Pleasureful

Tag: media

  • Black Lives Matter: Current Situation and Black Mental Health

    Black Lives Matter: Current Situation and Black Mental Health

    I am sure we are all aware by now of the current situation the world is facing. The unjust murder of African-American citizen George Floyd by police officers in the US has sparked a state of civil unrest, leading to protests and riots taking place all over the world to push for change when it comes to the oppression and discriminatory treatment of black lives everywhere. The noise being made in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has never been louder, and should not quieten down until action has been taken by both US and UK governments to help put an end to racism-fuelled violence and abuse.

    I can understand that many allies of this movement may be unable to join in with the protests taking place outside for various reasons, but this is not the only way that you can take action. All of us have a part to play in eradicating racism from this world. There is so much more you can do than just sharing a blank, black square on social media. Take the two minutes to sign any petition you come across, donate to anti-racist organisations who are working to improve the lives of the black community, research and educate yourself and then others on both the past and present suffering people have gone through purely because of the colour of their skin. Call out racist friends, family members and strangers. That single post on Instagram is a feeble attempt at solidarity – you can do better. We can all do better.

    A great way you can help back the Black Lives Matter movement and incite change to help save and improve the lives of innocent people is writing to your MP. If enough of us get in contact to raise concern and request action to be taken on a situation, it will push them towards a parlimentary discussion. There is so much that the UK can do, both to help black Americans and our own black citizens. Our country must stop the exports of weapons used by the US to control riots and protests such as harmful rubber bullets and anti-crowd gas, as well as urge the government to condemn the Trump administration for the forceful treatment of protesters.

    We must remind those in positions of power that Britain is not innocent. Our own country experiences a disproportionate use of force by police against black people, as well as racial discrimination within UK housing and the bias against minorities in police stop and search. If you are unsure on who your MP is, or do not know their details for getting your letter or email across, you can find everything you need to know at this website: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mps/

    Graphic by Mia Rae Smith – available to purchase in t-shirt form. All proceeds will be going towards anti-racism organisations. Order here now!

    One of the main topics that I discuss through my writing is mental health. I have always been a huge advocate for giving those who suffer with their mental wellbeing the help that they need and deserve. One thing that I have not ever fully educated myself on though, is black mental health. That is, until now.

    In the UK, black people are more likely than white people to be detained under the Mental Health act or encounter inpatient mental health services. Why is no one talking about this?

    Growing research suggests that those exposed to racism are more likely to suffer from illnesses such as depression and psychosis. The society that we are in, one that is dominated by white supremacy and privilege, has caused social and economic inequalities that cause the black community to be faced with so many unfair disadvantages – these disadvantages include higher rates of unemployement, unequal pay, high rates of poverty and homelessness. These are all risk factors that can lead to the development of mental health problems.

    There is concern over the unmet mental health needs of the BAME community in both the criminal and youth justice systems and that needs to change. It has been found that a BAME individual is less likely to have mental health problems diagnosed upon entry to the justice system compared to a white individual. These are facts that I am only just learning, and although I am glad I now know so that I can help spread awareness, I am angry – you should be too.

    The week after George Floyd’s murder was filled with so much noise backing the Black Lives Matter movement, but what concerns me is everyone going back to normal and letting this momentum die down. Do not stop tweeting. Do not stop donating, signing, writing, protesting, educating. Do not stop until change is made.

    Black lives will always matter.

    Resources

    Research:

    Mental Health Foundation

    Black Spaces by The Mental Health Foundation

    Young Minds

    Mind

    Charities:

    Black Thrive

    Black Minds Matter

    Stop Hate UK

    Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

    Follow Currently Clueless!

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  • Things I Like a Lot

    Things I Like a Lot

    I don’t often do these kinds of posts; once upon a time I did do a list of my favourite beauty products, which you can search for on my site, but since then I haven’t really shared much about things I enjoy in my day to day life. I love watching favourites videos on youtube and reading peoples masterlists on a blog post. It’s a great way to end up spending a bunch of money on stuff that strangers on the internet have recommended to you! But for real, I’ve found a lot of my favourite stuff this way, so why not share my own list with you guys in the hopes that I help at least one of you find a new favourite product! I’m going to go through everything from makeup and skincare to technology, lifestyle and books. Grab a hot drink and get comfy, because this may take a while.

    Beauty

    • Better Than Sex Mascara by Too Faced – The name says it all, because it’s kinda true. I’ve tried an array of different mascaras over the years from drugstore to high-end, such as Benefits Roller Lash and Climax by NARS, but I always come back to Better Than Sex. It gives me the perfect amount of volume and fantastic length. I love the shape of the wand and it never makes my lashes super clumpy. Its staying power is also insanely impressive – I can wear this all day long and my lashes will look just as great before I get ready for bed as they did that morning. Too Faced really slayed with this one.
    • Conceal and Define Concealer by Makeup Revolution – Revolution is by far my favourite drugstore makeup brand. Their range of products and shades is insane; they really have everything you could ever need and for the best prices too. The conceal and define concealer is lightweight, buildable and neither too matte nor oily. I use it for both concealer and to cut my crease when doing eyeshadow and it’s perfect for both. Pair it with the conceal and define foundation for the most perfect base!
    • Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer by Benefit Cosmetics – An OG bronzer that has stuck with me through and through. I can’t part with this product. It’s just the perfect shade for both contouring and giving myself a bit more colour after I’ve applied my foundation and concealer. Not to mention this stuff lasts me FOREVER, making it more than worth the price! I believe Benefit have also come out with lighter and darker shades to suit an even wider range of skin tones.

    Books

    • ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ by Matt Haig – There’s not a single person on earth who has described depression as well for me as Matt Haig does in this book. He gives an account of what his day to day life was like suffering from a mental illness and how he overcame it to get to where he is today. He is inspiring, funny and real; Matt reminds us to find hope in the little joys that life gives us, letting those things give us the encouragement to push forward. I don’t only recommend this for those who have suffered from mental illness, but for those who wish to understand more about what it is like for those going through it. It will give you more understanding than a psychology textbook ever could.
    • ‘You Are a Badass’ by Jen Sincero – I really felt like I could do, have and achieve anything I wanted after reading this book. This is what made me really believe in the act of manifestation and letting the universe know exactly what your plans are. If you read any self-help book this year, make it this one. Jen shares her inspiring stories, gives advice based on what she has learnt and experienced and gives the reader exercises to help get us started on unleashing our inner badass. Want to learn how to stop holding yourself back and live a life you actually love? The first step is to read this book.
    • ‘This is Going to Hurt’ by Adam Kay – Possibly the funniest book I’ve ever read. Adam has documented his years working the medical field and it’s golden. If you’re fascinated by medical professionals and what they experience on a day to day basis like me, this is the book for you. If you just want to laugh, cry and say ‘what the f**k’ every 5 minutes, then this is also the book for you. Trust me. I know people always say ‘I never wanted it to end’ but I REALLY never wanted it to end.

    Hair/Body

    • Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap – Whilst I’ve never really struggled with acne on my face, I have been blessed with the joys of bacne for years now. It’s no longer as bad as it was in my early teen years, but I do still get small breakouts and have scarring on my back from the particularly aggressive spots. I’ve never found anything that really worked to help clear any of this up – until now. Since using this in the shower every day I can already see a difference in the skin on my back. Pair it with exfoliating gloves or a body brush for even better results!
    • Coconut Oil – Yeah, just coconut oil – the substance sent from the GODS. I use it to shave, moisturise and on damp hair to keep it hydrated. I couldn’t be without it. Buy a jar from your local supermarket and it’ll last you months – a way cheaper option than some fancy branded hair oil that’ll run out after one use.
    • Diva Professional Styling Universal Diffuser XXL Pro – A diffuser is basically just a scary looking hairdryer attachment that prevents curly hair from getting awfully frizzy when drying, by distributing the air more evenly (I think). I have tried and tested a number of different diffusers with my curls. Every time my hairdresser dries my hair, she always manages to get it perfectly big and bouncy, so I asked her what it was she was doing. She recommended this diffuser to me, which is the one she uses on my hair, and I immediately went online and bought it. I did have some trouble finding it in stock anywhere, but after some research I got it. And my god is it worth it. It’s extra big, so encases the majority of my hair and dries quickly. The even distribution of air stops my hair going frizzy and leaves me with a perfect, big body of curls.

    Clothes

    • Victoria’s Secret PINK T-Shirt Bra – I don’t really wear a bra unless I have to; I find most of them uncomfortable or they fit weirdly. Not this one. Probably the only ‘proper’ bra that I could wear on a day to day basis. It’s super soft, gives the perfect shape, great support and just fits amazingly on me. I honestly forget I’m wearing a bra with this one. Not to mention it won’t completely break the bank, as they always have a deal on where you can buy any 2 t-shirt bras for just £49.99. Considering that you’re getting a good quality bra, that’s a hell of a bargain!
    • Pretty Little Thing Mom Jeans in Mid Wash/Washed Black – Comfortable jeans that fit perfectly and don’t cost a whole sacrifice to the gods? Um, yes please! Firstly, it’s gotta be a mom jean for me. I just can’t hack wearing skinny jeans on a day to day basis like I used to – let my legs be free! Secondly, I used to spend a good £40 on a single pair of Topshop jeans but honestly I find my £25 PLT ones a whole lot better. They’re more flattering, fit better, softer and they haven’t shrunk in the wash or lost their colour AT ALL. Can I get a round of applause for these bad boys?
    • Gymshark Dreamy Leggings 2.0 – Usually I don’t like to spend too much money on my workout clothes, but this collection by Gymshark is worth it for me. The leggings fit like a glove, are the perfect thickness and you can just feel the amazing quality of the material. I have faith that these won’t split in the bum area, like my cheaper leggings often do after about a month or so of squats and lunges. They’re also high-waisted, sucking everything in and giving me confidence when I’m at the gym. I’d buy a pair in every one of their cute colours if I could, along with the matching Dreamy Sports Bra (also amazing).

    Technology/Lifestyle

    • Fitbit Charge 3 – My lovely dad ever so generously got me this as a gift when I started getting really into health and fitness. It’s really helped keep me motivated, and I literally never take it off (except to shower). One of my favourite features is the sleep tracker; download the free Fitbit app, connect it to your watch and it’ll analyse your sleep. It’s made me really see how irregular my sleeping can be, and as a result I’ve started getting into a better routine, which thanks to the Fitbit is easy to keep track of!
    • Calm app – I downloaded this app when I was having some real trouble getting to sleep at night. Sometimes my mind just won’t shut off, and it’s going 100mph when all I want to do is go to bed. So, I thought I would give sleep meditation a try. That’s when I got this app and it changed my sleeping game for good. It’s so good, I pay around £30 a year to have access to all the apps features. When I am really struggling to sleep, I’ll pop on a 15-minute-deep-sleep body scan to calm my brain. On a normal night, I listen to the relaxing sound of rain (on a window, if we’re getting into specifics) which I can set to play for an hour – perfect to help drown out any lingering thoughts threatening to keep me awake. I’m also a big fan of the guided meditations specifically aimed to tackle various problems such as anxiety and stress. An easy way to add a bit of Zen to your life.
    • Simple Modern Water Bottle (with straw lid) – You’ve probably seen the water bottles by the brand Hydroflask. You know, the one all the VSCO girls own? Well I wanted one – badly. Thing is, it’s an American brand and there’s no way I’m paying that much for a water bottle PLUS the shipping costs to the UK, so I started looking for an alternative and I came across this one on Amazon. It’s near enough identical to the Hydroflask and comes in an array of colours and sizes. It’s the best bottle I’ve ever had. The straw lid just automatically makes it better than any other water bottles out there. It keeps my water cold and fresh throughout the whole day; I swear water just tastes better when I’m drinking from this bottle. Plus, it sounds like I’m drawing a sword when I take it out of my bag.

    So, that was a lot and I don’t blame you if you only scrolled to read the sections that interest you most. But I love this kind of thing and always end up finding the best holy grail products through people sharing their favourites online; I hope that at least one person discovers their next best purchase through this list. Thanks for reading!

  • Social Media: The Good, The Bad and The Unfiltered.

    I recently finished reading a book written by one of my favourite authors, Matt Haig. The book, titled ‘Notes on a Nervous Planet’, focuses on living life in the modern, digital world, and how we as humans are coping (or rather, trying to cope) with the changes that our endless advances within technology and society are making to our lives. Matt touches greatly on his own past experiences with mental health issues, and how the online world contributed to his struggles. The book got me thinking – and I mean really thinking – about the time that I take away from my own life to be more present in my life online. The hours I spend scrolling through Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, the time I spend with my friends trying to get that not-so-candid shot with the perfect lighting and the sleep I lose editing and uploading that picture, waiting in anticipation for the likes to start pouring in.

    Now, social media is not by any means the root of all evil. In fact, it can actually bring some Good into people’s lives. For instance, I know that plenty of people have met lifelong friends and even partners through the use of social media apps such as Instagram and Twitter, and dating apps and sites like Tinder. Yes, you should always be careful with people you meet online, and must never share out personal information such as your home address or bank details. That being said, not all internet meet ups end in people’s organs being sold on the black market after being brutally murdered. As well as giving us the chance to meet new people, social media allows us to stay in touch with everyone in our lives at all times, even if they are on the other side of the world. We can follow and engage easily with those who motivate and inspire us, use it as a platform to grow our brands and businesses, or even just to scroll through our Twitter feeds when we’re in need of a good laugh. Social media provides a kind of escapism. We can so easily forget about the world around us, and delve into the digital universe filled with tweets and memes and filters and likes and…

    The Bad stuff. Now, dare I say this outweighs the good? I guess that’s for us as individuals to decide for ourselves. I think each one of us has our own limit when it comes to all things social, and that includes digital. The thing with social media is that it isn’t really true to it’s name. We interact with people online all the time, yes, but with this has come less and less real life communication. Why travel to someones house to spend time with them when you can pick up your phone and Snapchat them right there and then? Something I personally find very difficult and anxiety inducing with messaging someone is that it inhibits me from being able to read their facial expressions, listen to their tone of voice or analyse their body language. This often results in me convincing myself that a friend is angry or upset with me, when in reality I have just read their message completely wrong and overthought every tiny detail. It all just leads to one big misunderstanding. Social media gives us the ability to talk to whoever whenever we please, post whatever we desire and to share each detail of our lives with the world. Not only is this an unhealthy habit that the majority of us have had at some point in our lives, (I mean c’mon, did you really need to send that tweet about how bad your date went last night, informing perhaps hundreds of people who probably do not care?), but it is starting to take away from the limited time we have to enjoy real life memories and experiences. But if you didn’t post it on the ‘gram, did it really happen?

    That brings me to the Unfiltered. Ah, the internet. A wondrous place made even better with the use of photoshop and VSCO. We’re all guilty of spending hours of our lives scrolling through pictures of celebrities and influencers sporting skimpy swimwear, showing off their socially acceptable beach bods whilst enjoying a dream vacation paid for by their most recent brand deal. We’ve all said, or at least thought to ourselves, ‘I wish that was me’. You’ve probably even thought that after seeing ‘regular’ people’s posts. Maybe that girl you knew from school is always posting about having the most perfect boyfriend, or that guy from work is constantly uploading post-workout pictures to his story, making you feel like a bum for opting to eat a pizza rather than hit the gym. What we seem to fail to remember is that everyone chooses the best bits of their life to post online. That girl from school has a great boyfriend, but she’s currently watching her parents go through a difficult divorce. That guy from work has got the six-pack you’ve always wanted, but he’s recently been diagnosed with clinical depression. We can’t always control our lives, but we can control how they appear to others online. We can filter them. Edit them. Maybe make our stomachs a little flatter and our smiles a little wider.

    I am not saying by any means that if you want to post a vacation bikini picture, you should not do so. In fact, that’s the opposite of the point I am trying to get across. Post what you want to post, whether that’s a sunny photo of you on the Caribbean cruise you went on or a Twitter thread featuring each individual house plant you own. Your social media accounts are your own little corner of the internet for you to enjoy, so don’t feel the pressure or need prove to everyone that your life is as perfect and Instagram-able as the Kardashian’s. Because let’s face it, even Kylie Jenner has her off-days.

    I know it’s hard, it’s something I am still working on myself, but life was not intended to be lived through a screen. So try to remember every now and then to put down the phone, look away from the computer and put the tablet away. Go for a walk, get coffee with a friend or spend time with your family. We’ve only got a limited amount of time on this Earth; that tweet can wait.

    Thanks for reading!

    – S x