How would you define optimism? Would you call it seeing the glass as half-full rather than half-empty? Perhaps say optimism is a positive attitude or the ability to see the bright side of a situation. Or maybe you're a more scientific thinker and prefer a rigorous definition: "A positive orientation toward the future. Optimists are people who have the habitual tendency to expect positive future outcomes even when difficulties arise."1

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Have you ever considered that optimism is actually a placebo effect? In fact, not only is optimism a placebo effect, it may be the most powerful placebo effect ever studied. If this sounds implausible, the next few paragraphs may just persuade you to a whole new way of thinking about what optimism is and how it works.

What almost everyone gets wrong about placebo effects.

If there was a "Top 10" collection of the most misunderstood findings in psychology, placebo effects might lead the list. Ask a typical person about placebo effects and you will likely hear examples about sugar pills and pain relief, people acting jittery after (unknowingly) drinking decaf coffee, or people showing signs of intoxication after (also unknowingly) consuming alcohol-free beer. And they'd be right: These are legitimate examples of placebo effects.

However, the first mistake even many experts routinely make about placebo effects is believing they are limited to medicines or psychoactive substances. The second mistake is thinking they are imaginary.

Placebo effects are not what you think

Source: Thomas Rutledge

The table above provides a practical definition of placebo effects, pervasive misunderstandings about placebos, and a concise summary of placebo factsmost of which are directly the opposite of how placebos are commonly perceived. Placebo effects are just as real, and frequently just as strong, as those produced by conventional medicine and treatments. However, rather than the effects resulting from an outside source, placebo effects are produced on the inside; beliefs, expectations, and prior experiences can induce endogenous neurochemical changes and external behaviors aligned with the internal mental state.

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This means that the relief a person experiences when taking a sugar pill (masked as a painkiller) is not just in their head. Instead, it is in their whole body, as their expectations trigger the release of endogenous opioids, endorphins, and enkephalins that produce a similar pain-reducing effect.

But what if these same placebo effectsbeliefs, expectations, and prior experiences about what is going to happen in the future, manifesting chemically inside your body and externally through your behaviorcould do more than blunt pain and mirror the effects of drugs? What if they could also lengthen your lifespan, increase your bank account, improve your stress resilience, and enhance your love life? They can.

Each day, millions of people wake up endowed with the most powerful placebo effect scientists have yet discovered. This effect enhances their mood, optimizes their behavior, makes them more flexible, creative, and persistent in the face of obstacles, and improves their communication skills. These people will enjoy these benefits not only today but perhaps even for many years to come, with the rewards they reap actually expanding over time. Best of all, they don't have to take a pill or even see a specialist to get it. This remarkable placebo effect is simply a short- and long-term benefit of developing an optimistic attitude.2-3

Summary

Now that you understand a little more about optimism and placebo effects, you may also appreciate that optimism isn't "just" an attitude or "just" positive thinking. Positive or negative, your thoughts and attitudes have consequences. They up- and down-regulate hormones and neurotransmitter activity, affect pain sensitivity, impact gene expression, alter brain function, and predispose decision-making and behavior patterns that shape the quality and even length of our lives. Placebo effects are everywhere. Choose yours wisely.

References

1. Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 10631078.

2. Rozanski A, Bavishi C, Kubzansky LD, Cohen R. Association of Optimism With Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Sep 4;2(9):e1912200. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.12200.

3. M.J.C. Forgeard, M.E.P. Seligman. Seeing the glass half full: A review of the causes and consequences of optimism, Pratiques Psychologiques. Volume 18, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 107-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prps.2012.02.002.

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Is Optimism the World's Most Powerful Placebo Effect? - Psychology Today

The Eva Wiseman column

Sometimes its good to give up the idea that we should be striving, always, for permanent and unblemished contentment

Sun 19 Nov 2023 03.00 EST

Do you know what Ive come to believe? Ive come to believe that its good to feel bad. Not all the time, of course, not continuously. I mean, its not good to lie still, in chronic pain, with horrific memories or insults or bitter thoughts smashing relentlessly against the roof of your mouth. But sometimes, regularly, it is good to feel bad. To feel despair. A little dread. To feel sadness. To give up the idea (one that the wellness industry has long insisted upon) that we should be striving, always, for permanent and unblemished contentment.

Wellness, in fact, goes further: not only should we be free of stress, have optimised our orgasms and our work days, not only should our skin be radiant and our bowel movements exquisite, not only should we give zero fucks, striding across the street confident as an idiot, not only should creativity flow through us like tea, not only should we indefinitely hold off death by means of meditation, cold-water swimming and positive mental attitude, but we should also be HAPPY.

The confidence thing in particular this has irked me, recently. Have you noticed the encroaching mainstream idea that in order to find true empowerment, we women must shrug off all shame and self-doubt and storm through life as if we are Beyonc marching across a stage? Never (the culture says), EVER apologise. Trim the first and last lines from every email, the ones that say, No worries if not, and other such betrayals of weakness.

A transformation will occur. Notice your own impostor syndrome, and in doing so, simply eradicate it. Love yourself with a terrible fierceness, take no shit, eat men like air, and re-emerge from the fragments of femininity, no longer a fallible, questioning person, understandably disturbed by the many pressures of surviving in a distressingly unequal world, but a hair-swishing, strong, modern woman. Or to give her her correct name: a bad bitch. Its bad enough being told how to look and how to behave; must we also be told how to feel? Am I alone in feeling utterly exhausted by this insistence on positivity, on confidence? This pretending that everythings fine?

The whole thing the focus on confidence, on joy, on happiness feels equal parts flattening and insane. Flattening because it is human to feel sad, and to accept feeling sad, and frustrated, and incapable of some things. It is healthy, and it is a clear, if uncomfortable, sign we are alive. To try to eliminate these feelings or, worse, deny them, leaves you unwhole. Leaves you lonely and disconnected from the world, performing a sort of glittering drag.

The wellness industry thrives because it trades on crises, of mental health and womens healthcare, but the people buying its products and buying into its messaging are rarely actually the ones affected by these crises. We, instead, are the ones seduced by the idea that life can be perfected; ironed out like a shirt. That something like empowerment can become fact simply by saying the word out loud. And it feels insane because it is appropriate to feel bad sometimes, worried sometimes, guilty even. It is necessary. It is a result of things like grief, inequality and empathy, rather than, say, gluten. In our governments, in our homes, inside our bodies, terrible things are happening, and we are or we feel, or are made to feel powerless to change them.

Is this an unpopular opinion? Perhaps. It feels bad to feel bad; it is not a state to be welcomed, or sought. But when it arrives, I think it should be met with respect and curiosity, rather than being briskly swept away. Bad feelings and anger, sharpened correctly, can result in bursts of furious creativity. If dread is accurately channelled it has the potential to mutate into a great work of art, or an impossibly clean kitchen. Moments of darkness can focus the mind, and allow us to appreciate the good feelings that sit in between them, barking like puppies.

Another benefit of these bad feelings is that they crack us open, exposing the raw pink inside. They show us what we want, and sometimes who we are. And by acknowledging them, by admitting our lack of confidence, our sadnesses, our multiple daily failures, we can connect with each other in ways that sitting in simple contentment rarely allows. As I write, a debate is playing out over the proposed banning of a planned protest in London, so I am thinking a lot about that feeling of powerlessness, and what we do with it. Marching is one thing. Marching your powerlessness through town, giving it some air, taking your horrors and frustrations on a walk to meet other peoples sadness and grief, finding comfort there, in not doing nothing, in feeling bad, together.

Email Eva at e.wiseman@observer.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @EvaWiseman

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Were constantly being told to feel good but feeling bad brings its own kind of power - The Guardian

At any level of sport there is often too much focus on whether youre recruiting attackers or defenders. But Ive always had the attitude that defence wins games no matter how good you are in offense.

To win you need to have strong defence. You dont need lots of sporting talent to play defence well in our sport either, its all in your mental attitude. You need to want it.

There are parallels with business. Offense is the fun bit in business, going on corporate golf days, networking events or launching new services. Whereas defence is the hard work being consistent with your finance, emails and business strategy.

Winning new business isnt going to be worth much if you arent on top of what youve already built. Winning in sport and business means having the right team of people around you.

The Newcastle Eagles Stadium.

What is sometimes overlooked though is how much personality matters. We invest a lot of time and energy into making sure we recruit the right personalities for the Eagles.

The difference between a professional and amateur sportsman is not always how technically gifted they are but their mentality.

We have developed a glass half full culture at the Eagles an ethos that our Head Coach Mark Steutel, also the Head Coach for the British Mens Basketball team, lives and breathes. I also think this is key for any successful business as culture is everything.

We look for people who are in it for the long-game, positive people who want to play for the badge and want to make Newcastle their home.

We are the best supported club in the league and we want our players to fall in love with the city as well as the sport this all plays into a winning mentality.

If you have someone in your team who isnt engaged with the wider vision and instead see their role as a stepping stone you dont get the player trying to win a trophy, you get an individual looking after their own stats.

Creating a strong culture within your business will give your team the motivation they need to work together.

In my playing days my vision for success started with getting on the court in the first place, by being chosen to play the game in a tournament, then the majority of games in the season. It was a process and I had to work hard at each step.

I never got to where I wanted to be in basketball but back then there wasnt as clear a pathway as there is today.

My love for the sport never faltered though, and I didnt let this blip in my vision get me down. I adapted and moved over to the business side of the sport, shifting my vision and realising the opportunities ahead.

Newcastle Eagles encompasses multiple businesses the club, the foundation and the arena we play in.

Even though I am passionately invested in club games I am also involved in the day to day running of all three businesses.

If we lose a game at the weekend even though I really struggle to get over losing games I must find a positive mindset to approach the tasks that need doing for the other businesses on Monday morning.

Remaining positive is a key pillar to winning and staying on the path to achieving your vision. The same applies in business, especially an industry like property where things can change quickly. There are always wins to be found and although its important to look at how we can improve, its not productive to dwell on the negatives.

As long as the changes you make have a purpose, youre on the right path.

Paul Blake is owner of basketball team, Newcastle Eagles. Read more in the latest issue of Iampropertys Tech of a Life

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BLOG: Here's the surprising link between sport and selling homes - The Negotiator

Washington Examiner op-ed editor Kaylee McGhee White discusses the work habits of the zoomer generation on 'Making Money.'

Gen Z employees have made headlines recently over their issues with the 9-to-5 work schedule, which has prompted sympathy from peers, as well as criticism from superiors who argue America's younger generation needs to toughen up and adapt to the working lifestyle.

Research shows Gen Z, Millennials and Boomers all have different approaches to their workday, including attitudes toward the traditional 9-to-5 work schedule that Gen Z employees take issue with. But, experts who spoke with Fox News Digital argued it's less about their willingness to work and more about their approach to work, which differs from older generations.

Ted Jenkin, the CEO oXYGen Financial in Atlanta, told Fox News Digital that the issue isn't with Gen Z's work ethic, but with expectations.

"Generation Z expects higher pay for fewer hours and more paid time off," he said. "Thus, Generation Z workers don't feel they need to work after 5 PM to earn a higher income. What kids are being told out of college is that they should immediately be making $75,000 to $100,000 a year with their college degree, but the law of supply and demand is really what dictates your salary."

GEN Z HARDEST GENERATION TO WORK WITH, ACCORDING TO SURVEY: THEY LACK DISCIPLINE AND LIKE TO CHALLENGE YOU

In regard to a traditional 9-to-5 job, a recent global study conducted by Adobe, titled "The Future of Time," looked at work preferences of different generations and found Millennials and Gen Z workers, specifically, value flexibility in their schedule.

"Approximately three-quarters of younger generation employees say they would switch jobs for better work-life balance, two-thirds would switch for the option to work remotely, and around 70 percent would take a different job to have more control over their work schedule," according to the study.

Younger employees, including 68% of Gen Z and younger Millennials, report feeling stressed and burnt out a lot of the time, according to a Gallup poll. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

For example, more than twice as many Gen Z and Millennial workers, at 26% and 18% respectively, reportedly said they preferred working late hours from 6pm to 3am, while only 13% of Gen Xers and 6% of Boomers agreed.

Demographic strategist and futurist, Bradley Schurman, is the Founder and CEO of Human Change, which works with leaders to anticipate and solve the challenges of demographic change, agreed with Jenkin. He explained that even though Gen Z approaches work completely differently than older generations, it "doesn't necessarily mean they have a work ethic problem."

GEN Z WANTS LESS SEX IN MOVIES AND TELEVISION; EXPERTS SAY TECHNOLOGY AND DELAYED ADULTHOOD COULD BE WHY

Younger employees, including 68% of Gen Z and younger Millennials, report feeling stressed and burnt out a lot of the time, which can lead to the "job hopping" phenomenon Gen Z is known for, according to a Gallup poll. The study also found that younger generations value flexibility in their jobs, including greater work-life balance and the opportunity to work remotely, which can be an important consideration for employers as Gen Z and Millennials now make up 46% of the full-time U.S. workforce.

Schurman viewed these sentiments as indicative of the way Gen Z grew up.

"Like the generations before them, Gen Z is a product of the environment they grew up in: - Gen Z lived through 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - They saw the economic pain inflicted on their parents during the Great Recession - And they began working during the pandemic when flexible or remote work was the norm," he said.

A majority of younger generation employees say they would switch jobs for better work-life balance and schedule flexibility. (iStock / iStock)

"Gen Z is also the first generation to talk openly about their problems with their managers, including physical and mental health," he added. "Gen Z is also working in the tightest labor market since the end of World War II, which puts them in a unique bargaining space with their employers. They can get more from their employers because demand is high and supply is low."

Gen Z reported various factors that made it harder to work, including mental health issues, a hostile work environment, access to transportation, physical health issues and access to housing close to where they work, according to a McKinsey survey of 18 to 24-year-old Americans.

For example, 55% of Gen Z respondents reported having either been diagnosed with or having received treatment for mental illness, compared with 31% of respondents ages 55 to 64, according to the study. In addition, Gen Z respondents also reported "alarming levels" of negativity about themselves, their confidence in the future and their ability to be happy in American life, citing concerns that the pay they receive for their work will allow them a good quality of life, which was exacerbated by the pandemic that ushered in a period of economic instability.

GEN Z OPTING FOR TEXTING DUE TO PHOBIA OF PHONE CALLS, RESEARCH REVEALS

Piper Hansen, a Gen Z employee at the YMCA, lamented in an essay published by Business Insider that her day job is rewarding, but "difficult" because it takes up too much of her time. Hansen graduated from college in spring 2023 and while she has only been working full time for a few months, she said it is depressing to work a 9-to-5 schedule.

Hansen explained that she wakes up around 7 a.m. for her 10-to-7 job, but by the time she gets home, she barely has time to walk her dog and make dinner before it gets dark.

"How can I make sure I'm eating well and seeing my friends and taking time for my hobbies?" she asked. "How am I supposed to fit my whole life into a 9-to-5 work schedule?"

"Generation Z workers don't feel they need to work after five pm to earn a higher income," one expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock / iStock)

"Then I have to make sure the coffee pot is ready for the next morning, and I have something to take for lunch the next day," she wrote. "I'm home for just a few hours before I get ready to go to bed by 11 p.m."

Hansen mentioned the viral video of another Gen Z employee who posted a tear-filled rant where she complained about the demands of a 40-hour work week. While some viewers were sympathetic to her complaints, others believed her sentiments were a larger indication of the weak work ethic and attitude of the younger American generation.

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In the TikTok, the young college graduate questioned how people are supposed to make time for friends or to date.

"I want to shower, eat my dinner and go to sleep," she said. "I don't have time or energy to cook my dinner either. Like, I don't have energy to work out, like that's out the window. Like, I'm so upset. Nothing to do with my job at all, but just, like, the 9-to-5 schedule in general is crazy."

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Gen Z attitude toward 9-to-5 job sparking debate about the difference in generational work ethics - Fox Business

Updated Nov 25, 2023 | 08:00 PM IST

Optical Illusion Personality Test: What You See First Reveals Whether You are Carefree or Reserved (Picture Credit - Instagram)

This optical illusion personality test claims to reveal others' perceptions of you and your life perspective.

The vibrant, eye-catching optical illusion invites a brief glance at an image where you'll spot either garments on a washing line or a farm animal like a horse or cow relaxing in a meadow.

Depending on whether you first notice the clothes or the farm animal, the illusion aims to indicate whether you lean towards a positive or negative outlook and how this influences your trust in others.

This intriguing optical illusion was initially introduced in a social media video by Mia Yilin, an expert in the field, who has gained online popularity for her engaging and swift psychological imagery.

Optical Illusion Personality Test: What You See First Reveals Whether You Are Carefree or Reserved (Picture Credit - Instagram)

Clothes

Spotting clothes hanging on the lines first suggests you generally have a positive outlook, rarely allowing life's challenges to overwhelm you. Your caring demeanour and vibrant personality make it easy for you to connect with almost anyone. You tend to focus on living in the moment, steering clear of dwelling on the past or fretting about the future.

However, this laid-back attitude might lead to feelings of being overwhelmed when facing significant decisions, and you could easily become stressed when pushed out of your comfort zone. It's observed that you might hesitate over minor details but maintain an optimistic view, always looking for the best in every situation.

Animal

Seeing a farm animal first indicates a tendency towards a more negative perspective on life. You are practical and prefer to depend on yourself, preparing thoroughly for any of life's challenges. While you may come across as stoic, you possess a kind heart and are always willing to assist others, as you dislike seeing people in distress. Nonetheless, it's crucial to guard against being taken advantage of or placing trust in someone who might not deserve your compassionate nature.

You're known to be easily trusting and sometimes a bit naive. Additionally, you often lean towards pessimism, habitually bracing for the least favourable outcomes.

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Optical Illusion Personality Test: What You See First Reveals Whether You Are Carefree or Reserved - Times Now

Unravelling a story of transition from a sheltered life to my name becoming an international brand, Shahnaz Husain rose to fame formulating customised beauty care, with a personalised style, based on individual needs and problems. Husains adoption of the concept of herbal care and cure resonates with the larger Indian populace, making her a household name, withstanding the changes of the modern skincare industry. Excerpts of the interview are as follows

Q: Hello Shahnaz ji. Tell us about you, your story, and how you established your brand name?

SH: My story is one of a lone woman in a fiercely competitive arena. I was married at 15 and became a mother at 16, yet, I braved all the odds and made my dreams come true. I was interested in beauty and in making others beautiful. I trained at leading beauty training institutes of the West. While training in London, I learned about damage caused by chemical treatments and it changed the course of my life and career. I wanted to find a safe alternative and knew that I must have my own enterprise in order to translate my ideas into reality.

So, I opened my first herbal salon in the verandah of my own home after borrowing Rs. 35,000 from my father. I started making my own formulations, using plant products and natural ingredients. I made the products at night, filled them in jars, wrote labels by hand and stuck them on the jars. I adopted the concept of herbal care and cure. It was a totally unique, path-breaking concept. Today, the formulations have become internationally renowned in Ayurvedic beauty care. Today, we are also known for our therapeutic products and treatments for problems like acne, hyper-pigmentation, scars, premature ageing, dandruff, hair damage, and hair loss. I have taken the Ayurvedic beauty movement worldwide through my franchise system is one of unprecedented success, much more than I ever dreamed.

Q: What are your thoughts on the growing demand for natural and organic beauty products?

SH: For the last five decades, my efforts have been focussed on the benefits of organic substances and the harm caused by chemical ingredients. We have formulated skin and hair care products containing herbal and plant ingredients, essential oils and natural substances. They are not only safe and without risks, but have powerful healing properties and beauty benefits. With the back to nature and the total well-being trends influencing the beauty world over the past few decades, organic products have become the popular choice.

Formulations made with organic plant products are purer, free from chemicals and richer in nutrients, because they are richer in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and enzymes. Organic products also have specific curative and beneficial properties that actually enhance the beauty of the skin and hair. They help improve the normal functions of the skin and scalp, including that of cell renewal. Thus, they have the power to revitalise and rejuvenate.

An important advantage is the element of safety. Synthetic preparations and chemical ingredients, on the other hand, can cause allergic and irritative reactions. They can also cause a build-up of toxins in the system, over a period of time. The human body responds extremely well to organic substances, while it has in-built resistance to synthetic ones. We use organic ingredients in our formulations, like herb, flower and fruit extracts, essential oils, minerals, gems and other natural substances that are eco-friendly and biodegradable. We choose the ingredients according to the Ayurvedic system and according to the herbs and their healing properties.

Q: Can you tell us of a beauty routine that you believe is beneficial for overall health?

SH: If you wish to acquire, maintain and preserve beauty, you have to take some common factors into consideration. These are physical fitness, nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress control and regular external care. Consistency is the keyword. Yes, you do not have to be born beautiful. You can acquire it, because beauty is the outcome of good internal health and regular external care. Internal health and external beauty are closely related. For flawless skin and shiny hair, good health must be on top of the list.

The food we eat affects the skin, hair, eyes, teeth and nails. Some form of daily exercise is necessary for fitness and good posture. Exercise, together with a balanced diet, can work wonders. Not only does it build up stamina and strength, but improves blood circulation to the skin and scalp. Adequate sleep is also essential to beauty. Sleep is a way of restoring energy to the body and is natures best cure. It is a beauty treatment in itself.

Along with internal health, it is necessary to give your skin and hair external care by selecting products which are suited to your individual skin and hair type. In fact, regular care has assumed more importance today, due to increased exposure to pollutants. The right kind of daily care reflects on the skin and hair over a period of time. It also helps to delay the signs of aging. A positive mental attitude is also important, because the mind and body are closely related. Indeed, the finest foundation for beauty consists of these common factors, which we often overlook.

Q: With changing times, how do you think the need for a skincare routine has increased?

SH: Pollutants in the air are making our cities increasingly hostile to our good health and well-being. Chemical pollutants also affect beauty, as the skin and scalp bear the brunt of pollutants, which not only attack the skin surface, but also lead to an accumulation of toxins. Chemical pollutants cause oxidation damage, which leads to the manifestation of premature ageing signs on the skin, like wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dark patches and spots. They also disrupt the normal balances of the skin causing dryness, sensitivity, rashes, acne, allergic reactions and related conditions.

All of us who live and work in urban areas need protective beauty care. Cleansing of the skin assumes more importance in order to get rid of the impurities and pollutants that are deposited on the skin. Look out for products according to skin type and containing ingredients like sandalwood, eucalyptus, mint, neem, tulsi, and aloe vera when you buy cleansers. If the skin is prone to eruptive conditions like acne, pimples, rash, it should be protected with specialised creams containing sandalwood, neem and clove. After cleansing, wipe the skin with chilled rose water, to complete the cleansing process and refresh the skin. Green tea also makes a good skin toner. If there is a rash or eruptions, add a little rose water to sandalwood paste and apply on the face. Wash off with plain water after 15 minutes. Anti-pollution cosmetics help to provide protection and reduce the damage caused by environmental effects. These are basically cover creams that form a barrier between the skin and pollutants. We formulated a sandalwood protective cream, for this very purpose, to protect the skin from environmental effects.

Q: Is there any celebrity who has used your products? Are there any success stories you would like to share?

SH: On principle I never divulge the names of my clients. I believe that beauty is a personal matter and it is not ethical to discuss the names of our clients, whether they are celebrities or not. Many celebrities have used our products regularly and still do. The late Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi used my sandalwood protective cream. I have also mentioned that I created Shamoist for her. A few who went on record to mention me, I have spoken of. The most celebrated was Princess Diana, for whom I created a special line. She used our Shaeyes kajal. There was also Dame Barbara Cartland, the famous author. She became a great friend of mine, because we shared our interest in herbs, nature and natural living. She flew down to Paris at my request to launch my Flower Power range at Galeries Lafayette and spoke at the press conference. Goldie Hawn, the famous Hollywood actress, came to India specially, for the Shahnaz experience. She spent an entire day at our salon in Delhi. In India, we have a special line called Shahnaz Star Range for film and television stars and models. It is a specially reinforced line to counteract the demands of heavy make-up and exposure to bright arc lights, the sun and elements.

Q: How important is it for aspiring youngsters to look a certain way, who may be looking for careers in the corporate and non-glamorousprofessions?

SH: Both men and women know that appearance counts in the workplace. Looking ones best imparts self-confidence, very necessary in todays competitive career world. In general, there is the feeling that beauty bias does exist in the career world; that people react more favourably towards a good-looking person; that with good looks, one has more chances of being hired at job interviews! I believe that one of the most important aspects of personal appeal is personal hygiene. You may have attractive features but lack of personal cleanliness can really put people off. As it is a time tested theory, a well groomed person always stands out from the crowd.

Q: What do you think is the future of Ayurveda in the beauty industry?

SH: Ayurveda is both the healing and the beauty systems of the future. The world is looking at Ayurveda with enlightened eyes due to the worldwide interest in holistic healing. Indeed, Ayurveda, our ancient system of herbal healing, is a holistic system and has been flourishing for centuries. Today, modern research has upheld Ayurvedic healing. Ayurveda views good health as total well-being of body, mind and soul. The modern world has woken up to the fact that it needs a holistic system like Ayurveda. In fact, it can be most relevant to our modern lifestyle, in terms of counteracting the degenerative processes, environmental pollution, toxic build up and mental stress. We cannot ignore the fact that the human body responds positively to Ayurvedic remedies, while it has a resistance towards synthetic and chemical ingredients. We also cannot overlook Ayurvedas long history of safe human usage. Today, we are combining Artificial Intelligence and Ayurveda for customized beauty care. In fact, Ayurveda is not only the beauty system of the future. It is also Indias gift to the world.

End of Interview

After completing five decades in the beauty and wellness industry, the Shahnaz Husain Group is the largest organisation of its kind in the world, with franchise ventures worldwide and 380 Ayurvedic formulations for skin, hair and body care. Husain has been recognised and honoured with prestigious international and national awards, including the Padma Shri Award. Based on the notion that beauty is not just about how you look, but also how you feel, Husain elevated the beauty industry many notches higher and gave the average Indian aspiration, dream and belief, by redefining beauty standards.

(Interviewed by Dr. G L Mahajan)

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In conversation with the flag bearer of beauty secrets, Shahnaz Husain - The Shillong Times

Most studies on willingness to PDS are limited to health professionals or students [43,44,45,46], although some reports have focused on other populations, such as blood donors [47], registered body donors [30], ethnicities [48], patients, and relatives [49]. With respect to Mexico, as far as we know, there is only one PDS willingness study, which was limited to the staff and students of an anatomy department [37]. The hypothesis that a small proportion of the northern Mexican population is willing to donate their post-mortem body to science and that non-health-related persons might be more willing than health-related professionals seemed accurate for a cohort recruited online from a private university community.

A promising result was that 70.7% of the responder cohort was willing to PDS. Another Mexican study on PDS willingness reported a similar proportion [37]. This latter cohort differed from ours in population and recruitment strategy. Rather than a study population limited to students and staff of an anatomy department, our population included students and personnel from an entire university community. With respect to recruitment strategy, rather than an invitation in a working or study environment, our online convenience strategy presented limited control and less social pressure for the study population. The convenience recruitment strategy seemed to yield a self-selected cohort with a double bias, altruism, and interest in the topic, which is discussed further in the profile section.

The proportion of our cohort willing to PDS represented 0.78% of the target population. A relatively high number in comparison to 0.17% of the Mexican population registered as organ donors at the federal transplant registry [20, 50]. It is also high in comparison to a progressive society, such as the Dutch, where 0.1% of the population was registered as a body donor in 2013 [51]. The comparison of survey with registry data is awkward because of the well-known discrepancy between willingness and behavior [21]. Two relevant aspects of these low proportions are the following: 1. The proportions tend to below the significance threshold, indicating that PDS willing people are significantly different from the general population. Most countries and cultures have a small, distinctive cohort willing to PDS [51]; 2. Low proportions tend to be sufficient; high proportions may generate an undesirable surplus of bodies [51]. Thus, a willingness rate of 0.78% for the university population may seem small but may be sufficient for successful PDS programs, especially if it also occurs at a national level.

With respect to the profile of respondents willing to PDS, age had the strongest impact in our well-educated cohort at a private university. Mature adults were more willing toward PDS than younger adults. A similar age effect was reported from a PDS survey among staff and students from an anatomy department at a public university in northern Mexico [37] and is consistent with most international data [52, 53]. In contrast, a POD survey among the general population in central Mexico found that older participants had a less favorable attitude [54]. In the latter study, lower levels of education among older people may have been a confounding factor. Indeed, less education has been associated with more misconceptions, more psychological barriers, and less willingness [22]. Education at high school level or beyond is an important factor for a positive attitude toward PDS [31, 52]. The importance of age and education has been reported repeatedly in a variety of cultures [29, 31, 52,53,54,55], including Mexico [54]. As the education level of our cohort was relatively high, the impact of lower education was not evident. Hence, in our cohort, mature age was the most distinctive sociodemographic trait among people willing to PDS.

Among the young adult respondents (up to 40years old), academic interest had a strong correlation with PDS willingness. Those with an academic interest in the humanities and social sciences were the most willing, while those interested in technology and business were the least willing to PDS. In contrast, a survey among Indian registered body donors found that engineers and businesspeople were more abundant than donors from the humanities and social sciences [31]. These contrasting findings may in part be due to cultural differences. The relatively low rate of PD behavior among medical physicians across different countries and cultures is notable [31, 52, 56]. Willingness to self-donate tends to decline after dissection experiences, while a positive attitude toward PDS by strangers remains intact [57,58,59]. This phenomenon was not found in the single study on PDS willingness among Mexican anatomy students [37]. However, an aversion due to dissection experience could explain why our respondents from the health sciences did not have the highest PDS willingness rate. In our cohort, all respondents from health sciences were in favor of POD, but only 50% reported being registered as such. Respondents from the social sciences had the highest consistency rate, with 70% reporting being registered as POD. The relationship between career choice, PD willingness, and consistent behavior is complex and beyond the scope of this study. To summarize, our university cohort showed a higher willingness to PDS among respondents from the humanities and social sciences, who also had the highest rate of self-reported consistent behavior toward PD.

Socioaffective characteristics, such as social responsibility, benevolence, altruism, empathy, social responsibility, and trust have been reported worldwide as motivators for blood donation, POD, and PDS [60,61,62], including for a Mexican POD study [38]. Our cohort appeared to have an altruistic bias. An unexpectedly large proportion of respondents had previously donated blood (49.0%) and/or self-reported being a registered POD (44.8%). Although there are no reference data available for the target population, there is circumstantial evidence. Mexico is known for low rates of altruistic blood donation [63], and this also applies to Nuevo Len [64], the state where most of the respondents came from. Although this study did not distinguish between altruistic and family-motivated blood donation, the relatively high proportion of blood donors in the respondent cohort suggests an altruistic bias. The proportion of registered organ donors in our study (44.8%) was higher than that reported in a Mexican POD survey among nursing and medical students (1135%) from public and private universities in central Mexico [65]. In contrast to this latter study, where the POD registry was supported by physical evidence, our anonymous online study relied on self-reports. Although there was no social pressure in our study, over-reporting of actions considered socially desirable cannot be ruled out. Our recruitment method may have favored the self-selection of a cohort with an interest in the topic and an altruistic bias. The POD registry proportions are much higher than data from the federal POD registry (0.17%) [20, 50], probably due to their higher accessibility as they are linked to the issuance of a drivers license. Altogether, our self-selected cohort seems to present an altruistic bias, which may explain the high proportion willing to PDS.

In our cohort, the proportion with willingness to POD (90.9%) was higher than that with willingness to PDS (70.7%). This is a common finding [58, 59, 66]. What determines these differences? People may imagine a greater disfigurement of the post-mortem body when it is destined for PDS than for POD. Mutilation of the post-mortem body, fear, and family considerations are strong contributors to POD and PDS aversion [57,58,59, 66], also in Mexico [38]. People may think that saving a life-saving POD is a better cause than PDS. Indeed, the utilitarian motive has been recognized for general PD willingness, including in Mexico [21, 38, 67]. In the free comments section of our survey, post-mortem usefulness was mentioned in a positive sense. However, for one POD-positive respondent, the uselessness of science was an argument against PDS, which still underscores the importance of the utilitarian motive. The most common positive terms in the comments were interesting and social awareness. Social awareness and interest are helpful first steps toward body donation as they motivate a search for information [21]. Importantly, the willingness rate tends to be higher than the rate of compliant behavior, as we noticed in the compliance of POD donors. The willingness-behavior discrepancy is not limited to PD but has been observed in many areas [68, 69]. A profound sociopsychological analysis of this phenomenon, although interesting, goes beyond the aims of this study.

With respect to cultural aspects, Mexico is portrayed for its idiosyncratic, ludic feelings toward death as an entity. The stereotype of Mexican death cults is accurate as an identity marker, but inaccurate because it is a one-sided exaggeration that fails to describe the full range of emotions that every human being experiences when confronted by death. Indeed, few Mexicans display ludic stoicism toward their own death and illness [70]. As in most countries and cultures, Mexicans vary not only individually but also by class, ethnicity, and region. As in most countries, in Mexico there is a minority willing to PD. A worldwide profile can be summarized as follows: PDS-willing people are a minority characterized by the following motivators: altruism and usefulness which seem to increase with age and education. On the other hand, fear, mutilation, and family considerations are demotivators. In general, Western world cultures have a higher prevalence of PDS willing people, but willingness to PDS exists in a minority in almost all cultures.

Valid responses represented only 1.1% of the target population. Web-based recruitment may not have reached the target population completely. Additionally, the tendency to not participate when holding a negative attitude towards PDS may explain the low participation rate. Due to the low response rate, the results are not representative of the target population and only describe the responder cohort. Recruitment difficulties for a PD survey have been reported previously [71]. Additionally, there is probably a nonresponse error, as 76.7% of visitors to the survey site did not proceed beyond the informed consent. This group was likely interested in the topic but discouraged for unknown reasons at the first step. Reasons for discouragement could be: i) the length or content of the informed consent, and ii) the time investment required, among others. Furthermore, 17.3% dropped out before completing the questionnaire. These dropouts may have been due to technical reasons, the length of the questionnaire, being disgraced by certain items, or other reasons. In the study design and during the pilot study, it was determined and verified that the questionnaire could be completed within 15minutes. This is important, as it is known that data quality declines with longer surveys [72]. Furthermore, it is probable that the responder cohort had a sampling bias, with community members who were less attentive to the institutional sites and news board being underrepresented. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, an altruistic bias was perceived in the responder cohort. An incentive might have diminished this sampling bias. The altruistic bias may be smaller than it seems in case blood donation and POD registry were over-reported, as they may have been perceived as desirable answers. Overall, convenience recruitment and online surveys generate several reliability issues that are common in online surveys [73]. Because of recruitment issues, the 70.2% PDS willingness cannot be extrapolated to the target population, and can be extrapolated even less to the Mexican population. However, the existence of this nonrepresentative, small (0.78%), altruism-biased, PDS-willing group is relevant and promising as it may be extrapolatable to the Mexican population. Future studies will verify that.

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Willingness toward post-mortem body donation to science at a ... - BMC Medical Ethics

Lawyers told CNA that Muslim women who may have been mistreated in polygamous marriages may decide that a divorce would be the best course of action.

In Malaysia, polygamy is allowed for Muslims and permission must be granted by the Shariah courts.

Some men (in a polygamous marriage) may not really invest time, energy and effort into the first or second wife when there is a third and fourth to look after.

In those kind of scenarios, the older wives may not want to tolerate it anymore (and seek) other options such as being independent. They know their rights and they seek a share of the assets or maintenance, Ms Goh told CNA.

She added that she has handled cases where the second wife is made to be the wealth generator while the husband does not not contribute to the marriage.

I see sometimes the husband goyang kaki (idles) and the wives are the ones looking after the house and working because they have to put food on the table and put the kids through school. And these wives are sometimes abused physically, sexually and emotionally, said Ms Goh.

So these women (decide that) this is not acceptable and say I would rather be independent and be free of all this abuse than to be in an unhappy and abusive marriage.

Sisters In Islam - a local civil organisation which promotes womens rights within the framework of Islam - noted in its 2021 findings that the top concern raised by women in a polygamous marriage was that their husbands did not provide them any maintenance.

Data gathered from the organisations legal clinic also found that the second most recurring issue was that their husbands had entered a polygamous marriage without their permission, followed by unregistered polygamy.

Mr Gomez noted that in civil marriages, couples can only seek a divorce after two years of marriage. Meanwhile, Muslim men are allowed to declare the talak three times for an immediate divorce.

The utterance of the word "talak", which means to release or untie in Arabic, is a method of divorce recognised by the Shariah court, though Islamic law varies from state to state. In the east coast state of Terengganu, for example, the declaration of the "talak" must be made thrice in court for the divorce to be recognised.

Ms Jazzmine Khoo, a managing partner at Jazzmine Khoo & Associates, also noted the quick process for a Muslim divorce.

A Muslim (couple) can get a divorce done within a short amount of time - a few hours only or less than that. (Meanwhile), a non-Muslim divorce would still need a few months to get done, she said.

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43% spike in Malaysia's divorce cases last year due to effects of ... - CNA

Remember when children were seen and not heard? This medieval proverb applied to young women until it stuck to children, designed to silence them or admonish them for making a scene. Its interesting then, that 500 years later, children are still struggling to get their voices heard, or their rights acknowledged. While we might not say that phrase much anymore, the action is very much still alive.

This week marked World Childrens Day, the theme of which is For every child, every right. Around the world, communities are working to raise the voices of children, calling for adults to listen to children on major issues like climate change, mental health and education. The recent atrocities in Israel and Gaza, which have resulted in more than 6000 Palestinian and Israeli child deaths highlights the very critical need to value the rights of children.

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Ditch medieval attitude that kids should be seen, not heard - The West Australian

The British gymnast Nile Wilson steps on stage and introduces himself.

In a broad Leeds accent, the 27-year-old describes himself as an Olympic medallist, the owner of several successful businesses, and the face of a YouTube channel with more than 1.5million subscribers.

Then he pauses and, as if hes slipped off the pommel horse, he begins again.

Im self-destructive, he says. Competing at the highest level of sport, I spent four to five nights a week at the casino alone. Once I drink alcohol, I struggle to stop for days or even weeks at a time.

I believe both introductions are true for the same reason. What can be our strength quickly turns into our weaknesses.

This is the dichotomy of sporting excellence.

By starting young, athletes are malleable.

Like gymnastics, football asks its participants to adopt an elite performance mindset from an early age. In general, those who turn professional in both sports have generally begun to participate before they are six years old, and are in systematic coaching before they turn 11. And at the end of that, there is no guarantee of a pro career.

There are consequences to this model.

Increasingly, this type of coaching means children are pushed into developing an addictive personality; a single-minded focus in which nothing is done in moderation.

Wilson describes this reality, flitting from the sporting (endless hours of training) to the innocent (watching The Lion King movie every night as a small child) to the more sinister (trying to drink more than his friends when out socialising).

Elite athletes, often driven by the rush of competition and desire to win, certainly display behaviours resembling addiction, explain sport psychologist Marc Sagal and addiction expert Ned DeWitt. Their focus, discipline, and pursuit of excellence can border on obsession. These qualities can contribute meaningfully to success but can also create problems like life imbalance or relationship challenges.

I brought the same intensity to a night out as I did to gymnastics, Wilson said. It was a competition, I wanted to win.

In this context, Tottenham Hotspur and England footballer James Maddisons eye-raising comment that he likes to be the main man at a roast dinner begins to make sense.

But as Wilson foreshadows, this mentality can have serious and even traumatic consequences.

Im obsessive, Im competitive, Im a risk-taker, and Im a show-off, Wilson summarises. You can see where Im going with this. It sounds like a pretty good concoction to create a champion and maybe an addict.

When it comes to footballs relationship with addiction, the crumbs are peeking out from under the carpet.

Brentfords Ivan Toney and Newcastle Uniteds Sandro Tonali are both serving lengthy suspensions for betting (eight and 10 months respectively) with the legal process revealing that both players were gambling addicts.

The biggest game has started against an illness, Tonalis agent, Beppe Riso, said after the news broke. Sandro is used to big games and usually he wins them. Sandros experience will save the lives of other kids.

Nottingham Forests Harry Toffolo was also handed a suspended five-month ban in September, with the FA Commission stating the bets were the result, at least in large part, of significant mental health challenges.

Their experiences are not unique in football players including Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Paul Merson, Peter Shilton, Andros Townsend and Dietmar Hamann have all spoken about struggles with gambling.

Other addictions are prevalent across the game. This month, The Athleticreported on the scale of tramadol use within the sport, a strong, prescription only painkiller which former Liverpool and England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland said left him suicidal. Earlier in November, Rooney spoke about his reliance on alcohol during his early twenties, while Dele Allis emotional interview with Gary Neville in July saw the pair discuss Allis dependence on sleeping pills. Gambling, however, is seen as particularly dangerous because it has no direct physiological impact on performance.

Besides the horrific guilt, the next day I could perform to the best of my ability, Wilson explained.

The game has changed, adds Michael Bennett, head of player welfare at the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) players trade union in England. Its very much more data-driven. Gone are the days when you could go out drinking at the weekend, then play on a Tuesday. All the data is checked, from training and in matches. So its very difficult to do what you used to, back in the day. That leads itself to the possibility of other vices.

Football is at the sharp end of wider problems. Research released this month by Ipsos and GambeAware shows that, amongst the general population, nearly two-thirds of problem gamblers (64 per cent), had never spoken to anyone about their issues. Though the overall number of gamblers between 18 and 24 has fallen, those remaining are far more likely to bet more than they can afford (42 per cent).

The Sporting Chance clinic, set up by former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams in 2000 to support players with various mental, emotional and addiction issues, had more than 35 players require residential rehabilitation last season, with over 50 per cent related to gambling.

In 2014, research from the Professional Players Federation, an organisation of athletes associations across UK sport, stated footballers and cricketers were three times more likely to become problem gamblers than other men in their age group. Eight years on, EPIC, a consultancy group specialising in problem gambling, said professional athletes were now four times more likely than others to develop issues.

The modern footballer has no shortage of stress, pressure to perform, access to certain substances, and a culture that sometimes normalises risky behaviours, all of which might contribute to addiction and other mental health problems, say Sagal and DeWitt.

These numbers are startling and beg the question of why.

There is an increasing belief that the increasing pervasiveness of addictive personalities is a contributing factor.

When Kobe Bryant, one of the most influential athletes in history, wrote an article for The Players Tribune, he titled it Obsession is natural.

For Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Bryant, and his legendary work ethic, maybe. Later on in that piece, he expanded on that intensity: I swore to approach every matchup as a matter of life and death. The mindset he coined as mamba mentality is not so different at all from an obsessive personality.

Three years after his untimely death, Bryants legacy continues.

Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon, then at Everton, paid tribute to the 41-year-old when he died in a helicopter crash, posting on Twitter: RIP to the greatest competitor the sports world has seen. A true definition of hard work and dedication. A Kobe video or quote has gotten me through some tough times during my career. Thank you for inspiring me CHAMP.

Gordon, in turn, has displayed elements of that mentality. Speaking to the Newcastle matchday programme last month, he revealed: I get really obsessed with things. Whatever is on my mind for those couple of weeks, Ill buy all the gear, research every detail of it; its just my personality.

I think thats a good thing because I dont settle for just being average at something I want to be the best at everything I do. Its a good mindset to have, but I think it stresses the people around me out.

While the latter part of that statement hints at some minor repercussions of an obsessive personality, this is not to pick out Gordon, or even to say he is at risk but to highlight how widespread this attitude is within sport. The England Under-21 international is not an extreme example.

During the 2017 Womens European Championship, Sarina Wiegman, then coaching her native Netherlands national team, found herself so consumed by the job that she left a planned family day halfway through the tournament, telling her loved ones: Im sorry, I cant relax. I cant do this.

In other sports, legendary England rugby union international Jonny Wilkinson was famous for his obsessive preparation something that he revealed post-retirement had left him with acute anxiety.

Wilkinson, who refused to leave training sessions until he had completed six consecutive successful kicks from the touchline, maintained a stratospheric success rate of 95.7 per cent during the final five years of his career at French club Toulon. He also taught himself how to kick drop goals with both feet then unprecedented in case of such an opportunity as that which arose for him in the last minute of Englands 2003 World Cup final win.

I spent my career surviving the pressure I put on myself, Wilkinson recounted.

With football getting faster, more intense, and with more games in the schedule than ever, players are forced to wring themselves dry with increasingly less rest. To reach the top and to stay there players almost have to be addicted to the fitness, training, and development part of the process.

NFL player Maxx Crosby is a recovering alcoholic. The Las Vegas Raiders defensive end has openly spoken about how he has an addictive personality, but sees the positives of it, in that it allowed him to refocus on his American football career once he went sober in 2020.

Yeah, Im an addict, Crosby told ESPN this year. I went through what I went through, but this is way bigger than that. For me, it helps that I have that addictive personality, but Ive always loved football.

In an interview this month, Nile Ranger, another footballer to reveal a gambling addiction, told The Athletic: Im an addictive personality. I got addicted to it, that feeling of winning would be outrageous, that adrenaline was crazy. It was a major contribution to the unravelling of his career.

GO DEEPER

Nile Ranger: 'Im Haaland if Id eaten and behaved better. I didnt. I thought I knew it all

In research carried out in 2017 by the University of Bradford, several footballers who had spent time at the Sporting Chance clinic were anonymously interviewed.

One of those, given the pseudonym of Tony, had made more than 300 professional appearances and played in the Premier League. He now suffered from depression and alcohol misuse and outlined the connection with the obsession he developed during his playing career.

The report states: After being rejected as a player at 18, he had worked on a building site and then at 21 was signed to a team; he was determined that he would not be rejected a second time. He described himself as having been very focused on his game, training exceptionally hard. It meant everything to him: I lived and breathed it, I even ate it

As his level of play gradually dropped with age, Tony described it as a slippery slope in terms of self-worth. He developed an alcohol dependency, and made attempts to take his own life.

Of course, players can have an obsessive personality and be intensely driven without it leading to addiction in other areas of their lives.

I was addicted, I know I was; I was addicted to football and addicted to scoring goals and addicted to trying to be the best, says former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer, now a colleague at The Athletic. Those things pushed me.

Goals were the biggest rush Ive ever experienced. You score one and you crave another. But all I can do here is talk about myself and that obsession never really filtered into other areas of my life. I liked going out and having a drink and a laugh with the lads, for example, but it never became more than that.

Everything else was in moderation. I loved winning and still do, but not to the point where it took over my life. My obsession, if thats what it was, was very channelled.

What I do understand is how difficult it can be for footballers and other elite athletes to cope with losing that addiction, that focus. When youve had those incredible adrenaline spikes, when youve enjoyed adulation, you can see why people might look for compensation elsewhere. I was very lucky; I went from one dressing room to another with my television work. I know Ill never have that feeling of scoring again, but at least Ive got something else.

But when talking about psychology, it is more useful to think of risk factors rather than causal effect. This is a field which operates through predisposition rather than guarantees.

Addiction is a compelling urge to act or use a substance despite negative consequences, explain Sagal and DeWitt. Its driven by the brains reward system and operates on a continuum with varying degrees of severity.

This begins to explain why an addictive personality can lead to off-pitch difficulties the brains reward system has been conditioned throughout a career.

For a long time, sporting development was based on the 10,000 hours theory now considered to hold flimsy relevance as the original study was based specifically on violin students which encouraged early specialisation and constant pushing.

With players being picked up by academies at earlier ages, and the dedication required to make it at an elite level ever higher, the brain is encouraged to become even more obsessive. When that obsession becomes focused on off-field issues, the risk of addiction grows ever greater with other implicit parts of football accentuating that danger.

Footballers face extended periods of boredom and elevated levels of pressure. There is also the potential of isolation with players, often on short-term contracts, competing with team-mates for places. This is the nature of the profession hours of travelling for matches and sitting in hotels, before the burst of activity for 90 minutes in front of thousands of passionate people.

Footballers have a lot of time on their hands and are earning a lot of money, explains former Stoke City and Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis, who has been involved in professional football for just under 50 years as a player and then coach. The game is a real drug and a real high. Sometimes players need to fill it if theyre not getting that high, and look for other things. Gambling is an avenue to get that.

Frank, another player in the University of Bradfords research, spoke about the difficulties he had adapting to all the free time. He called the hours after training finished for the day a lonely place to be and described an aimlessness that led to depression and gambling.

You need to rest as a footballer, says Charlie Daniels, who made more than 450 professional appearances, and played in the Premier League for Bournemouth. He currently works as manager of Championship club Watfords under-18s side. And so that means youre sitting down a lot, and need some sort of stimulus. It might start as a social thing but it gets the better of some people, and they become addicted. Maybe its a release.

A release from the pressure with large sums of money, long stretches of down-time, and with the same obsessive personality that has driven their sporting success.

As a professional athlete, you might well have thoughts about persevering and pushing through a determination to never stop seeking that victory, even though its difficult, sports psychiatrist Dr Tim Rogers told The Athletic in February 2021.

Those are great attributes if youre 1-0 down in the 87th minute of a football match, but not great if youve already lost 500 and youve only got 100 left.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson, who presented the documentary Football, Gambling and Me about his own addiction, spoke of a similar mentality.

Maybe you were a sensation seeker, maybe you tried to do unusual things, an academic put to him, after testing revealed his betting tactics were far less conservative than an average gambler.

I tried to play football like that, yeah, Merson replied. My teammates at Arsenal would always say, Stop hitting the glory ball, the killer ball. But thats what made me the player I was. Other people would play safe football. But I didnt play like that, it was all or nothing.

Looking back at it now, thinking about it, thats exactly the same as my gambling. That impulsivity which made me so effective on the pitch almost killed me off it.

Research has implied that sportspeople are also more likely to display traits of psychopathy, with several of those characteristics such as a desperation to win, being committed, and a lack of empathy suggestive of a negative link with problem gambling.

Jeremy Snape is a sports psychologist and former international cricketer who has worked with clients including Crystal Palace, the England rugby union team, and the South African cricket side. The Athletic asked him about the difficulties of his job whether he felt the need to find a balance between creating an elite performance mindset versus a healthy mindset for everyday life.

The path to mastery is steep, alluring and slippery, Snape said. For elite performers, the same obsessive drive for continual improvement and gratification can spill over. What does success and failure really mean? It needs a more broad and balanced appraisal across our sport, mental health, relationships and life.

While medals and records are great achievements, winning at all costs may be too high a price to pay for some.

His answer gets to the heart of the dual-purpose role psychologists play. On one hand, they were hired to produce the winning machines of elite-level competition. On the other, they are often the employee responsible for looking after players mental health even if that intervention comes with a sporting cost.

The older members of footballs current generation of players did not necessarily have that support. In 2011, Englands Football Association produced a 117-page document on academy restructuring as part of its Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP). Just half a page and seven bullet points was devoted to player welfare.

Within that half-page, there was little guidance or structure on how that welfare should be administered just that clubs should do something. As a comparison, the sections frameworking performance analysis how many games should be filmed, how many analysts should be employed et cetera were extensively detailed over several pages.

As of two years ago, one Premier League club had just one player care officer across the entirety of the academy age groups on the boys side. That is not thought to be atypical, with clubs employing more analysts than player-care staff. The responsibility of that job is to create close relationships with players but the workload is spread far too thinly.

Clubs can educate players from a young age about addiction risks and promote a culture of openness, say DeWitt and Sagal. (This can mean) Encouraging early help-seeking and providing psychological support can act as a strong defence against addiction. Normalising talk in and around mental health and wellness is important, while finding ways for pros who have experienced and overcome addiction to connect with and relay their experiences to academy players is another smart approach. When physical testing is already done on under-nines players, following up with the mental side seems a no-brainer to implement.

Strides are being made at the older ages.

Completing a wellness assessment on a tablet device each morning is now typical practice, as well as the rise of wearable trackers such as sleep bands. However, these do not pick up every issue while players do not always have the incentive to self-report when they want to start games every week.

To Pulis, its about seeking distraction over obsession. Youngsters coming into the game who havent been indoctrinated fully need to find another avenue, perhaps a dual-career, which they can enjoy as well as their football, he says. There should be a real force of direction that pushes clubs to guide players into something that can take the strain away, to address the free time.

Finding solutions is difficult. Footballs encouragement of addictive personalities is not done out of vindictiveness or apathy. But it is a by-product of the pursuit of elite performance and an industry that is only just starting to recognise the strength of the mind as well as the body. As mentality is weaponised from ever-younger ages, those traits can spill out in unforeseen and extreme directions.

Footballs relationship with addiction is extensive the money, the escapism, the rampant gambling advertising. Dozens of tales lie in its wake and not all will end as happily as Toney and Tonali, who are anticipated to return to playing next year after serving their bans.

But before all those risk factors comes the brain. And without further player care, existing pathways are predisposing athletes to vulnerability too.

(Top image: Sam Richardson for The Athletic, images: Getty Images)

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An addictive personality can facilitate sporting greatness but what are the consequences? - The Athletic