Social media has become immersive entertainment. But it’s also ruthless and stressful for many people
Each of us has an agenda (however fleeting) to influence people around us. We want them to agree with our perspective, our angst even. Sometimes we succeed in gaining momentum with a group – raising dissenting voices into a fevered pitch that results in others (the accidental audience members) being hooked into the current melee.…
Just because someone else’s history makes you uncomfortable doesn’t give you a moral licence to erase it from public space
If I were a Brit – which I’m not – I’d be materially annoyed at the vandalization of Winston Churchill’s statue and the related attempts to remove it from its perch in London’s Parliament Square. And in keeping with today’s enthusiasm for rhetorical hyperbole, I’d be tempted to consider it the thin end of the…
Researchers identify a cumulative ‘dosage’ effect of optimal diet, physical activity, screen time and sleep
The risk of a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be significantly lowered by following healthy lifestyle recommendations, according to new research from the University of Alberta and Dalhousie University. Children who met seven to nine of the recommendations had a 58 per cent lower risk of being diagnosed with ADHD than children who…
U of A sociologist recommends training, screening, higher education, more accountability and better gender balance
The global condemnation of the death of George Floyd, one of the latest in a constellation of officer-involved deaths of unarmed civilians, has grown into a worldwide social movement for disbanding or defunding police. At the far end of the debate, there are those calling for abolishing the police altogether. On the other hand, there are…
It’s time for micro businesses to start rebuilding, thinking differently and moving forward with new purpose
It’s time to start rebuilding. That was the resounding message at a recent micro business forum via Impact Calgary that I was part of. Impact Calgary seeks to inspire, launch and grow tech-enabled businesses that have social impact. A micro business is defined as 10 employees or less. They account for nearly 74 per cent…
Researchers find that staying active has physical and mental health benefits for mothers and children
New moms and moms-to-be have an increased likelihood of maternal depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to preliminary research from one of two University of Alberta studies. The studies looked at the toll isolation measures are having on physical activity levels at the earliest stages of life. Margie Davenport, a pregnancy and exercise…
How one University of Alberta student persevered after losing brother in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash
The loss of her brother in a horrific bus crash that killed 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team will never leave Mariko Boulet, but as she graduates with her University of Alberta degree on June 12, she hopes it will make her a better person. “I think I’ve become a more loving, understanding…
It is important for physicians to thoroughly screen for all conditions if the patient is to be treated properly
There are two difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness: the fairly common occurrence of more than one diagnosis at the same time in the same patient, and the similarities and overlapping symptoms of many psychiatric disorders, making it difficult to make a clear distinction or choose appropriate treatment methods. These difficulties may…
Thinking differently about leisure time can help you get a family getaway despite the pandemic, say experts
How do we keep COVID-19 from ruining our precious vacation time, with international borders closed to travellers, festivals cancelled, parks, camping and cottage visits limited, and even small events like garage sales forbidden? There are ways to salvage summer plans – but it means thinking differently about our leisure time, say University of Alberta experts.…
Social isolation has become a defining feature of modern Western societies and there’s a growing concern about its effects
When people look back at this pandemic, they will remember many things, but perhaps most of all they will recall the changes in social behaviour. There’s the obsessive washing of hands, not touching our face, forgoing handshakes, hoarding toilet paper, wearing masks, working from home and, of course, social distancing – or, more accurately, physical…