Singapore grapples with smartphone addiction

SINGAPORE — Easily distracted? Can’t be separated from your smartphone? Constantly checking your device for no real reason? Chances are you’re an addict — and you may even need professional help.

Psychiatrists in Singapore are pushing for medical authorities to formally recognise addiction to the Internet and digital devices as a disorder, joining other countries around the world in addressing a growing problem.

Singapore and Hong Kong top an Asia-Pacific region that boasts some of the world’s highest smartphone penetration rates, according to a 2013 report by media monitoring firm Nielsen.

Some 87 percent of Singapore’s 5.4 million population own smartphones — as Internet-capable phones with cameras are popularly known.

In the United States, where there are similar concerns about the impact of smartphones on society, a 65 percent penetration rate would not even make the top five in Asia Pacific.

Singaporeans also spend on average 38 minutes per session on Facebook, almost twice as long as Americans, according to a study by Experian, a global information services company.

Adrian Wang, a psychiatrist at the upmarket Gleneagles Medical Centre, said digital addiction should be classified as a psychiatric disorder.

“Patients come for stress anxiety-related problems, but their coping mechanism is to go online, go on to social media,” Wang said.

He recalled having treated an 18-year-old male student with extreme symptoms.

“When I saw him, he was unshaven, he had long hair, he was skinny, he hadn’t showered for days, he looked like a homeless man,” Wang told AFP.

The boy came to blows with his father after he tried to take away the young man’s laptop computer.

After the father cut off Internet access in the house, desperation drove the boy to hang around neighbours’ homes trying to get a wireless connection.

He was eventually hospitalised, put on anti-depressants and received “a lot” of counselling, Wang said.

“We just needed to break the cycle. He got better, he was discharged from the hospital and I saw him a few more times and he was okay.”

Social media fixation

Tan Hwee Sim, a consultant psychiatrist at The Resilienz Mind clinic in Singapore, noted that the symptoms exhibited by her young adult patients have changed over the years.

Obsession with online gaming was the main manifestation in the past, but addiction to social media and video downloading are now on the uptrend.

“Internet addiction as a disorder is not even listed in our latest psychiatric manual, it’s only listed in the appendix as a disorder that requires further study,” she said.

In terms of physical symptoms, more people are reporting “text neck” or “iNeck” pain, according to Tan Kian Hian, a consultant at the anaesthesiology department of Singapore General Hospital.

“It is a commonly observed phenomenon that many people have their heads lowered and are now using their mobile devices constantly on the go, while queuing or even crossing the roads,” Tan told AFP.

Singapore’s problem is not unique, with a number of countries setting up treatment centres for young Internet addicts, particularly in Asia where South Korea, China and Taiwan have moved to tackle the issue.

In South Korea, a government survey in 2013 estimated that nearly 20 percent of teenagers were addicted to smartphones.

China already has an estimated 300 Internet addiction centres, according to a report on state broadcaster CCTV’s website in February. It also cited a survey showing there may be more than 24 million young Chinese addicted to the Internet.

Craving and anxiety

In Singapore, there are two counselling centres — National Addictions Management Services and Touch Community Services — with programmes for digital addiction.

Trisha Lin, an assistant professor in communications at the Nanyang Technological University, said younger people face a higher risk because they adopt new technology earlier — but can’t set limits.

Lin defined digital addiction by a number of symptoms: the inability to control craving, anxiety when separated from a smartphone, loss in productivity in studies or at work, and the need to constantly check one’s phone.

Lin warned that parents should avoid giving their children a smartphone or tablet computer to keep them quiet.

“It’s like the TV in the past with the babysitters and now it’s even worse because now you have the screen with you everywhere,” she said, citing the case of a Taiwanese high-schooler who could only sleep clutching her smartphone in case someone tried to call her.

A group of undergraduates from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University launched a campaign late last year encouraging the public to put their smartphones in a face-down position when they are with loved ones.

The “Put it on Friend Mode” campaign drew strong support from students, said Chan Jing Hao, one of the organisers, and there are plans to expand the campaign to schools.

Addiction is so pervasive in Singapore that a “cyber wellness” education programme for pre-school children — and their parents — is set to be launched in the second half of 2014.

Chong Ee Jay, an assistant manager at Touch Community Services, which is launching the drive, said: “We want to give (the parents) a warning to not give these gadgets so early — and learn to withhold them.”

source: interaksyon.com

Susan Boyle reveals she has Asperger's

LONDON - Scottish singer Susan Boyle revealed on Sunday that she has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.

Boyle, a 52-year-old church volunteer who became a global singing sensation, told Britain's Observer newspaper she had been diagnosed a year ago and spoke of her relief after years of bullying for her learning difficulties.

"It was the wrong diagnosis when I was a kid," she said.

"I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself."

Boyle shot to fame on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent" in 2009.

A devout Catholic and lifelong singleton who lived on welfare handouts, she became an overnight sensation after her rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" from the musical Les Miserables went viral on the Internet.

Her first appearance on the show has racked up nearly 140 million views on YouTube. She has since recorded four smash-hit albums and sung for the pope.

Boyle's quirky sense of humor and golden voice won her legions of fans, but her rapid rise to fame and the huge press attention drove her close to breakdown.

Asperger's affects communication and social interaction. Sufferers have difficulty picking up on social cues and gauging appropriate behavior.

Boyle was deprived of oxygen at her birth and was bullied throughout her school years, nicknamed "Susie Simple" by her classmates.

But recent tests have revealed that she has above-average intelligence, she told the Observer.

"I was told my IQ was above average," she said.

Boyle said her Asperger's diagnosis would not make any difference to her life, insisting: "It's just a condition that I have to live with and work through."

But she added: "I think people will treat me better because they will have a much greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do."

Fox Searchlight is reportedly interested in making a film of Boyle's rise to stardom from her humble life in the village of Blackburn, near the Scottish capital Edinburgh.

source: interaksyon.com

Kids diagnosed with ADHD needlessly taking powerful drugs - researchers

PARIS - Doctors sounded a warning Tuesday over a rise in ADHD diagnoses, saying some children may be needlessly taking powerful drugs intended to correct a poorly understood disorder.

Writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the researchers noted treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had risen massively in recent years, even though its causes are unclear and drugs can have adverse effects.

ADHD is a disorder blamed for severe and frequent bouts of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. Children and young adolescents are those who are most diagnosed with it.

But some experts fear the term ADHD may "medicalise" problems related to a child's personality or maturity level, the effects of poor parenting or other home problems.

In Australia, prescriptions for the stimulant Ritalin and other ADHD drugs rose by 72 percent between 2000 and 2011, while in Britain and the Netherlands prescriptions roughly doubled between 2003 and 2008, said the paper.

According to the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly one in 11 American children aged 13-18 and one in 25 adults are affected by ADHD.

The analysis noted that Ritalin and other drugs were meant to be used only for "severe" ADHD symptoms, which according to research data only occur among about 14 percent of children with the condition.

Yet "about 87 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD in the US in 2010 subsequently received medication," it said, warning of "unnecessary and possibly harmful medication treatment."

The study said the main ADHD drugs could have side effects like weight change, liver damage, and dwelling on suicide. And the drugs' long-term impact, as a child moves into adulthood, remained unknown.

The study, led by Rae Thomas at the Center for Research in Evidence-Based Practice at Australia's Bond University, did not dispute the existence of ADHD as a medical condition.

It noted that children who genuinely had a severe form of it ran the risk of failure at school and of social rejection.

But it called on doctors to follow a six-step program of "watchful waiting" over 10 weeks to confirm that a child really did need help.

A separate study using lab rats suggested high, abusive doses of the chief ingredient in Ritalin stimulates a brain chemical mechanism implicated in drug addiction.

Rats were given the possibility of self-administering a dose of methylphenidate (MPH) in experiments led by Sara Jones at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Caroline.

Repeated high doses of the substance released a neurochemical brake in the brain, boosting levels of the "pleasure" chemical called dopamine.

The results are important in the context of reports of widening use of MPH for a non-medical high, especially among US college students, said the paper in the journal Nature Communications on Tuesday.

"We think it (the reported abuse) is more dangerous than generally believed," Jones told AFP in a phone interview.

In rats, Ritalin caused the brain to become more sensitised to dopamine signals, which meant they did not need ever higher doses -- the opposite observed in cocaine trials.

This characteristic could make Ritalin a "gateway" drug, added to the fact that traces of it stayed in the body for a long time -- giving an added boost to a user simultaneously taking cocaine, amphetamines or other narcotics.

Jones said the rats gave themselves doses "probably between five and 10 times" the amount prescribed for children with ADHD.

"There were no effects (on the rats) from oral doses that you would typically prescribe to a child," she added. "That was comforting."

source: interaksyon.com

Non-regular bedtimes tied to kids' behavior problems

NEW YORK - Kids without a regular bedtime tend to have more behavior problems at home and at school, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that when children started going to sleep at a more consistent time, their behavior improved as well.

"If you are constantly changing the amounts of sleep you get or the different times you go to bed, it's likely to mess up your body clock," said Yvonne Kelly, who led the study.

"That has all sorts of impacts on how your body is able to work the following day," Kelly, from University College London, told Reuters Health.

She and her colleagues analyzed data on more than 10,000 children. They were part of a long-term study of babies born in the UK in 2000 to 2002 that regularly surveyed parents about sleep and behavioral problems.

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or an autism spectrum disorder were not included in the study.

When kids were three years old, close to 20 percent of parents said their child sometimes or never went to bed at a consistent time. That fell to 9 percent among five-year-olds and 8 percent for seven-year-olds.

Children without a regular bedtime tended to score worse on a measure of behavior problems such as acting unhappy, getting into fights and being inconsiderate. The assessment is scored from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating more problems.

When children were seven years old, for example, those without a regular bedtime scored an 8.5, on average, based on their mothers' reports. That compared to scores between 6.3 and 6.9 for kids who had a consistent bedtime before 9 p.m.

The researchers said one to two points represents a small or moderate difference, but is "meaningful."

Teachers of seven-year-olds were asked to report on their behavior as well. They also gave worse scores to children who didn't have a regular bedtime.

Kids whose parents said they had non-regular bedtimes on every survey growing up had the most behavioral issues, Kelly's team reported in Pediatrics.

But when children went from having a non-regular bedtime to a regular bedtime on the following survey, their behavior scores improved.

That is encouraging, Kelly said, because it shows parents can make changes to affect their child's behavior.

Although the researchers accounted for other parent characteristics and family habits, it's still possible kids' behavior problems weren't directly caused by irregular bedtimes.

"It's very difficult to know whether or not from a study like this, is it literally the not having a regular bedtime schedule that was contributing to the difficulties or is it representative of a bigger picture?" said Jodi Mindell.

A pediatric sleep specialist from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, she was not involved in the new research.

Still, Mindell said, getting kids to bed early and at a consistent time is "really important."

Kelly recommended families avoid television and other screens before bed and get into a routine that includes a bedtime story and other calm activities.

"All of these things which are kind of just basic common sense are going to help," she said.

Having a bedtime routine that is quality family time also makes it something children will look forward to, Mindell told Reuters Health.

"I think that parents need to make sleep a priority, and they need to realize that it has huge ramifications not only that evening, but the next day, the next week, the next year," she said.

However, parents don't have to drive themselves crazy, Kelly said. "The odd late night is not going to cause harm either," she said.

source: interaksyon.com

Stress is bad for your career and health

MANILA, Philippines - Stress at work can greatly affect your performance, your career, but most especially, your health. Premier health institution Makati Medical Center lists down the factors that may cause workplace stress and how to deal with such situations early on.

“Stress brings about many health disorders,” begins Saturnino P. Javier, MD, a cardiologist at MakatiMed and president of the Philippine Heart Association. “It can worsen already existing illnesses such as asthma and diabetes, trigger headaches and gastrointestinal problems, can make you prone to depression and anxiety, and cause you to age faster than usual.”

“One of the most serious illnesses associated with stress concerns the heart,” he further warns. Stress may have a direct effect on the heart and blood vessels, and at the same time, it increases one’s likelihood of smoking or eating unhealthily — habits that may also increase heart risks. Sudden emotional stress can trigger serious cardiac problems, such as heart attacks.

“That’s why before heart problems even start, know what makes you stressed and how you can prevent it,” says Dr. Javier.  “The workplace is one of the most common places that put pressure on individuals, and being in the office during most days of the week, take time to assess and see if your work situation is causing you stress.”

“While stress is managed differently by different individuals, there are common situations at work that may cause it. Generally, an employee may feel stressed if he is under pressure from the demands of his job — be it the hours, the responsibilities, or the work load. If these are too much for him to take or greater than he can comfortably manage, it can pose risks to his health,” he says.

Tight deadlines, long hours, and heavy workload, changes within the organization or in the duties of the employee, job insecurity and few promotional opportunities, harassment and discrimination, and poor relationships with colleagues and bosses may be some of the causes of workplace stress.




“When your attitude towards your job and your behavior at work changes, you’re most likely stressed,” warns Dr. Javier. This could mean an increase in sick days, aggression, diminished creativity and initiative, mood swings, low tolerance of frustration and impatience, disinterest, and isolation.

Other common signs of stress are fatigue, muscle tension, sleeping difficulties such as insomnia, and dermatological disorders. Psychological symptoms include irritability, pessimism, feelings of discouragement and being overwhelmed, and cognitive difficulties such as the reduced ability to concentrate or make decisions. “Such signs tell you that your work is taking over your life and it’s about time you did something about it,” he says.

“Change your lifestyle — not only to battle stress, but also to aim to live healthier overall. Stop overeating, drinking, and smoking. While these seem to calm you and reduce stress, you’re only adding to it,” he says. “Stick to a good diet, exercise regularly, and spend time to relax both your mind and body so you can fight stress effectively.”

Non-competitive exercises, such as aerobics, have been shown to release endorphins, which are natural substances that help maintain a good disposition. “Of course, it helps a lot to set realistic goals for yourself, learn the art of saying no to tasks you know you can’t handle, and maintain a positive outlook in life,” Dr. Javier advises.

source: philstar.com

Preschool snoring could signal behavioral problems - study

Preschoolers who habitually snore may be at greater risk of behavioral problems than other children their age, according to a US study.

Researchers, who results appeared in the journal Pediatrics, found that two- and three-year olds who snored loudly at least a couple of times per week tended to have more problems with inattention and hyperactivity.

More than one-third of those "persistent" snorers were considered to be at least at risk of a behavioral disorder, like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

This compared with 10 to 12 percent of their peers who either did not snore or had shorter-lived problems, said researchers led by Dean Beebe, of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The findings do not prove that the breathing problems directly lead to behavioral problems or that treating the underlying cause of snoring can improve children's behavior.

"Kids are going to snore sometimes, especially when they have a cold," Beebe said in an interview. "It's when the snoring persists that it gets concerning."

He added that chronic, loud snoring "should be on parents' radar, and it's something they should bring up to their pediatrician."

The study adds to others that have linked children's behavior to so-called sleep-disordered breathing -- when kids chronically snore, mouth-breathe or seem to stop breathing for several seconds at a time as they sleep, also called apnea.

For the study, 249 children were followed from birth to age three. Overall, nine percent were considered persistent snorers based on parents' reports. That meant they'd snored loudly at least twice a week at the ages of both two and three.

Another 23 percent were "transient" snorers, meaning they'd snored at least twice a week at either age two or three but not both. The rest of the children, 68 percent, were considered non-snorers.

Overall, 35 percent of the persistent snorers scored high enough on a standard questionnaire to at least be considered "at risk" of a behavioral disorder, though that didn't mean they had one.

"It isn't necessarily diagnostic, but they're showing more problems than is typical," Beebe said.

There are reasons to believe that sleep-disordered breathing would affect children's behavior. One reason is that poor sleep quality could make them tired and more easily frustrated.

Based on animal research, it's possible that when apnea causes oxygen levels to go down repeatedly overnight, there might effects on the brain circuitry.

Beebe's team accounted for family income, children's exposure to cigarette smoke and certain other factors, and the snoring-behavior link still held. Although, Beebe said it's always possible that there are other explanations.

For now, he recommended that parents be aware that persistent snoring is "not normal" and is something they should tell their pediatrician about.

source: interaksyon.com

Zsa Zsa Padilla: Dolphy battled COPD for 6 to 8 years

Contrary to earlier reports that Dolphy was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) just recently, the late comedian had actually been suffering from the disorder for six to eight years already.

This was revealed by Zsa Zsa Padilla, his longtime partner of 23 years, in an emotional and candid eulogy at the Dolphy Theater Wednesday evening during a necrological service for the talents and employees of ABS-CBN, the network that served as his home TV studio for many years.

“Nagsimula ‘yun noong nagkaroon siya ng walking pneumonia. Di pa namin naintindihan kung ano yun,” Zsa Zsa said, referring to the COPD. “Sabi nya, bakit masama daw pakiramdam niya wala naman siyang lagnat? Ganyan.”

The singer-actress then revealed that what started as routine visits to the doctor became more frequent as the disease progressed.

“Isang beses sa isang taon nagpupunta siya sa ospital. Tapos naging dalawang beses sa isang taon. Hanggang naging tatlong beses. Tapos padalas na nang padalas,” she continued.

“Hanggang two and a half years ago, sinabi na sa amin ng doctor na stage 4 na siya ng COPD. Kinailangang kausapin ang lahat ng mga anak niya.”

Even as they had to deal with the already terminal nature of Dolphy’s illness, Zsa Zsa said it allowed the comedian’s children to set aside whatever personal differences they might have and come together as one family unit.

“Mula noon, naramdaman ko na isa kaming isang tunay na pamilya. Posible naman pala na kahit mga anak ni Dolphy na nanggaling sa iba-ibang mga nanay ay puwede naman kaming magkaisa. ‘Yan po ang naranasan namin,” she shared.

Dolphy has a total of 18 children by six different women, including actors Eric and Ronnie Quizon who alternately acted as family spokespersons during the Comedy King’s month-long confinement at the intensive care unit of the Makati Medical Center.

Zsa Zsa also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the entire nation for all the prayers said during Dolphy’s struggle to overcome his illness.

She singled out the doctors, nurses, and orderlies who took turns in taking care of him, the many blood donors that helped keep his pneumonia at bay and “the numerous friends who visited daily to check on his condition and those who helped shoulder Dolphy’s medical condition.”

Zsa Zsa also gave special mention to the management of TV5 “who continued to give Dolphy his salary throughout the remainder of his life.

“Thank you for the respect you gave his name for honoring his contract despite knowing he could never tape again,” she tearfully said.

She also thanked ABS-CBN for taking care of Dolphy’s legacy and for taking a chance on the comedian in 1992 “para makabalik siya sa pinakakamamahal niyang telebisyon.”

Zsa Zsa also shared her recollections of Dolphy whom she fondly referred to as “lovey.”

“In loving the man, I came to accept all that came with him, his legacy, his personality when not in front of the camera and of course, his children. Hindi nagging madali ang lahat ng iyon pero he was worth it,” she admitted.

She then concluded her speech with an a capella rendition of Kenny Rogers’ “Through The Years” that moved the star-studded audience of mostly Kapamilya talents to tears anew.

A public viewing of Dolphy’s remains at the Dolphy Theater at the ABS-CBN compound followed the service at around 9PM.

Fans of the comedian gathered outside the audience entrance of ABS-CBN early Wednesday afternoon hours before the comedian’s remains arrived at the station.

Among them was Raniel Atendido, who worked as an extra on Dolphy’s ABS-CBN sitcom “Home Along Da Riles” and proudly showed his souvenir photos with the comedian.

On Thursday, it will be the turn of TV5 management, employees, and talents to pay homage to Dolphy at the Heritage Park. His remains will be open to public viewing on Friday and Saturday.

source: interaksyon.com