Episode 212: Youth HIV/AIDS

 

By the end of 2005, more than 40 Singaporeans aged 19 and younger were diagnosed as HIV positive. How these youths catch the disease has also changed. In the past, most caught it at birth from their mothers. However, of the seven new patients below 19 who tested positive in 2005, four caught it from unprotected sex. The common belief among the youths is that "it wouldn't happen to me".However, statistics have shown that by the end of 2005, more than 40 Singaporeans aged 19 and younger were diagnosed as HIV positive. Tab TV explores the topic of Aids with a HIV positive victim.

Alicia, 19, was one such victim. She had sex with only one person, her boyfriend of two years. She had no reason to suspect her boyfriend could be infected with the deadly virus and yet, she caught it from him. Another youth caught with the deadly illness is James. At 15, James' friends gave him a birthday present that would torment him for life – unprotected sex with a prostitute who was HIV positive.

"Feng", who is HIV positive, shares his experience with Singapore Idol contestants, Paul Twohill and Daphne Khoo on Tab Chat.

by MediaCorp

Episode 211: Cyberspace Addiction

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG) went global in 1996 and today more than eight million people play World of Warcraft globally, and more than 200,000 fans here are into Maple Story. But there is a dark side to on-line gaming; it can become an addiction where game addicts can't stop playing and needing to play more and more to get their fix. Tab TV investigates the virtual world of on-line gaming.

by MediaCorp

Episode 210: Eating Disorders

 

Eating disorders have among the highest mortality rates of all mental disorders, killing up to 6 percent of their victims. Each year millions of people across the world are affected by serious and sometimes life-threatening eating disorders. The vast majority - more than 90% - of those afflicted with eating disorders are adolescent and young adult women

Despite the fact that many people think of an eating disorder as being an unhealthy quest for a perfect body, eating disorders are not about vanity and not really about weight. Eating disorders are not solely disorders of eating; they are complex, psychological illnesses where people try to control conflict and stress in their lives by controlling food.

'Anorexia and Bulimia' are serious eating disorders. The biggest difference between anorexia and bulimia is that people suffering from bulimia eat large amounts of food and then throw up. This is called binge and purge. Anorexics do not eat large amounts and throw up. They in fact, starve themselves.

In Singapore, the incidence of both anorexia and bulimia has been growing steadily. While there are no nationwide figures on eating disorders, SGH doctors say they saw 20 to 30 patients a year before 2002. In 2006, the number of cases rose to 164.

In Tab Chat, a young girl in her mid twenties shares with us her experience. She tells us how she has suffered both anorexia and bulimia and how she managed to fight her way out of the jaws of these terrible eating disorders.

by MediaCorp

Episode 209: Divorce

1 in 10 Singapore marriages breaks up within 10 years. In 2005, there were close to 7,000 divorces, compared to about 3,600 fifteen years ago!

There are many reasons why marriages break up. One of the prominent reasons why marriages break up all over the world is when a spouse is unfaithful. Not only does unfaithfulness itself cause deep emotional suffering for a victimized spouse, but affairs create a host of other problems, too.

In this episode, Tab TV covers a few cases of both male and female spouses cheating on their partners. Also on Tab Chat a victim who suffers infidelity in her marriage comes forward to share her pain and bring awareness on what are the signs to look out for in a marriage that might have signs of adultery.

by MediaCorp

Episode 208: Smoking Youths

Smoking is becoming more prevalent amongst Singapore’s youth.

According to the National Health Survey in 2004, 12.6% of Singapore’s population is smokers. 19.2% of these smokers are young adults aged between 18 to 24, one third of whom are women. What’s more worrying is the males in this age group experimented with smoking at the age of 14, while the females started trying it out at around 15.

One of the stories featured is “Edward” who picked up smoking from his dad and who only finally quit when he saw his own son trying to imitate him. The other story is 18 year old “Vivian” who started smoking after her boyfriend dumped her. Influenced by friends, she picked up the habit as a way to distress and consequently, she suffered the negative effects of smoking. Instead of 18, she looked like a woman in her 30s!

It is not uncommon for youths to turn to smoking to relax, out of curiosity or for fun, or because of peer pressure from friends. Yet once they pick up the habit, it’s always proven difficult to kick. Tab TV chats with ex-smokers, Jaime Teo and Randall Tan to find out more.

by MediaCorp