAIN FEATURE
Staying Sane In A Hyper-Connected World
There’s a war over there, a genocide in progress somewhere else, and another disease is ravaging the population of somewhere most Americans would struggle to point out on the map. Not only that, but that one politician is at it again, and sweeping wildfires are not doing climate change any favors.
To borrow an expression from Gen-Z…
“Oof”.
A Very Modern Mental Health Menace
For thousands of years, we have had wars and genocides and plagues and corrupt politicians and assorted major disasters. Dire circumstances are not new to us as a species. So what is new?
As some reactionary said during the dot-com boom, “the Internet doesn’t make people stupid; it just makes their stupidity more accessible”.
The same is true now of The Horrors™.
The Internet doesn’t, by and large, make the world worse. But what it does do is make the bad things much, much more accessible.
Understanding and empathy are not bad things, but watch out…
When soldiers came home from the First World War, those who hadn’t been there had no conception of the horrors that had been endured. That made it harder for the survivors to get support. That was bad.
Nowadays, while mass media covering horrors certainly doesn’t convey the half of it, even the half it does convey can be overwhelming. This is also bad.
The insidious part is: while people are subjectively reporting good physical/mental health, the reports of the symptoms of poor physical/mental health from the same population do not agree:
Should we just not watch the news?
In principle that’s an option, but it’s difficult to avoid, unless you truly live under a rock, and also do not frequent any social media at all. And besides, isn’t it our duty as citizens of this world to stay informed? How else can we make informed choices?
Staying informed, mindfully
There are steps that can be taken to keep ourselves informed, while protecting our mental health:
Choose your sources wisely. Primary sources (e.g. tweets and videos from people who are there) will usually be most authentic, but also most traumatizing. Dispassionate broadsheets may gloss over or misrepresent things more (something that can be countered a bit by reading an opposing view from a publication you hate on principle), but will offer more of an emotional buffer.
Boundary your consumption of the news. Set a timer and avoid doomscrolling. Your phone (or other device) may help with this if you set a screentime limit per app where you consume that kind of media.
Take (again, boundaried) time to reflect. If you don’t, your brain will keep grinding at it “like a fork in the garbage disposal”. Talking about your feelings on the topic with a trusted person is great; journaling is also a top-tier more private option.
If you feel helpless, help. Taking even small actions to help in the face of suffering somewhere else (e.g. donating to relief funds, engaging in advocacy / hounding your government about it), can help alleviate feelings of anguish and helplessness. And of course, as a bonus, it actually helps in the real world too.
When you relax, relax fully. Even critical care doctors need downtime, nobody can be “always on” without burning out. So whatever distracts and relaxes you completely, make sure to make time for that too.
Want to know more?
That’s all we have room for today, but you might like to check out:
You also might like our previous main features:
Take care!
❤️ OUR SPONSORS MAKE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE
Dissolve plaque, without harming teeth/gums
LIVFRESH make some bold claims:
❝We have made the first breakthrough in the dental industry since 1914.❞
❝LIVFRESH performs 250% better at removing plaque than a market leader❞
The first claim is about using molecular nanotechnology instead of abrasion, to remove plaque. The claim is worded a little strongly, but it genuinely is a major breakthrough.
The second claim... We love randomized clinical trials! So we looked it up, and found it:
Now, the sample size was small (33), but the results were overwhelmingly positive. And the test group had a worse gingival index than control, before starting—and much better afterwards:
In other words, the competition was stacked against the product, and it still won clear. With this in mind, we're very happy to recommend LIVFRESH's edathamil*-based dental gel!
*That's their patented formula that breaks down plaque on a molecular level, without damaging teeth.
It comes in multiple flavors, so you get two links today:
If you're unsure which to go for, we recommend the peppermint, as it has fewer ingredients, and is a true gel rather than a foaming gel.
PS: 10almonds subscribers can use code DENTAL20 for 20% off at checkout 😎
Please do visit our sponsors—they help keep 10almonds free
🌍 AROUND THE WEB
What’s happening in the health world…
Body appreciation messages can offset negative impact of objectified fitness influencer images
Study reveals link between air pollution and incidence of Parkinson's disease
Are my eye drops safe to use? OTC medications aren't subject to the same testing as prescription meds, drug expert says amidst recalls
Nirmatrelvir–ritonavir not effective for reducing most post-COVID-19 conditions: study
“It’s cruel”: the last southern US refuge for abortion rights might soon fall
Late nights and skipping breakfast linked to increased heart disease risk, especially in men
Professor discovers how to reduce suicide risk in patients with chronic pain
More to come tomorrow!
📖 ONE-MINUTE BOOK REVIEW
Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives, And Our Lives Change Our Genes – by Dr. Sharon Moalem
We know genes make a big difference to a lot about us, but how much? And, the genes we have, we're stuck with, right?
Dr. Sharon Moalem shines a bright light into some of the often-shadowier nooks and crannies of our genetics, covering such topics as:
How much can (and can't) be predicted from our parents' genes—even when it comes to genetic traits that both parents have, and Gregor Mendel himself would (incorrectly) think obvious
How even something so seemingly simple and clear as genetic sex, very definitely isn't
How traumatic life events can cause epigenetic changes that will scar us for generations to come
How we can use our genetic information to look after our health much better
How our life choices can work with, or overcome, the hand we got dealt in terms of genes
The style of the book is conversational, down to how there's a lot of "I" and "you" in here, and the casual style belies the heavy, sharp, up-to-date science contained within.
Bottom line: if you'd like insight into the weird and wonderful nuances of genetics as found in this real, messy, perfectly chaotic world, this book is an excellent choice.
What did you think of today's newsletter?We always love to hear from you, whether you leave us a comment or even just a click in the poll if you're speeding by! |
Wishing you a peaceful Sunday,
The 10almonds Team