Caught Between a Troubled Past and an Uncertain Future: The Well-Being of Asylum-Seeking Children in Sweden

Author(s):  
Ulla Björnberg
Keyword(s):  
1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antony L.T. McCammon

No-strings-attached lending is anathema to the serious commercial banker, who sees only a wafer-thin line between such ‘lending’ and the un-bank-like practice of giving (non-returnable) grants. Such doubts, indeed, are not confined to the banking industry. In the face of home grown problems of unemployment or health-care, for instance, democratically elected governments of donor countries are finding themselves under increasing pressure from their voters to cut back on bilateral assistance to hopelessly indebted taker-states. Multilateral lending and development institutions are facing an uncertain future, trapped in the vicious circle of bad debts that are all-too-steadily increasing, capital and funding quotas that are failing to materialize (eyes are currently on the US Congress), and borrowing that is becoming ever-more expensive. The African Development Bank is faltering; a Middle East Development Bank is in danger of being stillborn. The World Bank has recently been trying bravely to redress the balance: it has created a ‘multilateral debt facility’ for the most severely-indebted countries, and devised a numerical scale of national well-being that is more appropriate for the measurement of ecologically sustainable development than GNP per head of population. While these initiatives should not be belittled, good ideas are too often murdered by gangs of ugly facts.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam D. Smith

This thesis envisions a new suburban approach based on future uncertainties in environmental, economic and social conditions. The review of responses suggest that resilience building is a viable option for such uncertainties and therefore, focus has been placed on Toronto's suburban housing stock, despite criticism for its fragility and inability to function or change in a future without cheap energy. Although it is often argued that low density neighbourhoods will be unsustainable in a future of environmental uncertainty and that they will not endure the coming crises of peak oil and climate change, Toronto's suburban building stock is ideal for resilience building and will in fact be a vital aspect of Toronto's durability in an uncertain future. This thesis examines different aspects of resilience building in regards to environmental, social and economic uncertainty including: localisation over globalisation, economies of well-being, an ecological systems approach, and rethinking zoning regulations and by-laws. This new vision for the suburbs serves not to replace them with dense urban models, but to maintain and add to suburban qualities while also provoking new ideas for introducing resilience into our built environment.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1305
Author(s):  
Hyun-Jung Lee ◽  
Bom-Mi Park

This study aimed to analyze the concept of the “feelings of entrapment” during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic using a systematic review. We included literature based on content and outcomes related to feelings of entrapment, such as antecedents, attributes, and consequences. The exclusion criteria were studies that did not have inappropriate subject, content, conceptual definition, and degree thesis was excluded. Walker and Avant’s process of concept analysis was used in this systematic literature review. The attributes of the concept of feelings of entrapment during the COVID-19 pandemic were found to be feelings of: (1) being out of control, (2) no escape, (3) being trapped, (4) being robbed, and (5) hopelessness. The causes for these were identified as (1) the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) lockdown system, (3) restricted situation, (4) uncertain future, (5) economic hardship, and (6) poor coping abilities. Consequences of the concept were: (1) increased suicide, (2) decreased mental health, and (3) decreased well-being. In situations such as COVID-19, it is important need to know what feelings of entrapment’s antecedents and attributes are to prevent suicide and enhance mental health and well-being. Based on the results of this study, counseling services, policies, and systems for relieving feelings of entrapment in the COVID-19 situation are recommended.


2019 ◽  
pp. 174239531988648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Vie Ingersgaard ◽  
Didde Hoeeg ◽  
Ingrid Willaing ◽  
Dan Grabowski

Objective Suboptimal glycemic control and psychosocial challenges are significant concerns for adolescents and emerging adults (collectively young people) with type 1 diabetes. Knowledge about young peoples’ attitudes towards living with type 1 diabetes is inadequate, but the issue is important in the development of strategies to improve glycemic control and psychosocial well-being. This study explored young peoples’ perceptions of living with type 1 diabetes. Methods An exploratory, qualitative design was employed. Data were collected through five participatory workshops with 19 young people (age 15–25). Data were thematically analyzed. Results The overall depiction of living with type 1 diabetes was paradoxical; it affected everything and nothing. Living with type 1 diabetes was a balancing act between accommodating a “normal” way of living and self-management tasks of the treatment regimen. Participants’ perceptions reflected shifting accounts that could be divided into five themes: (1) special rules during youth, (2) striving for autonomy, (3) an uncertain future, (4) social support, and (5) stigma and disclosure. Discussion It is important to probe for the multiple and interrelated social contexts that underlie young peoples’ motives for adhering to and deviating from treatment regimens. Future studies should focus on relational aspects, including stigma mechanisms, the role of friends, and facilitation of balanced parental involvement.


2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 307-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles André

ABSTRACT Trepanation has been performed by people interested in enhancing mental power and well-being since the early 1960s. The pioneers and main proponents of the procedure are described here. The phenomenon appeared in Europe after a Dutch former medical student published a psychoactive drug-friendly scroll suggesting trepanation as a form of permanently increasing cerebral blood volume and function. He trepanned himself in 1965. Three of his friends became enthusiasts. They also submitted themselves to the procedure and published films and books describing their experiences. Two of them coauthored papers, in collaboration with Russian researchers, and created institutions to promote discussion on trepanation. One of these institutions organized trips to Central and South America to get the operation done. Dozens of people nowadays look for trepanation as a method of spiritualization and increasing well-being and mental power. The phenomenon has an uncertain future, however, as the main proponents and supporters are aging.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam D. Smith

This thesis envisions a new suburban approach based on future uncertainties in environmental, economic and social conditions. The review of responses suggest that resilience building is a viable option for such uncertainties and therefore, focus has been placed on Toronto's suburban housing stock, despite criticism for its fragility and inability to function or change in a future without cheap energy. Although it is often argued that low density neighbourhoods will be unsustainable in a future of environmental uncertainty and that they will not endure the coming crises of peak oil and climate change, Toronto's suburban building stock is ideal for resilience building and will in fact be a vital aspect of Toronto's durability in an uncertain future. This thesis examines different aspects of resilience building in regards to environmental, social and economic uncertainty including: localisation over globalisation, economies of well-being, an ecological systems approach, and rethinking zoning regulations and by-laws. This new vision for the suburbs serves not to replace them with dense urban models, but to maintain and add to suburban qualities while also provoking new ideas for introducing resilience into our built environment.


2022 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debojyoti Dhar

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major pandemic facing the world today caused by SARS-CoV-2 which has implications on our mental health as well. The uncertain future, fear of job loss, lockdown and negative news all around have taken a heavy toll on the mental health of individuals from across the world. Stress and anxiety can affect the COVID-19 patients even more. Recent study suggests COVID-19 infection may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Certain prebiotics and probiotics have been shown to have anxiolytic effect through gut microbiota modulation. Incidentally, preliminary report also suggests a differential microbial profile in COVID-19 patients as compared to healthy individuals. Gut microbiota’s role in anxiety and depression is well studied. The importance of the “gut-brain” axis has been implicated in overall mental health. It is known that diet, environmental factors and genetics play an important role in shaping gut microbiota. Trials may be initiated to study if personalized diet and supplementation based on individual’s gut microbiome profile may improve the general mental well-being of people prone to anxiety during this pandemic. Also, COVID-19 patients may be provided personalized nutritional therapy based on their gut microbiota profile to see if PTSD and anxiety symptoms can be alleviated.


Author(s):  
Barbara Martelli

On March 23rd, at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), all lectures were suspended for a week. During this time, both students and staff made a considerable effort to prepare the online delivery of courses. In this chapter we discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the Italian beginners courses offered in Semester 1. With no certainty of when the campus would reopen, and with the well-being of students always considered as a priority, the courses were quickly adapted for distance learning. This change involved multiple aspects and the experience gained, denoted by urgency and flexibility, proving to be a precious resource to face the second semester and, above all, a less predictable and more frightening future; in which not only safety and adaptability, but kindness and mutual respect, should also be the keywords. Designing blended, easily migratable online courses that make use of both technology and up-to-date approaches to language teaching has emerged as a viable strategy for an uncertain future.


Author(s):  
Nancy Sherman

Stoicism has made a comeback as the ideal ancient philosophy for those seeking calm in times of stress and uncertainty. For many, it has become the new Zen, with meditation techniques that help individuals face whatever life throws their way. The Stoics address a key question of the time: how can one be master of one’s fate when the outside world threatens to unmoor one’s well-being? Making Stoic wisdom relevant and accessible, Sherman distills time-honored techniques for building modern resilience. Drawing on the thought of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, and others, Sherman argues that Stoic resilience is miscast as rugged self-reliance. One is at home in the world, the Stoics taught, when one is connected to others in cooperative efforts. While self-mastery is essential, one draws on one’s deepest relationships for true strength and resilience. Bringing ancient wisdom to bear on twenty-first-century settings—from Silicon Valley leaders in search of lifehacks, to first responders in a pandemic, to soldiers on the battlefield—Sherman shows how Stoicism can both prepare individuals for an uncertain future and help them reduce the stress and anxiety of modern life. Stoic Wisdom will appeal to anyone feeling helpless or looking for deeper, meaningful strength and goodness in addressing life’s biggest and smallest challenges.


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