Siobhan Bahl examines the impact of lockdown and the pandemic overall on drug and alcohol consumption, and the measures being taken or considered to prevent a rise in abuse.
Addiction
Is Reading a Cultural Addiction?
Bibliophilia. Bibliomania. Obsessive compulsive reading. Book readers anonymous. Reading is known by most as a relaxing past time; a chance to de-stress and unwind, a chance to rediscover old favourites or enter a new sanctuary of literary escape. But for some people, this is not a choice, it is an impulse. Zadie Smith recently spoke […]
Our Smartphone Addiction
Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, for better or for worse. We are connected to friends and family around the world at the tap of a screen and have the entire world wide web at our fingertips. Whilst these technological advancements have made our day-to-day lives easier in many respects, there is […]
“This was the first time I was ever scared of him”: the dark side of drink and drugs
I can’t say that I’ve experimented with addictive substances all that much. The odd bit of weed here and there, but please point me in the direction of someone who would say otherwise. I don’t smoke regularly. Whilst travelling last year, I had some MDMA, and the comedown – which left me sobbing on a walk […]
Is cannabis a healthy high?
Last week, bored and looking for something to distract us from the tedium of dissertation research, my housemate and I watched a movie. It’s a black and white movie that was made in 1936, famously called: Reefer Madness (formerly known as Tell Your Children). The film has gained notoriety in recent years for its hyperbolic, […]
Bodybuilding: The obsession question
It’s an oft-debated subject: is bodybuilding a matter of fitness, or of sheer vanity – bordering even, some critics might add, obsessive? Can spending hours rigorously controlling your diet and flogging yourself on the weights bench, just in order to sculpt that perfect body, really be a healthy lifestyle choice? I would like to argue […]
Dr Screen: Series Attachment
Online Screen Editor Emily Harris asks: can’t stop watching that one series? Stopped engaging in social interaction? Consider this an intervention. Of some sort. I will begin this article with a hearty anecdote, so you can all see, I’ve been there. It was 2am and I was standing in what I’ll assume was Best Kebab. Everyone […]