Questões de Inglês

Ablutomania: Risks and Helpful Tips

July 12, 2024

(1^st §) Obsessive bathing, also known as Ablutomania, is a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This disorder leads people to feel a constant and overwhelming need to wash themselves, either to eliminate a feeling of uncleanliness or to relieve anxiety. In other words, it is a type of OCD characterized by an abnormal compulsion to repeatedly bathe or wash oneself.

(2^nd §) Ablutomania can have a significant impact on a person's life as a whole. Besides, daily routines can be disrupted, quality of life can drastically decline and personal and professional relationships can also suffer due to the constant need to clean and avoid situations perceived as dirty. Actually, people suffering from this condition feel an intense urge to wash their hands every time they touch any surface and to keep their bodies extremely clean, often due to an irrational fear of germs or dirt. Moreover, this compulsion may become so strong that they may avoid leaving the house so as to keep away from situations that would require them to constantly clean themselves.

(3^rd §) The exact causes of Ablutomania are not entirely clear; however, a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors is believed to contribute to its development. Sanatorio Allende notes that a family history of OCD, traumatic events, and chemical imbalances in the brain can be triggering factors.

(4^th §) Therapy is an effective tool for treating Ablutomania. There are several therapeutic approaches that may be beneficial, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a form of psychotherapy that has been shown to be particularly effective in treating OCD. This therapy focuses on identifying and changing negative thought and behavior patterns. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy can also offer relief and a significant improvement in quality of life. ERP is a specific technique within CBT that involves exposing the person to situations that trigger their compulsions, while preventing them from performing the cleaning rituals. This technique helps reduce anxiety and the need to perform compulsions over time.

(5^th §) This manifestation can be extremely debilitating. However, with the right help, it is possible to manage and overcome this condition. So, those who are struggling with a bathing compulsion, should consider seeking professional help. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the first step toward recovery is accepting there is a problem and being willing to work on it, to find support to move towards a more balanced life free from compulsions.

Available at: https://enterapiaonline.com/obsesion-con-banarse/. Accessed in: 2nd apr. 2025. (Adapted).

Ablutomania: Risks and Helpful Tips

July 12, 2024

(1^st §) Obsessive bathing, also known as Ablutomania, is a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This disorder leads people to feel a constant and overwhelming need to wash themselves, either to eliminate a feeling of uncleanliness or to relieve anxiety. In other words, it is a type of OCD characterized by an abnormal compulsion to repeatedly bathe or wash oneself.

(2^nd §) Ablutomania can have a significant impact on a person's life as a whole. Besides, daily routines can be disrupted, quality of life can drastically decline and personal and professional relationships can also suffer due to the constant need to clean and avoid situations perceived as dirty. Actually, people suffering from this condition feel an intense urge to wash their hands every time they touch any surface and to keep their bodies extremely clean, often due to an irrational fear of germs or dirt. Moreover, this compulsion may become so strong that they may avoid leaving the house so as to keep away from situations that would require them to constantly clean themselves.

(3^rd §) The exact causes of Ablutomania are not entirely clear; however, a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors is believed to contribute to its development. Sanatorio Allende notes that a family history of OCD, traumatic events, and chemical imbalances in the brain can be triggering factors.

(4^th §) Therapy is an effective tool for treating Ablutomania. There are several therapeutic approaches that may be beneficial, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a form of psychotherapy that has been shown to be particularly effective in treating OCD. This therapy focuses on identifying and changing negative thought and behavior patterns. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy can also offer relief and a significant improvement in quality of life. ERP is a specific technique within CBT that involves exposing the person to situations that trigger their compulsions, while preventing them from performing the cleaning rituals. This technique helps reduce anxiety and the need to perform compulsions over time.

(5^th §) This manifestation can be extremely debilitating. However, with the right help, it is possible to manage and overcome this condition. So, those who are struggling with a bathing compulsion, should consider seeking professional help. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the first step toward recovery is accepting there is a problem and being willing to work on it, to find support to move towards a more balanced life free from compulsions.

Available at: https://enterapiaonline.com/obsesion-con-banarse/. Accessed in: 2nd apr. 2025. (Adapted).

BRAIN ROT

Anna Tyzack
December 20, 2024 

    While not a clinical diagnosis, the term “brain rot” captures the burnt out feeling that follows an online scrolling session. The brain is exposed to far more information and demands than it can handle without proper breaks, which over time leads to difficult concentration, poor memory and emotional exhaustion. If we are finding it hard to focus, feeling a bit low and having a memory like a sieve, chances are we need a break – a screen break. Brain rot, the colloquial term used to describe excessive consumption of low-quality online content, particularly short videos on social media, has become so mainstream that it was voted Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2024.

    Content demands and digital distractions are leaving us feeling mentally burnt out. When our brain is under stress it acts like a computer with too many tabs open – it slows down, overheats and struggles to function effectively. This can affect our performance at school, university or work and lead to relationship issues and struggles with mental health and addictions. It can also be compared to “fast food”. In the past we used to have to hunt and gather food, but today we can get information whenever we want through artificial intelligence or video content as fast as we get fast food, and our brains are suffering the consequences. This happens because the brain actually prefers focused, intellectual engagement and if we want to keep it healthy, we need to be aware of this and change our behavior accordingly.

    Digital media traps us in a reward system, with each ‘like’, share, or engaging article triggering the brain to release the feel-good hormone, dopamine. Clicking on a funny short video or interesting headline gives a dopamine hit, but this content is so quickly digestible that you instantly want another, so you keep scrolling, creating a feedback loop. In the short term, we feel happy and engaged, but in the long term this kind of dopamine-driven behavior affects critical thinking and higher order cognitive function.

    Doom scrolling also impairs our memory and ability to solve problems, as we’re constantly living in our limbic brain which processes emotions. A 2018 study by psychologists at Stanford University found that those who engage with multiple social media platforms at once perform worse on memory tasks. The hippocampus, the part of our brain that creates and retains new memories, is not stimulated by repetitive content and we are also not using our prefrontal cortex, which deals with future planning, problem solving and personality development. In this case, a digital detox with no access to your favorite platforms is the most effective way to reset brain function and improve emotional wellbeing, but this is easier said than done given that our screens are how we work and socialize.

    All in all, the key is to follow a healthy digital diet, taking regular screen breaks and carving out tech-free spaces in the day. We should also aim to promote brain health by eating healthily and mindfully, with no screens at the dinner table, and taking time to exercise, which increases blood flow to the brain. The more we rely on tech, the more sedentary we are. It’s about noticing the impact of digital media on our brain and finding a way to relieve stress. A bath, a walk with a friend and small screen-free pauses can make a big difference to how our brain works and how we feel.

Available at: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/brain-rot-modern-life-turning-070000390.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall. Access in: 6 jan. 2025. (Adapted).

BRAIN ROT

Anna Tyzack
December 20, 2024 

    While not a clinical diagnosis, the term “brain rot” captures the burnt out feeling that follows an online scrolling session. The brain is exposed to far more information and demands than it can handle without proper breaks, which over time leads to difficult concentration, poor memory and emotional exhaustion. If we are finding it hard to focus, feeling a bit low and having a memory like a sieve, chances are we need a break – a screen break. Brain rot, the colloquial term used to describe excessive consumption of low-quality online content, particularly short videos on social media, has become so mainstream that it was voted Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2024.

    Content demands and digital distractions are leaving us feeling mentally burnt out. When our brain is under stress it acts like a computer with too many tabs open – it slows down, overheats and struggles to function effectively. This can affect our performance at school, university or work and lead to relationship issues and struggles with mental health and addictions. It can also be compared to “fast food”. In the past we used to have to hunt and gather food, but today we can get information whenever we want through artificial intelligence or video content as fast as we get fast food, and our brains are suffering the consequences. This happens because the brain actually prefers focused, intellectual engagement and if we want to keep it healthy, we need to be aware of this and change our behavior accordingly.

    Digital media traps us in a reward system, with each ‘like’, share, or engaging article triggering the brain to release the feel-good hormone, dopamine. Clicking on a funny short video or interesting headline gives a dopamine hit, but this content is so quickly digestible that you instantly want another, so you keep scrolling, creating a feedback loop. In the short term, we feel happy and engaged, but in the long term this kind of dopamine-driven behavior affects critical thinking and higher order cognitive function.

    Doom scrolling also impairs our memory and ability to solve problems, as we’re constantly living in our limbic brain which processes emotions. A 2018 study by psychologists at Stanford University found that those who engage with multiple social media platforms at once perform worse on memory tasks. The hippocampus, the part of our brain that creates and retains new memories, is not stimulated by repetitive content and we are also not using our prefrontal cortex, which deals with future planning, problem solving and personality development. In this case, a digital detox with no access to your favorite platforms is the most effective way to reset brain function and improve emotional wellbeing, but this is easier said than done given that our screens are how we work and socialize.

    All in all, the key is to follow a healthy digital diet, taking regular screen breaks and carving out tech-free spaces in the day. We should also aim to promote brain health by eating healthily and mindfully, with no screens at the dinner table, and taking time to exercise, which increases blood flow to the brain. The more we rely on tech, the more sedentary we are. It’s about noticing the impact of digital media on our brain and finding a way to relieve stress. A bath, a walk with a friend and small screen-free pauses can make a big difference to how our brain works and how we feel.

Available at: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/brain-rot-modern-life-turning-070000390.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall. Access in: 6 jan. 2025. (Adapted).

WHY ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS ARE SO BAD FOR YOU

BY TARA LAW
JANUARY 9, 2023 12:06 PM EST

    A growing number of recent studies have raised health concerns about a certain type of food that most Americans eat: ultra-processed food. Unlike minimally processed food or unprocessed foods – like eggs, for example, which travel from the farm to your kitchen looking pretty much the same – ultra-processed foods have been radically changed by manufacturers. By the time they hit your grocery shelf, they’ve likely been heated, pressed, and enhanced by additives designed to make them last longer, taste better, and appear more attractive, often to the detriment of your health.

    Ultra-processed foods tend to be junk food: low in fiber and high in sugar and calories. But because ultra-processed foods are defined by the types of ingredients they contain, not by their nutrition content, this category can also include foods with beneficial nutrients, like breads high in fiber. Anyway, longitudinal studies in the Americas and Europe have linked eating more ultra-processed food to a number of health risks, including increases in obesity, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and even dementia. Other research has linked consuming ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of early death.

    Experts agree that reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods shouldn’t be the public’s responsibility alone. Many people don’t live in communities with access to healthy, minimally processed food, which tends to be more expensive than ultra-processed food. To reduce ultra-processed food, governments will need to implement policies to expand access to healthy food, such as by limiting the availability of ultra-processed food in schools. Another important policy is for governments to warn the public about the dangers of ultra-processed food and to implement clear labelling. Some countries have already started to warn the public about ultra-processed foods.

    If people want to make their own diet healthier, a mindset change is key. First it’s important to think about food not in a calorie way, but in a “quality way”. If people want to reduce the number of ultra-processed foods they eat, they should opt for other foods that are cheap and don’t take much preparation, like beans, lentils, and eggs, or even healthy snacks, such as nuts, seeds, and whole fruit.

Available at: https://time.com/6245237/ultra-processed-foods-diet-bad/. Accessed: 22 August 2024. (Adapted)

WHY ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS ARE SO BAD FOR YOU

BY TARA LAW
JANUARY 9, 2023 12:06 PM EST

    A growing number of recent studies have raised health concerns about a certain type of food that most Americans eat: ultra-processed food. Unlike minimally processed food or unprocessed foods – like eggs, for example, which travel from the farm to your kitchen looking pretty much the same – ultra-processed foods have been radically changed by manufacturers. By the time they hit your grocery shelf, they’ve likely been heated, pressed, and enhanced by additives designed to make them last longer, taste better, and appear more attractive, often to the detriment of your health.

    Ultra-processed foods tend to be junk food: low in fiber and high in sugar and calories. But because ultra-processed foods are defined by the types of ingredients they contain, not by their nutrition content, this category can also include foods with beneficial nutrients, like breads high in fiber. Anyway, longitudinal studies in the Americas and Europe have linked eating more ultra-processed food to a number of health risks, including increases in obesity, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and even dementia. Other research has linked consuming ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of early death.

    Experts agree that reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods shouldn’t be the public’s responsibility alone. Many people don’t live in communities with access to healthy, minimally processed food, which tends to be more expensive than ultra-processed food. To reduce ultra-processed food, governments will need to implement policies to expand access to healthy food, such as by limiting the availability of ultra-processed food in schools. Another important policy is for governments to warn the public about the dangers of ultra-processed food and to implement clear labelling. Some countries have already started to warn the public about ultra-processed foods.

    If people want to make their own diet healthier, a mindset change is key. First it’s important to think about food not in a calorie way, but in a “quality way”. If people want to reduce the number of ultra-processed foods they eat, they should opt for other foods that are cheap and don’t take much preparation, like beans, lentils, and eggs, or even healthy snacks, such as nuts, seeds, and whole fruit.

Available at: https://time.com/6245237/ultra-processed-foods-diet-bad/. Accessed: 22 August 2024. (Adapted)