Why drink to get drunk, when you can get drunk through your EYE? I overheard a girl claiming that she “got so drunk from someone pouring vodka into her eyeballs.” I just rolled my eyes with the idea that this girl is exaggerating or making up a story to sound exciting. That was until I researched this theory… Getting drunk through your eyes is a common and ongoing trend around the entire world! 

       The first thing that came up on my search feed was over 1,000 videos all over Youtube with the title “Vodka Eyeballing”. I do not understand how or WHY people could purposely pour alcohol in their eyes! Apparently, one of the main reasons this idea became popular was because of the “instant drunk” feeling that comes along with the shot in the eye. This game is mostly common at colleges, and these eyeball shots tend to be taken while already intoxicated and the mind is impaired. However, impairment is the least of your worries if you are into this trend. This one foolish prank, competition, activity out of boredom, and huge mistake can ruin your eye sight forever. A 21-year-old was interviewed about her experience of taking shots through her eyes, and her outcome was not as she had planned. After being dared to do it once or twice, this was not Emily Atak’s first rodeo. She has done it a lot more than one time, and she had to stop because her eye is constantly sore and watering. Following her doctor visit, she was informed that the “vodka has seared its way through the cornea.” Not only could it lead to future eyesight issues, but these complications can get so severe that blindness can occur. 

       A concerned parent of three college kids and an eye doctor, Dr. Greg Leet, has conducted a lot of research due to his concern about this new “game”. Pouring vodka (which consists of 40% alcohol) into your eye is not only uncomfortable and burns, but serves as a direct pathway into the central nervous system and the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects the brain and the eye, and any damage to it can actually cause “blackouts” and “brownouts”.

         

      Blackouts and brownouts are fairly common, especially when it comes to college students. A “blackout”, also known as “en bloc“, is when a large amount of alcohol is consumed and the person becomes heavily intoxicated resulting in not being able to recall memory from majority of the night or day. “Brownouts”, also known as “fragmentary”, is a term that is more common among people, which is when lasting-memories are not made from only parts of the night. Either way, both of these cases are not good for one’s health. Alcohol can cause chemical disruption in the brains hippocampus. The hippocampus is a main part of the brain where memory formation occurs. The hippocampus contains a transmit called glutamate, (carries signals between neurons), which becomes altered when alcohol interferes with the receptors. Some neurons may be activated while others may be prevented from working at all, meaning the Long Term Potentiation also known as LTP. “LTP is a long-lasting strengthening of synapses between nerve cells” Long-term memory is believed to be effected by LTP, because if the cells cannot properly communicate in the brain then the learning and memory process is extremely hard to develop. Not only is this dangerous for your mental health, but it also is dangerous for your physical health. When not being able to form memories from a time period, dangerous sexual activity can occur (rape or unprotected), risky behavior or communication can occur between personal relationships, or it can cause you to do pretty much anything that you wouldn’t do in a normal state of mind.  

        So are pulling stunts, like eyeshots, to get drunk or to “try something new” worth the probable consequences? Between the possibility of becoming blind and blacked out, I personally would stay away from doing that. What would you do if drinking caused you to forget short or long periods of times? Would that experience change your drinking habits, or would you just brush it off and continue to drink the same amount? 

Works Cited:

“Blind Stupidity How Vodka Eyeballing is ‘as bad as bleach'” Mail Online. 4 Dec. 2013  

<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1347921/Vodka-eyeballing-dangerous-drinking-game-cause-blindness-warns-expert.html>

“Disturbing New Trend- Vodka Eyeballing” YouTube. 4 Dec. 2013

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fYse1oIWV4 >

“Long Term Potentiation” Chegg Online. 4 Dec 2013

          I was putting chapstick on my lips for about a minute without realizing how long I have been putting it on for, and my brother announced, “You know that chapstick can make your lips even more chapped, and you can get addicted to it too?” I was extremely suspicious and did not believe him, until my mom chimed in with one of her daily Dr. Oz references to prove it. Apparently chapstick, or lip balm, can “contain irritating chemicals, actually drying lips more, making lip products feel like a necessity.”

         Now, I do not always believe Dr. Oz, but he brought a woman on his show to prove why it is not always effective and how it can cause an addiction. She claimed she has a problem and always put lip balm on and she keeps it everywhere, she tried to not use it for a day, which she could not even do. Lip Balm does not compare to nicotine in cigarettes, meaning it does not contain any addictive chemicals; rather it is more of a habit that is psychological. People can develop habits that is repeated so many times that it becomes a routine like having to wash your hands all of the time or brushing your teeth. However, it is not proven that people with chapstick obsessions have any other OCD-like habits. There are many skin cells on lips that are designed to shed, and blocking them from removing blocks the natural process and actually “suffocating the cells.” There are signs that can lead to someone being addicted to lip balm; if it is applied more than three times a day, if more than one lip balm is owned, if it is kept in multiple places, and if it is needed to be re-applied after being rubbed off from a “kiss or eating”. Actually, the lip balm “addiction” is a common thing, and the amount of lip balm sales increased to an average of $370,000,000 a year from selling lip balm!

        Any added moisture to lips can cause them to be dryer. For example, the first rule to prevent getting chapped lips is to stop licking them. Apparently saliva evaporates on your lips causing them to dry out and removing the “skin’s natural lipids.” This makes a lot of sense considering my lips are constantly dry in the winter and it is probably because all of the chapstick I use. However, if I cannot lick my lips or put lip balm on, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING DRY?

         After researching tons of ways to prevent chapped lips, four suggestions were repeated and stood out in each list of ways to stop dry lips. Firstly, like I said before, licking your lips needs to come to an end but that is difficult to control. The next step to keeping your lips hydrated and soft is to drink a lot of water. Rehydrating cells with a lot of water can prevent them from drying in the first place, it is also recommended to use a humidifier because, that way, natural moisture is replenishing your lips. Another recommendation is to select cosmetics wisely. A lot of lip gloss’ and lip sticks’ contain chemicals, specifically alcohol. Alcohol can scrape away all of the natural moisture from your lips causing them to dry out even more than saliva. Finally, some medications like acne medications and face washes contain chemicals to purposely cause your skin to dry out to prevent the spread of acne. Doctors claim that this is an extremely obvious way that lips dry out, so it is advised to keep it off and away from your lips.

         I love the taste and look of some lip balms, so I probably will not completely stop using them. Although, I have learned to be more selective on the products I buy, stay hydrated, and to stop licking my lips. What are some items or actions that have caused you or someone you to be so obsessed to the point where it feels like an addiction?

          The mind is the most complex and confusing thing to exist in this world. While some minds create greatness, others are lost in the world and some even suffer from issues that cannot fully be comprehended. Unfortunately, various people suffer from problems like down syndrome, schizophrenia, the list goes on… However, the disorder that has always made me wonder and feel unsettled about is the multi-personality disorder. I always heard about this problem where people can have a variety of personalities to a point where they have convinced themselves that they are an entirely different person. I was never sure if I believed that this misfortune could happen, until one of my close friends from middle school began to act like an entirely different person. She would always have these random outbursts and blame them on her “grumpy side-effects from [her] time of the month.” Recently, she was diagnosed with “Dissociative Identity Disorder“, which is the scientific name of multiple personality disorder. 

         People with the Dissociative Identity Disorder can experience issues like depression, psychotic-like symptoms, suicidal tendencies, blackouts, mood swings, eating disorders, compulsions, sleep disorders, etc. All of these possible side-effects are not positive or beneficial, so it makes me extremely concerned and upset that such a happy and upbeat person that I have known my entire life can be experiencing these things behind closed-doors. 

         There is a movie that I saw in my high school Human Development class, which you may have seen called Sybil. This movie was probably one of the most frightening movies that I have seen, because it is so realistic and it is hard to believe that people have dealt with issues similar to her. If you haven’t seen it, it is about “a young woman whose childhood was so harrowing that she developed at least thirteen different personalities.” Sure, this was an extreme and fictional case, but it still made me feel weary and heartbroken that these things can happen to anyone. She was not “born with” the disorder, but instead she was a victim of trauma. 

 

         Trauma is a huge factor to people developing multiple personalities. Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse can all trigger the mind to become traumatized and disoriented in some ways. People who have been in the war, in the holocaust, earthquakes, losing a loved one, or have been sexually assaulted can develop ‘DID’. PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is proven to have been the cause for mental illnesses of 8% Americans. When so much stress is repeated emotionally and/or physically the brain can be extremely altered. “The Broca’s Area and parts of the right hemisphere of the brain is reported to be markedly suppressed.” The right hemisphere is shown to process visual images and experience emotions, and speech can be effected as well causing people to become conflicted and forming “more personalities”.

          A lot of research has been done of Dissociative Identity Disorder, and “studies show that in the general population 1 to 3 percent meet full criteria of ‘DID’ making it as common as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.” This disorder can be caused by trauma in childhood, in the war, from a loss of a loved one (specifically a parent), and extreme stress. Many believe that there is no cure for this disorder, and a lot of people also believe that treatment can lead to the disorder to become worse. However, there have been measures taken along the lines of psychotherapy,  cognitive therapy, medication (revolving around depression and anxiety), family therapy, and clinical hypnosis. 

         My friend did experience a loss of her father, so that could be a main factor into what triggered her recently diagnosed disorder. Although, this disorder makes me so nervous and concerned about her health because there is not a obvious cure to help her. I hope she doesn’t reach extremities like some people have, or what was demonstrated in the movie Sybil. The mind is the strangest and craziest thing that exists on this planet, and I hope people find ways to help the minds find their way back if lost. Has there ever been a moment where you have not felt like yourself, as if you were an entirely different person after being so stressed or tired, why do you think that happened?

Works Cited: 

       “Dissociative Identity Disorder.” AAMFT. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://www.aamft.org/imis15/content/Consumer_Updates/Dissociative_Identity_Disorder.aspx>

       “Dispelling Myths about Dissociative Identity Disorder | Psych Central.” Psych Central. 29 Nov. 2013. <http://psychcentral.com/lib/dispelling-myths-about-dissociative-identity-disorder/0009785>

       “Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder): Signs, Symptoms, Treatment.” WebMD. 29 Nov. 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder?page=3>

       “Human Diseases and Conditions.” Human Diseases and Conditions. 29 Nov. 2013. <http://www.humanillnesses.com/original/Men-Os/Multiple-Personality-Disorder-Dissociative-Identity-Disorder.html>

 

        “What is Dissociate Disorder?” Sidran Institute. 3 Dec. 2013.   <http://www.sidran.org/sub.cfm?contentID=75&sectionid=4>

       With all of this Black Friday hype and Christmas shopping coming up for the next month, I find that my shopping has become a problem… Can I actually get addicted to shopping? My roommate can tell you that every time I have free time you can find me at the mall or online shopping. The thing is I usually don’t even buy anything; it relieves my stress, kind of like a therapy session. Is it possible to be addicted to shopping?

       I needed to research this, and it turns out there is actually a term for compulsive shopping… It is called “Oniomania” or one can be considered a “Shopoholic“. The data holds that “only about 6% of the U.S. population is thought to have a shopping addiction.” As well, it can be close to any disorder like anxiety, eating, impulse, or personality disorders. Like most disorders, a main symptom of being a Shopoholic is hiding the problem or denial . Other symptoms are spending over your budget even if you cannot afford it, compulsive buying, impairing your relationships, or thinking about it for almost all hours of the day. This has been considered an addiction “since the 19^th century” and continues to be an issue. 

       In a recent study, researchers discovered that people who have ADHD are more prone to becoming obsessed with shopping. Impulse is a main reason to why one feels the need to shop at all times, especially those with ADHD. “Impulsivity makes it difficult for those with ADHD to think through the consequences of their actions and instead react only to what they are feeling at the present time.” This makes them buy and spend more money without thinking about what can happen if they overspend. As well, another reason why people can become addicted to shopping and more for those with ADHD can be because of depression or anxiety, it can be used to “get away” and to make them feel happy. It is similar to a “natural high”, or “like taking a happy pill”, and chemicals are triggered in the brain almost as if a drug was taken. “The “fight or flight” hormone adrenaline, phenylethylamine and endorphins” are created to make us feel good and relax. These hormones are released when doing something to make us feel good. My old track coach would always announce that after running for a long period of time he would eventually feel this “natural high” that made him feel like he could run forever; he likes to exercise and run so doing something he liked repetitively created this good feeling which people believe shopping can do the same.

       So how can you cure this “addiction”? The first typical step is admitting that you have a problem. Therapy sessions are advised, as well as finding new hobbies and ways to spend time doing other activities, it is also strongly urged that people get rid of their checkbooks and credit cards. My stepmom went through a huge spending splurge and made my dad actually take all of her credit cards so she couldn’t spend anymore money. Now, at least my issue isn’t THAT badly where I needed other people to help me… YET AT LEAST.

        I suppose that I am not considered a “shopaholic”, I just enjoy looking at the “shiny things I can’t have” pretty much. Sales always get me though, many girls can agree when they see the TOBI 50% off the entire site your attention is instantly caught. Deals and sales increase people’s interest in shopping by a lot. Only 6% of people admit to “almost always” buying items when their on sale, while 60% admitted to occasionally doing so. So while shopping can be an addiction it does not tend to be an extremely likely and common disorder. Just be careful with anything that can cause you to have an obsession, it is possible to become addicted to almost anything if you have any signs of addictive behavior. What would you do if you felt like you were developing an obsession or “natural high” with something you like that could potentially end badly, would you completely stop even if it made you feel better, would you find an alternative “high”, what if it was not as easy to stop as you think? 

Works Cited: 

“What Is Shopping Addiction?” Addictions. 30 Nov. 2013.

<http://addictions.about.com/od/lesserknownaddictions/a/shoppingadd.htm>

             “Shopping Spree, or Addiction?” WebMD. 30 Nov. 2013.

                <http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/shopping-spree-addiction>

             “Addictions.com.” Shopping Addiction. 30 Nov. 2013

                <http://www.addictions.com/shopping/>

             “Survey: Shopping Addiction Statistics.” CreditDonkey. 30 Nov. 2013.  

               <http://www.creditdonkey.com/shopping-addiction.html>

             “ADHD and Shopping Addiction.” Health Central. 3 Dec 2013. 

<http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/849319/118483/shopping-addiction/>

        Here I am, mentally preparing myself for the classic “food coma” I go into after Thanksgiving…  How after dinner each year my sisters and I lay on the floor until we can basically breathe again. For the first time I thought about how much each person eats every year, and then I came across an article explaining that the average calorie intake for ONE person at Thanksgiving dinner is 4,500 calories! Sure that includes the drinks, appetizers, and the dessert… But 4,500 calories? That makes me sick to my stomach!

        As well as calories, it is also said that about 229 grams of fat is taken in, “the equivalent of around three sticks of butter.” All I can think about is what I can do to not intake all of that garbage. Even though it is one time of year, that is definitely unhealthy considering that only includes dinner and the average calorie intake for women “over age the of 20 is around 1,700 per day.” That means 2,800 more calories than one should have in a day is being consumed in just one meal! What can we do about this? How can we just not eat all that turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, veggies, bread, desserts, cranberries, etc.?

         The only advice I can come across is “serving water with the meal instead of soft drinks… throw the football around during half time instead of sitting on the couch.” Truthfully, the obvious solution is to just not eat all the food on your plate, and to stop when you’re full… But let’s be real, it’s Thanksgiving… I suggest just working out extremely hard the week of Thanksgiving, and definitely in the morning and, if you can move afterwards, then exercise after dinner too. However, I read that a “160 lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours, or walk 30 miles to burn off a Thanksgiving Day meal.” So pretty much, exercise cannot even save you from this dinner. 

         It’s been said that winter is the “hibernation” season, and it’s been proven that “the average person gains 7-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years.” There is a combination of factors to weight gain in this period of time; holiday food, depression, less activity to do outdoors due to the cold weather, stress, etc. I do not know if it is fair to say that “the average person” gains that much, but it is possible that people do. Why do we gain wait, and why do we overeat even after we’re full, anyway? Of course, especially over the holidays the food is just delicious and you want to eat as much as possible… But why not save some for later or even the next day? There is actually a term called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that effects people mostly during the winter because of the colder and darker surroundings. When stressing over the holidays, or not feeling as well as usual, food is used as a comfort food- their thought process of how eating will make them feel better. 

         So is this holiday season really worth the food comas and weight gain? My stomach says yes, but my mind says “you are so dumb, just do not do it.” I am certain that food coma is the correct term to use after all of the research I have done for this, considering after all that butter and fat you can probably go into an actual coma after it. They key to surviving this season skinny and fit is to do your best to maintain a calm, relaxed, and happy outlook on everything to avoid depression and stress. As well, try to avoid overeating especially on the holidays. Finally, exercise and activity is a must this season, no matter how cold the temperatures are or if the weather is just not cooperating. What are some other ways you could relieve your stress and avoid depression in the winter besides eating? What can we do to help others we see gaining weight and becoming lazier during the season?

Works Cited:

“The Thanksgiving Dinner Diet Bust! How the Average American Will Eat 4,500 Calories and 229 Grams of Fat on Turkey Day.” Mail Online. 26 Nov. 2013. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2513312/The-Thanksgiving-dinner-diet-bust-How-average-American-eat-4-500-calories-229-grams-fat-Turkey-Day.html>.

“Thanksgiving Survival Guide.” SparkPeople. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=324>.

“Hard to Believe: Average Thanksgiving Meal Equals 3,000 Calories and 229 Grams of Fat.” ACE Fitness. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.acefitness.org/pressroom/392/hard-to-believe-average-thanksgiving-meal-equals-3>.

“Average Daily Calorie Intake.” Healthy Eating. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/average-daily-calorie-intake-women-5067.html>.

         Over the past few weeks, I have not been able to sleep that well. Due to my concern, I spoke with a doctor who recommended that I shut off all electronics especially my cellphone because the “radiation and light can alter my sleep.”

          Now, I am here just as suspicious as you probably are… Can I really not sleep because of the minuscule light shining from my cellphone? I tried to think of the explanations of how cellphones could really ruin a night of sleep- maybe it just wakes people up with calls and texts throughout the night, the alarms could go off at a random time, or it is possible people could be so obsessed with playing games and checking social media that they can’t sleep. 

           I am constantly texting, on social media, playing the famous Candy Crush especially right before I fall asleep. I feel a sense of guilt if I do not have my phone near me while I sleep. I set up events for my sorority, so I feel like I must answer at all times immediately, also if someone needed help I would want to be able to get in touch with them at any time. Right before I fall asleep I check my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Researchers say that 63% of people 18-25 years old check social media before they fall asleep. They also say that half of them agreed to play games or Skype after checking social media. I know that I play games right before I fall asleep almost every night, because I think that it tires me out…But writing all of this down now I sound like I have a problem! Now that I think about it, it just keeps me awake and does the complete opposite of tiring me out. Is it because of the light that is radiating from the phone?

        Countless studies have been done to prove this concept, and I am beginning to believe it myself. “Light affects our circadian rhythms more powerfully than any drug,” and many problems can occur in people especially “concentration problems in children.” I definitely tend to have problems focusing, specifically this year… THIS IS ALL MAKING SENSE NOW. Even Penn State Hershey’s, Dr. Harish Rao, has been researching this study as well. He claims that, “Using [phones] before bedtime can… lead to poor quantity and quality of sleep… [And] teens are particularly sensitive to the blue-green spectrum of light emitted by these devices.”       

        So what can you do to prevent phones from altering your sleep? Many say to sleep with the devices at least 6-feet away from your bed, and some even believe to not have it in the room at all while asleep. I didn’t even realize how many people sleep right next to their phones until I came across an eye-opening graph. The graph claims that out of ages 18-65+, 64.52% of them have their phones right next to their beds so that they can access it anytime throughout the night, 16.31% have it in their room, but somewhere that they can’t reach it, and the rest have it out of their rooms in another location. However, those numbers are extraordinary… No one knows the long-term effect that phones can have on all of us, but all I know is that I do not want to be a subject to prove that it can end negatively. Even though I use my cellphone as an alarm clock I am going to put it on the other side of the room just in case! If you sleep with the phone close to you, would the knowledge of it altering your sleep cycle actually encourage you to stop? Would something tragic have to happen, like learning that it really does cause cancer, or the radiation is altering your brain completely, would anything stop you from sleeping by your phone? If so, what would have to happen or be said to have you never sleep by your phone again?

            Dreams… We all have had our fair share of extremely bizarre ones. However, bizarre does not even describe my experience, which is apparently labeled as “sleep paralysis”. About two years ago I had the scariest, and strangest dream. It is pretty difficult to explain so bare with me.

Dream Begins:

I woke up in my bed and slowly turned my head where a freaky little girl was standing there just staring at me. I closed my eyes tightly so that she would disappear when she had a spaz attack like the girl from The Grudge. I tried to scream in my dream and nothing would come out of my mouth! My body rose from my bed and flew down the stairs into my parent’s room where I still could not scream or say anything to my parents for help. THIS DREAM FELT SO REAL….

Dream ends 

I suddenly woke up from my dream in a major panic, but could not move or say anything at all for at least 30 seconds… What? I do not understand how I could have dreamt something like that? Luckily, we were learning about dreams in my Human Behavior class in high school. I told my teacher about this dream, and she told me to look up “sleep paralysis”, because it sounds exactly like my situation. Sleep Paralysis– “a feeling of being conscious but unable to move… You may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds… often attributed to an ‘evil’ presence.” I was left speechless and confused. How is something like that possible? I felt like I was possessed and could not do anything to save myself! I still needed to do some research, because I felt like I was the only person in the world that could have experienced something like that… Turns out, this is not true. 

An assistant professor at Penn State University actually did a study on sleep paralysis and found that most of the victims “feel as though their body being levitated–rising up, or say they see themselves outside of their body.” I am mind-blown, there is not one thing in my dream that hasn’t already been stated which is really strange to me. He found that 20% of 36,000 participants have had an episode before. Apparently this occurs during REM sleep and can occur to patients with narcolepsy- which is a condition usually causing people to fall asleep extremely easily, even when it is in the normal day-time. Thankfully, I do not have narcolepsy, but it does not justify for how scary and life-scaring this dream was. 

I am surprised at how much the research I have done relates to the dream that I had, and about how many people also have had a similar experience. Moral of the story: do not think you are a possessed freak if you have a dream like this, it is not THAT abnormal! Just probably one of the scariest things that may ever happen to you!

I’m sure you all have heard about fish and their three-second memories. Turns out that is actually a myth! I have a Beta fish in my dorm room and every day I pick up his food bag and once he sees it, he automatically rushes to the top of his tank. That led me to think, “I thought fish had an extremely short memory? How does he know that I am going to feed him?” I figured that all fish were like Dory from the movie, Finding Dory.  I wanted to investigate this so called “fact” about fish.

I came across an extremely interesting study made by college students in Israel. They said that every day at feeding time they would blast a particular sound underwater in a speaker every time they put food in the water. After constant training, they would put the speaker in without the food and the fish would still swim to the location because they knew it was time to eat. The most interesting part is that they released the fish into a small section of seawater to fend for themselves. Five months later, they put the speaker under the water, played the sound, and the fish automatically went to the top of the water waiting for the food…

            A man named Culum Brown created his own study involving fish and their memory to get out of a net. He would catch them in a huge net and had a hole for an escape route. Within five trials of his experiment the fish finally learned how to get out of it. He used the net a year later to catch the fish, and without a doubt the fish swam to the hole and instantly got out.

            So the typical stories you hear about fish having three-second memories, do you still believe it? I personally don’t believe it is possible for a living thing to have a memory that short, but who knows! My fish is pretty smart if you ask me, but maybe I am the dumb one falling for this idea! 

        Music is stronger than anyone thinks… Literally. It can influence your mind, mood, thoughts and behavior. I always wondered if there was evidence on this idea, because I know it alters my mood every single time I listen to music. If I am dealing with some unpleasant situations like arguments with my family, a breakup, or even when I am stressed out from school I tend to listen to more sad and love-related music. It usually is a terrible idea, because it emphasizes my emotions and usually results in me crying my eyes out. On the other hand, when I am extremely hyper or happy, exciting and upbeat pump-up music makes me ten times happier!

         There are good effects and bad effects from music. Music is used as therapy to people. Whether you’re listening to it, or playing an instrument like a guitar or piano and even singing is proven to be major stress relievers. There are also studies where it has been proven to lower blood pressure, pulse rates, and hormones. There are also studies where listening to calm music, especially classical music, has increased grades and helps student’s focus. A recent study has been made announcing that people going through surgery have seen that “listening to music was also shown to be more successful than prescription drugs.”

        Though there are numerous benefits that result from music, happiness is not always the result. Some negative effects have occurred from music as well. Many people believe that music can make you even more depressed than imagined. People have been surveyed, and a majority believed dark, loud, and “devil-worshiping” ballads and music links depressed people to suicidal thoughts and actions. Music influences people’s behaviors as well. A lot of songs, especially rap and hip-hop, directly relate to sex, drugs, and murder. 

People believe that people follow these performers and become increasingly intrigued in falling for these temptations, which I definitely agree with. I think a lot of people become fascinated with songs including temptations and want to be just like their role models who are singing about these things.

       Music is one of the most important necessities of life. There are so many things that you can learn and experience from music. You just have to make sure you are listening to the right kind of music so there is no possibility of being negatively influenced by it. 

      I always hear people talking about their low-calorie diet they’re on, but there is always one little item that is included and considered their “cheat”… Diet Coke. It makes sense though. How could one be gaining weight from a soda that has few to no calories in it? After witnessing this lifestyle choice numerous times, I began to wonder how it is possible to lose weight while drinking soda all of the time? Recent research has answered my question, and the truth is diet sodas can actually be even worse than regular sodas and sugary/fruity drinks!