Britton’s Burning Question

As the semester comes to an end, recurring topics have been surfacing in Human Growth and Development, one of which is that choices people make when they’re young affect their later years. Examples discussed in class include exercise (or lack of it), smoking, drinking, proper diet, stress management, and so forth.

To supplement and reinforce text information, I added some tidbits from a new book entitled 127 Things You Need to Know. Information included the importance of exercise (at least 30 minutes five times a week), the harmful effects of smoking, and the perils of a diet high in fat. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable premature death, and yet people continue to light up. Obesity has almost reached epidemic proportions in the United States, and yet old and young alike continue to drink sugar-loaded soft drinks and eat double cheeseburgers. AIDS is the #2 killer (after accidents) of young adults, but somehow young people aren’t heeding the message.

 Britton spoke up and asked a question that probably most of her classmates were thinking (paraphrase): “So how do we change? We know what’s good for us and what isn’t, but how can we get more motivated?”

I once read an article entitled “Change or Die” in which the author spoke of how scaring people into safe health practices didn’t seem to be that effective. He proposed that the message be changed to “Change and Live.” Saying, “If you stop smoking, you’ll add seven years to your life” could be more effective than, “If you don’t stop smoking, you’ll going to decrease your longevity and increase the odds of dying a slow painful death.”

What do you think? Would that work? Answer Britton’s question and tell us how to get young people to take heed to what the experts are saying

Deadly Relationship Habits

While cleaning out some files earlier today, I came across some notes from a Glasser conference that I attended about three years ago. As well as I recall, this particular session was about relationship disorders and people with control issues. You might know a few of them, the folks who think they know what’s right for themselves AND for everyone else. According to my notes, “as soon as you say what’s right for other people, you begin to sow the seeds of destruction.”

 Below are Dr. Glasser’s Seven Deadly Habits of External Control with a few of the notes I scribbled at the time. In his words, “You can stop using them or not. It’s your choice.” Just for the heck of it, read them and see if any sound familiar:

1. Criticizing. Glasser feels there’s no such thing as constructive criticism because essentially what you’re saying is, “I think what you’re doing is not as effective as it could be.”
2. Blaming. Maybe you know whose fault it is, but so what?
3. Complaining. If you’re hooked up with a complainer the years will get longer and longer.
4. Nagging
5. Threatening. “If you don’t do what’s best (in my opinion), then I’ll give you a hard time or maybe even kill you.”
6. Punishing
7. Bribing. This is a way of rewarding people in order to control them.

An advocate of choice theory, Dr. Glasser feels that we need to teach people how to be better and happier human beings and that following the above habits is totally ineffective. I remember getting somewhat amused when he said that after one of his sessions, a woman came up and said something like, “I’m guilty of all of the seven deadly habits, but I can’t help it. And I just can’t change either.” What did the esteemed doctor say? “Then don’t. It’s your choice.”

It’s a simple concept. Find out what works best for you and do it, but don’t try to tell others what to do. It doesn’t work…at least not in the long run. And not in healthy relationships.

SC’s Obesity Rate

In Human Growth and Development, obesity is a topic that surfaces in every unit from babyhood to adulthood. It seems that America has a “growing” problem in weight control, one that affects many dimensions of a person, including his physical, emotional, and social well-being. That said, I read this morning that South Carolina ranks #5 in the nation in obesity. Why can’t we be # 5 in education and # 45 in obesity????

Seriously, why do you think SC is the fifth-fattest state in the country? In fact, a new study by two public health organizations determined that eight of the 10 most obese states are in the South.  By the way, our neighbors to the north and west, North Carolina and Georgia, aren’t even on the list.  What’s going on? Is it our buttered biscuits and fried chicken? Does it have to do with poverty and the food available to the state’s impoverished population?

Whatever the reasons, we have a problem in SC, and I’m curious about your thoughts as to its cause(s). I’m also wondering if you have some ideas about combating it. With 30 percent of our residents classified as obese, we must do something.