If you have ten minutes to spare, here is an audio recording from my remarks at last week’s annual conference of the Psychological Society of Ireland: I was speaking on a panel on the psychological impact of COVID-19. The panel itself arose from a PSI policy statement issued in August, […]
Stress
You’re so vain, you probably think this global pandemic is about you
[A version of this article appeared in the Irish Examiner on 22 October 2020 ] The challenges of COVID-19 have been well reported. Death, disease, and debilitation are the scariest. Discombobulation also makes the list — nobody likes it when the entire world (more or less) gets turned upside-down. And […]
Um Starbucks, could you not?
The Starbucks I go to is now selling magic beans. Well, matcha tea lattes actually, which are like magic beans in the sense that they possess special powers: Detox the body High in antioxidants Helps the immune system Burns calories I was particularly intrigued at the last claim. This latte […]
“How to Not Die”
Good news everyone. I’ll be giving a keynote at next month’s Psychology, Health, & Medicine conference in Limerick. Here’s the abstract: How to Not Die: What we really know about stress and heart disease Everyone knows that stress increases blood pressure, and nearly everyone knows that such fluctuations in blood […]
‘Smart bra’ only works if you’re stupid enough to believe it
So here’s something to get the pulse racing. And that’s all there is to it. Sorry if it means absolutely nothing. Despite a tidal wave of news coverage, the only newsworthy element here is that the manufacturers of this so-called “smart bra” have succeeded in getting a Press Release to go […]
Bad things are bad for you. As are good things.
It’s all bad news this week, I’m afraid. Literally. Not only does it look bad and sound bad, but it also has bad effects on you. It’s all-round baaaaaaaaad. First of all — and you’re not going to be hugely surprised by this — the Daily Mail thinks that a leisure […]