Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Staying cool in extreme heat, social media's mental health impact, and relationship connection tips

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Staying cool in extreme heat, social media's mental health impact, and relationship connection tips · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Good morning, and welcome to another episode of Morning Medical with Doctor Chiao.
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  I am your host, Doctor Chaming Chiao.
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  Today, we have an interesting lineup of topics ranging from the effects of hot weather on our
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  bodies to the science behind social media's impact on mental health.
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  We will also discuss how to better your relationships by paying attention to someone's
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  bids for connection and answer a question that many people have wondered about.
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  Is it ever okay to take someone else's prescription medication?
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  Let's dive right in.
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  Summer is here and people are spending more time outside.
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  While enjoying the warmth and sunshine can be delightful, It is important to understand how
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  extreme heat can affect our bodies.
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  Heat can impact anyone, but some people are at a greater risk of serious harm, such as older
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  individuals and babies.
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  In this segment, we will discuss what you need to know about the effects of heat on the body
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  and how to stay cool.
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  As the body gets hotter, the blood vessels open up, leading to lower blood pressure and making
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  the heart work harder to push blood around the body.
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  This can cause mild symptoms such as an itchy heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels
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  become leaky.
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  At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt, and the balance between them
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  in the body changes.
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  This, combined with the lowered blood pressure, can lead to heat exhaustion.
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  Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, nausea, fainting, confusion, muscle cramps,
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  headaches, heavy sweating, and tiredness.
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  If blood pressure drops too far, the risk of heart attacks rises.
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  Our bodies strive to maintain a core temperature of about 37 degrees Celsius,
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  regardless of whether we are in a snowstorm or a heat wave.
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  This is the temperature at which our bodies have evolved to function optimally.
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  However, as the weather gets hotter, the body has to work harder to keep its core temperature
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  down.
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  To lose heat to our surroundings, the body opens more blood vessels near the skin and
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  start sweating.
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  As the sweat evaporates, It dramatically increases the heat lost from the skin.
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  The UK health security agency has some tips for staying safe in the heat.
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  Look out for those who may struggle to keep cool, such as older people, those with
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  underlying conditions, and those who live alone.
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  Stay cool indoors by closing curtains on rooms that face the sun.
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  Drink plenty of fluids and avoid drinking too much alcohol.
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  Do not leave anyone, especially babies, young children, and animals in a locked vehicle.
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  Keep out of the sun between 11 AM 3 PM when the sun's rays are strongest.
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  Stay in the shade, use sunscreen with a high SPF and UVA rating, and wear a wide brimmed
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  hat.
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  Avoid physical exercise during the hottest part of the day.
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  And take water with you if you are traveling.
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  Be aware of hidden dangers in rivers and open water if tempted to cool off.
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  Getting a good night's sleep in hot weather can be challenging.
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  Experts suggest using thin sheets, cooling your socks in the fridge before putting them on and
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  sticking to your usual bedtime routine.
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  If you see someone with heat exhaustion, It is important to act quickly.
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  Move them to a cool place.
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  Get them to lie down and raise their feet slightly.
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  And have them drink plenty of water.
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  Sports or rehydration drinks are also okay.
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  Cool their skin by spraying or sponging them with cool water and fanning them.
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  Cold packs around the armpits or neck are also effective.
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  However, if they do not recover within 30 minutes, it could escalate to heat stroke,
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  which is a medical emergency.
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  In such cases, you should call emergency services immediately.
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  People with heat stroke may stop sweating even though they are too hot.
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  Their temperature could rise above 40 degrees Celsius, and they might experience seizures or
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  lose consciousness.
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  Certain groups are more at risk, including older adults, people with long term conditions
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  like heart disease and those with diabetes.
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  Children and individuals who are less mobile may also be more vulnerable.
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  Brain diseases such as dementia, can leave people unaware of the heat or unable to take
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  action.
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  Homeless individuals and those living in top floor flats are also at higher risk due to
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  increased exposure to the sun.
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  Yes.
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  Some medications can increase the risk of heat related illnesses.
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  But it is crucial to continue taking your medication as prescribed.
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  Diuretics, sometimes called water pills increase the amount of water expelled from the
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  body and can heighten the dangers of dehydration and imbalances in essential
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  minerals.
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  Anti hypotensives, which lower blood pressure, can combine with the blood vessels that are
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  dilating to cope with the heat causing dangerous drops in blood pressure.
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  Some drugs for epilepsy and Parkinson's disease can block sweating, making it harder for the
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  body to cool itself.
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  Other medications such as lithium or statins can become more concentrated and problematic in
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  the blood if there is excessive fluid loss.
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  High temperatures can be deadly.
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  There are about 2000 deaths caused by high temperatures in England every year.
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  Most of which are heart attacks and strokes triggered by the strain of trying to keep body
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  temperatures stable.
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  The higher death rate tends to start once the thermometer passes 25 to 26 Degrees Celsius.
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  Interestingly, evidence suggests that these deaths are more likely to occur during higher
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  temperatures in spring or early summer rather than in peak summer.
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  This could be because people start to adapt their daily routines as summer progresses and
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  become more accustomed to dealing with the heat.
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  Historical data from previous heat waves indicates that the increase in deaths happens
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  very quickly, often within the first twenty 4 hours of a heat wave.
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  The topic of social media's impact on mental health has been gaining increasing attention,
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  especially with recent statements from US, surgeon general doctor Vivek Murthy.
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  Last week, Doctor Murthy called for a tobacco style warning label on social media.
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  Describing the mental health crisis and young people as an emergency that requires immediate
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  action, even if we do not have perfect information yet.
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  A new comprehensive review published in JAMA Pediatrics examined nearly a 150 studies on the
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  relationship between social media and adolescent mental health.
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  The researchers found a general link between increased social media use and higher levels of
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  anxiety and depression among adolescents.
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  However, the impact varied significantly suggesting that the findings should not be
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  generalized to all young people.
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  One key issue identified by the researchers is that very few studies specifically looked at
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  adolescents who were already experiencing mental health symptoms at clinical levels.
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  This means we might be generalizing results from the general population to those who are
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  most vulnerable without adequate evidence.
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  Doctor Sandro Galea, chair of an ad hoc National Academies Committee, and Dean of the
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  Boston University School of Public Health, emphasize that while there is a link between
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  social media and mental health, there is often a lack of clarity on causality.
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  It is not always clear whether social media is negatively impacting mental health or if
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  individuals with mental health issues are more likely to use social media extensively.
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  Future research needs to focus on longitudinal studies that track the mental health of
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  children before and after their exposure to social media.
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  Additionally, more specific measures that capture how social media is used, such as the
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  type of content interacted with, are essential for understanding the nuances of this
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  relationship.
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  Despite the need for more detailed research, doctor Murphy argues that the urgency of the
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  youth mental health crisis warrants immediate action.
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  In a New York Times op ed, he advocated for a warning label to remind parents and adolescents
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  that social media has not been proven to be safe.
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  He cited studies that have shown increased risks of anxiety, depression, and body
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  dissatisfaction linked to social media use.
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  Public health often has to act without perfect data.
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  The National Academies Committee recommended against a social media ban, acknowledging both
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  the potential harms and benefits of social media.
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  Social media can foster connections with friends and family and provide support
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  communities, but it can also contribute to unhealthy social comparisons and distract from
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  other important activities like sleep and exercise.
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  Doctor Murphy has compared the proposed warning label to those found on bicycles and motor
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  vehicles, which focus on proper use rather than simply highlighting risks.
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  The goal is to empower youth with the information needed to maximize the benefits of
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  social media while minimizing its risks.
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  There is an expectation that products children use are tested for safety.
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  Doctor Jenny Rudeske from the American Academy of Pediatrics pointed out that unlike infant
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  formula or toys, there are no safety guardrails for digital products in the United States.
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  A warning label on social media could help highlight these safety gaps.
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  However, warning labels alone are not a complete solution.
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  They need to be part of a broader strategy, including systematic design changes by social
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  media platforms and supportive legislation.
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  These measures aim to ensure that the powerful technology of social media is used safely and
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  responsibly by young people.
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  A strong relationship needs both partners to respond to each other's bids for connection.
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  Here is what that means.
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  Bids for connection are simple gestures that seek out attention from another person.
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  The response to one can be telling of how strong a relationship is according to experts.
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  Alyssa Karabadi watched as her friend whipped her head around to look out the window and seek
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  out the bird she had pointed out.
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  With that simple gesture, Karabadi knew their friendship would last.
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  This interaction might not look important to outsiders, but it was an indicator for their
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  relationship.
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  Her friend had responded to Karabardi's bid for connection, a term coined by relationship
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  experts at the Gottman Institute in Seattle.
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  Bids for connection are when one partner reaches out to the other person for either
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  interest or a conversation or expressing a need, said doctor Julie Schwartz Gutman, a
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  clinical psychologist who has researched couples and long lasting marriages alongside
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  her husband, Doctor John Gottman, for more than 40 years.
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  Depending on how the partner responds, the relationship either succeeds or does not do so
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  well.
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  These bids can be verbal or physical, such as pointing out a bird in a tree, repeating
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  something heard on television, asking for advice or even simply directing a smile at the
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  other person.
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  Whether the bid is big or small does not matter, What is important is the other person's
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  response.
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  Schwartz Gutman said.
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  And it is not just important for couples to know about these opportunities to connect?
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  It also affects parent child relationships, friendships, and even business ties she noted.
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  The basis of bids for connection stems from the Gottman's love lab research, which started in
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  1986 and tracked couples for 6 years.
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  At the end of that time, the couples still together were found to have responded to each
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  other's bids 86% of the time.
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  While those who split up only responded 33% of the time, Karabardi knows that feeling.
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  The Leander, Texas native said she thought the Woodpecker was neat, partially because she had
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  never seen one before.
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  But the fun part was her friend's reciprocated interest that spiraled into a deep dive Google
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  session on the bird.
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  We can talk about literally anything and everything.
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  A brick wall could talk to us.
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  And the Woodpecker showed me that, Karabadi said, but even if she just said, like, Oh,
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  yeah.
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  That is really cool.
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  That is literally the only thing that you need.
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  Just someone to acknowledge what you are saying.
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  Karaabadi posted her experience with the woodpecker on TikTok in October, referring to
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  it as the bird test.
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  Alongside others who took to the app to recount their experience with giving out small bids,
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  such as pointing out cool birds to their friends and partners.
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  Schwartz Gutman said this test is a good example of the importance of turning toward a
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  partner, one of the three responses someone can have to a bid.
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  If a partner responds to a bid, even with a simple acknowledgement that the other person
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  was heard, it is the best and most beneficial response to have.
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  If the partner were to ignore the other person and have no verbal response to the bid being
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  made, she calls that turning away.
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  But the worst response is what Schwartz Gotman calls turning against, which happens when there
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  is hostility toward the bid.
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  Partners may respond with a comment such as stop interrupting what I am doing or another
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  variation that tells the other person they do not care about the bid.
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  Most of us at the end of the day want to be seen and understood and feel important.
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  And so when there are too many bids that are missed or rejected, It leaves you feeling the
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  opposite, unseen, unimportant, misunderstood, said doctor Lauren Fogle mercy, a licensed
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  psychologist and sex therapist based in Minnesota.
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  If that happens more often than not, it starts to erode connection and safety and trust in a
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  relationship.
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  While bids look to be crucial in a relationship, no one is perfect and should not
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  be expected to answer a bid all the time.
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  Fogle mercy said, You just want a ratio of more positive to negative responses to bids.
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  If someone notices a partner has missed or continuously misses a bid, She recommends
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  communicating the intent for attention by saying, well, hey.
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  That was my way of trying to connect with you.
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  Or I'm looking to converse with you or get some attention from you is now a good time.
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  Focal mercy also recommends people become more aware of their own responses when partners make
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  a bid and even ask their partners directly if they feel they are getting responses to their
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  calls for attention.
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  The more direct a person is with a bid and its intent, the more likely the bid is to be
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  reciprocated she added.
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  It is okay if a person notices that a partner is sending out a bid to connect, but is not
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  feeling up to connecting at the moment.
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  Maybe because they are too tired or have a lot on their mind.
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  Schwartz Scottman recommends communicating those feelings directly and honestly to the
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  partner instead of lashing out with a turning against response.
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  Most of the time, if the response is positive, it is not really going to matter how small or
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  big the bid is but with negative turning away or turning against, those can cause some real
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  emotional damage in the relationship.
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  Schwartz Godman said.
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  The takeaway is that turning toward one another is really the foundation of a good strong
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  friendship and also passion and romance.
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  Now let us move on to a topic that many people have questions about.
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  Is it ever okay to take someone else's prescription medication?
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  This is a common scenario we might encounter, especially when dealing with minor ailments.
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  However, The answer from medical professionals is a resounding no.
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  While it might seem harmless to take a friend or family member's medication for a similar
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  symptom, It is important to understand that prescription medications are tailored to each
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  individual's specific health needs.
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  According to doctor Latasha Perkins, a family physician at Medstar Georgetown University
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  Hospital, taking someone else's prescribed medication, can be very harmful.
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  When doctors prescribe medication, they take into account numerous factors such as the
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  patient's health status, medical history, and blood work.
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  These factors can vary greatly from one person to another, making it crucial that medications
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  are personalized.
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  Even if you are taking the same medication as someone else, the dosage might be different,
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  which can lead to unintended consequences.
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  Another critical aspect to consider is drug interactions.
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  Doctor Perkins highlights that medicine that should be taken into account when tailoring
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  your prescription.
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  This means that even seemingly harmless over the counter supplements can affect how
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  prescription medications work in your body.
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  Allergies are yet another reason to avoid taking someone else's medication.
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  Some people are allergic to the additives and medications, which can lead to severe allergic
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  reactions.
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  There's a reason the medication is prescribed because it's personalized to each individual
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  based on a variety of health factors.
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  Doctor Perkins explains.
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  Doctor Chad Weston, a physician with Novant Health, Oceanside Family Medicine And
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  Convenient Care in Brunswick, North Carolina, also agrees that taking medication prescribed
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  to someone else can be harmful.
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  These consequences range from severe allergic to medication interactions and overdosing,
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  causing damage to organs, such as the liver and kidneys, he said in an interview with Fox News
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  Digital.
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  Instead of seeking symptom relief by taking someone else's medication, it is always best to
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  consult your own doctor for an accurate medical diagnosis and appropriate prescription.
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  Doctor Weston advises that if you find yourself without your medication while traveling, The
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  best course of action is to call your doctor.
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  If you do not have your medicine, we can call it into a pharmacy wherever you are.
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  Doctor Perkins adds.
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  This underscores the importance of having a family physician and maintaining a good
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  relationship with them.
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  Having a relationship with your doctor can help you navigate situations like this.
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  Doctor Perkins emphasizes.
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  Your doctor is there to ensure that you receive the best care tailored to your specific health
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  needs.
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  That brings us to the end of today's episode.
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  We have covered a lot of ground from the effects of hot weather on our bodies to the
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  nuanced impact of social media on mental health the importance of recognizing bids for
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  connection in relationships and the dangers of taking someone else's prescription medication.
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  I hope you found this information helpful and informative.
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  Stay safe.
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  Stay healthy and join us next time on morning medical with doctor Thank you for listening.