Bipolar Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Bipolar Disorder - Essay Example Experts have been unable to define a specific cure for bipolar disorder. However, certain agents are commonly used in managing the condition. Patients experiencing depression may rely on antidepressants such as Lexapro and Prozac. Usually, antidepressants have the capacity to increase the activity of the brain cells. In other cases, patients may rely on anti-manic agents when experiencing the manic episodes. However, anti-manic drugs are combined with lithium, an agent that prevents the recurrence of the different episodes. Researchers have highlighted that genetic factors contribute to the development of bipolar disorder. Certain factors that trigger the development of bipolar disorder may be inherited by the offspring from parents. Parents with the condition are likely to pass it to their children at a 25% probability. Neurochemical factors also contribute to the development of bipolar disorder. Specifically, neurotransmitters in certain parts of the brain may fail to function in t he normal way. In other cases, psychological factors may alter the functioning of neurotransmitters. Environmental factors such as traumatic events occurring in the early stages of life may also contribute to the development of bipolar disorder (Parachin, 2014). Notably, there are existing barriers to the treatment and management of bipolar disorder. The fact that there is no specific medication for the condition that works in every individual is one of the outstanding barriers.

Television genre Essay Example for Free

Television genre Essay According to the Catalan language dictionary Alberti , culture is a joint space of knowledge from a person; or else the joint space of the human creations in general, or the specific of a country or a society. So everything that creates culture is related to the knowledge that different individuals have. And how can people achieve knowledge? As said by Timo Jarvilehto, psychology professor in the Oulu University: the senses are not transmitters of environmental information; rather, they create a direct connection between the organism and the environment that makes possible a dynamic organism-environment system With the help of efferent effects on receptors, each organism creates its own particular world Therefore, we get knowledge thanks to everything that surrounds us. Basing on the results of an interview (see annex), Catalan people do not know their own culture. The Catalan typical folkloric dances are danced in a cultural association called Esbart. Theoretically, everybody must know at least, which is the name of this association, but when we look to the results we see that this is not true. To the question: Do you know what an Esbart is? No more than a 20% of the interviewed men knew what is it. In women, results are a bit higher, but anyway the tax is very low; only a 40% of them knew the answer. However, the results for another question were very different. After the Catalan culture, I asked for the American one. The question was: Do you know what the Country Dance is? Surprisingly ALL the interviewed women know how the American dances are, even some of them had practice it. Moreover, in the males case only one of the interviewed didnt know what the American dances were, and it was the case of a 72 years old man who almost didnt know what the television was. So we can extract from this example that the actual society knows better foreign cultures that their own traditions. Going back to the first definition of culture, we know that what is around us affect us. Since last 30 or 40 years, media are one of the main stimuli around us. So are the influences that help us most to create culture.

Shaker Communities Essays -- Essays Papers

Shaker Communities During the 1800’s many utopian societies sprouted in the United States. Most of these societies blossomed and faded quite quickly, but one group did not fade away like the others. This society successfully combined their faith with the reasoning of the changing times and kept their communities going strong. They are or known as the Shakers, or more formally as the members of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing. The Shakers were inventors and thinkers who challenged many traditional thoughts and beliefs. Even today, people marvel and wonder at the Shakers and their communities, which have survived for over two hundred and twenty years and whose influences on society still are present today. Originally, the Shakers formed out of a sect of Quakers in England that was known as the "Shaking Quakers" due to their very emotional religious services. Jane and James Wardley led the group who shook, danced, sang and spoke in tongues during services. A woman from Manchester, England, named Ann Lee joined the group in 1758. In 1770 she was arrested and spent time in jail for disturbing the peace during a religious celebration. During this time Ann had her vision of "Adam and Eve having carnal intercourse" which shaped the future of the group.1 Afterwards she came to the realization that sexual intercourse caused humankind’s fall from grace. Following her release from jail, she went forth to tell the members of the Shaking Quakers in Manchester about her vision. At this point, Ann Lee became known as Mother Ann, the leader of the Shaking Quakers. For the next four years, the group remained in England. Due to the persecution they faced during this time, they failed to attract many new members... ...x/soc257/nrms/Shakers.html (5 Mar. 2000). 3. Hillebrand ( Http://www.webzonecom.com/ccn/cults/othr09a.txt). 4. Robley Edward Whitson, The Shakers: Two Centuries of Spiritual Refection (New York: Paulist Press, 1983), 1-2. 5. David R. Lamson, Two Years Experience Among the Shakers (New York: AMS Press Inc., 1971), 10-11. 6. Lawrence Foster, Women, Family, and Utopia (New York: Syracuse University Press, 1991), 30-31. 7. Stephen J. Stein, The Shaker Experience in America (New Haven, CO: Yale University Press, 1992) 133-134. 8. Unknown, "New Release from Storey Books - Shaker Medicinal Herbs" Http://www.storey.com/news/aug0404.htm (5 Mar. 2000). 9. Unknown, "Sabbathday Lake." Http://www.shakerworkshops.com/sdl.htm (5 Mar. 2000). 10. Harlan ( Http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~jkh8x/soc257/nrms/Shakers.html).

Causes of the Revolutionary War :: American America History

Causes of the Revolutionary War The haphazard and disorganized British rule of the American colonies in the decade prior to the outbreak led to the Revolutionary War. The mismanagement of the colonies, the taxation policies that violated the colonist right's, the distractions of foreign wars and politics in England and mercantilist policies that benefited the English to a much greater degree then the colonists all show the British incompetence in their rule over the colonies. These policies and distractions were some of the causes of the Revolutionary War. The interests of England within the colonies were self-centered. The English were exploiting were trying to govern the colonies by using the mercantilist system. Mercantilism is when the state directs all the economic activities within it's borders(Blum 31). England was not attempting to make any changes that would help the colonists. They limited the colonies commerce to internal trade only(Miller 9). The English were exploiting the colonies by demanding that the colonies import more from England then they exported to the colonies. They were importing raw materials from the colonies and making them into exportable goods in England. They would then ship these goods to foreign markets all around the world including the colonies(America Online ). Throughout the seventeenth century the English saw America as a place to get materials they didn't have at home and a market to sell finished products at after the goods had been manufactured. This was detrimental to the colonies because it pr evented them from manufacturing any of the raw materials they produced and made them more dependent upon England. In addition to the unrest caused by their mercantilist policies, domestic political issues distracted them from the activities of the colonies. Throughout the sixteen hundreds, Great Britain was more involved in solving the Constitutional issue of who was to have more power in English government, the king or parliament. When this complex issue was finally resolved in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, England turned its attention back to the colonies and found that colonists had developed their own identity as American. There was no central office in England to control what was happening in the colonies. The executive authority in England was divided among several ministers and commissioners that did not act quickly or in unison. Also, the Board of Trade, the branch of government that knew more about the colonies than any other governing body in England, did not have the power to make decisions or to enforce decrees. Causes of the Revolutionary War :: American America History Causes of the Revolutionary War The haphazard and disorganized British rule of the American colonies in the decade prior to the outbreak led to the Revolutionary War. The mismanagement of the colonies, the taxation policies that violated the colonist right's, the distractions of foreign wars and politics in England and mercantilist policies that benefited the English to a much greater degree then the colonists all show the British incompetence in their rule over the colonies. These policies and distractions were some of the causes of the Revolutionary War. The interests of England within the colonies were self-centered. The English were exploiting were trying to govern the colonies by using the mercantilist system. Mercantilism is when the state directs all the economic activities within it's borders(Blum 31). England was not attempting to make any changes that would help the colonists. They limited the colonies commerce to internal trade only(Miller 9). The English were exploiting the colonies by demanding that the colonies import more from England then they exported to the colonies. They were importing raw materials from the colonies and making them into exportable goods in England. They would then ship these goods to foreign markets all around the world including the colonies(America Online ). Throughout the seventeenth century the English saw America as a place to get materials they didn't have at home and a market to sell finished products at after the goods had been manufactured. This was detrimental to the colonies because it pr evented them from manufacturing any of the raw materials they produced and made them more dependent upon England. In addition to the unrest caused by their mercantilist policies, domestic political issues distracted them from the activities of the colonies. Throughout the sixteen hundreds, Great Britain was more involved in solving the Constitutional issue of who was to have more power in English government, the king or parliament. When this complex issue was finally resolved in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, England turned its attention back to the colonies and found that colonists had developed their own identity as American. There was no central office in England to control what was happening in the colonies. The executive authority in England was divided among several ministers and commissioners that did not act quickly or in unison. Also, the Board of Trade, the branch of government that knew more about the colonies than any other governing body in England, did not have the power to make decisions or to enforce decrees.

Cognitive Development Theory

Jean Piaget was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland on August 9, 1986 to Arthur Piaget and Rebecca Jackson. At a young age, he displayed great fascination for Biology, his intellectual love. Jean Piaget, at the age of 10 published his first article, which described the albino sparrow he observed. Between the ages of 15 and 18, he published several more articles and most of them are mollusks. Jean Piaget was especially drawn to epistemology, the branch of philosophy concerned with the origins of knowledge. He studied natural sciences in the University of Neuchatel and gained his PH. D there. Piaget then worked for a period of at Bleur’s psychiatric clinic in Zurich where he became interested in psychoanalysis. He studied clinical psychology in the Sorbome University in Paris in the year 1919. In 1930s, he was employed at the Binet Institute where his job was to develop French versions of questions on English intelligence tests. He became intrigued with the reasons children gave for their wrong answers on the questions that required logical thinking. He believed that these incorrect answers revealed important differences between the thinking of adults and children. In 1923, he married, Valentine Chatenay. They had three children, Jacqueline, Lucienne and Laurent whose intellectual development from infancy to language was studied by Piaget. In 1929, he accepted the post of Director of the International Bureau of Education and remained the head of his international organization. In 1955, he created and directed until his death the International Center for Genetic Epistemology. Piaget was productive his entire lifetime, he published 30 books and more than 200 articles. Cognitive Development Theory: Cognitive theory is concerned with the development of a person's thought processes. It also looks at how these thought processes influence how we understand and interact with the world. The foremost cognitive thinker was Jean Piaget, who proposed an idea that seems obvious now, but helped revolutionize how we think about child development: Children think differently than adults. It proposes as a result of biological maturation and environmental experience. It views intelligence as the ability to adapt to all aspects of reality, that within the person’s lifetime, it evolves through a series of qualitatively distinct stages. Organization- involves in the integration of all process into one overall system. It refers to the organism’s innate capability to coordinate particular observations into complex systems of coherent knowledge. Adaptation- it is the organism’s response to the environment in a way it could meet balance. (Equilibrium) Dynamics of Personality: Schema- is the category of knowledge that helps us understand or interpret the world. It is the basic cognitive unit. In this complex concept involves either mental organization, or a child’s conceptualization of a specific situation, and behavior that can be seen. Assimilation- is the â€Å"taking in,† or incorporation of a new object, experience, or concept into an existing set of schemes, that is, to the child’s present cognitive structure. It is the process of taking in new information into our previously existing schemas is known as assimilation. The process is somewhat subjective, because we tend to modify experience or information somewhat to fit in with our preexisting beliefs. In the example above, seeing a dog and labeling it â€Å"dog† is an example of assimilating the animal into the child's dog schema. Accommodation- it is the adaptation of the current knowledge to another new experience. It involves altering existing schemas, or ideas, as a result of new information or new experiences. New schemas may also be developed during this process. It is also the process by which children change their cognitive structures to deal with new objects and situations. Equilibrium- assimilation and accommodation are constantly working together to produce changes in a child’s conceptualization of the world and reaction to it. It gives state of balance to assimilation and accommodation. Growth Development: The Sensorimotor stage it ranges from birth to 2 years. In this stage intelligence is primitive in form. It is the coordination of sensory information and motor activity. in this stage, infants construct an understanding of the world by coordinating experiences (such as seeing and hearing) with physical, motoric actions. Infants gain knowledge of the world from the physical actions they perform on it. The six substages of Piaget’s Sensorimotor stage are Reflex activity from 0-1 month old which builds knowledge through reflexes. Primary Circular Reaction from 1-4 months. It is the infants repeat pleasurable behaviors that first occurred by chance (such as sucking). Secondary Circular Reactions it is from 4 to 8 months. In this stage infants become more interested in the environment and repeat actions that bring interesting results and prolong interesting experiences. Coordination of Secondary Schemes from 8-12 months. In this stage, the behavior is more deliberate and purposeful as infants coordinate previously learned schemes and use previously learned behaviors to attain their goals( such as crawling across the room to get a desired toy). Tertiary Circular Reactions from 12-18 months. In this stage infants show curiosity as they purposefully vary their actions to see results. They use trial and error in this stage. Mental Combinations from 18-24 months. Since toddlers have developed a primitive symbol system. To represent events, they no longer are confirmed to trial and error to solve problems. They represent objects through action already. Preoperational stage ranges from 2-7 years. In this stage the child already begun to speak. Piaget noted that in this stage children do not yet understand concrete logic and cannot mentally manipulate information. There are 3 kinds of techniques Piaget use to study this stage; first is the Egocentrism it is the children’s assurance that the world thinks like they do. The best technique that Piaget uses to this is the 3 dimensional play of mountain scene. Which best describe as â€Å"Three Mountain task† when children are asked to choose a picture that showed the scene they had observed. Most children are able to do this with little difficulty. Next, children are asked to select a picture showing what someone else would have observed when looking at the mountain from a different viewpoint. Invariably, children almost always choose the scene showing their own view of the mountain scene. According to Piaget, children experience this difficulty because they are unable to take on another person's perspective. Next is Animism it is the tendency to attribute life to object that are not biologically alive. It is the belief that inanimate objects are moved through will and spirits. Last is Artificialism it is the belief that things are created by human beings. Concrete Operational Stage from 7-11 years. During this time, children gain a better understanding of mental operations. Children begin thinking logically about concrete events, but have difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts. Logic Piaget determined that children in the concrete operational stage were fairly good at the use of inductive logic. Inductive logic involves going from a specific experience to a general principle. On the other hand, children at this age have difficulty using deductive logic, which involves using a general principle to determine the outcome of a specific event. Reversibility one of the most important developments in this stage is an understanding of reversibility, or awareness that actions can be reversed. An example of this is being able to reverse the order of relationships between mental categories. For example, a child might be able to recognize that his or her dog is a Labrador, that a Labrador is a dog, and that a dog is an animal. In this stage, children became more objective and less egocentric. Formal Operational Stage from 12 years and above. During this time, people develop the ability to think about abstract concepts. Skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning also emerge during this stage. Piaget believed that deductive logic becomes important during the formal operational stage. Deductive logic requires the ability to use a general principle to determine a specific outcome. This type of thinking involves hypothetical situations and is often required in science and mathematics. Abstract thought while children tend to think very concretely and specifically in earlier stages, the ability to think about abstract concepts emerges during the formal operational stage. Instead of relying solely on previous experiences, children begin to consider possible outcomes and consequences of actions. This type of thinking is important in long-term planning. In earlier stages, children used trial-and-error to solve problems. During the formal operational stage, the ability to systematically solve a problem in a logical and methodical way emerges. Children at the formal operational stage of cognitive development are often able to quickly plan an organized approach to solving a problem. Applicability of the Theory: Piaget did not explicitly relate his theory to education, although later researchers have explained how features of Piaget's theory can be applied to teaching and learning. Piaget has been extremely influential in developing educational policy and teaching. For example, a review of primary education by the UK government in 1966 was based strongly on Piaget’s theory. The result of this review led to the publication of the Plowden report (1967). Discovery learning – the idea that children learn best through doing and actively exploring – was seen as central to the transformation of primary school curriculum. ‘The report's recurring themes are individual learning, flexibility in the curriculum, the centrality of play in children's learning, the use of the environment, learning by discovery and the importance of the evaluation of children's progress – teachers should ‘not assume that only what is measurable is valuable. ‘ Because Piaget's theory is based upon biological maturation and stages the notion of ‘readiness' important. Readiness concerns when certain information or concepts should be taught. According to Piaget's theory children should not be taught certain concepts until they have reached the appropriate stage cognitive development. Within the classroom learning should be student centred a accomplished through active discovery learning. The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning, rather than direct tuition. Therefore teachers should encourage the following within the classroom: o Focus on the process of learning, rather than the end product of it. o Using active methods that require rediscovering or reconstructing â€Å"truths†. Using collaborative, as well as individual activities (so children can learn from each other). o Devising situations that present useful problems, and create disequilibrium in the child. o Evaluate the level of the child's development, so suitable tasks can be set. Strengths: * Piaget’s Theory remains a dominant force in developmental psychology. * It has spawned tremendous amount of empirical research and additional discoveries that increased our understanding about cognitive development. * He changed how people viewed the child’s world and their methods of studying children. His ideas have been of practical use in understanding and communicating with children, particularly in the field of education, and are still used in the present age. Weaknesses: * Piaget’s theory underestimated children’s ability and competencies. * Because Piaget concentrated on the universal stages of cognitive development and biological maturation, his theory wasn’t cross-culturally valid, since the social setting and culture has an effect on cognitive development. S ome of his sample in his experiments was biased that it cannot be generalized to children from different cultures.

Forces pf Habit, 2 Essays

Forces pf Habit, 2 Essays Forces pf Habit, 2 Essay Forces pf Habit, 2 Essay Name: Course: Lecturer: Date: : Forces of Habit 2 As people continued using drugs, their purposes for doing so changed. Drugs were no longer something that the physicians controlled, but people began self-administering them and this changed the social approach to drugs. The rich and the powerful in the society were ready to capitalize on this change. They defeated efforts by the government to restrict the sale of some drugs such as tobacco and alcohol despite the negative consequences associated with them. The government benefited from the drug taxes, and to some extent became dependent on them as a main form of revenue. The author observes, â€Å"The clash between opportunities for profit and concerns about health forms the central moral and political conflict running through the history of psychoactive commerce (Courtwright 91) The psychoactive revolution has contributed towards ensuring a global access of the drugs (188). Different governments have often taken advantage of the mind-altering effects of the drugs to control the people. Governments have encouraged the use of the drugs as a way of helping people deal with the harsh life situations. The modern world today is full of confident people who believe that they can accomplish anything they want. It is at the same time a world full of isolated people. People have realized that they no longer need their communities to be an integral part of their lives since they can make it on their own. The drugs have become an important part of people’s lives today because they help them deal with all the mental anguish, depression, and other psychological problems that they may be experiencing. People no longer need other people’s company to relieve their problems, since they can depend on the drugs. As technology advanced, people found new ways of using the psychoactive resources. This resulted to changes in the way that people consumed the resources. For instance, Europeans had always used wine, but the development of the distillation process led to the development of spirits that were highly addictive and had other negative health consequences. The Ethiopians chewed their coffee beans for stimulation but the development of European technology led to the development of modern day coffee, which is also addictive. The changing nature in the use of the drugs has contributed to the definition of modernity. People in the contemporary world are not afraid of trying new things, and they readily change the nature of a commodity to suit their present need. Many people would not have enjoyed the process of chewing coffee beans, but its flexibility and adaptability has led to different flavors and varieties, which many people find suitable. People in the modern world are constantly seeking gratification from the substances they consumer. The changing nature of the drugs from medicinal to recreational forms has continued to define modernity. No longer is alcohol used to treat wounds or ease labor pains, and tobacco is no longer used to fight fatigue. People have found that they benefit from the consumption of the drugs when they take them as a form of recreation. They smoke cigarettes to calm them down and to make them feel good. They take amphetamines and other drugs such as heroin and cocaine for the purposes of feeling that instant gratification. This has limited the medicinal usage of the drugs. It has led to the development and spread of the drug underworld trade. The rich continue getting richer, as they sell the drugs to the users, some of whom are now addicts. Work Cited Courtwright, T. David. Forces of Habit: Drugs and the Making of the Modern World. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2009. Print

Free Essays on Should The Government Legislate Morality

Should the Government Legislate Morality There are many things to consider when asking the question, â€Å"Should the government legislate morality, or not?†. People seem to have a difficult time agreeing on moral issues. What is morally correct in the minds of some may not be correct in the mind of another. Is it up to our government to distinguish a definite line between the morally acceptable and the unacceptable? David Pendleton believes so. In his article, he states that the government already imposes moral beliefs on its people. He believes that the laws enforced are guides to lead people on a more moral path of life. On the other hand, Charley Reese writes about why the government should not legislate morality. He states it is not the job of the government to direct its people on how to live their life. Reese blames our immoral country on its people, and thinks it is their responsibility to do something about it. One of Pendleton’s main points is that of public and private morality. He tries to blur the line of privacy by stating that everything a person does affects everyone else, be it directly or indirectly. Then he follows up with â€Å"others have good reason to be interested in how I live my life† (193). I could not disagree with his statement more. This is a weak attempt to prove his point about the difference in public and private affairs. Another argument Pendleton makes is that â€Å"it’s hard to have a society when the things people have in common are too few† (192). I find this weak because I believe in a diverse community. He is saying that people who do not have similar beliefs can not live together in society. The only weakness I found in Reese’s article was his aggressive nature. When I read parts of his article, I felt some of my beliefs being attacked. That is no way to persuade opposing readers to change their minds. The main difference between these two authors’ perspectives i... Free Essays on Should The Government Legislate Morality Free Essays on Should The Government Legislate Morality Should the Government Legislate Morality There are many things to consider when asking the question, â€Å"Should the government legislate morality, or not?†. People seem to have a difficult time agreeing on moral issues. What is morally correct in the minds of some may not be correct in the mind of another. Is it up to our government to distinguish a definite line between the morally acceptable and the unacceptable? David Pendleton believes so. In his article, he states that the government already imposes moral beliefs on its people. He believes that the laws enforced are guides to lead people on a more moral path of life. On the other hand, Charley Reese writes about why the government should not legislate morality. He states it is not the job of the government to direct its people on how to live their life. Reese blames our immoral country on its people, and thinks it is their responsibility to do something about it. One of Pendleton’s main points is that of public and private morality. He tries to blur the line of privacy by stating that everything a person does affects everyone else, be it directly or indirectly. Then he follows up with â€Å"others have good reason to be interested in how I live my life† (193). I could not disagree with his statement more. This is a weak attempt to prove his point about the difference in public and private affairs. Another argument Pendleton makes is that â€Å"it’s hard to have a society when the things people have in common are too few† (192). I find this weak because I believe in a diverse community. He is saying that people who do not have similar beliefs can not live together in society. The only weakness I found in Reese’s article was his aggressive nature. When I read parts of his article, I felt some of my beliefs being attacked. That is no way to persuade opposing readers to change their minds. The main difference between these two authors’ perspectives i...