This Is What Happens To Your Brain When You’re In Back-To-Back Meetings

Posted on 09/12/2022 by Boris Clair

If you have ever felt like a full day of back-to-back meetings was draining your life force, you’re not alone.

Many of us dread a packed work calendar. Wasting too much time in meetings is a distraction preventing 67% of professionals from making more of an impact, according to a 2019 survey of nearly 2,000 people by organisational consultancy Korn Ferry.

But it’s not just that a high number of meetings can give us feelings of anxiety. There’s actually research that shows how attending too many — and seldom taking breaks — can cause our brains to work differently.

Study Finds Stress Levels Spiked Amid Back-To-Back Meetings

In 2021, researchers at Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab asked 14 people to take part in video calls while wearing electroencephalogram equipment that monitored electrical activity in their brains. On one Monday, some participants were given four half-hour meetings without breaks, while others had four half-hour meetings with a 10-minute break between each for meditation; then, on the following Monday, the two groups switched.

Among those who got no breaks, beta wave activity increased in the brain with each successive meeting, indicating heightened stress levels. In fact, just the anticipation of the next call caused a spike in beta activity during the transition period between meetings, researchers found.

In a Microsoft study last year, beta wave activity increased in the brains of people who had successive meetings with no breaks, indicating a rise in stress. Beta activity remained stable in those who took 10-minute breaks.

Meanwhile, the researchers also measured the difference in right and left alpha wave activity over frontal regions of the brain — known as frontal alpha asymmetry — which can indicate levels of mental engagement.

Participants who took breaks showed positive frontal alpha asymmetry, suggesting higher engagement during the meetings, while those without breaks had negative asymmetry, indicating that they were more mentally withdrawn.

When study participants had breaks between meetings, their brains showed signs of higher engagement.

“I’m not surprised that people who took breaks between meetings felt better. People who take breaks in general feel better,” said Laura Vanderkam, a time management expert and the author of “Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways To Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters.”

“We all take breaks one way or another; it’s just [that] many times they’re unconscious. By choosing when and how to take a break, you notice the break happening and reap the rejuvenation,” Vanderkam said.

One big caveat to Microsoft’s findings, of course, is that the sample size of participants was small. But the study aligns with a large body of other research suggesting that meeting overload causes unproductive, unhappy employees who feel like their schedule is ruling their life.

In a recent survey of 76 companies, for example, management researchers found that employee productivity more than doubled when meetings were reduced by 40%.

“This is largely because employees felt more empowered and autonomous,” the researchers wrote in March for Harvard Business Review. “Rather than a schedule being the boss, they owned their to-do lists and held themselves accountable, which consequently increased their satisfaction by 52%.”

Making The Most Of Breaks In Meeting Marathons

If you’re looking for ways to make your own breaks more impactful, try to resist scrolling on social media or reading your email, experts said.

“Many people check email between meetings as a form of a break, and I get that,” Vanderkam said. “But [it is] even better to batch email at some point in the day, or only do it between every other meeting, and use those little bits of time for something else that will add joy and meaning to your life, like a 10-minute walk outside.”

Holistic health coach and mindfulness teacher Rosie Acosta recommended a relaxation technique in which you breathe in for three seconds and out for six, repeating as necessary.

“You only need to do three to five cycles before your body starts to respond and release tension,” she said. “Most of us sit at computers a lot. So if you do sit, perhaps use this time to stand and stretch. The biggest way to reset is to shut down the distractions.”

And if you’re a manager, try setting your teams up for success by avoiding marathon meeting days and building in more breaks.

“To make 10-minute breaks work, it’s helpful for organisations to set a culture that meetings start at, say, the hour and end 10-15 minutes early,” Vanderkam said. “That allows for a break or a ‘passing period’ like in a high school for people who need to travel.”

The big takeaway? It’s better to take a short breather than to power through a slew of meetings, as even a few minutes can make a big difference in our stress levels and ability to focus.

“When we are laser-focused on a task, we tend to create tension in our body, we stop breathing, and we stay in that tension throughout the day,” Acosta said. “If we are able to take short breaks to either do some breathing or even just relaxing of your shoulders, it gives your body the space it needs to feel relaxed.”

How To Pick A Workout Playlist That’ll Keep You Going For Longer

Posted on 05/12/2022 by Boris Clair

You’re reading Move, the nudge we need to get active, however makes us happiest and healthiest.

Music is a lot of things: it’s restorative, motivational, moving and educational. There are endless ways we use music to get through our days, whether listening to a sad song on repeat or hitting play on an upbeat tune.

According to Ronna Kaplan, a clinical supervisor and adjunct music therapy faculty at Cleveland State University, “music is positive in many ways for mental health, it can be used across the lifespan” for many different situations.

One of those ways is during exercise. It can be a crucial element in enhancing your workout. Here’s how.

Your body’s movement naturally matches a song’s rhythm, which can help you stick to a specific pace.

There’s a reason your foot starts tapping or your shoulders start moving as soon as a song comes on. According to Joy Allen, the chair of music therapy and director of the music and health institute at Berklee College of Music in Boston, this is because of rhythmic entrainment, which is an “unconscious reaction — that’s what we call the entrainment.”

“Our body’s going to [move] in time with that sound or that rhythm,” she says.

So, when it comes to exercise, your body automatically falls in line with the tempo of the music “because of the way that our brains are connected with rhythm,” Allen says.

When picking music for a workout, like when going for a walk or run, for example, you’ll want to choose a tempo that is close to your natural stride. “Go [with] what seems comfortable for you and play around with different songs,” she says.

You can use music to increase your pace, too.

If you’re looking for an added challenge, pick a song with a pace that is a little quicker than your average running or walking stride, this should help you move faster throughout your workout.

You can start with a song with a slower tempo and gradually increase your speed by picking songs with faster beats, which is ideal if you’re looking to improve your walking or running pace, according to Kaplan.

“It primes the person to an outside cue,” she says. It “helps your muscles activate in their walking pattern.”

Music can help distract you from boredom during a workout.

It’s motivating.

How often has someone walked into the gym, realised they forgot their headphones, and then had a not-so-great workout — or even left the gym altogether? Allen pointed out this is a common occurrence: There is a major reason why music is integral to so many people’s workouts.

The music you listen to during a workout helps with motivation, and there are several things behind that motivation.

First, you probably want to hear your favorite song on your exercise playlist, which may keep you going for longer. Second, if you put on music that’s unexpected (like if you put on reggaeton instead of your regular pop soundtrack), you will be interested in hearing what comes next in the song, which may also keep you moving longer than usual.

“If you’re always listening to the same stuff, sometimes that’s great [but] sometimes we have fatigue from it — we know what to expect and what’s coming, so it can be a little less motivating,” Allen says.

And music is distracting.

No one wants to focus on their tough workout as they’re in it. If anything, they want to not think about it. As you sing along to lyrics or are reminded of music-induced memories, songs let your mind wander throughout an exercise regimen, so you don’t have to stand (or sit) there and think about how hard your workout is.

Music keeps you from getting bored during a workout, too, which can happen when you’re doing something kind of mundane like walking on a treadmill, Allen noted. Music activates the brain by giving your mind something else to think about.

“It captures your attention… ‘oh, here’s something I’m listening to,’ so I’m not attending to what could be an uncomfortable experience with the exercise, it gives me something else to focus on,” Allen says.

You’ll reap even more benefits when you pick your music.

According to Kaplan, when someone chooses the music they’re listening to, they’ll have better results, whether working out or doing something like meditation.

A recent study led by the Department of Kinesiology at Samford University in Alabama stated, “if the music played over the speakers is not preferred by the individual giving effort, performance may suffer. Thus, coaches and athletes should consider individual music preferences when attempting to optimise performance and training.”

This further speaks to the motivation you feel when working out to music you enjoy.

Additionally, Kaplan says you might notice you’re in a better mood when working out to music you select, which may make you feel like you enjoyed your workout more. And that’s a win-win.

This may mean you’ll be more likely to work out again that week, which is a great way to hit your fitness goals.

Move celebrates exercise in all its forms, with accessible features encouraging you to add movement into your day – because it’s not just good for the body, but the mind, too. We get it: workouts can be a bit of a slog, but there are ways you can move more without dreading it. Whether you love hikes, bike rides, YouTube workouts or hula hoop routines, exercise should be something to enjoy.

Insights From a Plant Medicine Journey

Posted on 14/11/2022 by Boris Clair

I had a fascinating weekend of plant medicine journeying that involved taking several different substances: kanna, white lily, psilocybin (mushrooms), and ayahuasca… mostly the latter two. I had only done ayahuasca before (3 years ago for 4 nights in a row in Costa Rica). I shared the insights from that previous experience here: Lessons From Ayahuasca. In this post I’ll share my experience of this recent journey while it’s still fresh in mind and heart. If you’re short on time and only want to skim the insights instead of reading the details about what it was like, feel free to scroll down to the section labeled “Insights.”

This was gentler than the aya experiences 3 years ago – smaller quantities but a very layered effect. It was hard to separate what effects were created by which substances. I recognized some of the familiar aya effects like the colorful, animating visuals when I closed my eyes, but the experience also had elements that were different, and it all sort of blended together. This was the first time I’ve done psilocybin, but I don’t know how to separate out its effects from everything else.

In Costa Rica it was very much an inward journey, and we didn’t interact much with each other during the 4 nights of aya ceremonies, although we processed our experiences in group sessions together each morning afterwards. For that experience we drank aya tea, but this time we had some chewable edibles of psilocybin and aya blended together.

The Costa Rica experience had about 40 people doing the ceremonies together, and I knew 12-15 of them of them beforehand. This time there were just 8 of us, 9 if you count the facilitator. I so much preferred the smaller group size, which made it feel way more intimate and aligned.

This journey was a lovely and very loving social experience with most of us all hanging out in the same room together, sharing intimate stories, and enjoying tons of cuddling. I felt completely at home with that kind of energy… so yummy. Cuddling with two women together is among my favorite things in life, so even without the substances, that would have put me in the bliss zone.

In Costa Rica, even though they advised us to try to stay inside with the group energy, that usually felt too intense and chaotic to me – and too stifling with all the smells. I preferred spending most of my time outside, walking barefoot on the grass or lying on a hammock looking up at the moon and stars. I needed the fresh air, and it was so soothing to just be around plants and not in the middle of so many people.

But for this experience, even though we were welcome to spend time going off on our own, I wanted just the opposite. I didn’t wander off to have any sort of solo experience, such as listening to music with headphones. I think most other people did a bit of solo processing at some point, perhaps for at least 20 minutes. I just wanted to revel in the presence of the people there, especially being in physical contact with them. Everyone was emanating such smooth and loving energy, and I just wanted to be immersed in that as much as possible. Even when we weren’t saying anything, it was so peaceful and present.

It was a very holographic experience too. I felt very sensitive to the energy of everyone in the room, like we all merged together spiritually, but it didn’t feel so far out that I was lost in intense visuals. Only two people had to do a bit of purging early on, and I felt noticeably better when they did. Everything people shared seemed to connect energetically on some level, often eerily so, as if we all had many parallel elements in our life stories.

It was also fun conversing with people during the experience. I remember asking these questions:

What do you wish people saw in you that they normally don’t see?
What is something you’ve never shared publicly before (that you’re willing to share here… and assuming a cone of silence outside of this space)?
What is it like being a woman (to some of the women in the group)?

It was fun listening to people’s answers because sometimes they kept getting distracted and mentally wandering off in all sorts of directions, but all of it was fascinating to me. It was amazing how deeply and easily we floated through a variety of meaningful topics, yet in a mostly chill and relaxed way. There were a lot of laughs along the way too.

Time seemed to pass very slowly too. When I saw that it was 11pm, I said, “Wow… it’s only 11?” And when it was 1am, I felt like it should have been at least 4am.

I remember looking at some people closest to me while we talked and cuddled and seeing animated colors and patterns overlayed upon their faces. There were some patches that looked like glowing colors that shifted over time, and there were animated trails of paisley-like patterns flowing around their faces too. It wasn’t super intense, but it was beautiful to look at. I wonder if that was just a hallucination effect or if it was some perception linked to perceiving people’s energy fields – maybe that’s just a matter of perspective.

We had the option to eat something at night to slow down the effects, and I think everyone else ate (maybe around midnight), but I wasn’t hungry, despite not having eaten anything since noon. I wanted to remain in a fasting state and allow the effects to stick around longer. So I didn’t eat anything till breakfast the next day.

As the effects slowly began to dissipate, I stayed up till 3:30am immersed in conversation with a couple of people. Then as we finally decided we ought to call it a night, and I still wasn’t sleepy, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the colorful animated visuals for about 30 minutes. I held different thoughts in mind and observed how they effected the patterns I saw. I remember testing thoughts like: I feel loved, I feel loving, and I am love. Each of them created different patterns, with the “I am love” pattern being the most colorful and animated.

I finally fell asleep around 4am, and I woke up at 6am and felt wide awake. I remained on my back for another hour, still enjoying some of the lingering effects and finally got up around 7:00.

I did some journaling about the experience, and then we had breakfast together and did a few hours of group processing.

I only knew one friend there initially (who invited me), but by the end it felt like everyone was a close friend. Most of us had mutual friends in common, so it was also like we were part of the same social web anyway.

This fit nicely with the intention to go beyond previous limits, which is our intention of the week for the Submersion Social Deep Dive that we’re currently doing. I wouldn’t say that the experience itself was massively transformational – I’ll have to see what the long-term effects are – but I really enjoyed journeying through a mind-expanding and heart-opening way of connecting with people. A bunch of us want to stay in touch, and I would love to have more journeys like this, especially with such open-minded, growth-oriented people.

One thing that was really weird was that shortly before heading over there, I learned that there’d be a cat in the house. I immediately thought, “Oh no,” since I’m allergic to cats. Sure enough, within an hour after arriving (and before we took anything), my eyes began feeling watery, itchy, and puffy, and I figured I’d just have to muddle through. I could handle the red and puffy eyes and runny nose for 24 hours – it would be uncomfortable, but I’d be okay.

However, to my surprise as the substances starting kicking in, the allergy symptoms disappeared completely. The cat came over to me a few times, and I could tell it was no longer going to be a problem. It was like the plant medicine said, “You don’t need that allergy right now.” And I said in response, “Sounds good to me!”

As I lied down on the couch at the end of the night, the cat climbed on top of me, licked my face, and then she camped out on my legs for a while. The allergic reaction only started to mildly come back the next morning as everything was wearing off, but it was still way less than before.

I applied one key lesson I learned from Costa Rica, which was to ask the substances to go easy on me physically. Practicing good intentionality and trust is so important. As the layers began kicking in, I felt flushed, got sweaty palms, and felt some mild nausea and dizziness. My heart rate went from 70 to 90 bpm. I remembered to tell the plant medicine: gentle, gentle, gentle. I welcomed some mental, emotional, and spiritual intensity, but I wanted the physical side to be mild and not feel like my body was resisting it or scared. And that seemed to help. Even as I went to bed, my heart rate was still 85 while lying down, so it definitely got the blood pumping a bit faster. The main physical issue throughout the night though was feeling very thirsty. I kept feeling parched with a dry mouth even as I drank lots and lots of water. That seemed to be a common aspect of the experience.

One time when I went to the bathroom and saw myself in the mirror, I looked very different to myself. I thought… wow I look a lot older, maybe by 10 years. Is that really what I look like? I noticed my gray hair around my sideburns and the crow’s feet on the sides of my eyes. And I saw dark circles under my eyes, even though I didn’t feel sleepy. But then I realized that I was seeing myself more through my heart than my mind. I saw someone who was very happy, fulfilled, and wise – someone who was very pleased with his life journey and had integrated so many lessons and experiences. The “me” in the mirror just kept staring into my eyes and reflecting back so much love, but it didn’t entirely feel like he was the “me” that I’m used to. It was like he was an older me or maybe a deeper part of me or perhaps another me from a different dimension. I looked back at him and held up my hands to him in a heart-shape, and of course he did the same. Then I saw him smile even bigger as if to say, “Keep living the way you’re living and doing what you’re doing because it’s perfect for you.” I haven’t felt that self-love has been an issue for me, and this experience only took about a minute, but it felt very powerful and moving, like I was receiving love from my higher self or spiritual self or something like that.

I feel like all the Subjective Reality practice makes these altered states easier to invite, experience, and flow with. It’s just so wonderful to relate to people – especially people I just met for the first time – on the basis of co-creating beautiful and harmonious experiences. And of course abundant cuddles.

I feel like my love meter is filled up to 200% now.

Insights

After the experience, I did some journaling about it the next morning and wanted to see if I could come up with a list of 10 insights from it. Here’s what I wrote:

Our energy patterns pool and combine. What one person in a room experiences is a parallel experience – energetically – for everyone present. Only the details differ. So relief for one creates relief for all. If you help to create ease for others, you create it for yourself too, and vice versa.
Cuddle space is so easy to enter when focusing on the joy and peacefulness of it. It’s very easy to offer and accept genuine invites to touch. It’s really beautiful to care for each other through touch.
It’s a real honor to get to know people behind the scenes when honesty is more important than image. Presenting a false or skewed image to people prevents you from seeing them clearly as well.
Allergies are just energy patterns, and energy can change.
Limits and constraints help to sculpt our human experiences, giving some structure and railing to our stories. Even as we encounter limits in one area of life, other areas remain open. Limits can help us feel grounded to some certainty while we explore.
The baggage we carry may seem silly to others, and it can be helpful for us to see it as silly too sometimes. Silly behaviors are lighter and more flexible than ones we take so seriously.
A beautiful pathway to connection and intimacy is to be gentle with people. Gentleness invites openness and energy flow. Slow dancing can be easier, yet more intimate, than fast dancing.
A desire that isn’t manifesting is probably too thin – too mono-dimensional. Add more layers to it. Look at it from the 4D body-mind-heart-spirit angles, and see if you’re really asking for the total package of goodies.
The more shamelessly you can explore life, the easier it is for life to bring you harmoniously aligned experiences. You have life’s permission to explore and experience.
Evolving as a human being has more to do with _____ than with _____.

harmony, victory
co-creation, success
experiences, outcomes
movement, position
invitation, validation
curiosity, conclusions

I’m really glad I said yes to this experience because now I get to cherish the memory of it for a long time. I’m grateful that I started getting these kinds of invitations when I was ready for them. I feel very open to more experiences like this.

There Are Two New Covid Variants In England, Here’s What We Know

Posted on 28/10/2022 by Boris Clair

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified two new Covid-19 variants circulating in England, named BQ.1 and XBB. Both appear to come from the Omicron variant.

“A number of Omicron variants are currently circulating in England, many of which have acquired mutations which may produce a degree of immune escape,” the agency said. “Omicron sublineages BQ.1 and XBB have been given UKHSA variant designations to facilitate continued studies.”

BQ.1 is a sub-lineage of the previous Omicron variant, BA.5. It has been “designated on the basis of rapid growth”, the UKHSA said.

XBB, meanwhile, is what’s known as a “recombinant lineage”, meaning it derives from two previous Omicron sublineages. It has been already been found in 17 countries.

The variant may be a factor in the recent spike in cases in Singapore. So far, it has successfully evaded drug therapies and vaccines by working around the body’s immune system – potentially making it a more potent strain than its predecessors.

But, the most damaging element of this sub-variant is that scientists expect it will be just one of many which could emerge at the same time this winter.

XBB is causing concern among scientists after being detected in Europe, Asia and Australia.

XBB is spreading rapidly in Singapore in particular, having pushed Covid cases from 4,719 on October 9, to 11,732 on October 10, according to data from Johns Hopkins’ Coronavirus Resource Centre.

However, the country expects this wave to be “short and sharp”, averaging at around 15,000 daily cases by mid-November – although it could peak at around 20,000 on some days.

Previously BA.5 was the dominant variant in the UK, nearly 78.7% of confirmed cases in England were BA.5 which was first identified in April and was designated as a Variant of Concern on May 18.

Both new variants are not a cause for concern for some scientists. “It is not unexpected to see new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. Neither BQ.1 nor XBB have been designated as Variants of Concern and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, as always,” Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infection at UKHSA said.

Chand continued: “Vaccination remains our best defence against future COVID-19 waves, so it is still as important as ever that people come take up all the doses for which they are eligible as soon as possible.”

While early signs suggest it is more resistant to antibody treatments, the world is starting to create more boosters which broader protection, by producing vaccines with half the original vaccine and half protection against the dominant strains BA.4 and BA.5.

Lead respiratory virus immunology specialist Natalie Thornburg at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, also said in a webinar this week: “XBB is a chimera. I think there have been a couple of sequences identified in the US. But it’s way, way, way, way below that 1% threshold. I mean, it’s really like a handful of sequences.”

Menopause Has 62 Different Symptoms. How Many Can You Name?

Posted on 03/10/2022 by Boris Clair

Once you get to a certain age as a woman, you will know that menopause is around the corner.

And with that, comes the symptoms. Hot flushes are all but synonymous with the menopause, even though not all women experience them. And you’ll probably think there are a handful more, too. Well, you’re wrong.

Doctors report there are actually 62 different symptoms of menopause that women present with. That’s despite the biggest study yet into menopause awareness finding most women associate it with just five symptoms.

Hygiene and health company Essity surveyed 5,000 women pre-menopause, in peri, or post menopause – and found even women who are at the end of their journey remain relatively clueless about what they have been through

While 40% of women going through or having gone through the menopause have visited their GP to get help with symptoms, two thirds of women didn’t know menopause decreases sex drive and a whopping 74% didn’t realise it could be linked with weight gain.

Meanwhile, only 1% of women surveyed were aware it can cause changes in their vagina and how often they pee.

Menopause specialist Dr Naomi Potter reveals that tinnitus, UTIs, weaker bones and a change in body odour also feature in the list of menopause symptoms.

And worryingly, there’s a lack of knowledge of when it all kicks in, she says.

“Women believe they can’t experience symptoms in their forties because they’re not old enough, or their symptoms aren’t menopausal – when in fact if they’re over 45, it’s likely they are,” Potter says.

A spokesperson for Essity said: “[These] findings tell us that it’s a heavily misunderstood subject and the taboo surrounding it means women aren’t accessing the information and advice that could really help them.”

So what are the 62 symptoms of menopause?

Palpitations
Chest pain
Breast tenderness
Itchy skin
Dry Skin
Rosacea
Acne
Thin skin
Collagen loss
Crying
Brain Fog
Memory Loss
Poor concentration
Word finding difficulty
Anxiety
Low mood
Worsening PMS
Anger/ Rage /
Irritability
Headache
Migraines
Joint Pain
Joint stiffness
Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal discharge
Vulval itch
Perineal itch
Vulval/ vaginal electric shocks
Increase in thrush
Increase in BV
Poor libido
High libido
Weight gain
Scalp Hair loss
Unwanted Hair growth
Urinary Infections
Urinary incontinence
Urinary urgency
Nocturia (getting up at night)
Sexual Dysfunction
Chest Tighness
Constipation
Gastric reflux
Fatigue
Night Sweats
Hot flushes
Cold flushes
Period increased frequency
Periods decreased frequency
Heavier periods
Muscle Loss
Tinnitus
Dry eyes
Watery eyes
Burning mouth
Gum disease
Foot pain
Frozen shoulder
Insomnia
Histamine sensitivity
New allergy
Body odour change

Concern Over Covid Boosters And Baby Scans Cancelled For Queen’s Funeral

Posted on 13/09/2022 by Boris Clair

Patients are expressing concern that some Covid booster jabs, flu vaccinations, as well as key hospital appointments, are being cancelled ahead of the Queen’s funeral on September 19 since it was made a last-minute Bank Holiday.

Kate Brodie, 62, a retired NHS GP who is about to start a second round of chemotherapy for breast cancer, had specifically timed the date of her Covid booster so it fell before her hospital treatment started.

The vaccine was booked for September 19. However Brodie, who lives in south Devon, says she received a text message on September 12 saying the appointment had been cancelled due to the unexpected bank holiday.

“Having cancer is a huge stress with all the worry about survival, the process of going through gruesome treatment and hoping to continue to avoid Covid 19 while my immune system is down,” she tells HuffPost UK.

“The death of the Queen is very sad, but the reaction by NHSE [NHS England] to cancel delivery of much-needed services at short notice will cause harm and hardship to many.”

Many GP practices across England will be closed for the Bank Holiday, which has been given to allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to the Queen on the day of her state funeral.

A letter from Dr Ursula Montgomery, director of primary care at NHS England, said that out-of-hours services will be in place during the day to meet patients’ urgent primary medical care needs.

The funeral has come at a busy time for the NHS, as it implements its Covid booster and flu vaccination programmes ahead of the winter.

A text message from one GP surgery on the outskirts of London, seen by HuffPost UK, said flu vaccine appointments scheduled for this week would need to be rescheduled by a few days because of “the unfortunate news the nation is facing at the moment”.

Dr Helen Salisbury, a GP and medical educator from Oxford, explained on Twitter how a last minute bank holiday can be a “nightmare” for those trying to run health services, especially with lots of patients already booked in.

“What to do?” she tweeted. “Implore staff to work and pay extra? Reschedule and delay all the appointments?”

A bank holiday at short notice is a nightmare for those of us trying to run health services.
Loads of patients booked in do what to do? Implore staff to work and pay extra? Reschedule and delay all the appointments?

— Dr Helen Salisbury (@HelenRSalisbury) September 11, 2022

Other staff working in general practice responded to say that even when they do open on Bank Holidays, they often aren’t busy. Some added that they suspect lots of patients won’t turn up because they’ll be watching the funeral.

I worked GP OOH the Saturday of Princess Diana’s Funeral and it was deserted. No one phoned us and we didn’t see anyone despite being there waiting and available.
It’s like GP surgeries being open on Sundays or bank holidays during the pandemic when no one wants to come then.

— Sarah MacHale (@99Stickling) September 11, 2022

How many of those patients will choose to stay home to watch the televised events? Bank holidays are a nightmare in healthcare, short notice or not.

— Stephen Warner (@stephenwwarner1) September 11, 2022

Scheduled Covid boosters are still going ahead in care homes, said NHS England, which has also issued guidance urging clinics to stay open to deliver the boosters “where there is a high population need”.

But a report by openDemocracy found thousands of non-urgent hospital appointments – for issues such as hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery, maternity checks and some cancer treatments – are being postponed.

One pregnant woman revealed how her foetal scan had been cancelled, leaving her anxious about her baby’s health.

“I’m really disappointed,” she told openDemocracy. “Yes, it’s a routine scan, but that’s another week or two until I’m seen and wondering whether my baby is healthy – which means quite a lot of anxiety, sitting and waiting.”

Hospital appointment I’ve had booked for 6 months cancelled because it’s on the day of the funeral. What a weird little island we live on

— Harry Kelly (@Harry__Kelly) September 13, 2022

Kate Brodie has since tried to rebook her Covid booster for the next cycle, but was told there were no dates free near to where she lives.

“Thankfully I have found a centre 15 miles away that I can attend on Sunday instead,” she says. “I am lucky I am mobile and have transport to reach the further venue.”

Meanwhile, Greg Hadfield, 66, from Brighton, also found out his Covid booster vaccine appointment on September 19 has been cancelled and is now having to travel nearly 40 minutes by car to get another one.

The 66-year-old was originally invited to have the booster at his local Waitrose. However because the store will now be closed for the Bank Holiday – as many supermarkets will be – his appointment won’t go ahead.

“When I tried to re-book for another day at the same centre, the system offered only dates that were 14 days-plus ahead, by which time I will be abroad for a month,” he tells HuffPost UK.

He has managed to book an appointment 40 minutes away for the same date, September 19, which hasn’t been cancelled – so far.

“I am just relieved to get the booster before leaving for Turkey and Greece later this month,” he says.

What Sex Therapists Tell People Who’ve Never Had An Orgasm

Posted on 19/08/2022 by Boris Clair

If you’ve never had an orgasm, it’s easy to feel like your body is defective. But the reality is, there are many things that can contribute an inability to orgasm and plenty of ways to address it – it’s not hopeless!

According to Sadie Allison, a sexologist, author and founder of sex toy retailer TickleKitty, being “anorgasmic,” as it’s sometimes called, could be attributed to “inhibitions in the bedroom, cultural or religious beliefs that make it hard to mentally relax, medical conditions or taking medications, sexual hang-ups from past experiences, and relationship or intimacy issues.”

Past trauma, subconscious feelings of shame or fear, body discomfort, anxiety or even just lack of knowledge about anatomy can also be factors in anorgasmia.

“One of the main reasons, however, is a lack in education around sexual anatomy, arousal and response, pleasure and the clitoris,” Allison adds. “Unfortunately they don’t teach this important information in school. But the good news is, this is something that can be practiced and learned with success!”

But how exactly should you go about learning and practicing if you’ve never had an orgasm? Below, Allison and other sex therapists share their advice.

First, recognise that there’s nothing wrong with you

If you’ve never had an orgasm, it’s important to understand that you are not alone and there’s nothing wrong with you. This is a not-uncommon experience, especially for people with vulvas.

In fact, studies suggest that roughly 10% of women have never had an orgasm, and 50% do not experience orgasm during sexual intercourse.

“You are not broken,” says Kate Balestrieri, a sex therapist and founder of Modern Intimacy. “Orgasms and pleasure can be complex, layered, and unpredictable, especially if you have less experience with sex that you enjoy. Refrain from judging or shaming yourself if you have not yet experienced an orgasm.”

Try getting to know your body

“Most people will find their first orgasm through self pleasuring vs. with a partner,” says sex and relationship coach Keeley Rankin. “This is because being with a partner offers a whole new complex dynamic. And while potentially sexy and fun, for folks who are looking for an orgasm, it is typically more stress inducing.”

Instead, start with your own body, by yourself. Explore which zones are your hot spots and get comfortable masturbating.

“Choose a place where you feel you have privacy and make yourself comfortable,” advises Nazanin Moali, a sex therapist and host of the Sexology podcast.

She recommends building psychological arousal by reading or listening to sexually explicit or romantic content, whatever turns you on.

Sex therapists recommend spending time by yourself getting to know your body.

“When you feel aroused, I recommend that you start with a body scan from head to toe and make a note of all the sensations in your body,” Moali says.

Consider gently massaging lotion all over your body. Take deep breaths in and out to release any tension.

“Start with touching and caressing your face and neck and explore different types of strokes,” she advises. “The goal for the first few times is to get to know different sensations in your body. Set the intention to get to know your body and explore it without putting any pressure. When you are ready, slowly move to your genital area and pay attention to the types of stroke that feel good.”

You can use your fingers or a vibrator or other sex toy in your exploration. Familiarise yourself with lots of different sensations.

Remove the focus on orgasm as the goal

“I initially take orgasm off the table as a goal,” says sex therapist and psychologist Megan Fleming. “The goal is getting back to the basics of giving and receiving pleasure. The pressure of having an orgasm as a goal is often a big part of what inhibits their arousal response.”

Rather than concentrating on having an orgasm, try to focus on the pleasure of arousal, connection with your body or your partner’s body, creativity and general enjoyment.

“Re-conceptualise your expectations for sex,” Balestrieri says. “So many people organise themselves around penetration and orgasm being the pinnacle and goal for pleasure. But that perpetuates a performative experience of sex and limits the countless other opportunities for pleasure that can increase the likelihood of an orgasm. Changing the goal from having an orgasm to experiencing pleasure and fun can paradoxically make orgasms more accessible.”

“There is no magic pill for finding an orgasm. It is often a deep dive into your own sexuality, emotional wounds, psychological blocks, beliefs, as well as learning new skills.”

– Keeley Rankin, sex and relationship coach

Get cliterate

“The sexual encounters we see depicted in film primarily depict penetrative sex,” says Zoë Ligon, a sex educator and founder of Spectrum Boutique. “And while some people can orgasm through penetration alone, the vast majority of people need external stimulation or external stimulation paired with internal stimulation in order to achieve orgasm. We as a culture ignore clitoral stimulation, as well as the time that is needed to build up arousal in order to achieve orgasm.”

She hopes society will continue to move away from penetrative intercourse as the standard definition of “sex” and seeks to educate people with vulvas and their partners about the importance of the clitoris – the small erogenous organ with highly sensitive nerve endings – in reaching orgasm.

“Become cliterate,” echoes Allison. “If you’re still learning where your clitoris is, or how to pleasure it, this is your starting point. The clitoris has about 8,000 nerve endings and is the main epicentre of orgasm creation. While there are other types of orgasms like G-spot, penetrative, anal, they are more advanced, so consider exploring those after you become your own clitoral expert.”

Advocate for your pleasure

When it comes to sex with a partner, good communication is crucial. Everyone is different, so don’t be shy in sharing how you like you like to be touched.

“Don’t be afraid to tell your partner what feels good and what doesn’t,” advises Kimberly Resnick Anderson, a sex therapist and assistant professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine. “You’d be surprised what a conversation about sexual preferences and fantasies can accomplish. If you are too embarrassed to talk to your partner about sex, you are missing out on an opportunity to increase your sexual satisfaction.”

Of course, the conversation can be uncomfortable, especially with a new partner, but having an open dialogue will bring you closer.

“Orgasm is about surrendering to the moment, to your body’s pleasure, and to another person,” says Jenni Skyler, a sex therapist and director of The Intimacy Institute. “If you are with a new partner, trust is still developing, and thus surrendering to a new person can be tricky.”

Whatever you do, don’t fake an orgasm, or stop doing it if you’ve already developed that habit.

“At times, women fake orgasms in an attempt to please their partner,” Moali says. “However, through this, you are also sending the wrong information to your partner about what works for you. Instead, focus on slowing down and getting curious about what types of touches feel good in your body. Spending more time engaging in foreplay will help you build enough arousal, thereby shortening the arousal gap between you and your partner.”

Don't be afraid to experiment with different sex toys, erotica and more. — Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sex toys, erotica and more.

Keep experimenting

Never stop trying new things, from techniques to toys. Resnick Anderson suggested vocalizing as a tip to facilitate orgasm.

“Research has shown that expressing sounds of pleasure during sex can increase capacity for orgasm,” she explains. “Women are also more likely to climax during coitus if they can control the speed, depth, and angle of penetration with positions like cowgirl or reverse cowgirl.”

Resnick Anderson also recommends trying different kinds of porn, like more female-friendly videos or erotic writing. Even something as simple as keeping your socks on might make you feel more comfortable and relaxed.

“Activate as many senses as possible,” she adds, noting that some people struggle to get out of their heads and into their bodies. “The more sensations one experiences at the same time, the easier it is to connect to your body. Tantalise your senses by engaging your hearing, vision, tastebuds, sense of smell, and sense of touch all at once. When our brains are busy listening, smelling, tasting, seeing, and touching, it’s easier to ignore intrusive or anxious thoughts.”

Invest in a new vibrator or other sex toys for solo or partnered sex. Try a lubricant. And pay attention to the different kinds of sensory experiences that give you pleasure, or even turn you on.

“Don’t limit yourself to what you think should turn you on, and instead give yourself permission to explore a full range of fantasies or erotic material, so you can learn what your body responds to,” Balestrieri says. “Refrain from judging yourself. Fantasies are just fantasies and do not say anything about your character. Often, fantasies give us access to an emotional or sensory experience that we can’t (and may not even want to) experience in real life. Think of fantasies and sex as play, and let yourself colour with vibrance.”

Seek professional help

If you’re concerned about your inability to orgasm, you may also consider seeking professional help.

“First and foremost, go to a sexual medicine specialist to ensure nothing physically going on – hormone issues, pelvic pain, tissue issues,” advises sex therapist and educator Nicoletta Heidegger. “Not just a regular [gynaecologist] or urologist – someone who has specialised training in sexual medicine and sexual functioning.”

If there are no discernible medical issues, she recommended then reaching out to a sex therapist, sex coach or sexological bodyworker to continue your journey.

There are also a number of apps, books other resources that might be useful. Heidegger recommended Come as You Are and Becoming Cliterate by Laurie Mintz. Ligon is a fan of Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein.

“Check out the app OMG Yes, Beducated, or Vanessa Marin’s Finishing school,” Heidegger says. “With many other topics like driving or changing a tire, we learn, and practice or take classes. There is no shame in this not coming naturally – pun intended. You may need practice, help, tools, education, and support, which is totally OK.”

It can also be helpful to talk to a mental health professional about any negative feelings or past experiences around sex.

“Address any shame you feel about sex,” Balestrieri says. “Shame – unless it’s part of your kink – is an inhibiting experience. It makes us feel small and unworthy, and when it comes to pleasure and the permission one gives themselves to feel pleasure, shame is a huge barrier to orgasm.”

Be patient

“I explain right away to my clients that this is often a long journey ― not to scare anyone, but to create realistic expectations for what they can expect,” Rankin said. “There is no magic pill for finding an orgasm. It is often a deep dive into your own sexuality, emotional wounds, psychological blocks, beliefs, as well as learning new skills.”

Patience is key. Be prepared to spend a lot of time with your body and try to remain relaxed and optimistic. Focus on the fun exploration and in-the-moment sensations.

“Stay positive and be patient,” Allison said. “Don’t be discouraged or feel something is wrong with you. Sometimes it could simply be a new rubbing technique or vibrator that surprises you with that special sensation, or even a new partner that brought that special something. Hang in there and enjoy as you explore and try new things. Remember, it’s a journey, not a race. And you’re so worth it!”

Stillbirths Increased Last Year. Why Is Nobody Talking About It?

Posted on 10/08/2022 by Boris Clair

After years of progress, the number of stillbirths increased across England and Wales in 2021 – but it’s not the story you’ll read about elsewhere.

When the new ONS data was released this week, most newspapers focused on a jolly little fact: last year, more babies were born out of wedlock than among married couples for the first time since records began.

But the figures also show there were 2,597 stillbirths in 2021, an increase of 226 from 2020.

These statistics were barely a footnote in most national newspapers, something the baby loss charity, Tommy’s, was disappointed by.

Kath Abrahams, chief executive at the charity says the latest figures are “unacceptable”. She believes they reflect the “direct and indirect” impact Covid-19 had on pregnant women and people in 2021.

“Indirectly, the pandemic had a significant impact on maternity services, putting them under greater pressure,” she tells HuffPost UK. “There were higher rates of stillbirth in January 2021, which coincided with the peak of the second wave of Covid-19.”

Throughout the pandemic, HuffPost UK reported on the disproportionate impact on maternity services, with pregnant women saying they felt “forgotten” as lockdown restrictions eased. While pubs reopened, mums-to-be reported having routine antenatal appointments cancelled or conducted over the phone.

Though there’s no research to link these practices directly to stillbirth rates, the individual stories paint a picture of incomplete care, at a time of high-anxiety for pregnant women.

Pregnant women also faced misinformation regarding vaccine safety, with some even mistakingly told not to take the jab at vaccine centres. Data from October 2021 found just 15% of pregnant women were fully vaccinated amidst the fear and confusion.

Because of this, Tommy’s says Covid-19 infection is likely to have had a direct impact on the 2021 stillbirth rate.

“Our research has shown that getting Covid-19 during pregnancy could cause problems in the placenta, increasing the risk of pregnancy complications, which is why it’s important pregnant women and people get vaccinated if they can,” Abrahams says.

“Rates of stillbirth had been following a consistent decline over recent years, and we believe 2021’s increase is unacceptable. It highlights exactly why we need to increase efforts to meet NHS England’s aim of reducing stillbirth rates by 50% by 2025.”

The data also uncovered that stillbirth rates differed across the country last year, with more deprived areas, including the North East and Yorkshire, experiencing higher rates than the most affluent regions.

“It is unacceptable that who you are and where you live continues to have an impact on whether your baby is born healthy – and it’s vital that our government and health services continue to focus on tackling these inequalities,” Abrahams adds.

“Action to reduce stillbirth must be a national priority as health services recover following the Covid-19 pandemic, and more work must be done to understand the reasons for the increase in stillbirths and help improve care for pregnant women and people at risk.”

Commenting on the latest figures, Professor Asma Khalil, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said every stillbirth “is a tragedy for the families affected as well as the maternity staff involved”.

“Stillbirth rates are still higher in the UK than many other high-income countries and vary widely across the UK,” she said. “We continue to advise women who have concerns or worries about their or their baby’s health – including the baby’s movements – to seek medical advice from their midwife or hospital as soon as possible. We also advise pregnant women to ensure they are fully vaccinated against Covid as this can increase the risk of stillbirth.”

HuffPost UK contacted the Department of Health and Social Care about the increased stillbirth rates, sharing the concerns raised by Tommy’s about stretched maternity services.

In response, a DHSC spokesperson told us: “We are committed to making the NHS the best place in the world to give birth through personalised, high-quality support.

“Since 2010, the rate of stillbirths has reduced by 20.9%, the rate of neonatal mortality for babies born over 24 weeks has reduced by 36% and maternal mortality has reduced by 17%.

“The NHS is investing £127m into the maternity system in the next year to support the workforce and improve neonatal care – which is on top of £95m to recruit 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians.”

A Little Bit Of Good News About The NHS Offers A Glimmer Of Hope About Its Future

Posted on 09/08/2022 by Boris Clair

The NHS has managed to address its huge Covid backlog in a significant moment of celebration for the struggling service.

NHS England revealed on Tuesday that it had cut the number of patients waiting more than years for a routine operation from 22,500 – the number from the start of the year – to 168.

This includes scans, checks and surgeries, and the 51,000 people who would have passed the two-year mark by the end of July.

Three NHS regions also had no patients waiting two years or longer for this routine treatment, with another three getting it down to single figures.

The stats show remarkable progress although it does exclude more complex cases and those who deferred treatment.

Still, 220,000 patients with Covid have been treated in the last six months, too.

The NHS has pointed to its elective recovery plan, which aimed to take on Covid backlogs back in February, for its success.

The service has been redirecting patients to other hospitals across the country as well, so they could be treated more quickly, while covering travel and accommodation costs “where appropriate”.

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard also claimed this achievement was only possible because the NHS continues to reform how it provides care, including using new tech like robot surgery.

It comes after the health service announced it would eliminate the two-year waiting lists by July earlier this year.

There are still worrying signs though

This statistic is only one small portion out of the whole Covid backlog. Only on Monday, there were fears over declining dentistry care across the whole country.

The BBC reported that 6.6 million people were still waiting for hospital treatment in total.

Meanwhile, ambulance response times for the most urgent incidents climbed to nine minutes and six seconds according to the NHS England in June. This is far from the target of seven minutes.

This is just one example where health care is still struggling, as it was even before the pandemic began.

On top of this, fears over its workforce shortage and long-term underfunding mean the future of the NHS still looks precarious, despite this small bit of good news about cutting waiting times.

Those at the top of the NHS still have grand plans for progress, though.

Pritchard said: “The next phase will focus on patients waiting longer than 18 months, building on the fantastic work already done, and, while it is a significant challenge, our remarkable staff have shown that, when we are given the tools and resources we need, the NHS delivers for our patients.”

Health secretary Steve Barclay said: “This is testament to NHS staff who have worked incredibly hard to get us here – despite the significant challenges.”

The government plans to remove the 18-month waiting list by April 2023.

We’ve Had Monkeypox. This Is What We Need People To Know

Posted on 06/08/2022 by Boris Clair

Jake* was having an ordinary family meal with his partner and 15-year-old son when he came down with a fever. For four days he felt exhaustion and had no appetite at all, and after a few days he developed brain fog. Twenty-four hours later, an anal lesion appeared.

“It was essentially an open wound for five days which was emitting a clear mucus and then blood,” Jake tells HuffPost UK.

“It was almost impossible to sit down and moving was very painful. Opening my bowels was pure agony and my body was making me do that eight or nine times a day. Each time was a bloodbath.”

It was late July when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared monkeypox a world health emergency.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated there are more than 25,000 cases worldwide – predominately in Europe, though more than 7,000 in the US, and more emerging in South America, South East Asia, the Western Pacific and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The virus was first reported in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, having been identified in monkeys in a Danish laboratory in 1958 (thus the name). However, prior to 2021, there had only been seven UK cases.

As of August 4, there are more than 2,700 confirmed monkeypox cases in the UK, according to government figures, most in England and “a significant majority” of those – as many as 75% – in London.

Its prior rarity means knowledge of transmission among health experts is still patchy while we await more research – a period of stasis that echoes the early stages of Covid-19.

But this week, groups from across the political spectrum in Westminster joined forces, signing a letter to health secretary Steve Barclay calling for action on a disease that’s “causing real fear and anxiety” within queer communities.

While it’s possible for anyone, including children, to catch monkeypox, 98% of current cases are in men who identify as gay or bisexual, or men who have sex with men. This was confirmed by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO, and he advised men to reduce their number of sexual partners while health authorities tackle the outbreak.

For decades, queer men have been subjected to unfair stigma around sexual promiscuity, particularly during the AIDS pandemic, and the lack of knowledge around the rise of monkeypox has obvious parallels with AIDS for those that remember the height of that crisis.

“We need to calmly and responsibly acknowledge that this current monkeypox outbreak is predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men.”

– Greg Owen, PrEP lead at Terrence Higgins Trust

So campaigners says it’s crucial that messaging about monkeypox transmission and vaccination is handled sensitively to avoid spreading further stigma against the LGBTQ+ community.

“We need to calmly and responsibly acknowledge that this current monkeypox outbreak is predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men,” says Greg Owen, PrEP lead at the Terrence Higgins Trust.

“We need to acknowledge that it’s also mainly being spread through the skin to skin contact, which is occurring during sex. There is nothing wrong with stating that. It is very problematic if we don’t.”

Dr Mark Lawton, a sexual health and HIV consultant in Liverpool and chair of the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), adds the following caution: “We believe, in addition to direct skin to skin to contact, monkeypox can be transmitted through contact with contaminated clothing and bedding and by respiratory droplets in close proximity.”

Harun Tulunay, a 35-year-old training coordinator who works with HIV/AIDS charity Positively UK, contracted a serious case of monkeypox in June.

“I was feeling like someone was ripping my flesh out of my bones,” says Tulunay of his experience. The Londoner doesn’t believe he developed monkeypox having sex, but through bodily touch, simply by lying next to a partner.

During his stint in hospital, the pain was so severe that doctors gave him opioids in an attempt to control the discomfort.

Harun Tulunay in hospital with monkeypox.

“I wasn’t able to swallow, it was that bad,” he tells HuffPost UK. “The pain was worse than kidney stone pain. When they gave me antibiotics I was crying and kicking my bed and the doctors were holding me.”

While most monkeypox cases are much milder, there can be mental health implications for those who catch the virus.

Jake had been in close contact with his 80-year-old father in the period before his symptoms began and that, after getting a diagnosis, having to tell his family they might be at risk too gave him extra stress.

“Mentally it was very difficult,” says the professional services manager, who is bisexual, in his forties, and based in London.

“It meant my father knowing I’m in an open relationship which was stressful to share. My 80-year-old father has up until now just about managed to deal with my bisexuality by addressing it as little as possible. Now he is being contacted with offers for a vaccine as he may have been exposed.”

Jake's hand with signs of monkeypox (left) and his arm scabbing over (right). — Jake’s hand with signs of monkeypox (left) and his arm scabbing over (right).

The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) says it is working “rapidly” to vaccinate those at risk.

Vaccinations began in July, using Imvanex – a vaccine designed for smallpox – and NHS England has confirmed that 14,000 people have already received a jab, although priority is being given to those at higher risk of contracting it.

“It’s important to emphasise that vaccination will not give instant protection against infection or disease, and can take several weeks,” the WHO director-general said on July 27. “That means those vaccinated should continue to take measures to protect themselves, by avoiding close contact, including sex, with others who have or are at risk of having monkeypox.”

The US virus declared the virus a public health emergency on Thursday. For those confirmed to have monkeypox, the US CDC is recommending a two-to-four-week isolation period.

Now campaigners are calling for similar focus in the UK. Greg Owen is among many spokespeople for queer organisations putting pressure on the government to do more to control the spread of the virus and speed up vaccine roll-out.

“We want to see a national lead appointed to hold all of those in the fragmented system to account in terms of tackling the monkeypox outbreak with the ultimate goal of preventing it from becoming endemic in the UK,” he tells HuffPost UK. Owen believes we “urgently” need to double the amount of vaccines with “an injection of cash, quickly” put into sexual health services.

The open letter signed by Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and Scottish National Party representatives, as well as charities. echoed this: “We are united as LGBT+ groups from across political parties in asking that the government treat the monkeypox outbreak as a public health emergency.”

Alongside the Terrence Higgins Trust and BASSH, the British HIV Association, PrEPster and the National AIDS Trust are also rallying for government action, including £51m funding from the Department of Health and Social Care.

The call is repeated by Dr Lawton: “Crucial to this is immediate mobilisation of resources by the government to ensure sexual health clinics, who are bearing the brunt of this, are funded to deal with the additional workload and sufficient vaccine is made available for all those that need it,” he tells HuffPost UK.

The Terrence Higgins Trust has also expressed concern that access to other vital healthcare support is being stretched due to health workers being overworked and having to focus on an influx of monkeypox patients.

“Some [sexual health services are] seeing a 90% reduction in access to the HIV prevention pill PrEP and long-acting reversible contraception,” the charity writes on its website.

Similarly to the early days of Covid-19, monkeypox is affecting people that are otherwise fit and healthy.

“I have no underlying health conditions,” says James,* who is 36, and asked to stay anonymous. “I work out six times a week and my fitness and health is my top priority. So for this to floor me the way it did, it was really scary. I also found the isolation really difficult, three weeks from the first sign and symptom is really tough!”

Meanwhile, John Thomas only experienced mild symptoms, but believes one of the major challenges is convincing men who have non-severe cases to isolate for the benefit of others.

“I think mild cases go under reported compared to the horror stories,” he tells HuffPost UK. “If you don’t know you have monkeypox, or if you can get away without people knowing you have it, you’re free to spread the virus to others.”

He adds: “If I hadn’t been looking for symptoms I would have almost certainly gone to a club night on the Friday [around the time of his transmission], and probably on the Saturday night as well.″ I think enough isn’t known about transmission yet, or if it is, the messaging is confusing.”

Thomas is right to have thought twice about going clubbing, says Dr Lawton, who says it is possible that monkeypox could spread in an intense nightclub environment where people are wearing little clothing.

“This is certainly a potential source of infection,” he says. “It is predominantly transmitted through skin to skin contact, but this does not need to be sexual.”

While we wait for more research, campaigners like Owen are trying to stay pragmatic.

While expressing “huge concerns,” including fears around vaccine equity, he tells HuffPost UK: “I tend not to ‘worry’ – worrying can be really debilitating.”

* Some names have been changed and surnames changed to offer anonymity.

WellnessMaster

Get The Latest News on Holistic Wellness

Category Archives: Health