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If you just haven’t gotten enough of Marvel’s flirtation with a vast and endlessly expanding multiverse in Loki and WandaVision, you’re going to absolutely love Marvel’s What If. The upcoming show is Marvel’s fourth Disney+ series and, interestingly enough, is the MCU’s first foray into animation.

The show’s premise is simple: exploring all the various hypothetical situations that could have completely changed the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, as simple as that might sound in theory, the results look as complex as they are exciting.

Since the show was announced a few years back, we’ve gotten a few glimpses at what we can expect from it. In the latest trailer, several of the premises of the ten-episode mini-series were revealed. Based on all these clips, we’ve compiled a list of what the show will cover, as well as what films are sure to be explored. Here are the various questions we’ll get answers to in the upcoming series.

What if Peggy Carter took the serum?

Out of all the scenarios we’ve seen, this one is the least out there but is still incredibly exciting. Referring to herself as Captain Carter, this episode will put Peggy front and center as everyone’s favorite shield-wielding Avenger. While it’s unclear what Steve is up to while Peggy is saving the day, it wouldn’t surprise us if their love is so strong it spans multiverses. However, if we’re being a bit bleak, it also wouldn’t surprise us if the feeble-but-brave soldier didn’t make it without the serum. Either way, it looks like we’re in for quite the treat and some real badassery from an already beloved character.

What if T’Challa became Star-Lord?

While Chadwick Boseman’s final performance as T’Challa is going to be an extremely emotional watch, the idea of seeing the late actor reprise his iconic role (well, kind of) one last time is heartwarming. In this episode, What If will explore what would have happened if Yondu had abducted T’Challa rather than Peter Quill all those years ago. Rather than become the Black Panther, T’Challa steps into the jet-pack-equipped shoes of Star Lord in this hypothetical tale. Whether we see a goofier side of T’Challa — or a more serious side of Star Lord — it’s an interesting combo we can’t wait to see.

What if Tony Stark met Erik Killmonger?

2008’s Iron Man is the one that started it all, making the idea of seeing it play out different pretty mind-boggling. Whereas the first movie placed Iron Man in a position where he intimately learned the cost of war, there’s no telling how meeting Erik would shape his opinions on warfare. Would he use his money and resources aid Erik, or perhaps try to find a way to help him through more peaceful means? In addition, what would this change mean for the way the entire MCU played out? Would the Avengers still form? Would Civil War ever happen? While this isn’t the wackiest situation on this list (just wait until you read the next one), it doesn’t have far-reaching consequences for nearly every character.

What if the Marvel heroes were all zombies?

While this might seem absolutely wild — and it’s kind of is — this episode actually draws inspiration from an incredibly famous series of comics written by none other than The Walking Dead author Robert Kirkman. The story unfolds when Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards opens a portal to a zombie dimension where superheroes retain their intelligence and powers but are driven by the need to feed on human flesh. The entire series is infamously gruesome and bleak — much like The Walking Dead — and it will certainly be interesting watching Marvel embrace that in a Disney+ series.

What else we know?

Based on the trailers we’ve seen, in addition to the four hypothetical scenarios listed above we’re also going to see episodes providing unique takes on Iron Man 2, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, the first Thor movie, and Infinity War/Endgame. If they’re anything like the others — or perhaps even more out there — we’re in for quite the time with What If hits August 11.

Black Widow (Marvel Studios film on Disney+) — Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff finally gets her due and a proper send-off in this actioner that aims to go back-to-basics but succeeds more on a personal level. The film fills in plenty of blanks following the events of Captain America: Civil War, but more importantly, we receive butt-kicking ladies in well-choreographed fight scenes and an emotionally resonant story that introduces us to the inner Natasha, as witnessed by Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. She’s perhaps the only person in the world who’s allowed to tease Natasha, and their dynamic rules. The film also allows David Harbour to perform grunt-filled face work with a wild accent while the ladies swirl around him in hand-to-hand combat.

The White Lotus: (Sunday, HBO 9:00pm) — Mike White’s new series skewers the ultra-wealthy in what turns out to be a brilliant satire (both sprawling in its breadth and self-contained in its brevity) on how obscene wealth rots everything that it touches. Starring Jake Lacy, Jennifer Coolidge, Murray Bartlett, and Alexandra Daddario, the show’s approach is one that Succession fans will surely enjoy, and while the setup feels like The Love Boat or Fantasy Island had a lovechild with Agatha Christie.

Wellington Paranormal: (Sunday, CW 9:00pm) — What We Do In The Shadows fans rejoice because you’re receiving a spinoff mockumentary series with the same comedy-horror tone from creators and executive producers Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. For this franchise installment, the action goes down in New Zealand, where two officers of the Wellington paranormal unit investigate apparent possessions and sightings of ghosts, aliens, and matters of cryptozoology with the most straight-faced, deadpan humor that one could possibly expect.

These streaming picks make great appetizers:

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Season 2 (Netflix series) — Get ready for more insanely absurdist (and almost therapeutically refreshing) sketch comedy from creator and writer Tim Robinson. He’s back with partner Zach Kanin for more of turning the most mundane and bizarre life moments into shouty hilarity, and guest stars this season include Bob Odenkirk, Sam Richardson, Paul Walter Hauser, Tim Heidecker, and many more. If you haven’t had the pleasure of digging into Robinson’s work, and you love Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s exaggerated humor, yet crowned with an especially self-aware twist, you must plop this show into your queue.

Fear Street Part 2: 1978 (Netflix film) — One week after Part 1’s release, the franchise goes back to Shadyside, where summer vacation’s on tap, which means summer camp and someone who wishes to commit murder. In short, a group of campers discover that their town’s horrifying happenings might be connected to what they’re going through now, and they need to shut down the impending perpetrator, fast.

Back to some more regularly scheduled programming:

Betty: (Friday, HBO 11:00pm) — The main players are all back: Rachelle Vinberg as Camille, Ajani Russell as Indigo, Dede Lovelace as Janay, Moonbear as Honeybear, and Nina Moran as Kirt. This week, the Halloween party is not going smoothly with Camille attempting to make amends while Honeybear’s acting out, and Indigo is fed up.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (Sunday, AMC 9:00 p.m.) — Allison’s pushing limits after Patty got booted out of the boy’s group while Nick decides to cause trouble for Patty, too.

Rick and Morty (Sunday, Adult Swim, 11:00pm) — The Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland-led show (newly back for Season 5) sees a failed experiment, which could wreak havoc on both Rick and the whole country.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime, 9:00pm) — Trig attempts to counsel Jamal while Emmett and Tiff look into new things, all while Imani wants to ditch the trap house.

Black Monday (Sunday, Showtime, 10:00pm) — “Artistic differences” cause friction for Mo and Dawn while Keith tries to work things out with Mike, and a VIP is targeted by Blair and Tiff.

Flatbush Misdemeanors (Sunday, Showtime, 10:30pm) — Dan attempts to help Jess deal with a school lockdown after a bomb threat, as a shocking secret affects Zayna.

Desus & Mero (Sunday, Showtime, 11:00pm) — Vince Staples is the illustrious guest.

Here are more streaming picks for the weekend:

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Hulu film) — Questlove’s stepping into the director’s seat for the first time for this cinematic historical record that celebrates Black history over the course of six weeks. The culmination, of course, turns out to be the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, and this film brings you never-before-seen footage of performances from Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and many more.

Loki: Episode 5 (Disney+ series, releasing in the wee hours of Wednesday morning) — Tom Hiddleston has an absolute blast playing the mercurial trickster of the MCU, and we shall reap the benefits while he helps (or hinders) the Time Variance Authority during the process of cleaning up the timeline. This week, the Easter eggs exploded with so many Marvel Comics references and surprises that fans nearly couldn’t handle it all.

Monsters at Work: Season 1 premiere (Disney+ series) — John Goodman and Billy Crystal return as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski. They have both been promoted, and a new crop of monsters (voiced by Mindy Kaling, Henry Winkler, Ben Feldman, and Alana Ubach) are doing the harvesting. The twist here, of course, is that although the franchise is going back to basics, the franchise is trading scares for laughter after realizing that — surprise — laughter generates so much more energy for Monstropolis than screams.

Gossip Girl: Season 1 premiere (HBO Max series) — The original CW series helped to launch the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Sebastian Stan, and Penn Badgley (and the latter is now portraying an amped-up version of the same character on Netflix’s You). HBO Max is now ready to welcome another crop of mostly unknown faces playing wealthy, privileged teens who find themselves socially surveilled and at the mercy of the “Gossip Girl” narrator, who’s still voiced by Kristen Bell. Showrunner Josh Safran has promised that this reboot series will be much more socially conscious than the original, and that the teens will “take Ubers, not limos.”

Shark Week 2021 (Discovery+ event) — Before Eli Roth’s Fin documentary arrives next week, the annual shark-related festivities begin with Shark Academy and Song of the Shark. With the former selection, several contestants compete for a spot on a massive shark-diving expedition. Of course, these enthusiasts don’t exactly possess traditional backgrounds before immersing themselves for six weeks at the behest of the great Dr. Riley Elliott. In the latter selection, YouTube Dan Mace edits and scores fresh shark footage from around the globe to give viewers a never-before-seen glimpse of these fearsome and enigmatic animals.

The Snoopy Show: Season 1 premiere (Apple TV+ series) — Don’t be a blockhead, Charlie Brown. Instead, tuck into this new animated series for all ages, as long as you’re into the almost universally beloved beagle, Snoopy (duh), and his best friend for life, Woodshock. Not only is Snoopy actually Joe Cool, but he’s also Masked Marvel and a World War I flying ace, and yes, do not try to resist this delight of a revisiting that’s based upon Charles M. Schultz’s “Peanuts” comic strip.

If you’re a basketball fan who has spent any time on Instagram, you’re probably aware of @LethalShooter. The account belongs to Chris Matthews, who has gained a following for two reasons: The work he does with NBA players and other celebrities to help them improve their jump shots, and the absolutely ridiculous shooting challenges he’ll occasionally do on his account. On the latter, a personal favorite was the time he shot on a rim with no backboard, no pole, and only one inch of error.

Matthews does this to show the importance of having good, consistent form when you shoot. His latest challenge took this to a new level, as he and his team built a mechanical rim called “The Windmill.” It featured three hoops on one spinning apparatus, with one rim having blue tape. Here’s how things went down:

It looks like something you’d see at a carnival, but also, I am 100 percent certain I would miss every single shot I attempted on this thing. The video ended up hitting the Twittersphere, and as a result, a bunch of folks got off jokes about an incident that happened earlier this season when LeBron James got poked in the eye by Draymond Green and claimed he saw three rims during the play-in game between the Lakers and Warriors.

These weren’t the only people who were amazed by this … well, amazed might not be the right word, but plenty of people raised their eyebrows at this experiment.

Of course, the stuff that Matthews works on with NBA players (at least based on his Instagram account) and the stuff he does in these videos are not the same — these stunts are things he pulls off, while the exercises he does with players are more, uh, practical. But regardless, I would like to see the NBA incorporate a spinning tri-hoop if that play-in tournament Adam Silver wants comes to fruition.

Let’s get this out of the way: ‘80s dream girl Lea Thompson had the hots for a rather odd assortment of characters throughout her filmography. In Back to the Future she was horny for her son from the future (Michael J. Fox); in Casual Sex, she ends up falling for Andrew Dice Clay; and in Howard the Duck, Thompson totally gets it on with an anthropomorphic waterfowl from outer space (yes, she f*cked a duck). And now, she’d love to see some other young actress get to do the same.

While Howard the Duck is probably best known for being a universally panned—and incredibly weird movie, even for the ‘80s—that arrived in theaters in 1986 and featured a then-unknown actor named Tim Robbins, its pedigree isn’t as odd as those details make it sound. The character originated as a Marvel Comics character and the film was a bit of a passion project for George Lucas, who executive produced it.

While the final result may not have been all that its fans were hoping for, Thompson has never made a secret of her affinity for that horny ol’ space duck. On more than one occasion, she has mentioned wanting to bring Howard back to the big screen—and after he began trending following a brief appearance in the trailer for a new Marvel TV series titled What If, Thompson was quick to jump on the trend, tweeting that: “I see #HowardTheDuck is trending #3. That’s awesome. #i love my duck #WhatIf I get to direct @Marvel reboot.”

While it may have sounded like a joke to some of her followers, this isn’t the first time Thompson has expressed her desire to get back in the duck business. While being interviewed by SYFY in 2018, it was noted that Howard had made brief appearances in both Guardians of the Galaxy movies as well as Avengers: Endgame. Could a #Duckaissance be much further behind?

“Oh my God, from your lips to God’s ears,” Thompson said. “I don’t know. To tell you the actual truth, I am going to Marvel to pitch Howard the Duck, a new movie.” We wonder what the odds are that Tim Robbins would want to come back for a second go-around.

(Via The Wrap)

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Snoh Aalegra leads things this week with the release of her third album, Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies. The 13-track project is supported by guest appearances from Tyler The Creator and James Fauntleroy as well as excellent production from The Neptunes, No I.D, Sevn Thomas, and others. Charlotte Day Wilson also appears with a new project, that being her official debut album, Alpha, while Tinashe readies her upcoming album with her latest single, “Bouncin.”

Snoh Aalegra — Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies

Almost two years after she gave us Ugh, Those Feels Again, Snoh Aalegra is back doing what she does best on her third album, Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies. Its 13 songs capture the Swedish singer traversing through the highs and lows of love through moments that bring her closer to her partner and others that make her grow apart from them. The project is a mostly solo effort aside from a pair of guest verses from Tyler The Creator and another from James Fauntleroy.

Charlotte Day Wilson — Alpha

Seemingly years in the making, Charlotte Day Wilson finally arrives with her debut album, Alpha. It boasts 11 songs and contributions from BADBADNOTGOOD, Daniel Caesar, and Syd for an effort that speaks on the singer’s inner struggles with love, growing, and breaking free from old ways that she’s finally able to speak on in a clearer way. It should also be noted that the project is produced by Charlotte herself.

Tinashe — “Bouncin”

After teaming up with Buddy for “Pasadena” last month, Tinashe keeps things moving with her latest single, “Bouncin.” The track is a flirtatious effort that will hopefully bring fans closer to the release of her upcoming album, an effort that’s already looking to be a promising follow-up to her 2019 project, Songs For You.

Mariah The Scientist — Ry Ry’s World

Atlanta’s Mariah The Scientist slowly grabbed the attention of R&B lovers little by little with the release of her 2019 project, Master. Now, she’s back to prove that she’s here to stay with her latest full-length effort. Ry Ry’s World invites listeners into the universe that makes Mariah what she is and through its ten songs, the singer stays absolutely true to herself, even if it comes off as simple and uneventful. Fans will also be greeted with appearances from Young Thug and Lil Baby on the project.

Amorphous — Things Take Shape

The past year has been an amazing rise towards fame for viral producer Amorphous. The 23-year-old went from sharing mashups of music’s biggest names to working with them on his brand new project, Things Take Shape. Kehlani, Brandy, James Fauntleroy, and Bree Runway appear throughout its six songs that capture Amorphous’ versatility through R&B, house, and other sounds.

Jam & Lewis — Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1

As producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and extremely decorated. Hailing from Minnesota and Nebraska respectively, the production duo has notched sixteen No. 1 singles with the likes of Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, and more. Decades later, the pair steps out as Jam & Lewis on their debut album, Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1. Its ten songs are highlighted by appearances from Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Usher, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, and others.

Ant Clemons — “Section” Feat. Kehlani

Ant Clemons is still building off a 2020 year that saw the release of his debut album, Happy 2 Be Here, an effort that later earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album. Now, in 2021, the singer is back with more music thanks to his latest single, “Section” with Kehlani. The pair admit to mission a past lover and despite their attempts to cope with the feelings during a night out of drinking, the alcohol only seems to make things worse for them.

Kyle Dion & Ja Rule — “Placebo”

Two years removed from his sophomore effort, Suga, Kyle Dion is finally gearing up to release a new album. The currently untitled project will arrive on August 20 and to build some excitement for it, Dion shares his latest single, “Placebo” with Ja Rule. The track is a fun and bright record that makes a departure from his past melancholy records. “People are ready to have fun,” he says about the song. “Nobody wants to be sad as hell anymore — we already did that.”

BJ The Chicago Kid — “Type Of Day” Feat. Eric Bellinger

BJ The Chicago Kid returns with his third installment in his “BJ Wednesdays” series. After last week’s cover of The-Dream’s “Fancy,” BJ calls on Eric Bellinger for an original effort in “Type Of Day.” The song marks the duo’s second collaboration after their 2019 song, “Back It Up.” Their newest effort is quite the feel-good record to enjoy as you head into your weekend.

Jean Deaux — “Gang”

After dropping off Watch This! last year, Jean Deaux returns with her second single of the year with “Gang.” The bouncy track finds the singer reinforce her loyalty to the people she loves the most while refusing to switch up and turn her back on them. “Gang” is also the follow-up to her March single, “Easiest Thing.”

Jawan x Tiffany — “To Myself”

After moving through the music world as solo acts earlier in their career, Jawan x Tiffany joined forces last year for their debut single, “Finally.” Nearly a year removed from the single and the duo is back with their latest effort, “To Myself.” Jawan x Tiffany detail a relationship bonded by an impenetrable mold of chemistry on their new song. “Communication is always key in any sort of relationship,” the duo said about the song. “With ‘To Myself,’ we wanted to empower people to not be afraid of being vulnerable. We can’t expect others to know how we feel if we never speak up.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Strays cats and dogs are a massive problem pretty much everywhere around the world. Globally, it is estimated that there are 100 million or more feral cats, and at least 60 million of those can be found in the United States alone. While they can have a massive ecological impact, most are just trying to survive and looking for new homes.

Leon was one of these stray cats roaming the streets of Brasília, Brazil. That was until he managed to sneak into the Order of Attorneys of Brazil building. Employees adopted Leon and let him hang out in the reception area, but when people started to complain about the cat, they found a pretty interesting way around it: they hired Leon as a lawyer.

Yes, he has his own ID card. The world was alerted to this lawyer cat when Dr Jeanette Laredo posted photos of Leon on Facebook, writing:

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“After a heavy rain, this little guy here seeking shelter from the storm went inside the OAB building (the Brazilian equivalent of American Bar Association) and decided to stay.”

“Unfortunately some people started to file some complaints about the fact that at the reception desk there was a stray cat hanging around and trying to make friends with the newcomers.”

“In order to avoid some new complaints the board gave the solution: Hire the cat as an employee.”

That post quickly went viral, with more than 11,000 shares and 30,000 likes. And to reward Leon for his hard work and making the company a viral sensation in Brazil, he was prompted to a lawyer.

In an interview with Bored Panda, a spokesperson for Dr. Leon explained that people had filed complaints because he was small when he first arrived at the building as a kitten, and they were afraid that they’d step on him. He’s since grown up, so that’s probably not a problem anymore.

The spokesperson went on to explain:

“In February it rains a lot in the state of Amapá (Amazonia), so he arrived at OAB fleeing from the rain and thunder. For a week, he was fed and protected in a box. Until he got hired.”

“[They said] that there was no space for him because it is a serious institution. So the President [of the OAB] determined the hiring and gave him an employee badge.”

Leon is now a valued employee, in charge of hugs and cuddles.

Leon has even inspired the OAB to launch an animal rights institute – called Instituto Dr Leon.

“Two months ago Leon was neutered and is already fully recovered. But veterinarians say he had a problem with his vocal cords as a result of suffering as a baby. He hardly meows, but we keep taking care of him. This motivated us to create the institute to help abused and abandoned animals.”

“Unfortunately, we cannot house all [the animals], so we will fund the NGOs in town. We will be an example for Brazil [to follow].”

Someone needs to make a television series out of this.

Anyone who’s had a relative or friend with dementia will know just how destructive the group of diseases is. The condition can impair memory, communication, focus, reasoning, and visual perception, transforming a sufferer into what can seem like an entirely different person in a matter of seconds.

Dr. Philip Grimmer, from Wiltshire in the United Kingdom, was visiting one of his patients with the disease when he saw the words of reassurance written on a whiteboard by a daughter to her mother that he decided to share on Twitter.

“Words of reassurance left for an elderly lady with dementia by her daughter,” Dr. Grimmer explains. “A simple white board left in her sight line in her sitting room. Helped to reduce constant anxious phone calls.”

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Words of reassurance left for an elderly lady with dementia by her daughter. A simple white board left in her sigh… https://t.co/kBuKdHyWf2

— Philip Grimmer (@GrimmPhil)
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The white board reads:

Your meals are paid for

You’re okay

Everyone’s fine

You are not moving

No-one else is moving

Keep drinking,

it will help your memory

You don’t owe anyone any money

You haven’t upset anyone.”

Dr. Grimmer’s tweet attracted over 40,000 likes and 7,000 retweets. Dr. Grimmer explained to the BBC that he’d initially posted the tweet to share it with his colleagues. “I’d not seen anything like it before in thousands of house visits. It’s caring, reassuring and sensible – it’s just such a simple idea,” he added.

Other social media users took the opportunity to share how they help those suffering from the disease.

@nicknoxx @GrimmPhil Wow – so other people are experiencing the pre-8pm bedtime issues too. Thanks so much for shar… https://t.co/ZdBy1TSEYf

— Caroline Aliwell (@CalAliwell)
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@Kiml71 @GrimmPhil When I was in hospital a few years ago an elderly man was walking in and out of the bays asking… https://t.co/lQFrwk0n8u

— Theodora Dickinson (@TheaDickinson)
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Dr. Grimmer’s image was also posted on Reddit, where it received more than 112,000 upvotes.

Reddit user Kryptosis suggested that “you can use the bathroom whenever you like” be added as a former relative with dementia believed they couldn’t use the bathroom.

Hailley, a nurse from Canada, added:

“I had one resident where I worked who would be in tears because he was worried about his children and having to pay for his meals.”

“It was sometimes tough to reassure him. We had to call his children to talk to him a few times. It was hard to see him so upset.”

She expanded on her comment for the BBC:

“I have seen people talk down to those with dementia, which is just not right. They are still adults who know when they are being treated differently.

“People just do not know how to interact with them. It takes patience and you may not be able to have a conversation with them in the same way you would with someone without dementia.

“The whiteboard addresses what gets asked the most [by those] in long-term care.”

If you’re among the 25% of Americans averse to needles, you’re probably not surprised by the COVID-19 immunization stall. Even for those who want immunity, bribes with beer or lottery tickets may not be enough to override anxiety made worse by pervasive images of needles in the media.

As a physician specializing in pain management, I study the impact of pain on vaccination. Research-proven adult interventions for pain, fainting, panic and fear can make vaccination more tolerable. At a minimum, understanding the reasons needle fear has become common might make the embarrassment easier to bear.

Why needle anxiety has increased

Needle fear has increased dramatically since a landmark 1995 study by J.G. Hamilton reported that 10% of adults and 25% of children feared needles. In that paper, adult patients who remembered when their fear began described a stressful needle experience around age 5.

The childhood experiences of the patients usually related to an unexpected illness; at the time the Hamilton participants were in preschool, vaccines were scheduled only until age 2. For most people born after 1980, however, booster injections given between ages 4 to 6 years became a routine part of the vaccine experience. The timing of boosters maximizes and prolongs immunity, but unfortunately falls within the age window when phobias form. A 2012 Canadian study of 1,024 children found that 63% of those born in 2000 or later now fear needles. In a 2017 study, my colleagues and I confirmed this increase in prevalence: Half of preschoolers who got all their boosters on one day – often four or five injections at once – were still severely afraid of needles as preteens.

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Unsurprisingly, needle fear affects how willing teens and adults are to get vaccinated. A 2016 study found needle fear to be the most common reason teens didn’t get a second HPV vaccine. Health care workers are no exception: A 2018 study found that 27% of hospital employees dodged flu vaccines due to needle fear. And most recently, an April 2021 national survey of 600 not-yet-COVID-19-vaccinated U.S. adults found that 52% reported moderate to severe needle fear.

The shame accompanying needle fear can make it difficult to research among adults.
CDC/Unsplash, CC BY

Potential solutions for adults

For children, evidence shows that addressing their fear and pain while distracting them from the procedure is most effective in reducing distress.

While adults are not just big children, combining these concepts with findings from available adult injection studies suggest a few potential interventions. For the many who want a vaccine but need some support, here’s what we know:

1. Pain reduction

Relieving injection pain may reduce needle fear by giving patients a feeling of control. For example, a group of patients in New Zealand were repeatedly missing their monthly antibiotic injections for rheumatic heart disease. Their doctors created a special clinic, offering either anesthetics, a vibrating cold device or both during the shot. The interventions in 107 adults reduced pain and fear by 50% after three months. Six months later, half the patients still used the interventions, and the special “missed dose” clinic was no longer needed.

Specifically for vaccination, applying a vibrating cold device to the injection site a minute prior to injection, then pressing just above the site during injection, relieved pain and improved satisfaction for adults, and was most effective for those with needle fear. A horseshoe-shaped plastic device using sharp prongs to confuse the nerves also reduced injection pain but increased anxiety, possibly due to discomfort from the prongs themselves.

Cold spray doesn’t help reduce vaccination pain for children, but has been shown to be more effective than topical anesthetics for adult injections.

2. Psychological therapy

Exposure-based therapy involves asking a patient to rank anxiety caused by parts of a procedure, like seeing a picture of a tourniquet or thinking about sharp things, and gradually exposing them to these parts in a controlled environment. Free self-guided resources are available for fears ranging from flying to spiders. However, none of the three studies testing this approach on adult needle fear showed long-term fear reduction.

One of the studies that taught techniques to reduce fainting, however, was considered a success. Fainting, or vasovagal syncope, and needle fear are often conflated. While passing out due to injections is more common with anxiety, it is often a genetic response. Tensing the stomach muscles increases the volume of blood the heart can pump, keeping blood in the brain to prevent lightheadedness during needle procedures.

Planning ahead can help make vaccine day more approachable.
recep-bg/E+ via Getty Images

3. Distraction

Surprisingly, there are no studies on adults using distraction for injections. Two studies, however, have found that pretending to cough reduces pain from blood draws.

Dropping F-bombs could also help: A recent study found that swearing reduced pain by one-third compared to saying nonsense words. Distraction with virtual reality games or videos has been shown to be more effective in children, although there have been mixed results in adults.

Mentally engaging tasks may also help. A visual finding task given to children during intramuscular shots has been shown to reduce pain and fear, with 97% rating the experience more pleasant than previous blood draws. Adults may need a more complicated task, but a similar intervention could work for them as well.

Use multiple interventions and go in with a plan

To reduce needle fear, research suggests the more interventions, the better. A 2018 study summarizing research on vaccine pain concluded that patient-operated cold and vibration devices combined with distraction techniques were most effective. Canada has implemented a practical national needle fear intervention for their vaccine rollout, emphasizing preparing ahead to help make vaccine day more comfortable.

Adults who don’t like needles are in the majority. Taking control of your vaccination experience may be the best way to combat needle anxiety.

Amy Baxter is a Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Augusta University.

This article previously appeared on The Conversation. You can read it here.

Though the holiday festivities from last weekend have waned, there’s plenty to enjoy as we head into the peak of the summer season. Here are ten of the best things we’ve seen this week that are sure to bring joy to your heart and a smile to your face.

1. British footballer Mason Mount gives a superfan his jersey—and her face is everything.

Though “football” (err, soccer) is not quite as big a deal on this side of the pond, England’s winning streak has U.K. fans jumping for joy. And this young fan, Belle, got the surprise of a lifetime when England’s Mason Mount walked into the stands and handed her a jersey. That face screams pure joy.

This moment had me 🥺 @masonmount_10 👏🏾 https://t.co/tzWWlPijW6

— Rem Williams (@remmiewilliams)
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2. Is there anything cuter than a baby saying “Mama” in his sleep? No, there is not.

Sometimes joy comes in big, celebratory packages and sometimes it comes in tiny, sweet ones. Watch this wee one talking in his sleep about his favorite person in the whole world. Babies are seriously the best.

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3. Recovered addict offers to pay for woman’s rehab after she stole his dog.

Image by style81 from Pixabay

After Brayden Morton’s Shar-pei Darla was stolen from his yard, he posted a plea to help find her on Facebook, with a reward of $5000. Ultimately, a woman called weeping, admitting to taking the dog. When Morton met with her, he recognized immediately that she was a drug addict. Morton himself has been in recovery for six years and works as a Drug and Alcohol Interventionist, so he gave her a hug and offered to help her into rehab.

Read the fortuitous story here.

4. 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde became the first African-American champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Zaila Avant-garde is a wonder. Not only is she the first African-American to win the national spelling bee title in its 96-year history, and the first student from Louisiana to take home that crown, but she also holds three Guiness World Records for the most basketballs dribbled simultaneously, the most basketballs bounces, and the most bounce juggles in one minute. Watch out, world. This girl is going places.

Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old from New Orleans, won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night by cor… https://t.co/wbcqeBBfN5

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin)
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5. Minnesota is putting an end to lunch debt shaming, and we are here for it.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

No student should ever be made to feel bad that their family is struggling to afford food, and they certainly shouldn’t be shamed for something they have no control over. Yet in some places, kids with school lunch debt are given jelly sandwiches instead of a hot lunch, some are given a stamp on their hand that says “I need lunch money,” and some even have their lunches thrown away in front of everyone. Absoluetly appalling. Minnesota is ending allllll of that, with the state education commissioner saying, “Our lunchrooms are an extension of the classroom and set students up for academic success.” Read the story here.

6. 12-year-old Mi’kmaw boy walks 200km (124.2 miles) and raises more than $40,000 in response to residential school tragedies

With the discovery of hundreds upon hundreds of Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves at Canadian residential schools has come a great deal of pain and trauma. Landyn Toney, a Mi’kmaw boy whose great grandmother spent her childhood at a residential school, decided to channel his anger over that history into something positive. “I’m not the kind of person that just wants to let my anger go,” he told CBC News after five days of walking. “I wanted to show my anger by doing something good.” He held a 200-kilometer fundraising walk to raise money for Indigenous causes.

7. When the pandemic canceled graduation, this teacher brought the stage to every graduating senior to walk.

Dedicated educators are a gift to the world, and this Canadian P.E. teacher is clearly dedicated. Not only did he create a portable graduation stage, but he personally drove it around to each graduating senior’s house and had their families present their diplomas as they walked the stage. Love seeing such creative and innovative solutions to pandemic limitations.

8. The doggy-dancing duet that never gets old.

It’s not a new video, but it also never gets old. Buddy Mercury playing the piano and singing (seriously, what the heck) and his little friend dancing along is the epitome of awesome. The simultaneous tail wag and butt wiggle really put the cherry on top of this delight sundae.

9. Kiddo putting his “personal best” fishing catch back in the water with such a sweet heart.

Somebody please give this kid his own nature show. The way he’s so proud and awed by her, and then how gently he puts her back in the water. “She’s so big and beautiful…” Gracious, it doesn’t get any sweeter.

His heart & spirit 🔥 https://t.co/6UTdTFHNn0

— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer)
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10. Finally, here’s a triple dose of seratonin to push you through the weekend.

“Dogs and cats living together—mass hysteria!” Or maybe it’s just exactly the world we all want to live in. It’s not possible to not love these clips of kitty-puppy love.

Good kitty.. 😅 https://t.co/cJvxqCt8KP

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_)
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Best friends forever.. https://t.co/p09x9nQQa2

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_)
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Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Snoh Aalegra leads things this week with the release of her third album, Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies. The 13-track project is supported by guest appearances from Tyler The Creator and James Fauntleroy as well as excellent production from The Neptunes, No I.D, Sevn Thomas, and others. Charlotte Day Wilson also appears with a new project, that being her official debut album, Alpha, while Tinashe readies her upcoming album with her latest single, “Bouncin.”

Snoh Aalegra — Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies

Almost two years after she gave us Ugh, Those Feels Again, Snoh Aalegra is back doing what she does best on her third album, Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies. Its 13 songs capture the Swedish singer traversing through the highs and lows of love through moments that bring her closer to her partner and others that make her grow apart from them. The project is a mostly solo effort aside from a pair of guest verses from Tyler The Creator and another from James Fauntleroy.

Charlotte Day Wilson — Alpha

Seemingly years in the making, Charlotte Day Wilson finally arrives with her debut album, Alpha. It boasts 11 songs and contributions from BADBADNOTGOOD, Daniel Caesar, and Syd for an effort that speaks on the singer’s inner struggles with love, growing, and breaking free from old ways that she’s finally able to speak on in a clearer way. It should also be noted that the project is produced by Charlotte herself.

Tinashe — “Bouncin”

After teaming up with Buddy for “Pasadena” last month, Tinashe keeps things moving with her latest single, “Bouncin.” The track is a flirtatious effort that will hopefully bring fans closer to the release of her upcoming album, an effort that’s already looking to be a promising follow-up to her 2019 project, Songs For You.

Mariah The Scientist — Ry Ry’s World

Atlanta’s Mariah The Scientist slowly grabbed the attention of R&B lovers little by little with the release of her 2019 project, Master. Now, she’s back to prove that she’s here to stay with her latest full-length effort. Ry Ry’s World invites listeners into the universe that makes Mariah what she is and through its ten songs, the singer stays absolutely true to herself, even if it comes off as simple and uneventful. Fans will also be greeted with appearances from Young Thug and Lil Baby on the project.

Amorphous — Things Take Shape

The past year has been an amazing rise towards fame for viral producer Amorphous. The 23-year-old went from sharing mashups of music’s biggest names to working with them on his brand new project, Things Take Shape. Kehlani, Brandy, James Fauntleroy, and Bree Runway appear throughout its six songs that capture Amorphous’ versatility through R&B, house, and other sounds.

Jam & Lewis — Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1

As producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and extremely decorated. Hailing from Minnesota and Nebraska respectively, the production duo has notched sixteen No. 1 singles with the likes of Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, and more. Decades later, the pair steps out as Jam & Lewis on their debut album, Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1. Its ten songs are highlighted by appearances from Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Usher, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, and others.

Ant Clemons — “Section” Feat. Kehlani

Ant Clemons is still building off a 2020 year that saw the release of his debut album, Happy 2 Be Here, an effort that later earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album. Now, in 2021, the singer is back with more music thanks to his latest single, “Section” with Kehlani. The pair admit to mission a past lover and despite their attempts to cope with the feelings during a night out of drinking, the alcohol only seems to make things worse for them.

Kyle Dion & Ja Rule — “Placebo”

Two years removed from his sophomore effort, Suga, Kyle Dion is finally gearing up to release a new album. The currently untitled project will arrive on August 20 and to build some excitement for it, Dion shares his latest single, “Placebo” with Ja Rule. The track is a fun and bright record that makes a departure from his past melancholy records. “People are ready to have fun,” he says about the song. “Nobody wants to be sad as hell anymore — we already did that.”

BJ The Chicago Kid — “Type Of Day” Feat. Eric Bellinger

BJ The Chicago Kid returns with his third installment in his “BJ Wednesdays” series. After last week’s cover of The-Dream’s “Fancy,” BJ calls on Eric Bellinger for an original effort in “Type Of Day.” The song marks the duo’s second collaboration after their 2019 song, “Back It Up.” Their newest effort is quite the feel-good record to enjoy as you head into your weekend.

Jean Deaux — “Gang”

After dropping off Watch This! last year, Jean Deaux returns with her second single of the year with “Gang.” The bouncy track finds the singer reinforce her loyalty to the people she loves the most while refusing to switch up and turn her back on them. “Gang” is also the follow-up to her March single, “Easiest Thing.”

Jawan x Tiffany — “To Myself”

After moving through the music world as solo acts earlier in their career, Jawan x Tiffany joined forces last year for their debut single, “Finally.” Nearly a year removed from the single and the duo is back with their latest effort, “To Myself.” Jawan x Tiffany detail a relationship bonded by an impenetrable mold of chemistry on their new song. “Communication is always key in any sort of relationship,” the duo said about the song. “With ‘To Myself,’ we wanted to empower people to not be afraid of being vulnerable. We can’t expect others to know how we feel if we never speak up.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.