How to cope with feelings of dread

The quest for a male contraceptive

View this email online December 2, 2022 by Andrea Muraskin This week: How to approach dread with curiosity, and make it a little less scary. Plus, the future of contraception may be … male. And, how taking a few pages from the improv comedy playbook can build confidence and reduce anxiety.  5 strategies to help you cope with a nagging feeling of dread Sol Cotti for NPR The novelist Aldus Huxley once wrote “The vast majority of human beings dislike and even actually dread all notions with which they are not familiar.” Huxley himself was far from immune to dread of what the future could bring. His most famous book, A Brave New World, presented a dystopia where human embryos are genetically engineered into a biological caste system. In the 1950s and 60s, he warned of the dangers of overpopulation and ecological destruction.  Today, the prospect of an inhospitable planet is very real. People around the world are coping with the spread of disinformation on social media, and its effect on politics. You might dread reading an email from your boss, receiving a breakup text, attending a tense Christmas dinner with your family, or possibly coming down with COVID, again.  There’s plenty to worry about, and so much of it is outside of our control. So how can we keep dread from dragging us down? Saleem Reshamwala, host of the podcast More Than a Feeling, has been digging into that question. He teamed up with NPR’s Life Kit to share lessons on coping with nagging fears from experts including a psychologist, a meditation teacher, and a death doula. Each tip comes with an exercise you can do at home. For example, poet and psychologist Hala Alyan suggests writing down the things you dread – putting the words on paper can give you some emotional distance. Find out more, and try for yourself.  Also: Climate anxiety is real. Here's how you can manage those feelings   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Beyond condoms: gels and pills for men could be the next big thing in contraception filo/Getty Images Ah, the condom. The simplest contraceptive. But perhaps not the most…um...elegant? Many people trying to prevent pregnancy, not the least monogamous heterosexual couples, look to upgrade to another method at some point. They want something that's more reliable, or that makes intercourse feel more "natural."  And unless a man is willing to undergo a vasectomy, all of the other methods fall on the female side of the equation. Most of them come in the form of synthetic hormones that prevent a woman from ovulating, like birth control pills or hormonal IUDs. Many women feel fine on hormonal birth control, but others experience side effects like migraines, mood swings, or even depression. But there’s no rule in science that says the keeper of the womb must be the one tasked with medically guarding it from pregnancy. In fact, researchers around the world are working on reversible contraceptive options for guys. Possibilities include a hormonal topical gel that would lower a man’s sperm count over time, and non-hormonal pills that could “disarm” sperm by taking away their ability to swim.  “There's somewhat of a feeling of invulnerability among most men because they don't have to think about the need for contraception,” says Ob-Gyn and researcher Brian Nguyen. “And the only way to remedy that is by having more and more open conversations with men about reproduction, and their responsibility in a process that is not just a women's issue."  Here's what Ngyuen and other researchers think it will take to get men interested enough for these products to succeed on the market.   Also: More people are choosing to get sterilized – and some are being turned away. Improv can build confidence. Here’s how to apply it to your everyday life Annelise Capossela for NPR I have something to confess. Sometimes, I don’t like being a grownup. I miss being a kid. Specifically the part where I got to play, make up imaginary games, and generally be silly – especially with my peers. Maybe you know what I mean? You might get a feeling of childlike freedom from playing in an adult soccer league, but you still have to stick to the rules of the game. And then there’s that fear of being judged if you mess up.  Enter improv comedy. Grownups like you and me can get our sillies out playing creative games and making up scenes on the spot. When podcast producer Oluwakemi Aladesuyi started taking improv classes, she found it was helping her overcome anxiety and shyness off-stage too. One recent study found doing just 20 minutes of improv a day can increase creativity, decrease social anxiety and increase your ability to tolerate uncertainty.  And you don’t necessarily have to take a class to learn from improv, says Clay Drinko, author of Play Your Way Sane: 120 Improv-Inspired Exercises to Help You Calm Down, Stop Spiraling and Embrace Uncertainty. One lesson: embrace your mistakes. For example, Aladesuyi says she got weird looks in improv class when she pronounced broccoli rabe "broccoli rah-bay.” But instead of getting flustered, she made the mispronunciation part of her character’s personality. Here’s five lessons from improv that can improve your everyday life.  Also: How to make a habit of creating art Before you go: Helen H. Richardson/Denver Post via Getty Images Love chili but want to eat less meat? We tested out this plant-based recipe Regulators crack down on vapes aimed at teens Monekypox gets a new name Listen: How to flourish as a late bloomer We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. All our best, Andrea Muraskin and your Shots editors Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WBEZ (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy