Ish Matters

This episode surrounds the four main attachment styles, where they may be rooted in, and how they can help us understand our own behavior as well as others' behaviors- especially in relational conflicts. I am not a psychiatrist or mental health professional, this is simply my understanding of the theory developed by John Bowlby, and later expanded upon by Mary Ainsworth. The information discussed in this episode may help you gain insight on your attachment style, but please take it with a grain of salt and remember that we are always changing, growing, and developing. So sit back and enjoy this episode as a fun educational resource! 

This episode, as always, is a casual conversation surrounding the main contributing factors of addiction, my personal experience, and how our nation can better approach addicts. If you've ever wondered about why addicts are so attached to their drug of choice, why our current system is failing at decreasing drug use and business, or what actually works in treating addiction, this episode may offer some insight. I draw upon some established authors and scientists including Karl Heart (in his memoir High Price) and Rachel Wurzman to explore theories that have quenched my own curiosity surrounding this subject. 

In this episode, I discuss my very informal opinions surrounding relationships and how they are important to one's pursuit of happiness. I also delve into recognizing when compromise and adaptation can become unhealthy. If you are interested in getting one step closer to investing in good relationships, this may help! 

This will be up for 24 hours

In this episode, I offer 5 scientifically-proven steps to break any habit and build new ones. I draw from James Clear's Book on habits to offer you some tangible ways to recognize, interrupt, and require your habit loops. I also give you 3 tips on how to set goals effectively, and actually go through with them even when faced with challenges. Excusing the tangents and failed examples, I hope you enjoy the content! 

In this very special episode, I get the chance to speak with youth mentor Mohammed Kibriya about how important it is to practice gratitude, find mentors, and belong to a community. He sheds light on how significant of a role mentors can play in guidance, and how that goes hand in hand with self-awareness and reflection. Kibriya urges us to develop habits like journaling about things you are grateful for, getting others' insight on your strengths and weaknesses, and being vulnerable with trusted people. Get off of social media and get reflecting, because we all need real, honest conversations with ourselves and with our community. 

In this episode, I discuss the roots and impact of medical mistrust that exists within the African American community. From the transatlantic slave trade, to the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments, and the modern-day implicit biases that impact health outcomes, African Americans are continuously given reasons to be weary of medical professionals. This ultimately perpetuates health disparities, reinforces systems of oppression, and leads to worsening health inequities that entail higher morbidity, mortality, and disease rates, shorter lifespans, and poorer qualities of life. Addressing this issue starts here- with education. 

In this episode I discuss the the physiological and psychological of malnutrition. I draw upon The Minnesota Starvation Experiment and my own experiences with an eating disorder to demonstrate how your body reacts  a prolonged period of energy deficit. Grab a snack, your bodily functions are expensive and needs tons of energy to function optimally and keep you happy and healthy. 

In this episode I draw upon recent research that describes restrictive eating disorders as evolutionary responses to famine. When a person who is predisposed to anorexia enters energy deficit, the genes are triggered or activated, and the illness manifests. This is not to say there aren't psychological roots to eating disorders, as they serve as coping mechanisms and have a deep rooting in mental health issues. This is just an alternate theory and brief explanation of the biology that many fail to recognize. And finally, a little about my own experience. In part 2 of this series, I will delve deeper into human anatomy and my road recovery, so stay tuned!

As impressionable youth, we learn that how we look is a direct reflection of who we are as people: how worthy, desirable, and successful we are. These ideas only serve the fitness industry, a multi-billion dollar industry that has consumed American culture for decades. In this episode, I discuss how psychologists and marketers in the industry have influenced our thoughts and behaviors, preyed upon insecurities they have promoted, and normalized disordered eating habits for their own profit. Diet culture is at our dinner tables, in our doctors' offices, and in our job interviews, so how will we fight against it?