Search the Community

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/adulting-101-untimely-deaths-friends-existential-crisis-2131826 Adulthood is an invigorating stage of life as young people join the workforce, take on more responsibilities and set their sights on the future. But its many facets — from managing finances and buying a home to achieving work-life balance — can be overwhelming. In this series, TODAY’s journalists help young Singaporeans navigate this stage of their lives and learn something themselves in the process. SINGAPORE — In the last two years, five people I knew died from sudden cardiac arrest. They were young and seemingly healthy people whose untimely demise came as a shock to their family and friends. They ranged in age from about 25 to 35. The grief hit me pretty hard, as I felt a lot of guilt and regret about my relationship with some of them. It got me to thinking — are more young people dying from sudden cardiac arrest? And should I be worried? Cardiologists from the National University Heart Centre Singapore told me that the risk of sudden deaths in young people remains exceedingly low. Based on the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) data report published by the Singapore Heart Foundation four years ago, those above the age of 65 constitute the highest risk group of patients, accounting for 36.2 per cent of the 3,000 cases of cardiac arrest in 2019. There are about 3,000 cases of OHCA yearly here. One cardiologist told me that the prevalence of OHCA in Indians and Malays is twice the rate of Chinese. The prevalence of OHCA in men is also twice that of women. While uncommon, there are underlying conditions among young adults that can lead to sudden deaths, such as hypertrophic cardiomypathy (abnormal thickening of heart muscles) or arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm of genetic causes), another cardiologist said. This is why health screenings are important, as people often believe themselves to be healthy if they do not have any symptoms of underlying disease when they may have conditions that are asymptomatic. Though sudden cardiac arrest among young people with no underlying conditions is rare, I could not shake this feeling that my life could be taken from me at any time. This led me to move beyond concerns over cardiac arrest affecting the young to wonder more broadly at the meaning of my brief, mortal existence. I was left feeling unmotivated and uneasy. Don’t get me wrong, my life is going okay — I have a good job, I have a roof over my head, I have two beautiful kids and a supportive husband — but I was being consumed by this thought that if life is so short, why bother doing anything? It occurred to me that I was perhaps having an existential crisis. Mr Praveen Nair, a psychologist at Raven Counselling and Consultancy, said that this occurs when there is an inner conflict within an individual causing them to break from traditional thinking patterns and recalibrate to become more contemplative with regard to questions about meaning, purpose and identity in life. Mr Nair also reassured me that I am not the only one feeling this way, as he has seen more adult clients with similar issues. One contributor to this is social media, said Mr Nair, as some netizens cherry pick what they share online to present a rosy picture of their lives, which can cause other users viewing the content to experience "fomo" (fear of missing out). This, in turn, can lead them to wondering about their direction in life. Mr Nair said it is normal to experience an existential crisis even when things in your life seem to be going okay as many things, both overt and subliminal, can influence our thoughts even when our lives are relatively routine. In fact, some argue that the mundane and routine can be a stimulus to initiating thoughts about the larger meaning or purpose of life. This makes sense, as I have been feeling a certain kind of tedium for some time now, juggling work and caring for two young children daily. Ms Abigail Yang, a grief therapist at counselling platform Talk Your Heart Out, said that it is normal to think deeply about life or question how you feel about it. The more fundamental issue is when no answer satisfies you, she added. “It becomes a constant loop of complex questions with no fulfilling solution. This, in turn, leads to a conflict within yourself about your reason for existence,” said Ms Yang. In some cases, extreme thoughts and unanswerable questions can leave one feeling frustrated, anxious, depressed and even suicidal, said experts. They also shared that one way to overcome an existential crisis is to disengage from pursuits or people that bring me no joy and redirect my energy to those that do. Mr Nair said this can help initiate renewed drive and motivation in life. “It may sound counterintuitive but many great innovations occurred when inventors experienced an existential crisis. They channelled their energies into a new venture that was motivating,” he told me. One way to overcome the crisis is to also take time to connect more with people whose company I enjoy, as an existential crisis can occur when we feel disconnected from others, said Mr Nair. Ms Yang reminded me that it is okay to allow myself to feel such negative emotions, and that I should not suppress them. Some people block out pain and suffering, thinking this will make them happy, but it can often lead to a false sense of happiness, she said. Embodying emotions and acknowledging feelings of pain, discontentment and dissatisfaction can open the door to personal growth, and improve one’s outlook on life, Ms Yang added. One tip I got from a friend that has helped me deal with my existential crisis is this: "KonMari" your schedule, rid yourself of self-imposed duties and obligations and identify areas where you could be doing less, doing something easier, or doing nothing at all. This is a reference to Japanese author Marie Kondo and her ideas about ridding our lives of needless clutter. This might mean, for instance, your one-hour exercise routine becomes a 20-minute one, or perhaps you ditch it all together for an extra hour of sleep. The only person that should be happy with the choice you make is you. ABOUT THE WRITER: Nabilah Awang, 29, is a former Senior Journalist at TODAY.

Called up a battery rescue number from mycarform in September 2017. To change a battery in Suntec when my honda headlights forgot to off. The new battery brand was DRIVE. At that time the guy came in a conti OPEL van with his GF, to help me change the battery. I think I paid $160. Yes I know it's market rate for AMERON, not some lousy DRIVE brand battery. I did told that guy I want AMERON, but he said this is a GERMANY branded battery, just as good as AMERON. Fast forward to last week. Can't start my car. I know this time it was not due to headlights drain out the battery, because I did check the day before I left the car locked. So I thought I can jump start with another car battery. Hooked up the red/black cables to a fully charged battery. Still cannot start. In the end swopped out the DRIVE battery with a second hand AMERON battery. And the Honda car starts perfectly. One week later, still ok. I have a pulse charger(Ctek) to charge the DRIVE battery at home. For the past week, the charger is tick-tok-tick-tok trying to charge the battery. Even tilting the battery is all possible position it is still not able to charge. I don't know how a car battery can suddenly FAILED. Be careful with this DRIVE brand of lousy battery. I now only trust big brand battery. The second hand AMERON battery is already four years old, and is still strong and workable in my Honda.

Don't know if there's any sponsoring for the youtubers to promote Singapore

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-condition-killing-workers-dongguan-170034924.html A Mysterious Condition Is Killing Workers In Dongguan, China In Their Sleep By Mamta Badkar | Business Insider – 20 hours ago REUTERS/Bobby Yip The Chinese city of Dongguan, in the southern province of Guangdong, has seen a surge in the number of workers that are dying in their sleep, reports Andrea Chen at South China Morning Post. There have been 893 cases of sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS) from January 2001 to October 2013, up from 231 cases seen between January 1990 to December 1999. Autopsies have revealed that these workers had no terminal illness or injury and that the workers were otherwise healthy. The report found that the young male workers suddenly had a hard time breathing while they were sleeping, though the cause for this was unknown. Researchers at Zhongshan School of Medicine, cited by Guangzhou Daily, found that young manual laborers were most at risk. More than 90% of those that died were manual laborers and the researchers said longer hours and poor work and living conditions put them at higher risk. More than 90% of the victims were male. Dongguan was once one of China's biggest manufacturing hubs with the city's GDP rising 19.5% annually between 2003 and 2006. But after the financial crisis, growth slumped to 5.3% in 2009. The mayor of Dongguan expects growth to pick up to 9% in 2014 as a result of investment in certain high-tech projects. More recently, the city came under the scanner as it was dubbed China's sex capital. A recent paper on SUNDS by Chao Liu et al, published in Forensic Science International, looks at SUNDS in Southern China and related diseases from other countries. From the paper: As an ethnic and region specific natural death, sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS) or sudden unexplained death during sleep (SUDS), is a disorder that prevails predominantly in Southeast Asia and has various synonyms in different countries such as the Philippines (bangungut), Thailand (lai-tai), Japan (pokkuri), and China (sudden manhood death syndrome). The annual incidence of SUNDS has been reported to be as high as 43 per 100,000 people aged 20–40 years in the Philippines and 38 per 100,000 people aged 20–49 years in Thailand. In Southern China, the incidence is about 1 per 100,000 people. These reported worldwide syndromes have an unusual clinical phenotype in common: the vast majority of victims were apparently healthy young males between 20 and 50 years old; death mostly occurred at night during sleep with symptoms of moaning, tachypnea, and abrupt tic of limbs; gross autopsy and microscopic findings showed no morphological changes to elucidate the cause of death. Since its initial description in 1917 in the Philippines, SUNDS has remained an enigma to both forensic pathologists and clinicians. The paper examined whether SUNDS is a function of a disorder in the cardiac sodium channel, which is responsible for the function of the myocardium, a heart muscle. "Our data suggest that a majority of Chinese SUNDS may be due to other mechanisms that lead to an increased risk for sudden death during sleep," the authors write. In China meanwhile, the focus continues to be on working conditions — which could exasperate an underlying disorder. Zhang Yiri, an associate professor from Guangzhou City Polytechnic told China Daily that many factories pay low basic salaries but pay much better for overtime work. Zhang said this has caused many laborers to work extra hours to make more money but also puts them at higher risk. https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-condition-killing-workers-dongguan-170034924.html

Hi all, I got an urgent problem and I cannot put a finger on it.During my 80k servicing ,I took up Star offer of their Castrol RS at $88.At the same time,I changed the oil filter to an OEM one.However,I delayed the changing of the oil filter,coolant and brake fluid change as recommended by MM maintenance checklist. Recently,I found that at 370 km my fuel tank is almost at the 1/4 line.Usually it will be around the halfway mark.My driving patterns is the same also.Anyone have faced this before ? What might cause this ? Is it the change of engine oil or other factors ? Thank you in advance. Cheers.

hi brothers... this morning when i was driving along eng neo road sudden heard a crack sound and i spotted s small crack on my windscreen..maybe abt 2cm liddat..is it advisable to change now or wat?

Hi ppls I need help I just send my vehicles for servicing and after a few day I realised that there a max decrease of coolen water and now it is around the lower level ? Anyway know what cause the pro or is there any leakage ? Currrently I driving a Lancer Ex

PLEASE SET UP A NEW GANTRY OUTSIDE MY SHOP ASAP PLEADS SEMBAWANG SHOPKEEPER! ERP helps business, says LTA Congestion, if left unchecked, will have negative impact on the economy By SAMUEL EE (SINGAPORE) ERP rates must go up because the current congestion, if left unchecked, will have a negative impact on the economy, says the Land Transport Authority. From July 7, 2008, electronic road pricing rates will rise sharply and five new ERP gantries will be erected along the Singapore River line to reduce transit traffic using the city area for outbound trips in the evening. This is similar to the concept behind the Orchard Cordon, which discourages vehicles from making use of Orchard Road to get to other areas. But the hikes and gantries have met with protests from motorists, some of whom have questioned whether the moves are necessary, given that traffic congestion does not appear to be as bad as the LTA says it is. LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee disagrees, saying that the authority's measurements of road speeds in the city area have shown that congestion is gradually building up and becoming more pervasive. He says that within the city, speeds on major routes such as North Bridge Road, South Bridge Road, Stamford Road and Bras Basah Road have fallen by up to 22 per cent in the evening, compared to two years ago. 'ERP changes are necessary to manage congestion effectively,' Mr Yam explains . 'Faster travel times lead to overall lower transport costs and ultimately help businesses to remain competitive. Congestion also adversely impacts family life as people spend more time on the roads.' When asked about the effectiveness of the higher ERP rates, given that Singaporeans seem to eventually accept them after some initial complaints, he says that the actual ERP price levels depend on the choices drivers make and how they weigh the charges to be paid against the other options, such as travelling during non-ERP times or switching to public transport. 'As traffic demand patterns change, ERP rates will also have to respond accordingly because the situation is dynamic,' says Mr Yam. 'If the demand for limited road space goes up over time, it is likely that ERP charges will have to go up as well. This does not mean that ERP is not effective, only that periodic reviews are needed as the situation does not remain static.' He adds that since the system was implemented in 1998, ERP has been effective in encouraging motorists to consider alternatives. As a result, traffic speeds on priced roads have been maintained within their optimal speed range through regular reviews and rate adjustments. 'However, the edge has come off in recent years and that is why we have had to make some enhancements to the system at this time,' he says. 'Having done this, we are confident that the system will be effective again.' As for those diehard motorists who are unlikely to give up their cars whatever the increase in ERP rates, Mr Yam says that the LTA's aim is not to get everyone to stop driving 'as we would then be under-utilising the roads'. 'Rather, the intent is to influence enough car users not to use the roads during congested periods,' he says. 'In doing so, we will be able to optimise the use of the roads. We only need a small decrease of cars on the roads to bring about smooth-flowing roads.' In the case of the five new gantries, LTA is targeting a 17-18 per cent reduction in car trips into the CBD. The LTA reiterates that the system is not a revenue-raising exercise. The government has been progressively shifting from vehicle ownership taxes to usage charges, with road tax to be cut by 15 per cent from July 1, 2008. This will cost the government $110 million annually and follows the 10 per cent cut in ARF or the additional registration fee in March 2008 - at a cost of $200 million. So total cost is $310 million. At the same time, ERP revenue will increase by $70 million a year (total annual ERP revenue is about $100 million). 'ERP places the decision of whether to drive, travel at a different time, use a different route or take public transport, in the hands of motorists,' says Mr Yam. 'Without ERP to keep our roads smooth-flowing, there is no choice as everyone using the road will be caught in gridlock.'

Just like ot check with experienced forumers here on braking. I drive a 6-month old Latio. In my company's basement carpark, I tend to just let the car zoom down the ramp before I do a sudden brake just before I hit the hump. On some occasions, I will hear this rhythmic "tak tak tak tak" sound from my brakes. Is this the ABS kicking in or is it a brake problem?

Hi guys, my sub gives me a sudden boom like a full discharge time to time(avg once per week). This happens when even when i'm playing soft sentimental songs. Have anyone encountered this? Could it be a grounding problem or a phase or cabling issue? I'm using an infinity basslink 200Wamp with 8" woofer