ON THE COVER: HIGH TECH HELPERS – PAGE 58 CONTENTS 24interview Steven Spielberg: A Life In Cinema The world’s most successful director on why his new film was heavily influenced by his personal life. JONATHAN DEAN Features 52 body & mind Your Fascia-nating Fascia What you need to know about the intricate webbing holding your body together. HELEN FOSTER 58 photo feature High TechHelpers Robots are on the move from factories into cafés, hospitals and shops. HELEN FOSTER 32 relationships Let’s Be Friends Here’s how to get over the initial awkwardness and deepen friendships. CAITLIN WALSH MILLER 40psychology Hoarding Disorder Just cluttered or more serious? Compulsively accumulating stuff may be becoming more prevalent. ROSALIND MORAN 52 PHOTOS: (COVER) GETTY IMAGES; (FASCIA) GETTY IMAGES rdasia.com 1
CONTENTS 64humour Good News About Housework Cleaning burns kilojoules, but the results aren’t always sparkling. RICHARD GLOVER 6813 things Keeping TrackOf Train Travel All aboard on some fast – and slow – rail journeys. SAMANTHA RIDEOUT 74 art of living We Found More Fixes Life hacks to make daily living so much easier. THE EDITORS 83 quiz The AmazingHuman Body Make no bones about it, this quiz will challenge your knowledge of anatomy. DORIS KOCHANEK 88bonus read My Starter Dog A disobedient rescue mutt was never part of the plan for his reluctant owner. RONA MAYNARD FROM THE BOOK STARTER DOG Follow us @ReadersDigestAsia 68 Departments the digest 18 Health 22 News From The World Of Medicine regulars 4 Letters 5 Editor’s Note 10 My Story 14 Smart Animals 48 Look Twice 72 Quotable Quotes humour 38 Life’s Like That 66 Laughter, The Best Medicine 80 All In A Day’s Work the genius section 102 Puzzles 106 Trivia 108 Puzzle Answers 111 Word Power ILLUSTRATIONS: (CLEAN) ABSCENT84/GETTY IMAGES; (TRAIN): SERGE BLOCH 64 2 august/september 2023
READER’S DIGEST PHOTO: COURTESY OF JUAN CARLOS SERRANO/SAR Hope And Tenacity Yolanda Del Valle’s ‘There’s Something Down There!’ (May) is a story of hope, human resilience, and miracles. With the help of a maritime-traffic surveillance flight overhead, and hours later a rescue helicopter, these three refugees were plucked from the ocean and given another chance at life. JUDITH CAINE Keeping The Faith Argentina has given the world many good things like the tango and Diego Maradona. Pope Francis (‘Ten Years Of Pope Francis’, May) is also proving that goodness can overcome any barrier. MICHAEL WOUTERS Wallaby Warning Proves Unfortunately True ‘When Kangaroos Attack’ (May) brought back memories of when, a Let us know if you are moved – or provoked – by any item in the magazine, share yourthoughts. See page 7 for how to join the discussion. few years ago, we camped at Edith Falls in the Northern Territory. I was delighted to see a wallaby hopping through the camping ground so I took my camera and crouched down to be at eye level with the animal for a better shot. Suddenly the wallaby grabbed me with force, holding me down with its front legs. Luckily my husband was nearby and chased it off. I had some scratches on my back and arm Reader’s Comments And Opinions LETTERS ➤ 4 august/september 2023
LUXURY JEWELLERY PRIZES TO WIN! FOR DETAILS AND TERMS & CONDITIONS GOTO WWW.RDASIA.COM/COMPETITIONS Luckydrawstoincludeentriesfromnew, renewalorgiftsubscriptions. Multipledrawentriesformultipleyearssubscriptions. SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN! WWW.RDASIA.COM/SUBSCRIBE TOTAL VALUE OF PRIZES OVER US $10,000 YELLOW GOLD EMERALD CLUSTER PENDANT CAMEO ITALIANO BURGUNDY LEATHER STRAP WATCH 14CT YELLOW GOLD BRACELET 14CT YELLOW GOLD BYZANTINE NECKLACE Making Connections LOUISE WATERSON Editor-in-Chief EDITOR’S NOTE THERE’S NO ESCAPING IT – the world is a complicated place where friends can be both hard to find and hold on to. This issue, we have an insightful article on friendship. In ‘Let’s Be Friends’ (page 32), we hear from experts about ways to make and keep these vital relationships, which gets tougher as we get older. This article highlights how friendships are essential to our health and wellbeing at all ages. And don’t miss ‘A Life In Cinema’, a revealing profile about how Steven Spielberg’s childhood has influenced his movie storytelling (page 24) and ‘My Starter Dog’ (page 88) where we meet a dog that helped ease his owner’s insomnia. Lastly, in our rapidly changing world Reader’s Digest is also making some changes. Starting this issue, we will be changing the magazine’s frequency to six issues a year. These changes are set out in our promotions materials and on our website. Subscribers will find more information about their subscription in the attached letter. We remain committed to giving our readers inspirational stories in every issue. Happy reading!
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES and have learnt the hard way ‘not to approach wild animals’, as the sign said at the entry to the camping ground. Needless to say, the story was retold multiple times when we got home. HEIDRUN RODACH Wall Story In the June Bonus Read, ‘In The Shadow Of The Fence’, by Zoe Kean the comment from ecologist Mike Letnic that the dingo fence is longer than the Great Wall of China sounds like Aussie exaggeration. The Great Wall of China is a total of 21,196 km long and the most improved section is 8850 km long. It is a fable to say the Great Wall can be seen from space so I don’t think the dingo fence would be anywhere near it. RON SMITH WIN A PILOT CAPLESS FOUNTAIN PEN The best letter eachmonth willwin a Pilot Capless Fountain Pen, valued at over $200. The Capless is the perfect combination of luxury and ingenious technology, featuring a one-of-a-kind retractable fountain pen nib, durablemetal body,rhodium accents and a 14K gold nib. Congratulations to thismonth’s winner,Heidrun Rodach. Come up with the funniest caption forthe above photo and you could win $100. To enter, email [email protected] or see details on page 7. CAPTION CONTEST Congratulations to this month’s winner, Raymond Clarke. I’d rather not be referred to as royal baggage. ROHAN DE SOYSA On my way to ‘Barkingham Palace’! CHRISTINA HATZIS Purse-nality Plus. DONNA ALLEN Oh, this is my doggy bag from the coronation. RAYMOND CLARKE Ah, the PUP-ARAZZI again! SANA SHOAIB THE CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG We asked you to think up a funny caption forthis photo. WIN! ➤ READER’S DIGEST 6 august/september 2023
Letters Anecdotes And Jokes $50–$100 Send in your real-life laugh for Life’s Like That or All In A Day’s Work. Got a joke? Send it in for Laughter Is The Best Medicine! Smart Animals Up to $100 Share antics of unique pets or wildlife in up to 300 words. My Story $250 Do you have an inspiring or life-changing tale to tell? Submissions must be true, unpublished, original and 800–1000 words. CONTRIBUTE Here’s how to reach us: Email: asiaeditor@readersdigest. com.au Write: Reader’sDigest Asia EditorialDepartment Singapore Post Centre POBox 272, Singapore 914010 Online:rdasia.com/contribute READERSDIGESTASIA Include yourfull name, address, phone number and email. Letters: Wemay edit letters and use themin all print and electronicmedia. Submissions: All submissions become our property on payment and subsequent publication in themagazine. Wemay edit and fact-check submissions. We cannot return or acknowledge material not accepted for publication. Forterms and conditions, go towww. rdasia.com/terms-and-conditions/submissionguidelines. Figures referto US dollars. EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Louise Waterson Managing Editor Zoë Meunier Chief Subeditor Melanie Egan Art Director Hugh Hanson Senior Art Designer Adele Burley Art Designer Annie Li Senior Editor Diane Godley Associate Editor Victoria Polzot DIGITALHead of Digital Content Greg Barton ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Group Advertising Director, Asia Pacific Sheron White Mobile: +61 421 897 140 Email: [email protected] Advertising Sales, Malaysia Sheron White Tel: +61 421 897 140 Email: [email protected] Advertising Sales, Philippines Maricarl Garcia Tel: +63939 9248158 Email: [email protected] Advertising Sales, Singapore Sheron White Tel: +61 421 897 140 Email: [email protected] Advertising Sales, Taipei Andrew Tsao Tel: +886 935 833 866 Fax: +886 277367388 Email [email protected] Advertising Sales,Hong Kong SAR Rebecca Zhang Tel: +61 431 279 228 Email: [email protected] CUSTOMER INQUIRIES Online rdasia.com/customer-care Contact Us – Singapore (65) 6955 8633 or [email protected] Contact Us – Malaysia and rest of Asia +65 6955 8633* or [email protected] AdministrationOffice Direct Publishing Asia PTE LTD, Singapore Post Centre, PO Box 272, Singapore 914010 *International call rates apply Published underlicence. Reader’s Digest publishes 6 issues a year. PUBLISHED BY DIRECT PUBLISHING ASIA PTE. LTD., COMPANY NUMBER: 200607506M © 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. REPRODUCTION IN ANY MANNER IN WHOLE OR PART IN ENGLISH OR OTHER LANGUAGES PROHIBITED. PROTECTION SECURED UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL AND PAN-AMERICAN COPYRIGHT CONVENTIONS. PRINTED BY TIMES PRINTERS PTE LTD, 16 TUAS AVE. 5,SINGAPORE 639340. MCI (P) 025/12/2022. ISSN 0034-0383. MALAYSIA KDN PPS 1910/08/2019 (026008) A S I A Vol. 124 No. 726 August/September 2023 rdasia.com 7
T he demands of modern life often leave us drained, stressed, and vulnerable to various health issues. However, amidst the chaos, there is a natural remedy that promises to restore balance and vitality to our lives—Organic Barley Grass. Cultivated in the pristine pastures of New Zealand, this remarkable superfood holds the key to a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle. One brand that stands out in providing top-quality Organic Barley Grass products is JC Organic Barley. Barley Grass has been celebrated for its incredible healing properties, and testimonies from individuals across various health conditions further validate its effectiveness. Selina Alas, who battled against a rare form of cancer, found solace in incorporating JC Organic Barley into her daily routine. “I added this green juice, and I saw the effects. There was evidence and proof in my blood works,” she shared. Her HCG levels eventually dropped to a normal range after seven cycles and supplementing with this green juice, and now she’s cancer-free! Lilia Birayon, 40 years old, who struggled with hypertension, found relief through the consumption of JC Organic Barley Grass. Her triglycerides dropped from 310 to 125 after a month of incorporating organic barley juice into her daily food intake. Juan Miguel Delmacio, 21 years old, experienced low platelet count due to dengue fever, but after taking this barley grass for almost a week in the hospital, his platelet count normalized from 24 to 120. This internationally trusted brand of JC Organic Barley offers a range of products, a refreshing leaf juice drink and convenient capsules. This superfood not only replenishes our bodies with vital nutrients but also helps us reclaim our balance, vitality, and zest for life. BARLEY GRASS DISCOVERY: The healing power of natural and organic A D V E R T O R I A L P R O M O T I O N Visit JC’s website to learn more about JC Organic Barley Products: www.jcpremiere.com
The Paper Delivery Boy A retired Air Force officer remembers a kind-hearted gesture with gratitude MY STORY B efore I had turned ten, I had lost both my parents. My four brothers and two sisters left Hyderabad after being adopted by relatives, but I insisted on staying behind as I wanted to continue with my education there. I lived alone in a room that a family member had allowed me to use rent-free: I got this privilege as I was a good student. And to support myself and my education, I had taken to delivering newspapers. I would be up every morning by 5am and walk five kilometres from Kachiguda, where I lived, to the newspaper office in Troop’s BY Muniruddin Syed Bazaar. By 6am, I would collect 50 copies of Manzil (Urdu Daily) – the bundle must have weighed over five kilograms. My beat spanned three kilometres, from Moazzam Jahi Market to Basheer Bagh. After distributing the copies, I would rush home – another three kilometres away – cook my measly breakfast, and be off to the Kachiguda High School. I was in Class Seven and even though I had weekly holidays, there was no break from this work. One wintry Friday morning in 1945, I got home after my deliveries to find a boy of my age at my doorstep. He introduced himself as Afzal and said his father wanted ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES 10 august/september 2023
to see me. When I asked him why, Afzal said, “He will tell you.” I did not like his evasive answer. Exhausted after walking around for over 11 kilometres, I was looking forwards to breakfast and some rest. This was a treat as it was a Friday. (Before Independence, Fridays were a weekly day off in the Nizam’s state). I assumed his father wished to subscribe to the newspaper, so I followed him to his home nearby. A woman in her 40s opened the door. I later learnt she was Afzal’s mother, Naseem Bano. She looked me over quite intently, then asked me to sit, patted my back and went inside. She reappeared carrying a large tray full of tea and snacks. By now, Afzal’s father had joined us. I had noticed the nameplate outside the house: ‘ABDUL KADER – Electrical Foreman, Lalaguda Workshops, Nizam’s State Railway’. Afzal was their only son and a student in my school. Afzal’s mother, Naseem, pulled up her chair next to mine and gently asked, “Tell me about your routine, right from the time you wake up in the morning.” I wasn’t quite sure Muniruddin Syed lives in Parbhani, India. He joined the Indian Air Force in June 1951 and retired as Flight Lieutenant, VSM.He enjoyswriting, socialwork and farming. rdasia.com 11
READER’S DIGEST why she wanted to know, but I told her about my morning job in a few words. As I spoke to her, I noticed Mr Kader filling up my plate with fruit salad. I protested, but he carried on. It was a sumptuous breakfast, one that brought back memories of happy days spent with my parents and siblings. Later, as I was about to leave after thanking them, Mr Kader asked me to wait and stepped inside the house. Meanwhile, his wife, Naseem, asked me, “How many miles do you walk every day?” I had deliberately omitted the details, but now replied, “A little more than six [11 km].” (The metric system was introduced nearly ten years after Independence in 1947.) My reply shocked her. At that moment, I saw Mr Kader emerge again, wheeling a new bicycle. It was a Hercules, an imported brand, quite expensive in pre-Independence India. “This is for you!” he said. “But I have no money to pay for it,” I cried. Afzal’s mother put her arm around my shoulders, gave a gentle squeeze and said, “Who is asking you to pay for it, my son?” It took a few seconds for the endearment to sink in. It felt warm, like home, as if my mother was there for me. I didn’t even realise that my eyes had welled up, and tears were rolling down my face. She wiped my tears and held me closer. Mr Kader said, “Your newspaper editor is a friend of mine. He gave me your address, so I knew you lived close by. Then Afzal told us more about you.” Confused, I asked Afzal how he knew so much about me. His reply surprised me. “Everybody, not just in school but the whole of Kachiguda, does!” he said. So it was possible for people to be curious about someone’s plight, yet remain indifferent: this was a revelation to me at that age. But then there were people like Afzal’s parents, too. I bowed gratefully, shook hands with Afzal and left. This time I did not have to walk – I had the bicycle. The bicycle changed my life for many years thereafter. What’s more, this incident taught me an important lesson that has stayed with me all my life: help should always be needbased. Never try to feed a person who is dying of thirst. Do you have a tale to tell? We’ll pay cash for any original and unpublished story we print. See page 7 for details on how to contribute. I DIDN’T EVEN REALISE THAT MY EYES HAD WELLED UP, AND TEARS WERE ROLLING DOWN MY FACE 12 august/september 2023
READER’S DIGEST You could earn cash by telling us about the antics of unique pets or wildlife. Turn to page 7 for details on how to contribute. morsels of food to the cheeky weka which came near the house. This, however, was short-lived. They grew bolder and would come inside where they deposited their impossible-toremove ‘calling cards’ on the carpet and hid behind furniture until we shooed them out. When we bought two chickens, the fun escalated. We bought a step-on feeder for the times we were away from home so the hens could feed Wily Weka ROBIN KEOWN In 2014 we moved to Golden Bay on the South Island of New Zealand and were amazed and enchanted by the bird life. The weka, who live on the ground, had just returned after a long period of decimation. To the dismay of many of our neighbours, who did not have fenced vegetable gardens, numbers were building up and they grew to dislike the creatures who raided and destroyed their plants. We were fortunate to have a chicken wire enclosure around our vegetable garden, so we never had this problem. In fact, we used to feed SMART ANIMALS Know what they want – and how to achieve it 14 august/september 2023
Smart Animals themselves. But soon the weka had the low-down on such technology. They would wait until the hens, who never fathomed the logic of stepping on the front bar, left the feeder and deftly stood on the bar and helped themselves. We had to abandon the idea, in deference to the weka’s superior intelligence. On another occasion, when my family and I visited a local iconic walk, the Wainui Falls, we stopped at a cafe. I was shocked by the audacity of a weka who jumped up onto a recently vacated table. It stuck its beak into a tall glass with a smidgen of iced coffee left in the bottom. The weka slurped up the yummy beverage and I could not help but think that weka would be even more hyped after a shot of caffeine! Collector’s Item MANDY POOLE As a ‘cat person’, I’m not surprised when cats are friendly with me on our first encounter. But this cat – white with large tabby patches – ran towards me so intently, I turned around to check if there was someone behind me it knew. But it stopped and rolled over at my feet for some attention, outside an antique shop I was about to visit. The owner came out to welcome me inside, so I went in with the cat hot on my trail. As the owner was popping across the road for milk, I took the liberty of picking up the cat that was now circling my shins. But the cat didn’t want to be held – it wanted to climb onto my shoulder (it was a petite little thing). I was touched at how comfortable it was with me. It then walked across the back of my neck and lay down – rump at one shoulder, head at the other – and draped itself along the back of my neck like a furry stole. Are you kidding me? I thought to myself, then decided to trust that the cat knew what it was doing. I took a few steps, careful not to dislodge my passenger, to look at the antiques. The cat, perched confidently, began to nuzzle my neck and purr in my ear. I was chuffed at being treated like a long-lost friend, but after a bit I felt my time in the shop was up – it was buy something or leave. If there’d been a price tag on the cat, I’d have happily paid and walked right out, IL no wrapping required. LUSTRATIONS: GETTY IMAGES rdasia.com 15
HEALTH Soothe The Sunday Scaries How to replace work-week dread with Funday BY Leslie Finlay IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES Most of us look forward to the weekend as a time to relax, connect with friends and family, and tackle items from a to-do list that gets neglected during the work-week. But as the weekend comes to an end, many of us are missing out on Sunday Funday and instead experiencing a looming sense of anxiety and even dread about the upcoming week. Experts have dubbed this existential worry the ‘Sunday scaries’. Polls say 75 per cent to 80 per cent of people experience these Sunday scaries, says therapist Amanda Stemen. “The Sunday scaries is an overwhelming feeling of dread and anxiety about going to work or school the next day,” says clinical psychologist Renée Goff. And it can be experienced physically as well as mentally. “Some people describe it as a heaviness they can feel in their body, while others feel so jittery they could jump out of their skin,” says Goff. Anticipatory anxiety is a natural response that happens in preparation for anything that can cause pain or discomfort, including the pressures and deadlines of our jobs and fear of losing the financial security they provide. “While the Sunday scaries cause anxiety and sadness, it doesn’t mean you have an anxiety disorder or depression,” explains psychotherapist Angela Ficken. Ficken adds thatthe characteristic Sunday scaries feelings of dread, nervousness, sadness or anxiousness might even start bubbling 18 august/september 2023
Health up as early as Saturday, but by the timeMonday morning rolls around and you start your work-week,the anxiety tends to subside. That sense of dread on Sunday can come from many different sources, including: • Fear of failure or criticism at work – even if it’s a job you love. • A reminder that the next five days will be mostly given to your work. • Exhaustion after a busy weekend. Here’s how experts say you can ease your end-of-weekend anxiety. PLAN YOUR SUNDAY “Structure can be a best friend when feeling the Sunday scaries,” says Ficken. “Instead of sitting on the couch and watching the clock, go do something that you enjoy.” You might still get whiffs of that sense of dread, but that feeling is harder to hold on to when you’re engaging in something that makes you feel good, she says. DON’T FORGET TO RELAX Try not to cram in too many errands on a Sunday. It’s important to make space for relaxing activities to ground yourself, says Naiylah Warren, a family therapist. And there’s no right way to relax.“Whatever feels like a helpful distraction to reground from the scaries.” IDENTIFY ANXIETY SOURCES Anxiety is a normal human experience, and one of the main ways to manage it is to identify your personal triggers. “Try to pinpoint what’s really causing you to dread the week,” Goff says. “Is it a deadline, meeting or presentation?” Even if there’s not a single reason behind your Sunday anxiety, organising the stress you expect from the week ahead into bite-sized chunks can help make it all more manageable. “Create multiple to-do lists,” Goff recommends. One list for tasks that need to be completed immediately, another for tasks that are less urgent, and a final list for tasks that you’d like to complete at some point. “This can help decrease the anticipation of the stress and dread of the week.” LOOK AHEAD Instead of focusing on the awful things you expect from the week, build excitement over a coffee or lunch date with a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with. “This gives you the opportunity to shift your thoughts to something fun and will help improve your mood,” says Goff. THE RIGHT ENERGY Make Sunday nights about doing something for yourself. Maybe that means planning some favourite foods to enjoy while watching sport. Or maybe you go all in for some self-care like a face pack. “This is an opportunity to give yourself proper wind-down time,” Warren says. rdasia.com 19
READER’S DIGEST Seeing Blue HEALTH T he sales pitches tempt: blue-light-blocking glasses are supposed to protect eyes from the effects of shortwavelength light emitting from our smartphones, computer screens and LED lights. Given how much time we spend on our devices, this sounds like a smartinvestment,right?After all, eye strain is a real issue and can lead to poor sleep and even cataracts and macular degeneration.The glasses can cost $15 allthe way up to several hundred dollars.But do they work? Ophthalmologist Elizabeth Esparaz says the science that manufacturers share as they promote these glasses can be confusing. For starters, blue light is not just about tech devices, and it’s not always BY Diane Peter bad. “The sun emits a much higher intensity of blue light than humanmade devices, of course, and it’s actually beneficial,” says Dr Esparaz. It helps our mood, alertness and sleep-wake cycle.The problem is blue light at night: it suppresses the release of melatonin. “Melatonin helps regulate our circadian rhythms and makes us sleepy,” says Dr Esparaz. So, in theory, wearing blue-lightblocking glasses should help people who watch movies in bed orread from a tablet at night avoid sleeplessness. A 2021 review study from the University of Oklahoma that looked at 24 previous studies found that people affected by sleep disorders, jet lag and shift work fell asleep faster after using these glasses. As for eye strain, a 2021 Australian study showed that those wearing the glasses did not experience less eye strain than those using clear glasses. And a 2018 review study, also by Australian researchers, found insufficient evidence that they prevent macular degeneration. “These glasses aren’t going to be harmful,” saysDr Esparaz.But, she adds, a lack of standardisation in the industry means there’s no way to know if one pairis betterthan another. She suggests turning on the blue-light-filtering function on your devices and limiting screen time before bed. To help with eye strain, Dr Esparaz suggests taking breaks and using lubricating eye drops. 20 august/september 2023
WORLD OF MEDICINE News From The READER’S DIGEST ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES DEMENTIA NEED NOT RUIN FRIENDSHIPS Dementia doesn’t diminish a person’s need for connection, but people living with this diagnosis sometimes see their friends distance themselves. It doesn’t have to be this way, emphasises a recent study in the Canadian Journal on Aging. The researchers interviewed people with dementia and their loved ones to find out how they were remaining close. Strategies included being open about the condition, accepting changes in behaviour, and focusing on what remains accessible (like a love of music and shared memories). Other tips included providing practical support (such as giving reminders about an outing) and checking in with each other. AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS INCREASE CARDIAC RISK Around five per cent of Australians and New Zealanders have at least one autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis. In all cases, the immune system attacks healthy organs and tissues, often causing inflammation. New research out of Belgium has shown that people with an autoimmune disorder were at least 1.4 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, the risk more than doubled among subjects with two autoimmune disorders. The researchers hope their work will encourage these patients and their doctors to discuss prevention strategies for cardiac problems. TYPE-A BLOOD LINKED TO EARLY STROKE Most strokes happen to seniors, but they’re on the rise among people under 60. According to a large international review published in Neurology, people with type-A blood have a 16 per cent higher risk of early stroke compared to other blood types. By contrast, the risk for those with type O is 12 per cent lower. Type-A blood might be more prone to clotting, the researchers surmised. That said, your blood type is only one part of your risk profile. 22 august/september 2023
S T E V E N S P I E L B E R G A Life In Cinema BY Jonathan Dean PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES INTERVIEW The cinema maestro was only 16 when his life changed forever. Six decades on, The Fabelmans director gets personal 24 august/september 2023
rdasia.com 25
When Steven Spielberg was 16 he found out that his mother was having an affair. He was on a camping trip with his three younger sisters, his father Arnold, his mother Leah and Bernie, Arnold’s best friend. As passionate about film-making as a teenager as he is now, Spielberg recorded everything on his Super 8. His camera caught a flirtatious moment between Leah and Bernie. It was the moment that changed his life. At 76, Spielberg is one of the grandfathers of modern cinema, along with his old friends Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, with whom he has knocked about since his 20s. I look around the room. A monochrome vase, a wooden table stacked with books. Very little gives away how Hollywood this man is until he pops out a fat cigar – at ten in the morning. Pick your five favourite films by him (For me? Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report) and you could name a different five tomorrow. COLLECTING MEMORIES The Fabelmans is Spielberg’s 33rd film, received seven Oscars nominations and is about his childhood. He says all his films are like an Aesop’s fable with a moral, and what joy it is to watch his formative years unspool. The names are changed, but it’s all true. The young Spielberg in the film “What was strange,” he recalls, “was I saw everything with my naked eye, but only believed it when I saw a frame around it later, on my editing machine.” Spielberg’s mother would soon marry Bernie while Arnold, remarkably, took the blame for the divorce to protect Leah’s standing with her children – a noble act that led to many years of estrangement from his son. It’s a theme recurrent in so many Spielberg films. “I realised the power of cinema young,” he says. “That early film I made changed my relationship with my parents, especially my mother. That was how I found out about her affair. After that I no longer looked at her as a parent. I saw her as a human with all the vulnerabilities I saw in myself. I wish I could have had another ten years looking at my mum as my mum, but that secret brought us together. I was as close to my mother as I’ve been to anyone.” READER’S DIGEST 26 august/september 2023
is called Sammy. Like Sammy, Spielberg shot a war film with mates. He cajoled his sisters into experimental horror at home – “I was a Grimms’ Fairy Tales of a brother.” “My mother used to say, ‘When are you going to tell our story? I provided so much material!’” Spielberg smiles. Did he always think he would make an autobiographical film? “It was never part of a plan because I’ve never had a career plan. But I have always ached to talk about things publicly I had only spoken about privately, so when I had nothing else to do in COVID, it was a good time to collect memories. Also, I had just lost my mother.” Leah died in 2017, Arnold in 2020. They divorced in 1966, shattering their son. The past remains raw. The director says his father would be hesitant about making these stories public, but then the pain was mostly his. Spielberg remains in awe of his father’s “sacrifice” and is clearly moved as he tells me that his sisters said The Fabelmans “honours” their parents. “The most nervous screening I’ve had,” he says of showing it to Annie, Susie and Nancy. It is interesting, I say, that when Scorsese made Silence, a meditative epic on death, he said there was “no doubt” he made it because he was 76. But Spielberg, at the same vintage, is not looking to the end of life, but back to the start. Why? He smiles. “Because every morning I wake up it’s the first act of something,” he says. “I’ve never looked at any phase of my life as a third act.” Gabriel LaBelle plays Sammy Fabelman, Steven Spielberg’s alter ego rdasia.com 27 A Life In Cinema
So Spielbergian. The optimism and sugar coating of what we struggle to face. Critics, over his career, have accused him of oversentimentality, especially his endings, but throughout his various imperial phases, the director and producer – whose films have made a combined A$38.7 billion – has been hiding his demons, mostly about the divorce, in plain sight. BROKEN HOMES E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, War of the Worlds, Catch Me If You Can, Empire of the Sun – all feature children from broken homes. Even Saving Private Ryan is about the reuniting of a family. “It’s all through my work,” he says. “I couldn’t be wearing a larger sign. I don’t think there’s a film I’ve made that doesn’t confront complicated issues of identity.” Does he think people missed such messages? “I frankly neverthought they cared much about my life because they cared more about the stories. “I don’t think they cared that E.T. is about three kids whose father is no longer at home,” he says. “That began as my divorce story, then morphed into what it is: a visitor who puts a broken family back together. Then, in Close Encounters, the boy catches his dad crying, so screams, ‘Cry baby’? That happened when I was ten and saw my father crying. But viewers were more interested in the mothership.” Popping Spielberg on the therapist’s couch, I ask whether making movies was a way for him to assert control over fictional family lives in a way that he did not have as a child. “Making movies gives you the false sense of security and a delusion of grandeur you have control,” he says. “I don’t think there’s a film I’ve made that doesn’t confront complicated issues of identity” The blockbusterthrillerJaws (1975), left, and the epic war drama Saving Private Ryan (1998) helped make Spielberg the most commercially successful director of all time 28 august/september 2023
“But none of us have any control whatsoever.” THE POWER OF CINEMA Spielberg’s favourite film is David Lean’s epic Lawrence of Arabia. He saw it when he was a teenager and almost gave up. He simply thought he could never make a film as good. “I still haven’t!” There must, though, have been a time when he thought maybe, just maybe, he was good enough? “It was probably after Jaws,” he says of his 1975 shark blockbuster. “It made me see what a movie could do to an audience”. Still, it stays with him. He rewatches it every year. Which of his own would he suggest people see annually? “Oh gosh, I could never answer that,” he says. “Sometimes, though, I wish I could see E.T. through the eyes of someone who never saw it, but that will never happen.” He seems almost sad about that. Lean’s film was more than just a spectacle for Spielberg. He talks about the scene most personal to him, when Lawrence gets to the canal and the British officer yells: “Who are you?” It has stuck with him through every film he’s made. “The film cuts to the big close-up of Lawrence,” Spielberg enthuses, “listening to the question he’s been asking about himself, but failing to know the answerto. That’s what we do when we make movies. Sometimes we just stand on the other side of the canal, screaming across it, ‘Who am I?’ All art is that. Every movie I’ve directed has posed the question, ‘Who am I?’” For a direct answer, we now have The Fabelmans, which Spielberg cowrote with Tony Kushner after being spurred on by his wife, Kate Capshaw. In the film you learn that Spielberg’s mother once brought home an errant monkey. You see that the first film he shot involved crashing a train set. You also learn that young Steven was bullied at high school. It was mostly antisemitic, but he was an odd kid filming everything. That Historical drama Schindler’s List(1993), left, won Spielberg his first Academy Award for Best Director while E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1981) is a science-fiction classic rdasia.com 29
stuck out in the 1960s, although he never lacked in confidence. Weekends were spent with peers, messing about on his short films. “I wasn’t popular,” he admits. “But even kids who didn’t like me loved making movies. The camera popularised me in school. Without it I wouldn’t have stood a chance.” Now, though, film is very different. Not just in the making of it, with an iPhone to hand for the next Spielberg to shoot with, but, also, how audiences enjoy movies. Nobody makes films like Spielberg any more – especially not for children. Today’s films aimed at teenagers are a sugar rush of lights, CGI and action. Spielberg trusted that they had attention spans – nothing really happens in the first 45 minutes of Jurassic Park. Now Hollywood thinks otherwise. “Kids today do have the attention, if they give it a chance,” Spielberg says. He knows that cinema has more competition than before. “What kids today don’t have as much as the kids of my generation is the patience. For idle, quiet, contemplative time away from any kind of activity. That is what’s lacking – patience. But if you can compel someone to watch something ...” I tell him that my children, aged eight and five, enjoyed Close Encounters and E.T. and he is delighted. A third generation of fans snared. “That makes me really happy.” VITAL MESSAGE We end where we started – on the power of cinema. Other than showing The Fabelmans to his sisters, the film that Spielberg was most nervous about screening was Schindler’s List. He made it for Holocaust victims and says he needed the support and “edification” of Jews who made it through. Spielberg receives his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 with wife Kate Capshaw (left) and daughterJessica Capshaw PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES 30 august/september 2023
That is his most important film, but he is more worried than ever by antisemitism. The end – in which survivors visit the grave of Schindler, the German who saved them – was tagged on late, after the director feared people would not believe the story he had told. “Holocaust denial was on the rise again – that was the entire reason I made the movie in 1993,” he says. “That ending was a way to verify that everything in the movie was true.” He sighs. “I have never made a movie that so directly confronted a message I thought the world needed to hear. It had a vital message that is more important today than it even was in 1993, because antisemitism is so much worse today than it was when I made the film.” He also made Schindler’s List as a tribute to his parents and the family’s Judaism, which he had shied from when it made him a teenage punching bag. That film, like all he does, was looking to answer, “Who am I?” Now, The Fabelmans is the director’s most “Who am I?” film yet. It ends with a great scene in which an irascible John Ford barks career advice at Spielberg in the 1960s. The director laughs. He enjoys that memory. And there are plenty more where that came from. One aside is about not liking The Shining when he first saw it and how annoyed that made Stanley Kubrick. What a life. With his hero Ford in mind, what advice would he give budding film-makers now? “Tell stories that interest you,” he insists, without a pause. “Don’t tell stories you think will be interesting to others.” And he is not done yet: either with his career or his advice. “But the most important thing is moving on to the next one,” he says, restlessly. “There is nothing more important than moving on.” “Tell stories that interest you. Don’t tell stories you think will be interesting to others” Student Eats Expensive Artwork South Korean student Noh Huyn-soo removed Maurizio Cattelan’s piece from the wall at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul and then ate it. He later said he did it because he “skipped breakfast”. The piece, titled Comedian, was a banana taped to the wall, valued at US$120,000. Noh then taped the banana peel back onto the museum wall. The museum, which replaces the art every three days with a fresh banana, did not take action against Noh. CNN rdasia.com 31 A Life In Cinema
32 august/september 2023 READER’S DIGEST
Let’s Be How to make lasting connections that lift you up BY Caitlin Walsh Miller PHOTOGR APH BY VICK Y L AM RELATIONSHIPS rdasia.com 33
READER’S DIGEST f you feel that making friends as an adult isn’t easy, you’re right. “As kids, we have recess and gym class. We can let our guard down,” says Marisa G. Franco, author of Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help Us Make and Keep Friends. According to sociologists, these repeated, unplanned interactions and opportunities for vulnerability are necessary for creating the bonds of friendship. Given today’s workfrom-home reality, those options are fewer than ever. “And even those of us who see our colleagues every day aren’t letting our guard down,” adds Franco. In the US, for example, a 2021 survey by the American Enterprise Institute, found that the number of people who say they have no close friends has quadrupled since 1990, going from three to 12 per cent. “We’ve never been more disconnected,” says psychologist and author Jody Carrington. “And the greatest predictor for overall wellbeing isn’t how much you drink or smoke, or what you eat. It’s social engagement.” Research by Brigham Young University psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad has shown that loneliness is a major threat to longevity, on par with smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic. People who are lonely or socially isolated have a higher risk of impaired immune function, depression, dementia and cardiac death. On the flip side, healthy friendships can help us age better, cope better with stress and live happier, longer lives. Plus, happiness is contagious – it spreads through your social network. Harvard researchers found that when an individual becomes happy, their friends who live in a 1.6-kilometre radius have a 25 per cent higher chance of getting a boost in happiness, too. The researchers concluded, “People’s happiness extends up to three degrees of separation; for example, to 34 august/september 2023 PHOTO: VICKY LAM
the friends of one’s friends’ friends.” Here are eight tips on making and deepening friendships. Don’t rely only on luck “Friendships don’t just happen,” says Shasta Nelson, author of Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness. And if they do, they might not be sustainable. A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships LETTERS FROM AMERICA Christina Paino,New York When Iwas ten, in 1962,my sister’s class wasdoingapen-palprojectwitha school inEngland.Iwas intrigued, so herteachergaveme thenameof agirl there.Itwas the startofourfriendship. Betty Johnson,Hornchurch, England I liked the idea ofwriting to someonemy age in America. In our firstletterswe gotto knoweach other, finding out about ourfamilies and interests. Christina We’ve sharedeverything overthe years.Whenher sonwas born,Iwas ecstatic.Whenher husbanddied,I criedlike I’dlost a familymember.After9/11,Betty wroteme themostheartfelt,loving letter. Betty Andwhen the London subway bombings happened in 2005, I had a verymoving letterfromChris. Christina Whether something good or sad happened, sometimes I just needed to sit down and letitflow fromthe heart. I shared thingswith herthatI couldn’t sharewith anyone else. Betty Back in 1971,whenwewere 19,Chris and her sister visited London andwe finallymet each other. Christina Wemetin Trafalgar Square. Betty had toldme she’d be wearing red shoes and carrying a newspaper, sowhen she arrived, I knewherimmediately. We hugged forever. Betty I neverimaginedwhen I sent my firstletterthatwe’d still bewriting 60 years later. And emailing nowis wonderful; it’s as if she’s closer. found that the belief that friendships were based on external or uncontrollable factors – luck, basically – predicted greaterloneliness five years later. Be optimistic In a 2022 study, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that recipients of an unexpected communication – a short note or a small gift – appreciated the gesture a lot more than the sender thought they would. CHRISTINA BETTY rdasia.com 35 Let’s Be Friends PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CHRISTINA PAINO AND BETTY JOHNSON
UNLIKELY PALS Jean-François Légaré, Montreal, Canada Imet Francis inabarwithfriends whenIwas29.Atfirst,I couldn’t standFrancis.Hewas loudand obnoxious.I left early. FrancisHébert, Montreal We were like twomagnets repelling each other.Hewas clearly annoyed byme, and the feeling wasmutual. Thatfirstmeeting could have been the last. Jean-François But our paths kept crossing. We started talking, having debates about politics – which I never didwithmy other friends – and foundwe had a lotin common. We nowhave an honest relationship.He’s the person I can talk to about anything. I don’t agreewith hima lot ofthe time, but you need thatin yourlife. Francis Forinstance, he claims to be very fashionable, despite wearing Fruit ofthe LoomT-shirts. But seriously, he’s probably the one true friend inmy life. Jean-François Before Imet Francis, I had friends, butI had given up on true friendship. Francis and I have that kind of best friend thing you havewhen you’re 12 or 13. It’s like finding a brother. JEAN-FRANÇOIS FRANCIS Not only that, we often underestimate how much people like us. If we assume we’re going to be liked, we’re more likeable – warmer, friendlier and more open. Make a list Write down the names of three to five people you already know but would like to be closer to, suggests Nelson. Send them a text message, an invitation for coffee, a shared photo or memory, or an article that made you think of them. Have multiple friends Don’t limit yourself to one close friend. “Nobody gives to you in all the ways you need,” says Nelson. Indeed, a 2020 study of middle-aged women at Northern Illinois University found that those with three to five close friends had higher levels of overall satisfaction with life. Expect awkwardness Awkwardness isn’t a good reason to back out of a new relationship. “It’s just a normal part of getting to know someone,” says Nelson. For example, when we go to the gym and start to sweat, she says, “We don’t panic and think, ‘This must be bad for me.’” Recent research from the Kellogg School of Management shows we tend to overestimate how awkward a first meeting will be. Gillian Sandstrom, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, England, who 36 august/september 2023 PHOTOS: COURTESY OF JEAN-FRANÇOIS LÉGARÉ
BONDS FORGED IN PARIS Catherine Calmeyn, Paris In1994,Iwasgoingthrougha breakupandwas alone forthe first time inyears.I alreadyhada solid groupoffriends. ThenImetValérie; weworkedforthe same company.I was25, andshewas29. Valérie Ruault, JoignyOurwork could be stressful, butCat and I had a good relationship fromthe start, andwe laughed a lot. She has a giftforlistening, and Italk a lot, sowe’re complementary. Catherine Shewas sosunny.I talkedtoheraboutmybreakup,and shealwaysknewwhattosay.Not longago,mysonwasdepressed.He didn’twanttoseeme.Iwas lost,and IcalledValalot.Shesaidtohavefaith inhim,thathejustneededtoknowI was there.She’dcallmetosayit wouldbeOK.Anditwas–hewas. ValérieOur bond is blissful. We have nothing to prove to each other, and ourtrustis deep. Catherine We have never had a fight. We’ve been friends for 30 years, and though sometimes we don’t connect as often aswe’d like,whenwe do,we just pick up wherewe left off. CATHERINE VALÉRIE researches the effects of talking to strangers, puts it in perspective: “The other person doesn’t want an awkward conversation either.” Put the time in Making a close friend takes time – often more than 200 hours of time together over several weeks, according to an oft-cited University of Kansas study in 2018. Both the quantity and the time frame are key. “That’s why we tell people to take a class or volunteer,” says Nelson. Repeated activities come with a built-in getto-know-you schedule. Embrace vulnerability Vulnerability is a cornerstone of any healthy relationship. “That’s when we feel seen and known,” says Nelson. To start diving deeper, she suggests asking ‘highlight-lowlight’ questions, like what the best and most stressful part of someone’s week was. “It acknowledges that it’s OK if not everything’s great,” Nelson says. Practise “Social skills are like muscles – we can work them,” says Franco. In a 2022 study by Sandstrom, participants had to talk to strangers every day for a week. “By the end, people were less worried about being rejected and more confident they could keep the conversation going,” says Sandstrom. rdasia.com 37 Let’s Be Friends PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CATHERINE CALMEYN AND VALÉRIE RUAULT
“Today’s top story: Nobody did anything about anything that you wanted them to do something about.” READER’S DIGEST Fantasy Mother When my daughter started primary school, she made some new friends in her class and they soon started to go to each other’s houses after school. The other mums in this playdate circle were lovely. Exceptionally so. Every time I picked my daughter up from one of their homes, they made a point of saying what a delightful child she was, what a great job I was doing with her and how lucky she was to have me. It was nice of them to say so, I thought, but really a little over-the-top. I was just doing what mums do, wasn’t I? Eventually I pointed this out to one of the mums. She patted me on the arm. “Yes, you’re doing exactly what her real mum would have wanted you to do.” Apparently my highly imaginative daughter had told all her friends that her family had been involved in a shipwreck, her parents had drowned and I had rescued her and agreed to adopt her. LIFE’S LIKE THAT CARTOON: DAVID SIPRESS/CARTOONSTOCK.COM Seeing The Funny Side 38 august/september 2023
Some baby on this plane is singing the ABCs all out of order and a guy just shouted, “Yes, girl, remix!!” @SILENCE__KIT The cuteness of my toddler loading his teddy bear onto the conveyor belt at airport security is directly proportional to the agony of his screaming when you’re on our plane. @DADANDBURIED Toddler next to me on flight cried nonstop for hours and kept leaning over the aisle and grabbing my thigh. The mum said, “He he, terrible twos.” Little does she know I have the terrible 20s, so I’m going to put her son in the overhead compartment. @SOPHIEBUDDLE Being on a plane with my kids is a sure way of making everyone look like their passport photos. @MINISTRYOFMUM My wife is always worried about our kids acting up on the plane. Fortunately, she’s made us all tuna fish sandwiches for the flight, which is sure to endear us to the other passengers. @HENPECKEDHAL THE GREAT TWEET-OFF: FLYING WITH KIDS Flying is stressfulforthe folks of Twitter, and when you include children... I had to be honest and put the record straight with the other mothers, and we all saw the funny side. I must admit that I missed being treated like a hero in the school playground, however. SUBMITTED BY KAY STEAD Tropical Scent I was surprised to find my friend had brought back a large packet of washing powder from a luxury holiday on a tropical island. He explained that this was the brand his hotel used and the smell brought back wonderful memories of his trip. After spending a cold winter at home, he booked another holiday at the same place but said he was going to ask the hotel to use a different wash powder, because the first one now reminded him of the cold back home. SUBMITTED BY ANDREW BERRY Put Away For Safekeeping Everybody has a drawer in their home that contains both garbage and the most important documents a human can have. @THEGLENNISSHOW Watch This! Not sure what’s longer: a microwave minute or watching a video while someone else is holding the phone insisting I it’s hilarious. @Eden_Eats LLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES rdasia.com 39
COVID and the cost-of-living crisis have significantly altered how signs of the condition appear. Here’s why BY Rosalind Moran PSYCHOLOGY PHOTO: ISTOCK 40 august/september 2023
rdasia.com 41
Hoarding. It’s a concept that gets thrown around a lot. It’s not uncommon to hear someone exaggerate that their loved one is a hoarder. Usually, it’s because they are untidy, buy too many clothes at the sales that they forget to wear, or enjoy collecting a strange objects. But for people who are diagnosed with hoarding disorder, life is extremely challenging. This mental health condition is both misunderstood and difficult to treat particularly as the condition can be brought on by events from past trauma. So, what is hoarding disorder, and how are recent global events impacting the ways individuals understand and experience it? Hoarding is a disorder where a person accumulates items and stores them in a typically chaotic manner, often to the extent that their environment grows overwhelmingly cluttered and begins to prevent them from living a normal life. Imagine a house so filled with objects that its occupants can no longer access certain rooms. Or collections of physical items, so large that even when out of sight, their presence and sheer volume provoke stress in their owner. Hoarded items will not necessarily have monetary value. This is because hoarding behaviour is more often a symptom of other preoccupations and anxieties in a person’s life than it is a reflection of the value of the actual items that are being hoarded. How is it different from being messy? Identifying hoarding disorder can be challenging for various reasons. People with hoarding disorder often hide this behaviour, by not inviting guests into cluttered living spaces. Diagnosing hoarding disorder is also complicated by socio-economic factors and cultural background. A person’s role in society and access to resources can influence how hoarding is perceived and addressed. If someone can pay for storage spaces or lives isolated in their own property filled with clutter, they may be dismissed as eccentric and avoid public scrutiny. Individuals with fewer resources, who may live close to others or in public housing, often draw far more public approbation due to the risks posed by clutter, such as fire and rodent infestation, as well as unsightliness and inconvenience posed to others living around them. Consequently, being branded as a messy eccentric CLUTTER. ACQUISITION. COMPULSION. 42 august/september 2023
or a hoarder sometimes hinges on wealth as opposed to mental wellness. Attitudes towards possessions, disposal of possessions, recycling, and the value of older goods also vary across different social and cultural groups. Health practitioners can identify hoarding disorder with substantial accuracy using certain diagnostic criteria. The accumulation of clutter is one such criterion, together with difficulty discarding items due to a perceived need to save them. Clinical psychologist Professor Jessica Grisham, of UNSW Sydney, notes that hoarding disorder’s diagnostic criteria are unusual among other psychological disorder criteria because they include indicators located externally to the person who is experiencing the disorder. “Clutter is an external manifestation of the disorder, but not actually a symptom experienced by the individual,” says Professor Grisham. “With depression or anxiety disorders, diagnostic criteria all pertain to the experience and behaviour of the individual. In the case of hoarding disorder, however, the clutter criterion allows practitioners to SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS CAN INFLUENCE HOW HOARDING IS PERCEIVED BY OTHERS PHOTO: ISTOCK rdasia.com 43 Hoarding Disorder
distinguish those with the disorder from those who may be messy or disorganised, but manage to have a liveable or somewhat uncluttered living space.” Hoarders retain items for different reasons Hoarding is complicated, not least because the underlying triggers for compulsive collecting vary from person to person. Some hoarders save items because they can imagine future uses for them, whereas others resist discarding objects for reasons rooted in grief or fear. Miriam, for example, developed hoarding disorder following the death of her husband. “I didn’t used to have a problem with getting rid of things,” she explains. “Since my husband’s passing, however, I have found it extremely hard to part with anything that belonged to him, or even just with miscellaneous items from our shared life.” Jo Cooke, author of Understanding Hoarding, emphasises the need for the general public to understand that hoarding behaviour is an expression of an emotional state, as opposed to some kind of personal shortcoming. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES 44 august/september 2023
“Hoarding is not about people being lazy or dirty,” says Cooke. “Rather, it is often linked to anxiety, low mood, depression, or bereavement. “When we are emotionally vulnerable or overwhelmed, people don’t always have the energy for looking after themselves, let alone their homes. “In response to grief and loss, too, people sometimes turn to items – compulsive acquiring – which can trigger shame and lead to people isolating themselves.” In this sense, she says, hoarding disorder can be a form of self-neglect, and people experiencing it deserve support and empathy. How might external factors impact hoarding in 2023? Complexities particular to this day and age are impacting triggers for, and development of, hoarding disorder, as well as people’s experiences of living with it. The cost-of-living crisis, for example, has amplified fears of scarcity and anxieties about the future worldwide. For many people who are either experiencing hoarding disorder already or are on the cusp of developing the condition, external pressures like this tend to exacerbate their hoarding tendencies. Dr Satwant Singh, a consultant in cognitive behavioural therapy and facilitator of the London Hoarding Treatment Group, has noted the effects of the current economic crisis on individuals. “The cost-of-living crisis has impacted people by increasing their stress and sense of uncertainty, which is likely to increase levels of clutter as individuals with hoarding disorder cope by acquiring more items,” he says. “Many individuals remain undiagnosed, hidden, and disengaged from services. The lack of mental health and support services specialising in hoarding disorders has also posed a challenge in terms of individuals being formally diagnosed and accessing treatment and support.” Anx iet y and grief related to the coronavirus pandemic, and stress regarding lockdowns and the lifting of restrictions, have also exacerbated hoarding tendencies among some individuals. Professional organiser and declutterer Heather Tingle, who specialises in supporting clients with hoarding behaviours, has observed this in her own practice. “Hoarding disorder is a mental health disorder, and so at a time when the public’s mental health was under pressure, for those with hoarding THE COST-OF- LIVING CRISIS HAS AMPLIFIED FEARS OF SCARCITY AND ANXIETIES ABOUT THE FUTURE rdasia.com 45 Hoarding Disorder
disorder, this was amplified,” says Tingle. “For my clients, worry over scarcity of food, medicines and household items meant that when they could buy items, they would bulk buy. “Coupled with more leisure time for online ordering, and with working from home becoming the norm, many found that during lockdowns in particular, their hoarding tendencies grew and exerted an even stronger, more constant impact over their lives than usual.” Moving forwards in addressing hoarding Compassion is an important part of seeking to understand hoarding disorder. Especially in difficult times, safeguarding items might be, to some extent, advisable, which is why it can be easy for some individuals to tip into hoarding behaviour. Cooke describes how she sees an over-representation of engineers, artists and teachers, who typically are resourceful, among hoarders. Tingle, meanwhile, highlighted how hoarding tendencies can be a learned behaviour passed down through family ethos. “My grandfather kept everything,” she says, “as growing up during the Depression, his family impressed on him the need to keep anything that could come in useful one day. This emphasis on preserving resources and avoiding being wasteful was passed down to me.” Addressing hoarding, especially when such behaviour is an extension of otherwise rational beliefs, is difficult. Every case is unique. However, putting systems and steps in place around item management can make everyday life easier for those experiencing hoarding disorder, and can lessen such tendencies over time. What is important, especially in present circumstances, is to be aware of and compassionate towards the way external stresses may push vulnerable individuals to develop or deepen hoarding behaviours. Pawsome Litter One incredibly tuckered-out dog in Perth recently gave birth to a monster litter of 22 puppies. Honey, a Staffordshire bull terrier, was only two pups shy of setting the world record. 7NEWS.COM.AU HOARDING TENDENCIES CAN BE A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR PASSED DOWN THROUGH FAMILY ETHOS 46 august/september 2023 READER’S DIGEST
FUN THAT NEVER SETS Visit us at NATAS Holidays 2023 Book with our Travel Partners 11 to 13 Aug 2023 (Fri – Sun) 10am – 9:30pm Singapore Expo Hall 4 & 5 Citystate Cruises (TA648) Booth 4H43 Chan Brothers Worldwide Booth 5H01 Cruise Centre (TA848) Stamford Discovery Booth 4H40 Cruise Center (TA702) Cruise Connexions (TA3038) Booth 4H41 Nam Ho Travel (TA140) Booth 5H08 For more information, call 6305 0033 or visit RoyalCaribbean.com.sg
READER’S DIGEST 48 august/september 2023