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Urbanization and Its Challenges

     In the last century, urbanization has accelerated at an unprecedented pace. Cities around the world have grown rapidly, attracting people from rural areas seeking better opportunities. While urban centers provide access to jobs, education, and healthcare, they also present significant challenges. Overcrowding, gridlock, pollution, and insufficient housing are common problems. Moreover, social inequality is often more visible in urban areas, where wealthy neighborhoods exist alongside impoverished communities. Urban planners argue that sustainable development, public transportation, and inclusive policies are essential to create cities that can support both economic growth and quality of life. 

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HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

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LOVE BOMB

Do you fall in love hard and fast? Three signs you're an emophiliac − & five ways to break the destructive lust cycle

 If this happens often, you may have emophilia, AKA a tendency to fall in love quickly and with just about anyone.

And experts warn it can have a negative impact on mental health, leaving people vulnerable and trapped in toxic relationships, or see them darting from one relationship to the next, constantly chasing the thrill of early attraction or that feeling of falling in love.

"When you first fall for someone, you get that rush of the feel-good hormone, serotonin," says Sarah Louise Ryan, dating and relationship expert, matchmaker and psychotherapist.

"This phase of romantic love is really the rose-tinted glasses phase. You are falling for the newness of these just-discovered feelings, just as much as you're falling for the actual person. This is because new and different people bring out different parts of us." 

There's nothing wrong with these emotions, though they do simmer down as we build a relationship.

"In reality, when that spark fades, that is when the real relationship begins," says Sarah.

"But those with emophilia don't ever want that feeling to fizzle out, which can lead them into a volatile position romantically. They either never fully commit and move on to the next partner, or they date multiple people to discover who they have the biggest spark with, all in search of the rush."

The emotional fallout from this pattern can be huge.

The good news is it's possible to stop and change your thinking and actions.

Love At First Sight?

But whatever happened to "love at first sight", you might wonder?

Genuine love at first sight is an instant attraction to someone you might share common values with, find intriguing and are physically attracted to.

It can be with someone who feels safe and calm.

But emophilia is falling in love with the feeling of lust, attention, validation and connection, rather than the person.

"That need for attachment can be intoxicating, but it's important to get to know the person you've fallen for on a deeper level," Sarah says.

"You will feel anxiety when you're not getting that serotonin burst, but if you follow these steps before becoming emotionally attached so quickly, you'll feel better."

When Emophilia Becomes a Problem

 At a time when the dating world feels dire and "true love" is hard to find, is it really all that bad if someone is so open to connection?

The issue is that when emophiliacs fall, they tend not to question the relationship's long-term goals, values or red flags.

This can make them either more likely to jump ship or get stuck in a relationship that was doomed from the start.

"Falling for risky partners may seem appealing, but it can be dangerous when their aim is manipulation and destruction," explains Sarah.

"People with emophilia can be attracted to narcissists, who may lovebomb a new partner by showing excessive amounts of affection and attention. This would be ideal for a person with emophilia. Because they think they're in love, emophiliacs are likely to overlook warnings or advice, even from trusted family and friends. However, when red flags aren't addressed, over time they can become more problematic."

Why Do you Fall so Hard?

Though the exact cause of emophilia is unknown, there are several possible theories.

"It is thought that low serotonin levels in the brain may contribute," says Sarah.

Serotonin is also implicated in conditions including depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Some people may also be hypersensitive to oxytocin," adds Sarah.

Also known as the love hormone, oxytocin creates feelings of trust and a desire to care.

Falling in love quickly is also a shared experience of people with ADHD, which may be linked with the disorder's symptoms of impulsivity.

But it may just be a personality trait.

For some, there is excitement to be found in the chaos, and boredom in the monotony.

FIVE WAYS TO BREAK UP WITH EMOPHILIA

Overcoming the need to chase the rush of falling for someone isn't easy, as many of our relationship desires are ingrained.

"I would ask an emophiliac: 'Is it working for you?'", Sarah says.

"If the answer is yes, and you're happy flitting from one relationship to another, keep doing what you are doing. If the answer is no, I'd recommend these tips."

1. Go Cold Turkey

If you are a serial dater, go cold turkey − including no sex or romantic relations − to focus on yourself.

Discover the qualities you like in yourself and note the ways in which you are capable without having a significant other.

Then, pick up conscious dating when the time is right.

"When you find the confidence to make the right choices, you will no longer let your drive for a feeling choose for you," says Sarah.

"It will be hard work, but worth it."

2. Spot The Red Flags

Some red flags are universal.

For example, a lack of respect or signs of attempting to control another person.

However, others will be more specific to you.

For example, how do you feel about their financial situation, living arrangements, family set-up or beliefs?

It's easy for a friend to say: "That's a red flag", but ask yourself if it really is for you.

Write down your deal-breakers, then ensure when connecting with someone that you ask the questions that will unveil these warning signs.

3. Note What Hasn't Worked

Sit back and really think about the patterns you have fallen into with each romantic partner.

What happened? Where did it go wrong? Self-awareness is important in the decision-making process.

If necessary, write out an action plan for the next time someone catches your attention.

4. Listen To Friends

You may get so caught up in the rush of a new partner that you forget the concerns of those closest to you.

Take time to speak to a family member or friend who knows you well and has historically given you honest advice.

Run through any worries or ask for feedback on new partners.

Your friends don't have to love or even like your partner, but if they have concerns about them, it's worth hearing them.

This can be a failing for people with emophilia, who can only see the positives of a new crush.

5. Consult A Therapist

Therapists or counsellors can help you to understand and manage emophilia.

"Therapists help bring you into the here and now and find internal validation, rather than seeking external validation from others," says Sarah.

"That means that those with emophilia can consciously connect with themselves and with others when dating."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/35847187/love-marriage-relationshipscouples-emophiliac-lust-cycle

Reasons To Make A ‘Reverse Bucket List’, By A Psychologist

By Mark Travers

(Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2025/07/18/3-reasons-to-make-a-reverse-bucketlist-by-a-psychologist – text specially adapted for this test.) *Bucket list: a list of the things that a person would like to do or achieve before they die. (Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/bucket-list) 

In today’s fast‑paced business environment, hardly anything is more vital for growth and survival than innovation. And this is especially the case when it comes to technologies

IT innovation may sound like an area that’s purely the domain of IT companies, but really, it’s something that every business should be working towards. With new IT solutions coming out practically daily, it’s critical to find the ones that are going to boost operations, that are going to help companies to reach and exceed business goals. And it’s important to not just put innovative IT services in place, but to find the ones that are going to add the most value, and to find ways of using IT services in unique and innovative ways to enhance the way businesses are done.

Imagine IT innovation as a breath of fresh air into the sometimes stale corporate world, refreshing and reinvigorating business models, product development processes, and the very fabric of operational efficiency. Innovative IT breakthroughs like artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, or the Internet of Things (IoT), are not just buzzwords but actual business growth strategies.

The ways in which businesses can leverage innovative IT solutions are as varied as the businesses themselves. From using AI to offer personalised customer experiences, to using conversational AI as training aids for new team members, to taking advantage of platforms like Microsoft Copilot and enhancing humans’ daily workflows – the potential is limitless.

One of the real‑world IT innovation examples that showcases the power of forward‑thinking is the adoption of chatbots for customer service. With AI and natural language processing, chatbots can handle simple inquiries, freeing up human staff to tackle more complex issues. More than that, it is possible to feed chatbot information that it can learn from in turn, helping it to provide answers that are unique to a specific business. For example, it could upload responses to the most common questions received, and the chatbot will not only provide this information to potential clients and customers that ask those questions, but will adapt them to the client’s unique situation. This not only improves efficiency but also enhances the customer experience.

IT innovation doesn’t take a single form. Because there are so many different ways to take advantage of innovative technology solutions, the IT innovation types can be broadly broken down into two different categories, but even these aren’t definitive.

Businesses are always looking for ways to enhance the products and services that they offer, and using innovative IT solutions to both pinpoint new product offerings or enhance the services that companies are already specialised in can setting in an increasingly competitive market space. Using IT innovation in product development can involve finding new ways to analyse data to get more meaningful insights, finding ways to incorporate solutions into technologies like apps, smart watches, or IoT devices. 

The second category of IT innovation is improving the existing processes within companies. By taking advantage of innovative technologies, they can enhance their internal operations and help the humans behind business to work smarter, not necessarily harder. This will see efficiency at an all‑time high, and more being done in less time. Some examples of ways that innovation can improve processes include using machine learning and AI to automate tasks, streamlining workflows, and both simplifying and enhancing data management.

Internet: <www.solidsystems.co.za> (adapted).

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