Lifestyle - The Korea Times

'Hwabyeong' is not Korean malady

Dear Dr. P I am a senior at Columbia University in New York majoring in Anthropology and Psychology. I am writing my senior paper about the condition “Hwabyeong,” and would like to find out how it is conceptualized and treated both in Korea and here in the U.S. among Korean immigrants. (S.H. White) Dear S.H White, There are many scholars who believe that what is commonly called "Hwabyeong" is a mental condition that only Koreans suffer from. However, my opinion is quite different from theirs. Hwabyeong can be translated as "the disease of anger." The source of the condition comes from stressful emotions such as anger and hostility. In other words, hwabyeong isn't just a condition that can be found in Koreans. But, Koreans just understood at an early stage that depression and other emotional troubles come from "Hwa," or anger. In fact, hwabyeong is often used to describe depression as well. Whenever I see psychiatric patients, I recognize how important it is to deal with the issue of anger in order to live a happy life. In that sense, the fact that our ancestors coi

May 18, 2012

Cancer prevention falls through loopholes

Excluded from coverage, women pay up to 540,000 won for vaccine By Noh Hyun-gi Every 10 minutes a woman dies of cervical cancer, according to the World Health Organization. It is the second most common cancer for women after breast cancer. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, or human papillomavirus transmitted through sexual intercourse. Two vaccines are available, but young Korean women are discouraged to have them because of the high cost. Unlike many developed countries, Korea’s national health insurance does not cover the injections. In fact, the system excludes preventive measures altogether. Three shots of Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) or Gardasil (MSD) injected over six to 12 months can protect women from the two most dangerous strains of the common virus. Each injection costs between 120,000 and 180,000 won. “You can prevent cancer with these shots and that is truly significant,” said Lee Sanghoon, a gynecologist at Korea University Anam Hospital. “I understand the cost is hardly negligible.” Lee mentioned that efforts are being made to per

May 18, 2012

(189) Wishing I were wrong

By Janet Shin Nobody wants to hear anything negative when their saju is read. It doesn’t matter how successful one is now. People can’t be assured of their future and because of that uncertainty, they fear to seek out fortune tellers while at the same time they are insatiably curious. I am often asked not to reveal upcoming misfortune if there is any. This is mostly for those who consider life is running well enough and they don’t want to think about any possibility that might ruin their current happiness. Obviously everyone wants to hear only positive prospects. Our lives are not so simple, however, as we all acknowledge sorrowfully. This is a well known irony. Most people experience twists in life. Success is often accompanied by misfortune, or vice versa, like heavy rain is followed by a rainbow. Once people sense a certain negative wave in life, they consult a fortune teller. In this moment, despite their fear, they want to hear the truth. One of the fortune tellers I know told his best friend that his lover was going to die soon. It was worse because the fortune

May 17, 2012

Blind dates going instant, shallow

Young adults flock to 'booking bars' in search of dateing partners By Jung Min-ho, Bahk Eun-ji, Kim Bo-eun, Kim Jung-yoon Dozens of young people in their early 20s were standing in line outside a bar on Friday night. Although there was a two to three hour wait for those toward the back to enter the bar in the Hongdae area of Seoul, most of them were willing to queue. What made them flock there and wait so long time? It was the anticipation they might find someone through instant blind dates arranged among the customers over a jug of beer. This newly-thriving “booking bars,” are sprouting in Hongdae, Sinchon and other commercial districts near colleges in Seoul. It is called “booking” as it refers to the arrangement of female customers brought to tables of men and vice versa. Evolving culture of blind dates These pubs, also dubbed “smart bars” as some use tablet computers as booking devices, have set the stage for young singles to instantly meet the opposite sex in a more causal and convivial environment. Unlike traditional blind dates arranged by friends or ac

May 16, 2012

Connecting through dots

Two moms learn Braille to better understand their blind children By Noh Hyun-gi Even for the mothers who are daily at their side, the world of visually-impaired children remains largely a mystery. The darkness, loneliness, and frustration are difficult to imagine for people with sight. Fortunately, Kim Young-mi and Byeon Hyun-jin are taking this matter into their own hands. The two mothers of preschoolers have been attending weekly Braille classes with instructor Jang Yong-jeon. Byeon is the mother of a seven-year-old boy who was born completely blind, and Kim has a five-year-old daughter who can only detect light. During the 50-minute classes at the Korean Braille Library for Students in Nuha-dong, northern Seoul, they not only learn to read the raised dots, but also get a glimpse of the children’s unseen world with the help of Jang. The 33-year-old teacher was born completely blind and has trained professional Braille translators. He shares memories of his childhood with Kim and Byeon to help them relate to visually challenged people. The library is a su

May 14, 2012

Quick remedy for holiday overeating

By Jang Su-hee May is full of holidays and observances — Children’s Day, Parents’ Day and Buddha’s Birthday, to name a few. Most of the occasions emphasize relationships and family. In the mist of these celebrations and gatherings, it would be a shame to not nourish the body with great food and drinks. However, there is a fine line between having a satisfying meal and overeating. Understanding a few medical tips from our ancestors can help avoid digestive disorders. According to Statistics Korea, 2,693,206 patients visited medical facilities in 2010. Of all the patients, 14.2 percent had gastrointestinal problems. Adolescences between the age of 15 and 24, and males between 25 and 44 ranked digestive aliments as their primary reason for visiting medical centers. According to “Donguibogam,” a medical encyclopedia from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), eating too much food may disharmonize the stomach and intestines. Food with extreme temperatures, either too hot or too cold, will worsen the clash of entrails. Dyspepsia is always accompanied with a bloated stomach, sp

May 14, 2012

IVI holds international vaccinology course in Seoul for professionals

By Alexander Ahn The International Vaccine Institute (IVI), the world’s only international organization devoted to developing vaccines for the world’s poor, kicked off its “12th International Advanced Course on Vaccinology in the Asia-Pacific Region” Monday for a weeklong run at its headquarters at Seoul National University in Seoul. The highly acclaimed course was the first established for vaccinology in the Asia-Pacific region. It aims to help health professionals build their knowledge in all areas of the vaccine spectrum from development and evaluation to production and policy. Participants will discuss adult vaccines, ethical consideration in vaccine studies and communication strategies. Over 90 professionals from 27 countries are enrolled.The participants consist of scientists, public health officials and policymakers from both the private and public sectors. The course is designed to help improve the ability of developing country professionals and other participants to develop and evaluate safe, high quality vaccines. Lectures by leading specialists in vaccinol

May 14, 2012

Understanding bilingualism in childhood

By Kelly Frances Yan Padron,4, has traveled from his home in Cuba to visit his father in Seoul. He effortlessly switches from Spanish to Korean to accommodate whomever he is speaking to. Yan’s mother is Korean, and his father is Cuban. “His first words were Korean”, explains his father, Orielvis. “He started speaking Spanish shortly after, when he and his mother moved to Cuba. He speaks Korean to his family and sometimes to his mother. He speaks one or the other when it makes sense. He is learning both, but he isn’t studying formally.” Yan displays simultaneous bilingualism, which occurs when a child becomes bilingual by learning two languages before the age of two, and is consistently exposed to those languages up until the final stages of language development. Consequentially, both languages become “first languages,” though not necessarily with equal proficiency. Simultaneous bilingualism differs from sequential bilingualism, in which a second tongue is learned as a foreign language. It is estimated that half of the world is functionally bilingual in two languages. In

May 14, 2012

Blind spots of OTC contraception

Lack of private consultations discourages correct pill use By Noh Hyun-gi Over the counter at a pharmacy is not the ideal place to discuss sex life, vaginal bleeding or tenderness of the breasts. It definitely is not appropriate to have a thorough conversation on how to manage one’s hormones. However, these are crucial topics to cover when one is taking oral contraceptives which are categorized as over-the counter (OTC) drugs in Korea. As a result, wary of the lack of privacy and professional attention, Korean women purchase birth control pills without adequate knowledge on their use. Ironically, the current practice which supposedly facilitates birth control consumption may divert Korean women from effectively enjoying the option to control their reproductive health. Only 2.5 percent of Korean women take birth control pills compared to 14.3 percent in the United States and 40 percent in New Zealand, according to the Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (KAOG). Currently, the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) categorizes all contraceptive

May 13, 2012

Weighing anxiety reduction against drug dependency

DEAR DR.P: I am a 43 year-old female who suffers from anxiety. My family doctor, whom I have been seeing for over 20 years, suggested that I take Xanax when I told him that I not only suffer from panic attacks but also constantly worry about the “next” episode. So for the past two years, I have been taking one and a half pills (0.25mg) of Xanax a day. This helps me immensely, but I am concerned about growing dependent. Is there anything else you would suggest? At one point, my doctor prescribed 50 mg of Zoloft but I only took 25mg as I am very sensitive to drugs. (Anxious) DEAR ANXIOUS: The medication, Xanax, does have addictive tendencies. However, as the panic attacks you experience may be results of a serious anxiety disorder; I don’t think that your current regime of 0.25mg per day is excessive. I suggest that you weigh the emotional burden of the attacks against the possible dependency on Xanax. If your panic attacks cause major difficulties in your daily life and Xanax helps you overcome them, then it is better for you to continue taking it understanding the ris

May 11, 2012

Others

Others

'Hwabyeong' is not Korean malady

Cancer prevention falls through loopholes

(189) Wishing I were wrong

Blind dates going instant, shallow

Connecting through dots

Quick remedy for holiday overeating

IVI holds international vaccinology course in Seoul for professionals

Understanding bilingualism in childhood

Blind spots of OTC contraception

Weighing anxiety reduction against drug dependency

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