Hello, everyone. Today, I would like to talk about a dark shadow that has recently emerged as a serious social issue in South Korea: drug addiction . Many people ask, "Why do people touch drugs in the first place?" The beginning is rarely dramatic. It often starts with a simple thought like "Just once won't hurt," peer pressure, or an indifferent choice to escape severe stress and pain. Recently, the barrier to access has lowered significantly, to the point where even teenagers can easily obtain drugs via social media or Telegram. However, the consequences of that single choice are disastrous. The moment drugs enter the brain, its reward system is instantly destroyed. The dopamine system—which allows us to feel joy in everyday life—becomes paralyzed, leaving the brain craving nothing but the drug. This is precisely why drug addiction is not a "matter of willpower," but a brain disease and a severe addiction . The end of addiction is the total collapse...

  Striving to Be Ordinary As a child, Hermann Hesse's "Demian" was a beautifully enchanting novel that exuded an inexplicable magic. I became so immersed in Hesse's writing that I indulged in almost all of his works. I use the word "indulged" because it's more accurate to say I was paralyzed, unable to properly grasp his intentions. Years later, rereading his works, I was surprised to find a completely different world unfolding. It was shocking to realize that Demian was another self of Sinclair. Hesse's soul is like Demian's clear spirit and Sinclair's mature, intellectual root. "If you seek happiness, you cannot be happy, and if you seek the meaning of life, you cannot live." I couldn't understand what Hesse meant by this at all. However, after quite some time and experiencing various parts of the world, I'm grateful and proud that I can now somewhat empathize with this statement. Happiness cannot be the purpose; life is s...

Intermittent Fasting Threatens Life Recently, many people around us are practicing intermittent fasting to reduce body fat and maintain health. The 16:8 intermittent fasting method, which maintains a 16-hour fasting period, is popular. The research team led by Victor Wenze Zhong from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine reportedly obtained unexpected results while studying how intermittent fasting changes the body healthily. They found that the 16:8 intermittent fasting method could significantly increase mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases. Analysis of the eating habits of 20,000 American adults from 2003 to 2018 showed that those who practiced 16:8 intermittent fasting had a 91% higher mortality rate from heart disease compared to those with regular eating habits. For those with underlying cardiovascular diseases, intermittent fasting increased the mortality rate from heart disease or stroke by 66%, and cancer patients also showed increased mortality rates when p...