DO YOU NEED A MEDIA DETOX? THE DANGERS OF OVERSTIMULATION
With the current trend of getting TV, social media, and news alerts sent to our phones, we have access to more media than we could ever consume. While constant connectivity is a boon for many aspects of our lives, researchers are discovering that too much stimulation is cause for concern. One study in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that too much social comparison, spurred by the likes of Facebook and cable news, can lead to an increased risk of depression. If you find yourself pressured to live up to the public lives of friends and family, or if you feel like you’re being bombarded with too much news and entertainment, consider a media detox. A detox doesn’t require you to unsubscribe from social media services or unplug your TV forever. Instead, think of it as a vacation from the overstimulation so many of us experience. Ask yourself which aspects of your media diet are causing more stress than they’re worth, and take a break from them for a little while. “In the same way we think about what we eat, we should think about what we read, what we’re seeing, what we’re engaging in, and what we’re interacting with every day,” Emma Watson told CNN in an interview about her selective
social media use. If you’re not mindful of your media consumption and participation, it tends to pile up. When you detox, it’s a lot easier to identify which parts of your media diet are essential and which are only a burden. Another benefit of a media detox is that you’ll have more time to pursue new and dormant hobbies. Because most of us consume media in small chunks throughout the day, it’s easy to overlook how much that time adds up. All those hours you spend on Facebook could be used to start a garden, knit a quilt, or join a soccer league. Unless you have an unlimited supply of leisure time (and who does?), you need to be selective in the way you spend it. Remember, media isn’t the cause of all your ills. Used mindfully, it can actually increase happiness and satisfaction. The problem is that we are so mired in the media muck that we can’t get a perspective on how much is too much. A detox will allow you to reassess the media you’re consuming and build a better plan for the future. You can still keep up with your grandkids on Facebook, but it shouldn’t be the only way you interact with the world.
But Don’t Get Short Changed ACT FAST AFTER A TRUCK ACCIDENT
From our sprawling farmland to our oil-rich coastline, trucking drives the Louisiana economy. Unfortunately, the increased presence of heavy vehicles makes major accidents far more likely. Nearly 100 fatal crashes involved a large truck or bus in 2016 alone, according to the LSU Highway Safety Research Group. These accidents often cause devastating injuries that can last a lifetime. Unfortunately, you don’t have nearly that long to file a claim. StatuteofLimitations The immediate aftermath of a truck accident can be a blur. Emergency personnel race to the scene, you’re rushed to the hospital, and you may undergo days or weeks of intensive care — far longer if your injuries are severe. Your mind should be wholly focused on recovering. Unfortunately, there is a statute of limitations on truck accidents in Louisiana. Regardless of the trauma you sustained, you only have one year to file a claim. Given the types of injuries a truck can inflict, it’s likely
you’ll need expensive ongoing medical care. Insurance claims can help you and your family in these difficult circumstances, but you have to file them correctly and on time. BewaretheSettlement A predatory tactic we’ve seen insurance adjusters use in truck accident cases involves a very misleading number. You see, the state requires truck drivers to be insured up to $20,000 to cover extreme injuries. This sounds like a lot, but when you factor in lost wages, medication, ongoing care, and psychological damages, this amount often falls short of the real cost of your injuries. If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, do not hesitate to contact the attorneys of Jones & Hill. Our attorneys have years of experience in handling truck accident cases and will work closely with you to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
www.joneshilllaw.com 2
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