Lifestyles

The theology of pandemics

The interesting question is: What is the temptation to view a catastrophe like the plague as divine punishment as opposed to a brute fact of nature? Surely at least one reason we are tempted to do so is because, if it is heavenly retribution, then the hardship still has some meaning; we still live in a world with an underlying moral structure. Indeed, to many, the idea that such a great calamity is nothing more than a brute act of nature is far more painful to contemplate than an account by which God cares enough about us to punish us. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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International, Lifestyles, Sam Ben-Meir, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

How to cultivate rational living

Abert Ellis, Ph.D. believed that when we cultivate our ability to live by “rational principles,” we will likely experience positive emotions and satisfaction of our life’s goals.
We have a choice. If we choose to live with irrational thinking governing our lives, with high negative emotionality, dogmatic, rigid beliefs, we are in a very real sense, electing to suffer. We irrationally think about adversities by expressing our preferences and desires, our hopes and wishes, as demands, shoulds, commands, and musts. “Because I want to be able to socialize freely and get back to work and return to my gym, I MUST be able to!” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Some advice about school bullying

Melissa Rubenstein Levin, who worked for Drasnin Communications in San Diego from 2000 to 2002, is now based in Houston, where she is handling publicity for IndieFlix. That production company recently issued three films.  Angst, which includes an interview with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, deals with understanding anxiety disorders; Like “explores the impact of social media on our lives and the effects of technology on the brain,” and The Upstanders, which I recently watched, “explores cyber-bullying,” as can be seen in the trailer above. [Our Shtetl San Diego County by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Joe Gandelman, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Succeed or Recede. You CAN’T?

Perhaps you’re exasperated with many of the behavior and habit change schemes aimed at helping you overcome these types of demoralizing thoughts. Diets, exercise programs, meditation practices, gratitude journals, medication, the latest “therapy” procedures, vacations and even drugs and/or alcohol. Nothing helps, right? Perhaps you’ve got a bit too much “nah” going on. “Never accepting hope.” OK, OK, had to get at least one acronym in this article. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

CRAFT SEEDS for well-being

Can you think of anything that you disturb and harm yourself with more than your persistent negativity? Negativity eradicates whatever energy you’ve got left while sheltering-at-home. It diverts indispensable attention that you need to even hope to achieve goals that you have (you DO have goals, right?). And, of course, it weakens your overall morale.  Oh, and your gray sky, cloudy outlook that kills any rainbow? Well, that similarly pollutes those close to you as well. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Helping children’s emotions through COVID19

In this installment of my emotional education series aimed at helping readers live healthier through COVID19, I’m going to focus on younger children, a group that is often left out of our focus. This one finding alone from Roberto Olivardia, a lecturer in psychology at Harvard Medical School, is why paying attention to youngsters now is especially important. He reported that as many as 1% of children may suffer from “maskaphobia,” a fear that continues for longer than six months. While usually thought of in relation to costumes and superheroes, in today’s mask-filled streets it is linked to COVID19. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education

Philanthropy needed during this pandemic

Estimates of the number of lost lives directly resulting from the coronavirus outbreak range from the horrifying to the truly unimaginable. That doesn’t consider those indirectly impacted by the outbreak.   As businesses of all kinds close or severely curtail service, the number of San Diegans who are without a paycheck or with a severely diminished one is growing, leaving them unable to meet basic needs.  Prescriptions need to be refilled. Families need groceries to eat. First responders need safe childcare, so they can work in the hospitals and clinics that are facing a flood of patients.  These are unprecedented times. [Beth Sirull]

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Lifestyles, San Diego County

Tales of the comforter, consultant and facilitator

 A while back, a young woman asked if she could come over and talk to me. She reads my columns and finds them useful. I was happy to help.

She came over, and we both sat down on my sofa. I asked her why she had come. She burst into tears. When she finally was able to speak, she told me that her long-term partner had left her. I was holding her hand as she spoke. [By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D, ACSW]

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz