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5 ways alcohol can sabotage your weight loss goals, according to an obesity doctor

<p><strong>Alcohol and weight loss </strong></p> <p>“Hey Siri, can I still lose weight if I drink alcohol?” Goodness, we only wish the answer was that simple. Research is mixed (no pun intended) on whether alcohol can lead to weight gain. That’s because weight is complex – and some people notice a shift on the scale when they consume alcohol, while others don’t.</p> <p>As a doctor who specialises in the science of weight, I can say what we do know is that many of these alcoholic drinks are energy-dense (meaning high in kilojoules) and provide little to no nutrition, which may put a damper on your weight loss efforts. Here are five major reasons alcohol can impede you weight loss efforts.</p> <p><strong>Your body views alcohol as a toxin</strong></p> <p>Your body metabolises and eliminates alcohol from the body with the help of two enzymes: Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). When you imbibe, these two work together to break apart the alcohol molecules, producing a toxic substance, acetaldehyde, then acetate, so that your body can get rid of it – and fast.</p> <p>Here’s why that matters when you’re trying to lose weight. Since your body prioritises alcohol digestion, it puts digestion of other nutrients (like fat, carbs, and protein) on the back burner. In other words, your body might put off metabolising fat and carbs when it’s busy breaking down alcohol. Over time and repeated patterns, this could lead to increased fat storage and weight gain.</p> <p><strong>Alcohol can cause inflammation</strong></p> <p>Alcohol can impair the functions of the gut, liver, and other organs – interfering with the immune system and causing systemic inflammation. Alcohol consumption stimulates a cascade of inflammatory responses, one of which is the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. And research has shown that persistently high levels of cortisol are associated with obesity. That’s why it’s best for people with obesity, who are already at an increased risk of inflammation, to limit or avoid alcohol.</p> <p><strong>Alcohol affects sleep - and sleep impacts weight </strong></p> <p>It may seem like that nightcap helps you fall asleep, but alcohol can actually disrupt how well you snooze. One study, which looked at participants’ heart rates and ability to relax during sleep, showed that even small amounts (0.25 grams per kilogram or less) of alcohol decreased those markers of quality of sleep by 9.3%.</p> <p>And the more you drink, the worse you sleep – the same study linked moderate drinking to a 24% decrease in sleep quality, and heavy drinking to a 39.2% decrease in sleep quality.</p> <p>You may think a few nights of low-quality shut-eye is harmless, but research has shown that just one to three nights of poor sleep can lead to insulin resistance. Over time, that could put you at risk of obesity.</p> <p><strong>Alcohol is often full of sneaky of sneaky kilojoules and sugar</strong></p> <p>Many mixed drinks, tasty as they might be, contain added kilojoules and sugar on top of the naturally occurring sugars and kilojoules in alcohol.</p> <p>Even a so-called “lower-kilojoule” option, like a vodka tonic, can have as many kilojoules and grams of sugar as a serving of ice cream. Before you know it, your 30ml serving of vodka just jumped from 280 kilojoules to 700 kilojoules when you add 200ml of tonic. Have a few of those, and you’re looking at upwards of 2000 or more kilojoules on liquid alone – kilojoules that don’t provide your body with the best nutrition.</p> <p>Let’s compare these 2000 kilojoules in a few vodka tonics to a 2000-kilojoule meal of salmon, brown rice, and steamed veggies. The drinks are empty kilojoules, whereas the meal has fat, fibre and protein to keep you fuller and satisfied for longer – a win-win while trying to lose weight – while also providing high-quality nourishment.</p> <p><strong>Drinking impacts food choices</strong></p> <p>Have you ever noticed after drinking alcohol, you get a sudden hankering for a fast food run or pizza delivery? That’s because alcohol can impair decision-making and lead to impulse decisions when it comes to food – and research suggests it may even stimulate the appetite. Those who drink alcohol with a meal also tend to eat more – 30% more, according to one study.</p> <p>While alcohol won’t impact everyone’s weight the same way, it’s best to be mindful of how much you drink when trying to lose weight. Consider skipping it altogether or aim for moderation. Just know that even if you follow the limit for moderate drinking as recommended in the Australian Alcohol Guidelines by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) —no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day – it still adds up over time. Several studies have shown that the risk of obesity is roughly two times higher in adults who consume alcohol than in those who don’t.</p> <p>Considering mocktails (non-alcoholic beverages) are popping up on more and more bar menus these days, rest assured your after-work social hour will still be filled with cheers. Just be sure to opt for a lower-kilojoule option, such as soda water with a squeeze of fresh lime or a craft mocktail with half the amount of simple syrup.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/diet/5-ways-alcohol-can-sabotage-your-weight-loss-goals-according-to-an-obesity-doctor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Body

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Are you sabotaging your own sleep?

<p>A bad nights’ sleep is enough to ruin anybody’s day, yet getting a good sleep is a struggle many of us face. So if you’re tired of tossing and turning, nix these four bad habits that are robbing you of that deep, satisfying and refreshing slumber.</p> <p><strong>That late-arvo coffee</strong></p> <p>We know caffeine keeps us up (it is after all, why we love it) but too many people believe it has no effect on them. Caffeine can linger in your system for up to 12 hours so sipping on that afternoon pick-me-up coffee might be inadvertently messing with your sleep at night. Your “caffeine metabolism” also slows as you age so your body doesn’t process caffeine as efficiently in your 60s as it did in your 40s.</p> <p>Fix it:Drink your last coffee by 5pm or earlier. Switch to decaf or try chamomile tea in the evenings.</p> <p><strong>Checking your devices in bed</strong></p> <p>Not all electronics are bad – many people finding watching TV can relax them before they sleep but the light from our small-screen devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) emit mostly a brain-activating blue wavelength that can supress the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. These harsh lights signal to your brain that it needs to stay alert rather than shutting down.</p> <p>Fix it: Stop checking your devices at least an hour before your sleep. Or if you need to use them, dim the brightness at least.</p> <p><strong>Big dinners near bedtime</strong></p> <p>Diner can take hours to digest and if you’re going to bed on a full stomach, your body is still processing all the food instead of resting.</p> <p>Fix it: Finish your dinner at least three to four hours before bedtime.</p> <p><strong>You don’t have a set bedtime</strong></p> <p>No, you don’t need to revert back to your childhood days of strict bedtimes but you still need that “wind-down” period. It’s like when your parents told you to prepare for bed before that 8pm bedtime so you were both mentally and physically ready to sleep.</p> <p>Fix it: Set an hour before you sleep to power down. You can spend the first 20 minutes finishing up your tasks, the next 20 for sleep hygiene (brushing teeth, getting into PJs) and the next 20 doing something relaxing like reading a book or meditation. Then it’s lights out, no negotiations. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Body

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Man charged with historic offence of sabotage

<p dir="ltr">A New Zealand man is believed to be the first person to be charged with sabotage in the country’s history - an offence originating during World War II to prevent foreign interference.</p> <p dir="ltr">Graham Philip, an IT professional and anti-vaccination campaigner from Taupō on the North Island, was charged with seven counts of wilful damage in December last year, before the charges were upgraded by the Crown to seven counts of sabotage in May.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the details surrounding the alleged offences are unknown after a High Court judge successfully sought a non-publication order, meaning that the details are to be kept secret, per the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/taupo-man-graham-philip-charged-with-sabotage-believed-to-be-first-in-new-zealand-history/ZHOBLOZT5JG5HI4UGXGUQUUHJ4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-fa89b0eb-7fff-7e5f-bee4-78727a469adf"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">It is understood that the judge made the order not to protect witnesses or out of fear of trial prejudice, but rather out of concern from authorities that publicising the details could lead to “copy-cat” offending.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/graham-philip1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Graham Philip, an IT professional and anti-vaccination campaigner, has been charged with multiple counts of sabotage in a historic first for New Zealand. Image: Free Graham Philip (Facebook)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Philip, who has been on remand in prison since charges were laid in December, has pleaded not guilty to all of the upgraded charges, which relate to New Zealand infrastructure.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Crimes Act, sabotage is legally defined as any activity which impairs or impedes the operation of “any ship, vehicle, aircraft, arms, munitions, equipment, machinery, apparatus, or atomic or nuclear plant” on New Zealand shores.</p> <p dir="ltr">A charge of sabotage can also be laid if a person “damages or destroys any property which is necessary to keep intact for the safety or health of the public”.</p> <p dir="ltr">To be convicted of sabotage, a person must also have proven intent to prejudice the health or safety of the public, with each charge of sabotage carrying a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.</p> <p dir="ltr">Alexander Gillespie, a University of Waikato law professor who specialises in international and conflict law, told the <em>NZ Herald</em> that he isn’t aware of any instance where the charge of sabotage has been laid in New Zealand, primarily due to the offence being largely covered by modern terrorism legislation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's a historical offence. A lot of the rules around sabotage came out in the Second World War when we were scared about foreign interference," Gillespie said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite this, the legislation has been kept after societal unrest led to concerns about homegrown offences.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Then there was a concern about sabotage at the 1951 Waterfront strike. It was kind of a pre-terrorism charge, it came from a period when there was public disorder, but not terrorism as we know it today,” Professor Gillesie said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was mainly about the unions if I'm honest - the militant left. There were concerns some would do things like bring down bridges or destroy locomotives."</p> <p dir="ltr">Lawyer Matthew Hague, who is representing Mr Philip, also believes it is the first time someone has been charged with sabotage since the introduction of the Crimes Act in 1961.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Mr Philip unsuccessfully applied for bail in June, initial indications from court suggest that he won’t have his trial heard until late 2023, meaning he will have spent almost two years in prison before his case is heard.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ae5c21bd-7fff-a493-5e76-61dde35f2ca7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Free Graham Philip (Facebook)</em></p>

Legal

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9 common behaviours that are subtly sabotaging your relationship

<h2>Making your mobile phone the top priority</h2> <p>We live in a culture where we’re constantly checking our mobile phones. But, this obsession comes at a cost, and the casualty of a technology obsession can be your personal relationship. “The most prevalent habit that sinks relationships is keeping your mobile phone on, and looking at it every time it makes a noise while you’re with your partner,” says psychiatrist, Dr Carole Lieberman. “Answering your phone is even worse than just looking at text messages or emails, and this tells your partner that they are not as important as whoever else is trying to reach you.” Dr Lieberman says a solution is to turn off your phone when you’re having dinner, being intimate, or doing anything else where your partner expects your full attention.</p> <h2>Being jealous</h2> <p>Jealousy within relationships typically comes down to fear of abandonment and not feeling good enough, says psychologist, Dr Michele Kerulis. “Jealousy can stem from insecurity, lack of trust, fear of betrayal, low confidence, and can linger from past relationships and life experiences,” Dr Kerulis says. To smooth over a situation, she suggests talking to your partner about your feelings and concerns. “Take the time to have a conversation with your partner about specific situations that made you feel jealous and explain why you believe you felt that way,” suggests Dr Kerulis. “If you see patterns of feeling jealous throughout your life, whether it is within romantic relationships, friendships, or with family members, it is a good idea to talk with a counsellor to process your feelings and to get a better understanding of why jealousy plays a role in your life.”</p> <h2>Nagging and complaining</h2> <p>A nagging mate can quickly create tension and division. “I suggest practising the art of holding your tongue, prioritising, and considering your approach,” says relationship expert, Dr Melanie Ross Mills. She advises to consider waiting until a good time to discuss what is bothering you, instead of nagging. “Be patient if he or she is not ready when you are to discuss the matter. Ask them to let you know when a good time might be. You can circle back then, instead of nagging and complaining,” Dr Mills says.</p> <h2>Acting ungrateful</h2> <p>It can be challenging to appreciate the small things in your partner. “But, it’s a life discipline to cultivate,” says Dr Mills. “Seeing the good [he or she does] will help. I suggest making a conscious effort to thank your partner for the small things: from putting the cap back on to earning an honest living with hard work, from taking out the trash to helping prepare dinner for the family,” she adds.</p> <h2>Lacking communication</h2> <p>Not having an open dialogue or an effective communication system in place can cause feelings of resentment, misunderstanding, hurt, and feeling unappreciated. “Instead of letting the small offences fester, talk about them when the timing is right,” says Dr Mills. “Don’t let too much time pass which can cause you to internalise your true feelings. Share with your partner about what is going on with you daily.”</p> <h2>Losing yourself in the relationship</h2> <p>It’s common for people to lose their own sense of self if they don’t make an exerted effort to continue to grow, learn and evolve, says Dr Mills. “Don’t forget to have your own life. Make time to do things that fulfill you instead of waiting for your partner to get interested in your same interests,” she advises. “Believe it or not, this actually makes you more attractive. You contribute to the relationship dynamic because you have interests, you’re interesting and you’re confident.”</p> <h2>Fighting with your partner over text message</h2> <p>It’s never fun or desirable to fight with your partner, especially when you are not in the same room, town, or city. “Couples who are in long-distance relationships or couples who just are not in the same vicinity of their partner all the time will most likely engage in text-fighting,” psychiatrist, Dr Gabriella I. Farkas. “Text-fighting is one of the bad habits that people do that can eventually lead to a downward spiral in a relationship.” She says fighting via text is a terrible way to communicate your feelings for many reasons, including you aren’t sure how your partner is reacting. “So, you will keep texting incessantly even if something that has been said hurts the partner’s feelings,” Dr Farkas says. “Instead of fighting via text where there is no way to emphasise or relay emotion correctly, it’s important to sit back and wait until there is the opportunity to have the conversation face-to face.”</p> <h2>Overstepping social boundaries</h2> <p>Speaking on behalf of your partner can create a sense of resentment. This behaviour can be intrusive, because making decisions for you partner can be demeaning, disrespectful and impede a person’s sense of self, says an article in Psychology Today. “Without noticing it, we may be intrusive or controlling toward our partner, acting in a manner that is disrespectful or demeaning to the other person’s sense of self. When this happens, it not only hurts our partner and his or her feelings for us but it undermines our strength and feelings for our partner,” the article says.</p> <h2>Unwilling to try new things</h2> <p>While no one should force themselves to do something they don’t want to do, shutting down the part of ourselves that seeks new experiences and responds to a spark in our partner can drain us of our aliveness and spontaneity, says the same article in Psychology Today.</p> <p><em><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/relationships/9-common-behaviours-that-are-subtly-sabotaging-your-relationship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. </strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Relationships

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Turia Pitt hits back at partner accusing her of sabotage

<p dir="ltr">Turia Pitt has hit back at her <em>Celebrity Apprentice Australia</em> partner who accused her of trying to sabotage him and the competition. </p> <p dir="ltr">The motivational speaker was part of Team Collaborate with Ronnie Caceres who was constantly telling her to “pull her weight in” and saying he would not hire her to work for him.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair were taken to the Boardroom during Sunday night’s where things went to a whole different level. </p> <p dir="ltr">Turia felt that her and Ronnie’s time was up on <em>Celebrity Apprentice Australia</em> when she was accused of trying to get him fired. </p> <p dir="ltr">"To say that I'm trying to sabotage an event is absurd and it's preposterous,” Turia said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I know in the real world I wouldn't have you working for me because I'd be looking over my back all the time," Ronnie snapped back.</p> <p dir="ltr">This then led to Turia to talk about the exchange between her and Ronnie on her podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/celebrity-apprentice-and-something-i-want-to-get-off/id1579973740?i=1000565295551" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Turia Pitt is Hard Work</a>. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeezpighnPw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeezpighnPw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Turia (@turiapitt)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"This whole experience has had me reflecting on a lot of big things, right? Like how we conduct ourselves in our workplaces," she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It's pretty easy to respect someone. You learn their name, you are kind, you're considered, you're gracious.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you don't agree with them, you're gracious when you're letting them know that you don't agree with them. All of those really basic, easy ways to show someone you respect them."</p> <p dir="ltr">She then reflected on how people act towards others is a clear indication of lack of respect and that it needs to change. </p> <p dir="ltr">"If you yell at someone, if you berate someone publicly, if you intimidate someone...I think all of those are ways in which you show that you don't respect someone.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Turia went on to discuss how she acts within her own business and how sometimes it does reach the point where you “get bogged down by it all”. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, she said that she tries her best to understand the situation and work together with others to rectify the situation. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel like, no matter what happens, no matter how difficult or insurmountable your challenges seem or my challenges seemed at the time, I feel like I was the bigger person and I'm really proud of that."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram/Nine</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Why fake news and misinformation is sabotaging the election

<p dir="ltr">After a messy election campaign, a lot of Australians have been left feeling confused about who they should be voting for at the polls this weekend. </p> <p dir="ltr">With conflicting media reports about both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese, it’s easy to get lost in what is the correct information. </p> <p dir="ltr">A recent report published by Avast, a global leader in digital security and privacy, has warned Australians to be wary of fake news and misinformation when casting their vote. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new research commissioned by Avast found that over half of Australians say they have believed a fake news story in the past, and a staggering 9 in 10 believe that fake news has the ability to impact Australians and their vote in the upcoming election. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stephen Kho, cyber security expert at Avast says, “Sensationalist fake news is often used to generate clicks onto a webpage to improve ad revenue. It has also been used to influence public thought…it’s increasingly important that Australians are aware of how to spot misinformation and misleading news that isn’t based in solid fact.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Concerningly, the research found that 38% of Australians are not confident in their ability to identify fake news online, as Stephen Kho recommends readers run through these three criteria when assessing a news source for misinformation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Check the source</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Readers should question the source, ask themselves if they have ever heard of it, and assess the source's appearance. </p> <p dir="ltr">Readers should also research the source, to see what has been reported on the source and if the source has a vested interest in subjective reporting. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Check the headline</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Clickbait articles are designed to garner as many clicks as possible and often have very catchy headlines. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is therefore important for readers to question articles where the headline and the actual story have little or no connection, and short articles bringing little to no insights.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Check the publication date</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Readers should check the date of articles, regardless of if they are real or fake, to make sure they are reading the most current information.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephen Kho also shared helpful tips on how to avoid fake news, and how to spot blatant misinformation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Avoid relying on social media</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">While social media giants are making an effort to flag fake news shared within their networks, it's best to avoid consuming news and current affairs via social media news feeds.</p> <p dir="ltr">Instead, go directly to a news site you trust.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Read a variety of sources before forming an opinion</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Reading multiple, reliable news sources, can help people avoid fake news. If one article is reporting a story with different facts, the news could be fake.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Mind

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Three warning signs you’re gaslighting yourself

<p dir="ltr">A psychologist has shared the three signs that suggest you could be gaslighting yourself. </p><p dir="ltr">Dr Julie Smith, a clinical psychologist from Hampshire, has listed the top three self-sabotaging behaviours, which range from blaming yourself to not acknowledging your feelings. </p><p dir="ltr">Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse and manipulation that is often linked with toxic relationships with others. </p><p dir="ltr">The term refers to someone making another person question their own thoughts, feelings, and perception of reality.</p><p dir="ltr">She said the main sign of self-sabotaging gaslighting is constantly blaming yourself for things out of your control. </p><p dir="ltr">“You make excuses for other people’s behaviour - but if you make a mistake, you believe it says something fundamental about who you are as a person,” Dr Smith explained in her now-viral Tik Tok video.</p><p dir="ltr">Another sign is never trusting your own judgement, or ignoring your gut instinct. </p><p dir="ltr">“But you see the opinions of other people as much more credible source so you live in an almost constant state of self-doubt and you look at other people for clarity,” she said.</p><p dir="ltr">The final sign, according to Dr Smith, is invalidating or ignoring your own feelings. </p><p dir="ltr">“You come to believe that you’re oversensitive or you overreact so you don’t know which emotions you listen to anymore,” she said.</p><p dir="ltr">Her video has struck a chord with many viewers, with thousands of people commenting that her examples are “painfully relatable”.</p><p dir="ltr">“Oh wow that hit me. How would someone stop doing this? It feels like it’s just second nature for me,” one woman wrote.</p><p dir="ltr">According to Dr Smith, finding time to meet your own physical and emotional needs through self-care practises can help to reclaim your energy, and hold onto your sense of self. </p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Mind

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Lawyers for Rust armourer claim ‘sabotage’

<p dir="ltr">Lawyers for Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/she-s-a-rookie-rust-s-armourer-comes-under-fire" target="_blank">24-year-old armourer</a><span> </span>at the centre of the investigation into the tragedy on the set of Alec Baldwin’s film<span> </span><em>Rust,<span> </span></em>are now<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2021-11-03/rust-shooting-armorer-hannah-gutierrez-reed-lawyers" target="_blank">claiming</a><span> </span>their client was the victim of sabotage, and that the accident was ultimately the fault of someone else.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her lawyers have suggested that someone intentionally smuggled live rounds of ammunition into a box of dummy rounds before the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/alec-baldwin-allegedly-shot-and-killed-cinematographer" target="_blank">fatal on-set shooting</a><span> </span>that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Lawyer Jason Bowles made the suggestion while appearing on numerous morning news programs on Wednesday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">On<span> </span><em>Good Morning America</em>, he asked, “Why do you place that in the box labeled ‘dummies’ that the armorer is going to be pulling from? Why would you do that other than to try to cause some incident on the set?</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now, we’re not saying anybody had any intent there was going to be a tragedy — a homicide — but they wanted to do something to cause a safety incident on set. That’s what we believe happened.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When GMA anchor Michael Strahan pressed him for evidence to support this serious allegation, Bowles simply asserted that his client did not place the live round that was ultimately responsible for Hutchins’ death in the ammunition box.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We know the live rounds shouldn’t have been in that box, but they were,” he said. “So there can be very, very few explanations for why live rounds end up in a box of dummy prop ammunition on a movie set. And one of them is that somebody wants that to go into a firearm and then wants there to be an incident on the set. There’s no other reason to mix a live round with the dummies. There’s just none.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After presenting the same argument on<span> </span><em>Today<span> </span></em>and being asked by host Savannah Guthrie why anyone would “have the motive and opportunity” to sabotage the ammunition in this way, Bowles said, “I believe that somebody who would do that would want to ... prove a point, want to say that they’re disgruntled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And we know that people had already walked off the set the day before. ... And the reason they were unhappy is they’re working 12- to 14-hour days. They were not given hotel rooms in and around the area. So they had to drive back and forth an hour to Albuquerque, and they’re unhappy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This is a reference to the fact that the camera crew had staged a walkout before the incident, fed up with unreasonable working conditions and amidst a push within Hollywood to improve working conditions for film and television crews.</p> <p dir="ltr">Guthrie then asked Bowles if he was accusing the crew members who had walked out of planting the live ammunition, to which he said, “You can’t rule anybody out at this point. We know there was a live round in a box of dummy rounds that shouldn’t have been there… there was opportunity to tamper with the scene. And yes, we’re looking at that possibility.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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3 ways we sabotage relationships (and 3 ways to kick the habit)

<p>Popular culture has plenty of examples of people sabotaging their romantic relationships.</p> <p>In the movie <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/" target="_blank">10 Things I Hate About You</a></em>, Kat says she has no interest in romantic engagements. Then Patrick <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.moviequotedb.com/movies/10-things-i-hate-about-you/quote_150.html" target="_blank">asks</a> about her dating style:</p> <blockquote> <p>"You disappoint them from the start and then you’re covered, right?"</p> </blockquote> <p>But as the plot develops, we learn this is Kat’s way of protecting herself, to cope with the trauma of a previous relationship.</p> <p>Other people move through relationships searching for “the one”, making quick assessments of their romantic partners.</p> <p>In the TV series <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2211129/" target="_blank">The Mindy Project</a></em>, Mindy is a successful obstetrician and gynaecologist with poor relationship skills. She has a trail of relationship failures, and partners who did not measure up. She is looking for the “perfect” love story with unrealistic expectations.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8iCwtxJejik?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em><span class="caption">Jacob moves through sexual partners night after night to avoid a serious commitment, in the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love.</span></em></p> <p>Another example is Jacob in the movie <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570728/" target="_blank">Crazy, Stupid, Love</a></em>. He quickly moves through sexual partners night after night to avoid a serious commitment.</p> <p>In the same movie, we meet Cal and Emily, who stayed in a marriage long term but had become complacent. This caused them to split, but once they started to work on themselves, they found a way to reconnect.</p> <p><strong>What is relationship sabotage?</strong></p> <p>My team and I <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-relationships-research/article/defining-romantic-selfsabotage-a-thematic-analysis-of-interviews-with-practising-psychologists/35531B41927851905281C7D815FE4199/share/ed27f1606df159cf7e3240f5c3136174c4991fe0" target="_blank">define</a> relationship sabotage as self-defeating attitudes and behaviours in (and out of) relationships. These stop relationships succeeding, or lead people to give up on them, justifying why these relationships fail.</p> <p>Most importantly, relationship sabotage is a self-protection strategy for a win-win outcome.</p> <p>For example, you might feel you win if the relationship survives despite your defensive strategies. Alternatively, if the relationship fails, your beliefs and choice to protect yourself are validated.</p> <p><strong>Why do we do this?</strong></p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kpIbl34SPNc?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em><span class="caption">Why do we sabotage love?</span></em></p> <p>We <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039" target="_blank">found</a> people sabotage their relationships mainly because of fear. This is despite wanting an intimate relationship.</p> <p>As Sam Smith says in his song <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_ub7Etch2U" target="_blank">Too Good at Goodbyes</a></em>:</p> <blockquote> <p>I’m never gonna let you close to me</p> <p>Even though you mean the most to me</p> <p>‘Cause every time I open up, it hurts.</p> </blockquote> <p>However, fear responses are not always visible or easy to identify. This is because our <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.guilford.com/books/Emotionally-Focused-Therapy-for-Couples/Greenberg-Johnson/9781606239278" target="_blank">emotions are layered</a> to protect us. Fear is a vulnerable (and core) emotion, which is commonly hidden beneath surface (or secondary) emotions, such as defensiveness.</p> <p><strong>Recognise any of these patterns?</strong></p> <p>Relationship sabotage is not a “one off” moment in a relationship. It happens when fear triggers patterns of responses from one relationship to the next.</p> <p>My research highlights <a rel="noopener" href="https://rdcu.be/czwUo" target="_blank">three main patterns</a> of attitudes and behaviours to look out for.</p> <p><strong>Defensiveness</strong></p> <p>Defensiveness, such as being angry or aggressive, is a counter-attack to a perceived threat. People who are defensive are motivated by wanting to validate themselves; they are looking to prove themselves right and protect their self-esteem.</p> <p>Threats that trigger defensiveness are a previous relationship trauma, difficulty with self-esteem, loss of hope, the possibility of getting hurt again, and fear of failure, rejection, abandonment and commitment. However, defensiveness is an instinctive response that sometimes makes sense.</p> <p>People can believe relationships often end up in “heart break”. One <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039" target="_blank">research participant</a> was tired of being criticised and having their feelings misunderstood:</p> <blockquote> <p>I protect myself from getting hurt in a romantic relationship by putting up all of my walls and not letting go of my guard.</p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Trust difficulty</strong></p> <p>Having difficulty trusting others involves struggling to believe romantic partners and perhaps feeling jealous of their attention to others. People who feel this way might not feel safe and avoid feeling vulnerable in relationships.</p> <p>This is often a result of past experiences of having trust betrayed, or expecting to be betrayed. Betrayals could be as a result of small deceptions (a white lie) or bigger deceptions (infidelity).</p> <p>People explained choosing not to trust, or being unable to trust, was a way of avoiding being hurt again. One <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039" target="_blank">research participant</a> said:</p> <blockquote> <p>I no longer trust my romantic partners 100%. I will always be thinking about what I would do if they left or cheated, so I never get fully invested.</p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Lack of relationship skills</strong></p> <p>This is when someone has limited insight or awareness into destructive tendencies in relationships. This may be a result of poor relationship role models, or negative interactions and outcomes from previous relationships.</p> <p>One <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039" target="_blank">research participant</a> said:</p> <blockquote> <p>What used to hold me back was lack of experience, poor relationship examples (from my parents), and my own immaturity.</p> </blockquote> <p>But relationship skills can be learned. Healthy relationships can help foster relationship skills and in turn lessen the effects of defensiveness and trust difficulty.</p> <p><strong>The cost of relationship sabotage</strong></p> <p>Relationship sabotage does not necessarily end relationships. This depends on whether these patterns are long term.</p> <p>For singles, relationship sabotage might prevent you from starting a relationship in the first place. For people in relationships, a long-term effect of repeatedly using self-defensive strategies might be to see your fears turn into reality, like a <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9731324/" target="_blank">self-fulfilling prophecy</a>.</p> <p>Difficulties in intimate relationships are among the <a rel="noopener" href="https://janzssa.scholasticahq.com/article/8074-anzssa-heads-of-counselling-services-hocs-benchmarking-survey-2018-summary-report" target="_blank">top</a> main reasons for seeking counselling. Such difficulties are also <a rel="noopener" href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-88322-003" target="_blank">significant contributors</a> to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.</p> <p><strong>So, what we can you do about it?</strong></p> <p>I have seen <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039" target="_blank">countless testimonials</a> from people who sabotaged their relationships and felt helpless and hopeless. But here are three ways to <a rel="noopener" href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-34594-002" target="_blank">do something about it</a>:</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>insight:</strong> we need to know who we are first, and the “baggage” we bring to relationships. Be honest with yourself and your partner about your fears and what you might be struggling with</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>expectations:</strong> we need to manage our expectations of romantic engagements. Understand what you can realistically expect of yourself and your partners</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>collaboration:</strong> you need to collaborate with your partner to implement strategies to maintain a healthy relationship. This means learning how to communicate better (across all topics, while being honest) and showing flexibility and understanding, especially when dealing with conflict.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Above all, believe you can have healthy relationships and deserve to be loved.</p> <p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169467/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raquel-peel-368041" target="_blank">Raquel Peel</a>, Lecturer, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069" target="_blank">University of Southern Queensland</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/3-ways-we-sabotage-relationships-and-3-ways-to-kick-the-habit-169467" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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3 ways we sabotage relationships (and 3 ways to kick the habit)

<p>Popular culture has plenty of examples of people sabotaging their romantic relationships.</p> <p>In the movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/">10 Things I Hate About You</a>, Kat says she has no interest in romantic engagements. Then Patrick <a href="https://www.moviequotedb.com/movies/10-things-i-hate-about-you/quote_150.html">asks</a> about her dating style:</p> <blockquote> <p>You disappoint them from the start and then you’re covered, right?</p> </blockquote> <p>But as the plot develops, we learn this is Kat’s way of protecting herself, to cope with the trauma of a previous relationship.</p> <p>Other people move through relationships searching for “the one”, making quick assessments of their romantic partners.</p> <p>In the TV series <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2211129/">The Mindy Project</a>, Mindy is a successful obstetrician and gynaecologist with poor relationship skills. She has a trail of relationship failures, and partners who did not measure up. She is looking for the “perfect” love story with unrealistic expectations.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8iCwtxJejik?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">Jacob moves through sexual partners night after night to avoid a serious commitment, in the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love.</span></p> <p>Another example is Jacob in the movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570728/">Crazy, Stupid, Love</a>. He quickly moves through sexual partners night after night to avoid a serious commitment.</p> <p>In the same movie, we meet Cal and Emily, who stayed in a marriage long term but had become complacent. This caused them to split, but once they started to work on themselves, they found a way to reconnect.</p> <h2>What is relationship sabotage?</h2> <p>My team and I <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-relationships-research/article/defining-romantic-selfsabotage-a-thematic-analysis-of-interviews-with-practising-psychologists/35531B41927851905281C7D815FE4199/share/ed27f1606df159cf7e3240f5c3136174c4991fe0">define</a> relationship sabotage as self-defeating attitudes and behaviours in (and out of) relationships. These stop relationships succeeding, or lead people to give up on them, justifying why these relationships fail.</p> <p>Most importantly, relationship sabotage is a self-protection strategy for a win-win outcome.</p> <p>For example, you might feel you win if the relationship survives despite your defensive strategies. Alternatively, if the relationship fails, your beliefs and choice to protect yourself are validated.</p> <h2>Why do we do this?</h2> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kpIbl34SPNc?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">Why do we sabotage love?</span></p> <p>We <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039">found</a> people sabotage their relationships mainly because of fear. This is despite wanting an intimate relationship.</p> <p>As Sam Smith says in his song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_ub7Etch2U">Too Good at Goodbyes</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>I’m never gonna let you close to me</p> <p>Even though you mean the most to me</p> <p>‘Cause every time I open up, it hurts.</p> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>However, fear responses are not always visible or easy to identify. This is because our <a href="https://www.guilford.com/books/Emotionally-Focused-Therapy-for-Couples/Greenberg-Johnson/9781606239278">emotions are layered</a> to protect us. Fear is a vulnerable (and core) emotion, which is commonly hidden beneath surface (or secondary) emotions, such as defensiveness.</p> <h2>Recognise any of these patterns?</h2> <p>Relationship sabotage is not a “one off” moment in a relationship. It happens when fear triggers patterns of responses from one relationship to the next.</p> <p>My research highlights <a href="https://rdcu.be/czwUo">three main patterns</a> of attitudes and behaviours to look out for.</p> <p><strong>Defensiveness</strong></p> <p>Defensiveness, such as being angry or aggressive, is a counter-attack to a perceived threat. People who are defensive are motivated by wanting to validate themselves; they are looking to prove themselves right and protect their self-esteem.</p> <p>Threats that trigger defensiveness are a previous relationship trauma, difficulty with self-esteem, loss of hope, the possibility of getting hurt again, and fear of failure, rejection, abandonment and commitment. However, defensiveness is an instinctive response that sometimes makes sense.</p> <p>People can believe relationships often end up in “heart break”. One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039">research participant</a> was tired of being criticised and having their feelings misunderstood:</p> <blockquote> <p>I protect myself from getting hurt in a romantic relationship by putting up all of my walls and not letting go of my guard.</p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Trust difficulty</strong></p> <p>Having difficulty trusting others involves struggling to believe romantic partners and perhaps feeling jealous of their attention to others. People who feel this way might not feel safe and avoid feeling vulnerable in relationships.</p> <p>This is often a result of past experiences of having trust betrayed, or expecting to be betrayed. Betrayals could be as a result of small deceptions (a white lie) or bigger deceptions (infidelity).</p> <p>People explained choosing not to trust, or being unable to trust, was a way of avoiding being hurt again. One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039">research participant</a> said:</p> <blockquote> <p>I no longer trust my romantic partners 100%. I will always be thinking about what I would do if they left or cheated, so I never get fully invested.</p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Lack of relationship skills</strong></p> <p>This is when someone has limited insight or awareness into destructive tendencies in relationships. This may be a result of poor relationship role models, or negative interactions and outcomes from previous relationships.</p> <p>One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039">research participant</a> said:</p> <blockquote> <p>What used to hold me back was lack of experience, poor relationship examples (from my parents), and my own immaturity.</p> </blockquote> <p>But relationship skills can be learned. Healthy relationships can help foster relationship skills and in turn lessen the effects of defensiveness and trust difficulty.</p> <h2>The cost of relationship sabotage</h2> <p>Relationship sabotage does not necessarily end relationships. This depends on whether these patterns are long term.</p> <p>For singles, relationship sabotage might prevent you from starting a relationship in the first place. For people in relationships, a long-term effect of repeatedly using self-defensive strategies might be to see your fears turn into reality, like a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9731324/">self-fulfilling prophecy</a>.</p> <p>Difficulties in intimate relationships are among the <a href="https://janzssa.scholasticahq.com/article/8074-anzssa-heads-of-counselling-services-hocs-benchmarking-survey-2018-summary-report">top</a> main reasons for seeking counselling. Such difficulties are also <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-88322-003">significant contributors</a> to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.</p> <h2>So, what we can you do about it?</h2> <p>I have seen <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332691.2020.1795039">countless testimonials</a> from people who sabotaged their relationships and felt helpless and hopeless. But here are three ways to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-34594-002">do something about it</a>:</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>insight:</strong> we need to know who we are first, and the “baggage” we bring to relationships. Be honest with yourself and your partner about your fears and what you might be struggling with</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>expectations:</strong> we need to manage our expectations of romantic engagements. Understand what you can realistically expect of yourself and your partners</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>collaboration:</strong> you need to collaborate with your partner to implement strategies to maintain a healthy relationship. This means learning how to communicate better (across all topics, while being honest) and showing flexibility and understanding, especially when dealing with conflict.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Above all, believe you can have healthy relationships and deserve to be loved.</p> <hr /> <p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169467/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raquel-peel-368041">Raquel Peel</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-ways-we-sabotage-relationships-and-3-ways-to-kick-the-habit-169467">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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BREAKING: Needle found inside apple from Woolworths

<p>First strawberries were sabotaged with needles, then metal in a banana was found – now it’s extended to apples, Australian police have confirmed.</p> <p>Police are now investigating another occurrence of sabotaged fruit.</p> <p>7News has reported that needle was found inside a Pink Lady apple in north-west Sydney.</p> <p>A mother from Kellyville claims she discovered the needle inside the apple while she was peeling it for her daughter.</p> <p>She notified police immediately, who went directly to the woman’s home.</p> <p>The pre-packaged packet of six Pink Lady apples was purchased at Woolworths at The Ponds.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a><br />EXCLUSIVE <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@7NewsSydney</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@7NewsBrisbane</a><a href="https://twitter.com/nswpolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NSWPolice</a> is investigating the discovery of a needle inserted into an apple in Sydney’s north-west.<br />More to come. <a href="https://t.co/fHDtrzX3Lu">pic.twitter.com/fHDtrzX3Lu</a></p> — Robert Ovadia 👀 (@RobertOvadia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertOvadia/status/1041861531510562817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Reports state Woolworths has been notified of the issue. Meanwhile, the apples are still on sale at the store.</p> <p>The tampered apple follows <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/strawberry-crisis-deepens-as-saboteur-manhunt-now-nationwide">strawberries being recalled</a> nationwide after been sabotaged with needles, and also Australian police confirming <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/metal-found-in-queensland-bananas-australian-police-confirm/">metal was found in a banana</a>.</p> <p><em>More to come…  </em></p> <p>What do you think of this fruit sabotage taking place across Australia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

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Metal found in Queensland bananas Australian police confirm

<p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph">Police in Australia have confirmed they are investigating an incident where a metal object was found inside a banana, after needles were found in Queensland strawberries.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart confirmed police were actively investigating an incident, but did not give details about where the contaminated banana was found.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">It comes after metal needles were found in strawberries in Queensland.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"><span>"There are significant leads in relation to that [banana] matter," Stewart said.</span></p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">It's understood the incident with the banana was isolated and involved a person placing a metal object in a banana at a shop.</p> <div class="sics-component__ad-space sics-component__ad-space--storybody "> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Stewart said the potential for copycat events was "very real" and the strawberry investigation was ongoing.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"We're focusing very, very much on the supply chain, the people involved in that, this is a very, very significant, economically powerful industry, particularly in the south-east of Queensland and obviously of great concern," he said.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Stewart said there had been incidents across Australia and Queensland police were working with counterparts interstate.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"There's some specific leads that we're following in relation to the banana incident – strawberries are still our major focus," he said.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it is unbelievable that any person could do this knowing the eventual harm or destruction it could do to a human life.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Queensland chief health officer Jeanette Young said that there had been no further reports of needles or metal objects found in strawberries in Queensland, and only three brands had been withdrawn from the market.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The state government has offered a A$100,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the strawberry sabotage.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">New Zealand company Foodstuffs has halted all imports of Australian strawberries after needles were discovered in strawberries sold in Queensland, Victoria and NSW.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has also ordered the national food safety watchdog to assess Queensland's handling of strawberry contamination.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/107153174/metal-found-in-queensland-bananas-australian-police-confirm">Stuff.co.nz</a>.</em></p> </div>

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3 ways you’re self-sabotaging your health goals

<p>Sometimes the only thing in the way of you achieving your goals is… you.  </p> <p>There are many reasons why we self-sabotage our health goals, and there are lots of ways we do it.  One of the things behind this is the "critical inner voice", according to psychologist Robert Firestone. </p> <p>Our critical inner voice is formed by early experiences – we internalise our parents' attitudes toward us as well as their attitudes toward themselves.  From this, we form an idea of ourselves, which may or may not be either true or helpful. </p> <p>One example might be if a parent always thought we were lazy, this might manifest in a "why bother, I'll never be able to do it" attitude. Or perhaps if a parent had issues with confidence or appearance, we take those on ourselves without realising it.</p> <p>When we see ourselves in a certain way (e.g. I'm lazy), our subconscious ensures we act accordingly.  So, when we decide to "improve ourselves", our critical inner voice tells us we're not consistent with our beliefs and makes changing behaviour and establishing new habits difficult.</p> <p>In my experience, the most common things holding us to our inner critical voice are:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Fear of change.</strong> Change is unfamiliar and unsafe and our subconscious wants to keep us safe.</li> <li><strong>Fear of missing out.</strong> Self-improvement implies less of the things we like and more of the things we don't – less food, alcohol and fun, more exercise and pain. We know we need "give up" stuff to achieve our goals and maintain results.  </li> <li><strong>Fear of failure. </strong>The fear of trying our best and failing to reach our goals can have us not trying at all or sabotaging our efforts.</li> <li><strong>Stress. </strong>To find relief, reward ourselves or rebel from our stressful, busy lives, we often turn to unhealthy habits to escape or feel better about ourselves, our day or our life. We usually blame this on lack of willpower or motivation, but there's usually more to this.</li> <li><strong>Worthiness.</strong> When we believe we don't deserve what we're working for, we consciously or unconsciously ensure our goals are continually out of reach.</li> </ul> <p>As we tune into the inner critical voice, self-sabotaging behaviours emerge. I'm sure everyone has experienced this, although we may not always know we're doing it. There are various ways we self-sabotage:</p> <p><strong>1. Procrastination:</strong> Spending too much time between intention and action, making excuses or being distracted by other things that are "easier", more instantly enjoyable or rewarding.</p> <p><strong>2. Self-defeating mindset or behaviour:</strong> Often connected with a feeling of lack of control or willpower, followed by guilt, you make decisions that move you further from your goals. These behaviours usually feel good in the short term but are detrimental in the long term.</p> <p><strong>3. "All or nothing" or "black and white" thinking: </strong>Some of us are always "all in" or "all out" with no middle ground. Constantly falling off the wagon and getting back on, starting a diet, failing and starting again. Striving for perfection is fraught with difficulty as it's impossible to be "good" all the time. It's energy draining, disheartening and unrealistic.</p> <p>You might think self-sabotaging behaviour is a problem of lack of willpower or motivation, but if you're constantly repeating the same behaviours and not progressing towards your goals, reflect on what could be behind it.</p> <p>Lifestyle, nutrition and exercise are only part of the answer when it comes to achieving your health goals. Focusing on these alone will not address the cause of self-sabotaging behaviours.</p> <p>Understanding your self-beliefs, how they underlie your decisions and guide your behaviour, and addressing this means you won't be continuously grappling with motivation and willpower or expending energy forcing new behaviours.</p> <p>To support your goals, ensure your self-image is consistent with them by:</p> <p><strong>1. Identifying self-sabotaging behaviours or thoughts: </strong>What are you doing or thinking that puts your goals out of reach? What are the triggers leading to these thoughts and actions?</p> <p><strong>2. Identifying the consequences:</strong> How do these actions or thoughts impact your happiness? Every action or decision moves us either closer to or further away from our goals, the life we want and the person we want to be.</p> <p><strong>3. Understanding why you developed these habits: </strong>Is the self-sabotaging action keeping you safe and happy somehow? Self-sabotage is sometimes about self-preservation. Understanding why you do things may help you move forward.</p> <p><strong>4. Making new habits:</strong> With new understanding of your self-sabotaging behaviour, you can start to consciously establish new beneficial behaviours.  </p> <p><strong>5. Being mindful of your actions: </strong>Habit change takes time, energy and practice so be mindful of your actions, be present in your decisions and observe yourself without judgement. </p> <p><strong>6. Remembering slip-ups are not failure: </strong>We can't be perfect all the time and we shouldn't expect to be. One "bad" decision does not mean you need to start again.</p> <p>Examining your inner critical voice may help you break out of longstanding behaviours that have been holding you back. Addressing these could lead you to the level of health and life that you've been striving for but has so far been elusive. </p> <p><em>Written by Raewyn Ng. First appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

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5 defence mechanisms sabotaging your relationship

<p><em><strong>Susan Krauss Whitbourne is a professor of Psychology and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She writes the Fulfilment at Any Age blog for Psychology Today.</strong></em></p> <p>Everyone uses defence mechanisms, and if you believe Freud, everyone has to, in order to avoid staring in the face of our worst anxieties. Even if you don’t believe Freud, it’s hard to argue with the position that we all occasionally rely on such common forms of managing our most difficult feelings as pushing them out of awareness. In close relationships, where your deepest emotions are often aroused, it’s even more likely that you’ll rely on your defences to help you manage those emotions. As it turns out, some of the most common defence mechanisms may make you even more anxious by getting in the way of your relationship happiness. A new paper by Wei Zhang and Ben-yu Guo (2017) of Nanjing China’s Normal University, suggests which defence mechanisms are worst and, by extension, how to turn them from maladaptive to adaptive.</p> <p>According to Zhang and Guo, researchers have moved well past Freud’s original position on defence mechanisms, and the concept is now an integral feature of such areas within psychology as cognition, emotion, personality, and development. A well-known categorization of defence mechanisms by George Vaillant in 1994 differentiated between <em>immature</em> defence mechanisms, such as projection (blaming others) and denial, and mature defences, like humour and sublimation (turning your unconscious motives into productive activity). Other models building on Vaillant have similarly attempted to categorize defence mechanisms along a continuum from unhealthy to healthy.</p> <p>These characterizations of defence mechanisms are useful, but Zhang and Guo note that they lack a coordinated theoretical framework that incorporates current psychological thinking. The Nanjing authors propose, instead, a new model based on concepts derived from systems theory. The basic premise is that we relate to ourselves, and other people, in a continuous exchange of psychological energy. Their model, called “dissipative structure theory,” regards defence mechanisms as serving to “maintain the stability and order of cognitive-affective schema and to decrease the accompanying emotion.” </p> <p>The cognitive-affective schema, simply put, are the thoughts and emotions you hold toward yourself. They are composed of positive and negative representations, and are in part unconscious. Most people prefer to view themselves positively, and prefer sameness to change. Defence mechanisms play an important role in this self-preservation strategy. In the short run, defence mechanisms may make you feel better, because you don’t have to change your view of yourself. Over time, though, they can erode your own adaptation and, more important, your relationships. In other words, you use defence mechanisms to help you feel better about yourself, but do so at your peril, because they can lead you into problematic relationships with the people you care about the most.</p> <p>There are three main categories of defence mechanisms according to this model:</p> <ol start="1"> <li>Isolation allows you to protect your own self-representation by keeping yourself <strong>clueless</strong> about your flaws and missteps. You might use projection blaming, for example, in which you accuse others of the flaws you secretly fear you possess. You might also use denial, in which you push your negative emotions out of awareness, in which case “the unconscious functions as a trash bin in which the individual stores its ‘rubbish’” (p. 465).</li> <li>The second category of defence mechanisms involves <strong>compensation</strong>, in which you turn to ways of alleviating negative emotions by, for example, abusing substances rather than confronting your negative self-views ("compensation" refers to your attempt to find an external outlet to feel better). </li> <li>The third category is <strong>self-dissipation</strong>, in which you turn all of your anxieties onto some idealized version of yourself in what can become a form of grandiosity.</li> </ol> <p>The criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of a defence mechanism, in the Nanjing authors' model, include whether it (a) distorts the individual’s self-representation and (b) causes poorer relations with others. In this view, defence mechanisms can provide the short-term solution of helping you feel better, but cause problems in the long-term as your self-representation becomes increasingly divorced from reality. Further, when you push people away, defence mechanisms will only create more anxiety, not to mention the loss of important relationships.</p> <p>We can make practical use of this new and more nuanced view of defence mechanisms by considering the downside to each of these major five types outlined in the model. Try to think about which of these might apply to you by answering the questions below:</p> <ol start="1"> <li><strong>Projection: </strong>Do you blame your partner for the flaws you experience in yourself? Perhaps you’re a bit forgetful and messy. Rather than admit it, do you accuse your partner of failing to be thoughtful and neat? </li> <li><strong>Denial: </strong>Do you try to protect your self-representation by pretending that negative experiences haven’t occurred? Do you close your eyes and think that everything is going to be just fine, even when your partner seems upset with you? </li> <li><strong>Compensation:</strong> Do you turn to alcohol or drugs instead of confronting your own negative emotions? Is it easier to have an extra glass of wine or beer rather than talk to your partner about what's bothering you?</li> <li><strong>Daydreaming: </strong>How much do you fantasize that all of your problems and challenges will simply disappear? Would you rather escape into your own world where everything is perfect rather than step into the real and flawed life that you and your partner share?</li> <li><strong>Grandiosity: </strong>Do you see yourself as more important than your partner? Do you constantly expect to be admired, while at the same time not acknowledging your partner's accomplishments? Is it hard for you to give credit when your partner is right?</li> </ol> <p>As the Nanking authors point out, it can be difficult to abandon defence mechanisms that you’ve become accustomed to using, as they allow you to protect a stable view of yourself, even if it's an inaccurate one. If your self-representation has maintained itself for years by protecting yourself inordinately from reality, it’s going to be a challenge to move away from that status quo.</p> <p>Even though change is difficult to initiate, particularly if you've built up some very solid defences, it is possible to move to a new and more adaptive relationship to the reality you inhabit with your partner. Your partner can even help you in this change process. Using the person who knows and loves you the best, you can begin to achieve fulfillment both in your own self-understanding and, ultimately, in the quality of an improved close relationship.</p> <p><em>Written by Susan Krauss Whitbourne. First appeared on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/" target="_blank">Psychology Today</a></strong></span>. </em></p>

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5 defence mechanisms sabotaging your relationship

<p><em><strong>Susan Krauss Whitbourne is a professor of Psychology and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She writes the Fulfilment at Any Age blog for Psychology Today.</strong></em></p> <p>Everyone uses defence mechanisms, and if you believe Freud, everyone has to, in order to avoid staring in the face of our worst anxieties. Even if you don’t believe Freud, it’s hard to argue with the position that we all occasionally rely on such common forms of managing our most difficult feelings as pushing them out of awareness. In close relationships, where your deepest emotions are often aroused, it’s even more likely that you’ll rely on your defences to help you manage those emotions. As it turns out, some of the most common defence mechanisms may make you even more anxious by getting in the way of your relationship happiness. A new paper by Wei Zhang and Ben-yu Guo (2017) of Nanjing China’s Normal University, suggests which defence mechanisms are worst and, by extension, how to turn them from maladaptive to adaptive.</p> <p>According to Zhang and Guo, researchers have moved well past Freud’s original position on defence mechanisms, and the concept is now an integral feature of such areas within psychology as cognition, emotion, personality, and development. A well-known categorization of defence mechanisms by George Vaillant in 1994 differentiated between <em>immature</em> defence mechanisms, such as projection (blaming others) and denial, and mature defences, like humour and sublimation (turning your unconscious motives into productive activity). Other models building on Vaillant have similarly attempted to categorize defence mechanisms along a continuum from unhealthy to healthy.</p> <p>These characterizations of defence mechanisms are useful, but Zhang and Guo note that they lack a coordinated theoretical framework that incorporates current psychological thinking. The Nanjing authors propose, instead, a new model based on concepts derived from systems theory. The basic premise is that we relate to ourselves, and other people, in a continuous exchange of psychological energy. Their model, called “dissipative structure theory,” regards defence mechanisms as serving to “maintain the stability and order of cognitive-affective schema and to decrease the accompanying emotion.” </p> <p>The cognitive-affective schema, simply put, are the thoughts and emotions you hold toward yourself. They are composed of positive and negative representations, and are in part unconscious. Most people prefer to view themselves positively, and prefer sameness to change. Defence mechanisms play an important role in this self-preservation strategy. In the short run, defence mechanisms may make you feel better, because you don’t have to change your view of yourself. Over time, though, they can erode your own adaptation and, more important, your relationships. In other words, you use defence mechanisms to help you feel better about yourself, but do so at your peril, because they can lead you into problematic relationships with the people you care about the most.</p> <p>There are three main categories of defence mechanisms according to this model:</p> <ol start="1"> <li>Isolation allows you to protect your own self-representation by keeping yourself <strong>clueless</strong> about your flaws and missteps. You might use projection blaming, for example, in which you accuse others of the flaws you secretly fear you possess. You might also use denial, in which you push your negative emotions out of awareness, in which case “the unconscious functions as a trash bin in which the individual stores its ‘rubbish’” (p. 465).</li> <li>The second category of defence mechanisms involves <strong>compensation</strong>, in which you turn to ways of alleviating negative emotions by, for example, abusing substances rather than confronting your negative self-views ("compensation" refers to your attempt to find an external outlet to feel better). </li> <li>The third category is <strong>self-dissipation</strong>, in which you turn all of your anxieties onto some idealized version of yourself in what can become a form of grandiosity.</li> </ol> <p>The criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of a defence mechanism, in the Nanjing authors' model, include whether it (a) distorts the individual’s self-representation and (b) causes poorer relations with others. In this view, defence mechanisms can provide the short-term solution of helping you feel better, but cause problems in the long-term as your self-representation becomes increasingly divorced from reality. Further, when you push people away, defence mechanisms will only create more anxiety, not to mention the loss of important relationships.</p> <p>We can make practical use of this new and more nuanced view of defence mechanisms by considering the downside to each of these major five types outlined in the model. Try to think about which of these might apply to you by answering the questions below:</p> <ol start="1"> <li><strong>Projection: </strong>Do you blame your partner for the flaws you experience in yourself? Perhaps you’re a bit forgetful and messy. Rather than admit it, do you accuse your partner of failing to be thoughtful and neat? </li> <li><strong>Denial: </strong>Do you try to protect your self-representation by pretending that negative experiences haven’t occurred? Do you close your eyes and think that everything is going to be just fine, even when your partner seems upset with you? </li> <li><strong>Compensation:</strong> Do you turn to alcohol or drugs instead of confronting your own negative emotions? Is it easier to have an extra glass of wine or beer rather than talk to your partner about what's bothering you?</li> <li><strong>Daydreaming: </strong>How much do you fantasize that all of your problems and challenges will simply disappear? Would you rather escape into your own world where everything is perfect rather than step into the real and flawed life that you and your partner share?</li> <li><strong>Grandiosity: </strong>Do you see yourself as more important than your partner? Do you constantly expect to be admired, while at the same time not acknowledging your partner's accomplishments? Is it hard for you to give credit when your partner is right?</li> </ol> <p>As the Nanking authors point out, it can be difficult to abandon defence mechanisms that you’ve become accustomed to using, as they allow you to protect a stable view of yourself, even if it's an inaccurate one. If your self-representation has maintained itself for years by protecting yourself inordinately from reality, it’s going to be a challenge to move away from that status quo.</p> <p>Even though change is difficult to initiate, particularly if you've built up some very solid defences, it is possible to move to a new and more adaptive relationship to the reality you inhabit with your partner. Your partner can even help you in this change process. Using the person who knows and loves you the best, you can begin to achieve fulfillment both in your own self-understanding and, ultimately, in the quality of an improved close relationship.</p> <p><em>Written by Susan Krauss Whitbourne. First appeared on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/" target="_blank">Psychology Today</a></strong></span>. </em></p>

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