Blog | Politics

The Fallout Of Brexit

Brexit has become one of the most commonly used words over in the UK in the wake of the referendum to leave the EU. in 2017 Great Britain voted to leave the european union and doing so caused widespread political debate , media speculation and controversy across the world. So to patch together the effect this has had on the UK and its population overall we will discuss brexit in this article and what impact it has had so far.

What Does Brexit Mean For The UK?

Brexit means a number of different things for the UK. One of the most noticeable is a considerable shift in attitudes in politics with many supporting UKIP although having said this in the wake of the referendum nigel farage (UKIP’s former leader) stood down after proclaiming he had fufilled his duty. However 29th March passed and Britain did not formally leave.

Negotiations continue to agree the terms of Britain’s formal departure from the EU. However the people of Britain were promised and quick and orderly exit as part of the Brexit campaign and so understandably there has been much discontentment from the British public around Brexit.

Brexit covers a number of different issues from immigration to trade , laws and human rights. There is a lot of legislation involved in the whole process. When UKIP gained support they promised to cut immigration and leave the free movement agreeement which europe had. One of the main arguments was that foreign immigration was affecting job numbers within the UK which led to many heated debates and in some cases unfortunately hate crimes occurred.

What Has Happened So Far?

In a sense a whole lot of nothing. An extension has been made with the EU to extend the time needed to secure a deal until October 2019. Meanwhile there is political turmoil within the UK. There has been a vote of no confidence against prime minister Theresa May which she won , additionally there have been numerous protests at the way the government handled the entire process. Frustration has spilled out onto social media as well with politicians in some extreme cases getting death threats online.

However amongst this political turmoil and uncertainty there has been some positives. The Government has listened in some regards to the Public and is now taking more time to consider their position on Brexit. However time will tell whether or not they successfully delivered Brexit.

What Might The Impact Be Of Brexit

Many are unsure of what the full impact of Brexit may be on the UK. It was recently announced that UK citizens may have to pay for international driving license. Another potential effect of Brexit could be the value of the pound. Originally when Brexit was announced as taking place the value of the pound dropped. However it quickly gained traction again and levelled out in a matter of months.

Many of us are uncertain as to what the full implications of Brexit may be for the UK and europe. Time will tell as to what impact will be had. However what certainly can be concluded is that a new more inclusive political approach consulting the general public is needed in order to deliver brexit effectively.

Blog | Mental Health

How Is The Media Affecting Our Mental Health?

Social media and the news is something that is consumed by the public on a daily basis. Every day whether you are in a bar , restaurant , workplace or in public its sometimes hard to escape it. So why might it be affecting our mental health? well recent studies have shown a worrying increase and link between mental health conditions and social media usage. Additionally news coverage of traumatic events such as terror attacks and accidents contributes to a damaged public perception of the world around us.

Social Media And The Next Generation

Social media is not a new phenomenon and has been around since around the start of the millennium. However over the past thirteen years the use of social media has risen dramatically. Its almost unheard of nowadays for a kid in the uk to not have some form of social media whether that be facebook , snapchat or Instagram amongst other apps. The leap to online has transformed a generation and their are arguments on both sides about the effect it is having on the younger generation. Originally social media was simply a way of sharing news and photos as well as messages. However now social media can be used to advertise products , publicise events , organise meetings and much more. It is estimated over three billion people have access to the internet and some form of social media with over a billion people active on facebook. The next generation have embraced social media but there are a number of factors that need to be dissected relating to social media and the affects it can have.

What Effects Is Social Media Having?

Social media is having mixed effects across the globe and there is no one size fits all policy for it. One of the negative effects social media can have is contributing to anxiety. For many social media is a source of fun and information. For others it is a popularity contest and an opportunity to show off to the crowds. Some people may get anxious about what others post online and also their perceived online appearance. This is because social media can have a strong influence on younger people due to the vast majority of their friends using it as well as peer influences. As well as contributing to anxiety too much social media usage has also been linked to depression in some cases.

How Can This Be Changed?

Changing the way people perceive social media is no easy task. Social media can be interpreted differently on a case by case basis. However there are a number of fundamental changes that could be made in order to improve mental health awareness surrounding social media. Campaigns online raising awareness about the affects social media can have on mental health should be featured on social media sites such as facebook and twitter. Governments could setup dedicated support groups and classes assisting people who have become addicted to social media.

Overall social media can be used as a tool to connect people and stay in touch. However its pitfalls cannot be overlooked and in many cases are having a detrimental effect on peoples mental health. In order to change this more research should be done into the effects social media can have on people and their mental health.

Blog | Mental Health

How Orthodontists Glasgow Have Helped Mental Health

Orthodontists Glasgow

Dentistry and mental health isn’t really something you might think have a a lot in common. However , in Scotland orthodontists Glasgow based are helping to improve the lives of many people. They do this simply by doing their job. Anxiety about appearance and teeth can be a big issue. Especially for teenagers and kids. So through this article we will explore the relationship between orthodontists and mental health.

Orthodontists Glasgow

Why Orthodontists Glasgow?

Many of you may be wondering why Glasgow in particular has made a sizeable impact on us. This is because Orthodontists Glasgow has are some of the best in the field and excel in their role. When we visited Glasgow last summer we conducted a survey and found that over half of schoolkids are concerned about their appearance. Teeth were included in this and many kids expressed their dislike of braces. However when we explained the functionality of braces and how they stop stunted teeth the kids changed their minds entirely. What is clear is that kids growing up in Glasgow don’t want to be different from the others and they may experience bullying as a result of teeth deformities.

Orthodontists Glasgow

How Do Orthodontists Glasgow Affect Mental Health?

Orthdontists in Glasgow can benefit mental health in a number of different ways:

  • Preventive work to prevent disfigurement or tooth loss can help boost the confidence of the individual having the treatment
  • Orthodontists can explain fully what dental work needs to be done and for what purpose. This can ease anxiety and help patients to be calm and relaxed as they feel they are in safe hands
  • Effective work by the Orthodontist can give patients new found confidence in their teeth and smile.

What May Deter People From Orthodontists?

Orthodontists Glasgow

Many people have an irrational fear of dentists or othodontists. This can be for a number of reasons. In rare cases it can be rational fear as they may have had a botched operation or tooth removal in the past. However the majority of the time people are deterred from going due to not knowing what to expect or the potential of pain. Apprehension plays a big part in this as people may be apprehensive and anxious to find out what work they may need done on their teeth.

A way in which dentists and orthodontists alike can prevent this is by talking patients through each step of the process. In addition to this reports can be sent to them to let them know of potential progress or changes. As with anything health related people are often concerned with what changes may be needed to their lifestyle or routine and this can often throw people.

Overall Conclusions On Orthodontists Glasgow

Orthodontists Glasgow

It can be summarised that on the whole orthodontists play a vital and important role in many peoples lifes. Without their preventive action and skill many people may suffer from pain , disfigurement infection and in some cases losing all their teeth.

From what we have learned about Orthodontists it is certain that Orthodontists Glasgow has are well trained and informed. The majority of patients and schoolkids we surveyed were very happy with work done and felt at ease in the clinic. The link between Orthodontists and mental health is an important one as even small changes to boost someones mental health can make a big difference in the long run.

Blog

Singing In Front Of A Big Crowd

So you feel quite nervous to go on stage and start singing? Well, this thing happens even to singers who are professionals. But for you to attain confidence singing in front of a crowd give a try to the tips that are listed below:

Singing before the crowd for the first time is the most difficult part. So what you have to do is to start by singing before your family than friends and continue to increase the number of crowds. After achieving this goal when you will get the confidence singing in front of a crowd.

The crowd never cares whether you mess up or forget some words what you need to do is to relax have all the fun and finally attain that confidence singing in front of a crowd.

When you go to perform go with your friends and ask them at some point to sing the song with you (like here http://EtnoMusic.com/).

Select the songs that you are very familiar with and avoid those ones that are difficult until after you have really attained the confidence of singing in front of a crowd.

Once you get on the stage you need to clear the mind and relax the shoulders then all your focus to be just on the song.

When you have the feeling of terrifying breath deep, exhale, smile and look ahead when you are taking the stage.

If you find yourself still nervous while on the stage put all your concentration at a certain one point just above the heads of the audience.

In case you are shaking during the performance then make some movements and it will assist you to be confident.

Blog | Social Anxiety | Tips

Social anxiety: improving skills should be part of treatment

People with social anxiety (or social phobia) need to improve their social skills to break the cycle of social rejection, according to recent research published in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology .

Previous research has indicated that people with social anxiety are considered less friendly, less friendly and less comfortable to contact than people who are not as anxious.

In this research from Maastricht University, people with social phobia were observed during two social tasks: speaking in front of a group and participating in a conversation to get to know each other. Observers and participants reported how they felt about people who were socially anxious.

People with social anxiety did not perform well in these situations and their poor performance led observers to have negative feelings towards them, leading to rejection.

“The fear of rejection is one of the central issues for people who suffer from social anxiety, but we have found that their anxious behavior causes rejection,” says Marisol Voncken, lead author.

These people would need help finding ways to be less self-centered and should be encouraged to socialize with people with similar characteristics and interests, says Voncken. 

People who suffer from social phobia (also called social anxiety) are particularly sensitive to negative comments about themselves, confirms a recent research published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry .

It is the most common anxiety disorder in the general population with a lifetime prevalence of 13.3% and is associated with a higher risk of depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide.

Previous studies have shown differences in how the brain responds to facial expressions in people with this disorder, suggesting a greater response to social stimuli in emotion-related regions. The new study shows greater responsiveness to critics.

Karina Blair and her colleagues compared images of brain activity in 17 people with the disorder and 17 people who did not have it. Images were taken while participants were reading positive comments (you are beautiful), negative (you are awful), or neutral (you are a human) about them or someone else (he is handsome).

Participants with social phobia exhibited greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (a region related to self-concept) and the amygdala (related to fear, anxiety, and stress response) by reading negative comments about themselves. There was no difference with the comparison group in response to positive and neutral comments or about others.

“Since the regions of the medial prefrontal cortex are involved in self representations (self-concept), it is possible that these regions, along with the amygdala, play a prominent role in the development and maintenance of phobia. and that the pathology in this disorder reflects, at least partially, a negative attitude towards oneself, especially in connection with criticism, “the authors conclude. 

Blog | Social Anxiety | Tips

How to overcome social anxiety?

1) Become aware of the automatic beliefs and thoughts that sustain this anxiety and work to change them. For example: I am not interesting for others. My image is not good. I will forget what I have to say. We’ll realize that I’m nervous, I’m going to look stupid, etc.

2) Identify social skills that need to be improved (engage and maintain conversations, make requests, receive reproaches and express disagreement or dissatisfaction, learn to congratulate, thank, etc.) and read to learn the practical ways to proceed.

3) Make a list of goals for improving social contacts according to their level of difficulty . Evaluate on a scale of 1 to 10 the level of difficulty of different social contacts. For example: exchange a few words with the cashier at the convenience store, exchange a few words with a co-worker or his boss, invite a client to dinner, go to the office party, etc. Of course it can be easier said than done for some. Check this out if you still feel stuck.

It is important to start by working on the easiest goals. This allows you to develop your skills and gradually overcome the feeling of anxiety by progressing successfully. It may be helpful to be prepared to deal with certain situations by visualizing in advance, when relaxed, how one can proceed in these situations as often as it takes to be comfortable enough with the idea of confront this situation. (Relaxation techniques)