My Favorite Pieces Of Literature - 910 Words

â€Å"Examples of My Favorite Pieces of Literature† There are many different types of Literature, and throughout high school, most of us read and study famous pieces written by popular authors. I enjoyed reading and studying all types of literature in school, but my favorite was a story or poem that talked about how to overcome the obstacles and unforeseen circumstances we sometimes face in life. I chose the following three pieces because each one had an impact on me and gave me motivation and strength to face and overcome challenges in my life. Each piece demonstrates that the outcome of our inner happiness or success lies in our reaction to unforeseen circumstances and the choices we make to overcome them. My first selection of literature is one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost. I read â€Å"The Road Not Taken† in my high school junior English class. I like this poem and still remember it because I felt a deep connection to it. In high school, peer pressure i s very challenging, and this poem made me feel better about making good decisions not to follow the crowd just to fit in or be popular. The poem begins with a traveler walking in the woods. He soon comes to a fork in a road, and he has to make a choice between two paths. Unable to see what lies ahead, he examines both roads closely and makes a decision to take the road less worn by other travelers. This symbolizes the choice he must make between two directions in life. The traveler tries to cheerShow MoreRelatedMy Interest At An Ice Rink849 Words   |  4 Pagesemotion towards. Most papers I write tend to relate to my largest interest at the time. When my older brother joined the U.S. Navy, I wrote a research paper about a piece of the Navy’s history. After reading books that I fell in love with, I would find topics that would allow me to write about the books. Working at an ice rink for two years gave me a close relationship to hockey and hockey players, creating a gre at topic for a writing assignment. My writing style within these topics can often come acrossRead MoreMy Favorite Creative Element Is Imagery1178 Words   |  5 Pagesword: lyrics, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, etc. What has always excited me as a writer is my appreciation for the power that words can have on people. From Stephen King to Stephen Biko, every great writer that I have come across has further entrenched me in my passion for writing. My favorite creative element is imagery, thus my aspirations to write for film and television. Working with many of these pieces allowed me to sit with some very effective imagery that was fun to emulate. I drew primarilyRead MoreMy Thoughts On Being A Bookworm930 Words   |  4 Pages Flipping Through Pages of My Life HOOK SENTENCE Word after word, I let the details inside books sink in and shape my thoughts and let my imagination run wild as I shut out the world around me. I grew up with my nose buried in the dust and endless pages of novels. I take pride in being a bookworm because reading taught me life lessons and brought my imagination to life, but it disappoints me that others don’t appreciate it as much as I do. Teachers encouraged me to read books throughout schoolRead MoreDadaism Art1273 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is Dadaism? Dadaism was a movement of (anti) art and literature, which ranged in a wide variety of art such as paintings, drawings, photographs, poetry, sculptures, collages, and theatre acts. Dadaism was a movement (or not meant to be it was an anti-movement to begin with) that began in the early twentieth century during the period of World War 1 in Zurich Europe. Dadaism was meant to provoke it’s viewers and it was a made up art with no rules accept to not follow basic and modern art â€Å"rules†Read MoreAnalysing Good Literature1850 Words   |  7 PagesAnalyzing the Literature A literature class, of course, has to require that the students to read a lot of different examples so they will understand the elements of the different types of writing. Unfortunately, many of the works selected will seem archaic and outdated. They may demonstrate a specific method or element that a student needs to understand, but the works themselves do not seem to hold interest or fit a modern style. However, it has been a surprise that the stories, poems and playsRead MoreMy Life When Literature Became An Express Self Empowering Art1641 Words   |  7 Pagesrecall a specific moment in my life when literature became such an express full self-empowering art form. Nor can I remember a passage that could have struck a match that would light a fire in my soul, in which would then resonate a deep passion for the art of writing. All I know, is that one day, for some reason, I just wanted people to know how and feel what I felt. I wanted them to view my writings, starting from my nam e in the heading, to the very last punctuation mark of my conclusion paragraph, andRead MoreReader-Response Criticism: Langston Hughes’ Dream Boogie1222 Words   |  5 PagesReader-Response Criticism: Langston Hughes’ Dream Boogie T Wilkins ENG 125 Introduction to Literature Instructor M. XXXXXXXXX May 22, 2011 Literature, no matter what the topic of form it comes in, has the ability to raise issues, spark thought/imagination, and/or draw out emotions that have been buried deep within us as people. It is expected, from the authors, that readers will form opinions and criticisms for their works. Be it that the readers’ emotions parallel those of the writerRead MoreAnalysis of the Poem Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy772 Words   |  3 Pageslike I had reached my full potential as a writer. I felt that when I came into college I was at most a mediocre writer and through the help of English 1101 my writing improve greatly. I came into English 1102 thinking that there were no more challenges for me to face and 1102 would be more of the same. I quickly discovered how wrong I was with the first paper. English 1102 was a whole different story. Though I enjoyed the reading and analyzing literature writing and organizing my thoughts on paperRead MoreReflection Of English Literature : My Experie nce Of British Literature1031 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Why should someone study British literature in their senior year of high school? Why would anyone need another history course in their schedule?† These are the thoughts that had gone through my head as I entered into English IV in September 2016. English, in the past, hadn’t been my favorite course. Analyzing poems, reading Shakespeare, and interpreting an author’s style in a novel are not activities I partake in during my free time, so doing them in class for grades was quite the chore. That isRead MoreEdward Taylor And Anne Bradstreet863 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout this class we have read different types of literature from many different authors. Some of the material I truly enjoyed and some of it not so much. I really enjoyed the Native American literature that we started out with in the beginning of the semester. I think the Native Americans are beautiful people who appreciated the land more than most. The Native Americans were smart people who used short stories such as The Chief’s Daughters and Coyote and Bear to warn their readers of dangers

Capstone 9 Hsm260 Free Essays

Capstone 9 Usha Dillard April 17, 2013 HSM/260 Wanda Rainey-Reed I think it is very important especially if you want to improve the services that are being provided to the clients, no organization wants to have a loss, and every organization wants to have growth, especially when it deals with health sector. So having a proper financial management for the human service organization would give it an edge over other organization in Quality of Service and Net growth per year. Which I think that many HR people are not financially aware and this impacts their decisions, but by then having this knowledge it will give them a competitive advantage. We will write a custom essay sample on Capstone 9 Hsm260 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also as well rounded look at the finance’s which effect developing their personal awareness to operational issues and marketing issues. The knowledge of financial management is essential as the human service professional strives to create a tenable and largely acceptable model that serves the collective benefits of a group or a community that they are trying to reach. Each professional in the organization should have a grasp on budgetary allocations of different facets of societal work like social welfare policy analysis, human services management, community organization, health services etc. The human service professional must know if the funds allocated are judiciously spent on all the wings of the welfare activity. For this the human service professional should work in tandem with the policy makers to see the program is adequately funded and help them devise the plans and explain them the situation at grass root levels. The professional should also ensure that cost-cutting measures are implemented wherever applicable and identify areas that are either surplus/scarcely funded areas and intimate the same to program’s The human service professional decent knowledge in financial management helps them to be a better team player and helps chalk out a chart for better promotion of social welfare activities in their communities. Example’s why needed: 1. The complexity of client problems appears to be growing, as are expectations that agencies will be accessible, accountable, and better able to document outcomes. 2. Funding limits constrain agency efforts to offer competitive salaries and to fully fund training programs for all staff and board members. How to cite Capstone 9 Hsm260, Papers

Rasmussens Encephalitis (1288 words) Essay Example For Students

Rasmussens Encephalitis (1288 words) Essay Rasmussens EncephalitisThe human immune system is an amazing system that is constantly on the alert protecting us from sicknesses. Thousands of white blood cells travel in our circulatory system destroying all foreign substances that could cause harm to our body or to any of the millions of processes going on inside. Now imagine a condition where this awesome system turns against the most complex organ in the human body, the brain. Deadly as it is, this condition is known as Rasmussens encephalitis. The meaningful research on Rasmussens encephalitis was begun (unintentionally) by Scott Rogers and Lorise Gahring, two neurologists, who were at the time measuring the distribution of glutamate receptors in the brain. Later on when more provocative information was found they enlisted the help of James McNamara and Ian Andrews, epilepsy experts at Duke University Medical Center. The details on Rasmussens encephalitis were very bleak at the time when the men began their research. All that was known is that Rasmussens encephalitis was a degenerative disease of the brain that caused seizures, hemiparesis, and dementia normally in the first ten years of life. The seizures that were caused by Rasmussens encephalitis were unstoppable by normal anti-seizure drugs used conventionally. What the worst part of the disease was that the pathogenesis for it were not known and even worse was how it developed. The first clue was delivered when Rogers and Gahring were trying to register the distribution of the glutamate receptors using antibodies, that tag on to the receptor itself. The proteins that make up the glutamate receptors(GluR) are only found inside the blood brain barrier(BBB). Glutamate and a few related amino acids are the dominant form of excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals. If one of these GluRs happens to wander into the actu al bloodstream, that is outside the BBB, it would be considered an outsider and destroyed immediately. So if these GluRs were put into the normal blood stream then the immune system would produce antibodies which could then be used in the searching for the glutamate receptors. In order to test this theory the researchers injected the GluRs into the blood stream of a normal healthy rabbit hoping to produce good results. At this point the experiment took a dramatic turn, after receiving a few doses of the protein two of the three rabbits began to twitch, as though they were suffering the pain of an epileptic seizure. Now the help of McNamara and Andrews was enlisted. When McNamara and Andrews examined the brain tissue of the rabbits, they saw what seemed to be a familiar inflammatory pattern, clumps of immune cells all around blood vessels. This description exactly matched the description of persons suffering from Rasmussens encephalitis, moreover something as this would never be found in a healthy brain. A healthy brain has its blood capillaries enclosed in the BBB membrane, so such a case as the one mentioned above would not be possible. As protective as the BBB is, it can be breached by something like a head injury. What was happening was that the antibodies which were out to get the GluR proteins were somehow finding a way into the brain and directing an attack towards all GluR receptor proteins in the brain itself. After some more examinations Rogers and McNamara decided that these attacks were the cause of the seizures that are often experienced by sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis. Then if the case is of antibodies in the bloodstream, than sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis should have them in their bloodstream and healthy normal peoples shouldnt. When this was actually tested the results were positive that Rasmussen sufferers did have these antibodies in their bloodstreams and healthy people did not. These were not only the right kind of antibodies but, the very antibodies that caused the seizures in people and rabbits. Thus when these antibodies were removed by plasma exchange(PEX) it caused a temporary relief from the seizures but soon the body starts making more antibodies of the type and the seizures start once again. After all the examinations two questions remained, why does the body mount an immune response against one of its own brain proteins, and how do these antibodies get thr ough the BBB? What is thought right now is that people get antibodies when they are infected by a microorganism like a bacterium or a virus that is similar in structure to the GluR. When this happens the body mounts an immune response against, and it just so happens that at this stage you suffer a blow to the head. This will open your BBB to the antibodies and they will attack the friendly GluRs in the brain, causing seizures and further opening your BBB to more antibodies. Now a malicious rhythm begins: antibodies break through the BBB, inflammation is caused due to the break in, seizures are now caused and BBB opens up further, further opening in the BBB cause more seizures. The inflammation is caused by the autoimmune process against the GluR. All the seizures occur where the initial break in the BBB happened due to a blow to the head, explaining why they seizures are confined to just one hemisphere. The only problem with this theory is that the rabbits developed seizures withou t ever being whacked on the head, but that also could be because a rabbits brain is not as well insulated as a humans. Normally what happens to an individual is that after he or she is involved in this cycle the only thing that can make for relief is the recurrent plasma exchange. This will only cease the seizures temporarily, but they will start again when the body has made more new antibodies. After this has been done many times the hemisphere in which sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis is present will deteriorate to the point where a hemispherectomy has to be performed.This will render the person to mental disintegration where he or she has no more mental capacity and generally to the point of no return, death. Rasmussens encephalitis is a very deadly disease, but it is also a very rare disease, occurring in only 48 people between 1957 and 1987. As of now there are no FDA approved drugs for the sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis. Now the researchers are working on a drug that will block the activity of this particular antibody, but this could lead to further problems. If this drug is being administered and a bacteria or virus of a similar structure as the GluR is present the body would disregard it and this would cause more health problems. After all this bad news all one can say is, Good luck to the ones suffering from this living hell. .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f , .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .postImageUrl , .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f , .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:hover , .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:visited , .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:active { border:0!important; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:active , .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc7709ab468b22257a8398c0e5c41f67f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Types Of Love In Romeo And Juliet EssayAtkins,Rasmussens encephalitis: nueroimaging findings in four patients. AJR-Am-J- Roentgenol. June 1992. Blume, Rasmussens chronic encephalitis in adults. Arch-Nuerol. March 1993. Hanovar, Rasmussens encephalitis in surgery for epilepsy. Dev-Med-Child-Nuerol. January 1992. Leary, Clues Found To Rare Form of Epilepsy. New York Times. December 5 1994,pp. A4. Whisenand, Autoantibodies to glutamate receptor GluR3 in Rasmussens encephalitis, Science. July 29 1994.

Procrastination Issues Cause and Effect

Abstract Cause and effect, in layman’s language mean that for every reaction there is always a precedent of an action. It is a condition whereby the occurrence of one event leads to the occurrence of another event. It is important to mention that cause and effect are typically associated to response and changes or events.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Procrastination Issues: Cause and Effect specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The two events are normally associated with each other whereby one event is directly proportional to the other. This topic covers cause and effect pattern under the topic of procrastination. It analyzes how procrastination develops under cause and effect. Introduction Cause and effect discussion in most western philosophical traditions goes back to Aristotle. Aristotle came up with two modes of causation: proper, which is also referred to as prior causation and accidental also referre d to as chance causation. All causes in reference to proper and accidental can be said to be either particular or generic. To be able to understand cause and effect better, let us look at a topic like procrastination. Procrastination Procrastination is said to be the avoidance of starting or going through on a task that is deemed to be important and necessary. Procrastination involves postponing the occurrence of events or failing to perform an event in the name of waiting for the perfect time. There are various reasons as to why people may opt to procrastinate, and some of these may include feeling lazy, fear of the unknown, not knowing what one want to do and not wanting to seek help. Procrastination can also be caused by having a low self esteem that causes a feeling of cowardice to take action. From such, it becomes evident that it produces an effect towards one‘s work in form of academics, professionalism and sometimes personally (Reid, 2010). One of the given reasons tha t cause people to opt choosing to do things at a later time is mainly because they are of the thought that they have enough time to do everything. It is crucial to note that there is basically nothing wrong with trying to relax and really taking your time to do nothing unless the person really has very important matters to attend to. Having the assumption that there is enough time left to engage in the important things does not mostly leave enough room for unforeseen interruptions and unplanned events that may arise along the way . It is always paramount to finish first things first that can be done in the mean time rather than waiting for the last minute and encountering various problems along the way. Again, it is necessary to mention that doing things at the last minute takes too much effort compared to doing it at a personal pace since one has to cram a lot and rush everything at once (McWhorter, 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help yo u! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another major cause for procrastination is fear of failure. In fact, nearly all forms of procrastination have an aspect of fear that is deep rooted. Fear of failure is quite common to all of us. Most human beings generally believe that they are not designed to fail and instead they are meant to consistently progress in the positive and also improve on the shortfalls. The fear of failure leads to procrastination as a way of keeping one from performing the actual event to avoid failing. If you don’t act upon an opportunity, then it is difficult to get an opportunity without challenges as it is difficult to determine which opportunity is free from challenges unless one tries to seize it. It is generally accepted that we all possess a limited mental and emotional capacity mind which is not in the form of high and low I.Q. but there is limitation in just like in physical capacity as to what one can absorb at any given time, and one only knows what that limit is. When an individual overwork or over engages himself physically, there is usually break down in one form or another of the body system. In some cases one may be saturated mentally and emotionally, in this case the mind may step in to intervene through procrastination to keep one from experiencing a ‘mental overload’ or saturation. In this kind of procrastination, individuals avoid important tasks which must eventually be done. Perfectionism is another form of mindset that may lead to procrastination. The belief that every task assigned must be performed perfectly is a recipe for stress. Generally one’s mind associate that stress with the task at hand and thus condition ones to avoid it. A stressed mind by a given condition will always shy away from performing a challenge. Conclusion In conclusion some of these measures stated are challenging to put into practice, but they are suitable and effective because the problem of proc rastination is not going to go away on its own. One must take the initiative. Procrastination yields tremendous personal growth and to overcome it, one become determined and focused. One must keep on trying no matter the outcome of the results as this eventually leads to better performance of a given task. References McWhorter, K. (2009). Successful College Writing: Skills, Strategies, Learning Styles. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Procrastination Issues: Cause and Effect specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reid, S. (2010). The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers. London: Longman. This essay on Procrastination Issues: Cause and Effect was written and submitted by user Alyson Ramirez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Rocket VS. The Minw

â€Å"The Rocket vs. the Mine† A comparison Symbolism is a major part of works of literature throughout history and continues to be uses by authors to make their point today. This tactic, which is one of the most effective forms of mood creation and setting, is exactly what made the movie October Sky a good example of this. The director of this film, Joe Johnson, cleverly used two inanimate objects and created two important characters in the movie, in this case the symbolism used is the rocket compared to the coal mine(2). This is the classic story of a young man who against all odds triumphs in the end when he accomplishes what he set out to do. In this case the young man, whose name is Homer Hickam, has a dream to build rockets instead of going to work in the coal mine with his father. This seemed to be the predestined fate of all the young men in town who do not get football scholarships. Homer did not accept this fate and was determined to make something of himself. His main adversary was not a person, but was a thing. The old Coalwood coalmine was his foe. It was like a black hole, which our science has only recently proved to exist, that seemed to trap everyone in its gravity offering little hope for escape. The mine gave life to the town, but ironically it also took it away. The coal boom of the early 20th century had created many new towns in the Appalachian Mountains, and it was the lifeblood of that region for many years(3). Unfortunately, coal mining was one of the most dangerous jo bs around, and many were injured and killed as a direct result. Countless others died years later from coal dust inhalation(3). At this point in history many of the mines were closing and the economy of many towns like Coalwood were in jeopardy. Henry 2 Homer realized that he wanted something else but didn’t know what it was until he saw Sputnik blast across the evening sky for the first time. This got him thinking about the ... Free Essays on Rocket VS. The Minw Free Essays on Rocket VS. The Minw â€Å"The Rocket vs. the Mine† A comparison Symbolism is a major part of works of literature throughout history and continues to be uses by authors to make their point today. This tactic, which is one of the most effective forms of mood creation and setting, is exactly what made the movie October Sky a good example of this. The director of this film, Joe Johnson, cleverly used two inanimate objects and created two important characters in the movie, in this case the symbolism used is the rocket compared to the coal mine(2). This is the classic story of a young man who against all odds triumphs in the end when he accomplishes what he set out to do. In this case the young man, whose name is Homer Hickam, has a dream to build rockets instead of going to work in the coal mine with his father. This seemed to be the predestined fate of all the young men in town who do not get football scholarships. Homer did not accept this fate and was determined to make something of himself. His main adversary was not a person, but was a thing. The old Coalwood coalmine was his foe. It was like a black hole, which our science has only recently proved to exist, that seemed to trap everyone in its gravity offering little hope for escape. The mine gave life to the town, but ironically it also took it away. The coal boom of the early 20th century had created many new towns in the Appalachian Mountains, and it was the lifeblood of that region for many years(3). Unfortunately, coal mining was one of the most dangerous jo bs around, and many were injured and killed as a direct result. Countless others died years later from coal dust inhalation(3). At this point in history many of the mines were closing and the economy of many towns like Coalwood were in jeopardy. Henry 2 Homer realized that he wanted something else but didn’t know what it was until he saw Sputnik blast across the evening sky for the first time. This got him thinking about the ...

Italian Surname Meanings and Origins

Italian Surname Meanings and Origins Surnames in Italy trace their origin back to the 1400s, when it became necessary to add a second name to distinguish between individuals with the same given name. Italian surnames are often easy to recognize because most end in a vowel, and many of them have been derived from descriptive nicknames. If you think your family name may have come from Italy, then tracing its history may yield important clues to your Italian heritage and ancestral village. Origins of Italian Last Names Italian surnames developed from four major sources: Patronymic Surnames - These last names are based on a parent’s name (e.g. Pietro Di Alberto - Peter son of Albert)Occupational Surnames - These surnames are based on the person’s job or trade (e.g. Giovanni Contadino - John the farmer)Descriptive Surnames - Based on a unique quality of the individual, these surnames often developed from nicknames or pet names (e.g. Francesco Basso - Francis the short)Geographical Surnames - These surnames are based on a person’s residence, usually a former residence (e.g. Maria Romano - Mary from Rome) While Italian last names come from a variety of sources, sometimes the spelling of a particular surname can help focus the search on a specific region of Italy. The common Italian surnames Risso and Russo, for example, both have the same meaning, but one is more prevalent in northern Italy, while the other generally traces its roots to the southern part of the country. Italian surnames ending in -o often come from southern Italy, whereas in northern Italy they can often be found ending with a -i. Tracking down the sources and variations of your Italian surname can be an important part of Italian genealogical research, and unveils an interesting look into your family history and Italian heritage. Italian Surname Suffixes and Prefixes Many Italian surnames are basically variations on a root name, made different by the addition of various prefixes and suffixes. Especially common are endings with vowels enclosing double consonants (e.g. -etti, -illo). The Italian preference for diminutives and pet names is the root behind many of the suffixes, as seen by the large number of Italian last names ending in -ini, -ino, -etti, -etto, -ello, and -illo, all of which mean little. Other commonly added suffixes include -one meaning big, -accio, meaning either big or bad, and -ucci meaning descendant of. Common prefixes of Italian surnames also have specific origins. The prefix di (meaning of or from) is often attached to an given name to form a patronym. di Benedetto, for example, is the Italian equivalent of Benson (meaning son of Ben) and di Giovanni is the Italian equivalent of Johnson (son of John). The prefix di, along with the similar prefix da may also be associated with a place of origin (e.g. the da Vinci surname referred to someone who originated from Vinci). The prefixes la and lo (meaning the) often derived from nicknames (e.g. Giovanni la Fabro was John the smith), but also might be found attached to family names where it meant of the family of (e.g. the Greco family might become known as lo Greco.) Alias Surnames In some areas of Italy, a second surname may have been adopted in order to distinguish between different branches of the same family, especially when the families remained in the same town for generations. These alias surnames can often be found preceded by the word detto, vulgo, or dit. Common Italian Surnames - Meanings and Origins RossiRussoFerrariEspositoBianchiRomanoColomboRicciMarinoGrecoBrunoGalloContiDe LucaCostaGiordanoManciniRizzoLombardiMoretti

Topic needed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Topic needed - Essay Example In the recent TV dramas â€Å"Dollhouse† ad â€Å"Lost† time runs in a non-typical way: it either does not exist due to memory erasing or does not matter due to the crash of civilization. In these challenging circumstances gender identity is shaped in a different way: lacking temporal and social determination gender (feminine) identity becomes problematic and even unpredictable. Creating his â€Å"Dollhouse† Whedon aimed to raise an important philosophical question of the relationships between body representation and identity, and gender identity in particular. He author was always interested in overcoming stereotypical perception of women in his works, and this TV drama did not become an exception. The programs main assumption is that the individuals character can be literally extracted from the person`s body and saved as the information on hard drive. While the remaining hollow organism (which is perceived as a â€Å"doll† as it is devoid of any personality) can be â€Å"imprinted† with a new identity. This mechanism makes the main hero of the series - Echo – a person with no permanent inner self. That is why it leaves her in the space without time, as one of the major characteristic of time perception is development, growth, and change. The concept of such transformation creates a serious question whether a person devoid of id entity, emotions and thoughts can be considered a woman, a human. The main character, the human being which was transformed into Echo, is the one who is real (whose name is different- Caroline) gets stuck in her body unable to make her soul and inner self evolve because her body is used as capsule for other identities. It is interesting the creators of the series realized that the absence of the character`s gradual development was the reason of popularity loss and that this why the series was cancelled. That is why it is possible to suggest that on some deeper level the lack of coherent identity was perceived by

Scheduling and Implementation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scheduling and Implementation - Assignment Example 2. A schedule, on the other hand, is a set of transactions and operations that are outlined by a system and are needed to be executed in a system for the completion of the task. It is the orderly steps that are outlined for the execution of the command (Harold, 2009). In the language of project management, a schedule is a list of objects that are called the terminal elements of the project, with their starting and finishing dates. These items are usually linked under the time frame and durations, the resources that are required, and their dependency on each other. To make an efficient schedule it is required by a project manager to develop a work breakdown structure that would outline the time and the amount and kind of resources required to complete the plan. Then the findings of this structure can help the project manager to develop a sound schedule that would be constantly updated keeping in mind the changes that are taking place over time (Dennis, 2007). 3. Network analysis has immense importance in resource scheduling. Network analysis helps in identifying time and costs factors involved while scheduling. By the help of basic networking techniques, network analysis can help in planning and controlling the use of resources. As a project proceeds, the demands and supply of the resources that are present in the system change. Shortage of any can lead to the delaying of the project. Hence network analysis provides the control of these resources (Dennis, 2007). 4. There are different kinds of floats present in project management. Total float is the amount of time that a project manager has before the start of the project. It also includes the number of delays that can occur without delaying the project completion date. Gauging the total float is usually done by the critical path method. Free float, on the other hand is the time that is

Descartes Meditation Essay Example for Free

Descartes Meditation Essay 1. If Descartes’s aim is to find certainty, why does he proceed by doubting as many things as he can? He feels that as long as he goes on believing his old beliefs, laziness and habit will block him from receiving any truths. He feels that if he regards his beliefs in the same way as he does any falsehoods he can remain unbiased when judging information and only then will he receive real truths. 2. What reason does he give for doubting that the senses give knowledge? That a man asleep can have a realistic dream that he is having the same experiences as a man thats awake. 3. What does the experience of â€Å"dreams† show us concerning the senses? He talks about how real dreams appear even though they are proven to be deceiving. And if one can be deceived in a dream by all of their senses can they not also be deceived in reality by some supernatural demon. He says hypothetically that God may not have created earth, shapes, etc. and everything that we sense could be a form of deception. 4. Why can he doubt even that 2=3 = 5. He talks about the fact that he sometimes doubt others who claim to have the most perfect knowledge. And if that can be the case for them cant it also be possible for him to be wrong about â€Å"obvious† truths. Also, if one may feel that if Gods goodness would stop him from being deceived SOME of the time, wouldnt it stop him from being deceived ALL of the time since he is clearly deceived some of the time. Basically he is acknowledging the fact that he could be wrong.

From the second reich to the wiemar republic :: essays research papers

From the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic The Second Reich The constitution of the second Reich: The Kaiser was hereditary for life and he was the Supreme Commander of the army The Chancellor was chosen by the Kaiser and was also usually the chairman of the Bundesrat. The Bundesrat was the upper house of parliament. Members were chosen by the State Government. The 17 Prussian representatives could veto any law. The Reichstag was less important than the Bundesrat in making laws. They could only approve the laws proposed by the Chancellor and the Bundesrat. The Reichstag was the lower house of parliament, with members elected by all men over the age of 25, fewer could vote in Prussia This was very undemocratic as people had little say over the passing of laws. The Reichstag, the house of parliament that the people voted for, had very little power over the creation of laws. The Kaiser was almost a dictator. Ludendorff realised that Germany was going to be defeated in 1918. He told the Kaiser that the war must end. In October, the Germans asked President Woodrow Wilson to organise an end to the fighting. He agreed but demanded that the Kaiser must go. Starvation and riots spread though Germany and on 30th October, the German Navy refused to launch a desperate attack on the British Navy. The Kaiser finally agreed to abdicate and on the 11th November an armistice was signed. This was the end of the Second Reich. The Weimar Republic The new government wanted to introduce a parliamentary democracy. This was because President Wilson refused to offer peace to the Germans until it had a government which wanted democracy. However, this meant that some Germans felt that democracy was being forced upon them by their enemies. The constitution of the Weimar Republic: The President was in power for 7 years and was elected by all adults over the age of 21. He was the Supreme Commander of the army and he chose the Chancellor. The Chancellor had the support of a majority of the Reichstag. The Reichstag was the lower house of parliament, elected by all adults over the age of 21. It was more important than the Reichsrat and could make laws. The Reichsrat was the upper house of parliament and could only approve laws proposed by the Chancellor and the Reichstag. Weaknesses of the new constitution: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proportional Representation – this meant that if a party received 5% of the votes, they would also receive 5% of the seats in the Reichstag.

Iphone Micro Environment

Micro-environmental factors such as customers are essential in determining the success of marketing especially when the needs of the clients are satisfied. Similarly, the contribution of employees to the company is fundamental in production of high quality products which are highly marketable (Apple, Inc. 2008). The media is an equally crucial factor of the micro-environment because any information which originates from the media either positive or negative can adversely affect the sales of the iPhones.Macro-environmental factors include worldwide change in technological perspectives of the digital world as well as evolution of more sophisticated software. This attributes creates an edge for Apple iPhones hence increasing their demand in the global market. The global problems such as the recent financial crisis which hit the whole global market contribute negatively towards the marketing of products (Apple, Inc. 2008). SWOT analysis SWOT analysis involves seeking to understand the st rengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are within the vicinity of the firms reach.Strengths include qualities which may be possessed by the iPhone and not present in other similar models which are in the market. Similarly, strength may be ability of a brand to meet the needs of a particular age bracket thus placing it on top of the others (Linzmayer, 1999). [pic] Weaknesses are negative attributes especially contributed by the micro-environmental factors such as poor publicity. Such a weakness may lead to collapsing of the brand especially when urgent measures are not undertaken to counteract it (Blokdijk, 2008). [pic]Opportunities involve taking advantage of the weakness portrayed by competitors and ensuring that the brand attains higher recognition. During the low season for competitors in addition to ensuring that the firm takes note of the activities and in case of any chance of failure to make a breakthrough (Apple Inc. 2010). [pic] Threats are negative aspects whi ch dampen the occurrence of any successful strategies. Negative aspects which hinder the achievement of certain goals are referred as threats as they interfere with execution of the firm’s productivity. SWOT analysis    |Apple’s iPhone |Samsung |Nokia | |Strength |Unique features of product |Presence of a wide variety of   |Reputation in the market | | | |products | | |Weakness |Position of moisture sensors onShortage of distributors in the |Presence of counterfeits bearing| | |the iPhone hence it easily |local market level. almost similar names. | | |exposed to moisture. | | | |Opportunity |Increased taste of customers |Well established international |Easy recognition of the brand as| | |requiring customized products. |niche thus increasing the |it has been in the market for | | | |international sales of its |quite some time. | | |products. | | |Threat |More competitors dealing with |The wide ranges of products in |Counterfeits being sold at | | |iProducts in addi tion to |the market tend to limit |cheaper prices than the original| | |increased availability of the |consumer loyalty as they cannot |products hence consumers tend to| | |internet at lower prices. recall the name and use of the |reject the real Nokia products. | | | |various products. | |

Changes in Nursing Essay

Nursing Passed Down Through the Generations Everyone has probably noticed all of the changes in technology in the last fifty years. Now there are cell phones, tablets, home computers, and so much more. All of these devices are often used every day by all kinds of people in all different professions. People use cell phones to call their bosses and other people around the world for business. Some people use computers all day every day for bookkeeping, journaling and various other jobs. Many people in the medical field use computers, cellphones, and so many other kinds of technology every day, especially nurses. Technology is not the only advancement or change in nursing, there has also been changes in medications, uniforms, racial and gender roles, schooling, and other areas. Nurses can take better care of their patients due to the advancements of medicine and technology in the last fifty years. New machines and computers are always invented that help nurses do their job better. According to Charlene Boyle, a retired nurse, in h er interview stated while she worked they had to write all of the patients’ information down and papers and information got lost or accidentally thrown away. In her last few years working the hospitals and doctor’s offices started to get computers in all the hospitals and she said it was a huge change. She said that the computers helped keep the information more organized and easier to find (Boyle Interview). In the article by Julie Blanche called Nursing 50 Years Back and Today: How the Nursing Field Has Changed over the Last 50 Years, she says, â€Å"Nurses also benefited from wireless technology, as they were able to bring their laptop computers into the patient rooms so they could perform other functions, such as admissions work, while keeping an eye on the patients† (Blanche 2). Technology did not only help nurses keep track of patient information, machines and other devices were created to help nurses better treat patients with health issues. Technology he lps nurses perform jobs faster and with fewer errors. Fifty years ago doctors and nurses started using the ultrasound machines on pregnant women. Now it is typical for all women to get an ultrasound. According to The History of Insulin Pumps by Elliot Bethke, insulin pumps were invented in 1963 and they were so big it was basically a backpack diabetics had to wear around. Now they are small and most people wouldn’t even notice it if someone was wearing one  (Bethke 1). According to Julie Blanche in Nursing 50 Years Back and Today: How the Nursing Field Has Changed over the Last 50 Years, hospitals made an effort to make it easier for nurses to do their jobs well. The hospitals paid for new bedside technology, including an automated medication-administration system and wireless computers. The medication-administration check requires bar codes for medication, nurses and patients, ensuring that nurses will make fewer errors. With a simple scan, nurses learn if the medication matches the patient and the physician’s order (Bl anche 1). The advancements in technology helps nurses to keep track of patients’ information as well as allowing them to treat the patients in more effective ways. In order to learn about all of the changing technology, the schooling that nurses were required to take was also changed. There has also been many changes in schooling for a nurse. Charlene Boyle, a retired nurse, stated that by her senior year she was running the floor along with the other seniors in her class. She also said â€Å"I had to go to school for three years with one month off a year. Currently to be a Registered Nurse or RN, you have to go to school for four years with your summers off† (Boyle Interview). In A History of American Nursing: Trends and Eras by Deborah Judd, Kathleen Sitzman, and Megan Davis state until the 1960s, most nurses were diploma nurses, nurses who only had their high school diploma, and their education was provided by a hospital or hospital school, not a college or universi ty. Judd, Sitzman, and Davis also state â€Å"Nursing has debated two questions related to education for almost 50 years. First, what should the entry level of education be for practice as a registered nurse – associate or baccalaureate? Secondly, should all nurses be required to participate in continuing education as a part of active or inactive practice?† (Judd, Davis, and Sitzman 187). The book by Davis, Judd, and Sitzman included a survey asking nurses what level of education they have received. According to the survey, 34% of the nurses interviewed have received their associate’s degree, 31% have their baccalaureates degree, 10% have earned their master’s degree or PhD, 16 % have their associate’s degree and are working towards their baccalaureates degree, and 3% are diploma nurses (Judd, Davis, and Sitzman 190). Just as schooling and technology has been improved so have the uniforms that nurses are required to wear. When someone says the word nurse most people invision a woman in a white suit with a red cross on her hat,  but that is not what modern day nurses w ear. Uniform is another major change in the last 50 years. According to Julie Blanche in Nursing 50 Years Back and Today: How the Nursing Field Has Changed over the Last 50 Years, the nurse’s uniforms 50 years ago were the typical white, starch outfits. â€Å"In the 1960s, nurses still wore dresses and stocking as their uniforms†¦ The uniforms also take a turn in the direction of more fashionable than in the past. Some of the more modern touches include belts and feminine cuffs. Don’t forget the hat that was an essential part of the nurse’s uniform† (Blanche 1). Blanche also explained the modern-day uniforms, â€Å"During the 1990s and today, nursing dresses have been replaced with much more user friendly scrub suits. Scrub suits can be found in a wide variety of colors and styles. Some hospitals have specific scrub suit colors for different types of hospital staff and others allow nurses and other staff to choose colors and styles that appeal to th em.† (Blanche 1). Since the uniform has changed that also means that the places where nurses work must have also evolved. The hospitals, doctor’s offices and wherever else a nurse might work were all changing. The hospitals and offices were getting new technology and better prepared nurses. Along with better prepared nurses comes a higher pay and more complex jobs for the nurses to complete. Charlene Boyle, a retired nurse, stated in her interview that when she was a nurse, the job was definitely a lot simpler than it is now. Now it is more complex. She also talked about her average pay as a nurse. She started out getting $400 to $500 a month but by the time she retired she was getting $40 an hour (Boyle Interview). According to TheRichest website by TheRichest an average wage for a nurse today is about $28 an hour (TheRichest 1). The hours that nurses work have stayed the same. Charlene Boyle continued â€Å"I worked eight hour shifts. Sometimes took a day shift from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. or night shift from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. This is what made me start drinking coffee† (Boyle Interview). Changes in technology, schooling, uniforms, hours, and pay are not the only changes in nursing in the last fifty years, there have also been changes in gender and race. The role of a nurse fifty years ago was always a woman’s job. Normally men were the doctors. Charlene Boyle, in her interview recalled â€Å"I had thirty-three people in my class. All of them were women and only one of them was Black all the rest of us were Caucasian† (Boyle). Fifty years ago the Civil Rights Movement was in its  final years and some people were still against African-Americans, which is why it was very uncommon for an African-American to be a nurse. In modern times, men and African Americans are both nurses. Although it is still fairly uncommon to see a male nurse. The change in gender and race are big social changes. There have also been changes in where the role of nurses takes place. According to Judd, Sitzman, and Davis in A History of American Nursing: Trends and Eras nearly a century ago people cared for their family at home. From the beginning of the 20th century until now, hospitals have become part of everyday life. Hospitals have become places where moth ers bear their children, medical specialties achieve perfection, and new inventions were proved. It is also a place where nurses care for those who need to be cured as well as those who need relief from pain or suffering (Judd, Davis, and Sitzman 192). Before there were hospitals, mothers took the role of nurses. They took care of their children as well as they could with homemade remedies and other medical tips they had learned from their mothers. Now there are hospitals and doctor offices where people go in regularly for check-ups, illness, and injuries. We even have an emergency room where people in urgent need of medical attention go for help. Recently they have also come out with Quick Care offices, most are in Hy-Vee’s and patients can run in and it only takes about ten to twenty minutes for the doctors to diagnose the patient’s sickness. Then they prescribe medicine for the patients that they can fill right at the store’s pharmacy. It makes going to the doctor a lot faster and cheaper. The prices for a doctor’s visit have also changed. According to Charlene Boyle, a retired nurse, in her interview she said that in the 1960’s is cost about $5 to go to the doctor and today it can cost anywher e from $100 to $200 for one visit. It seems ridiculous (Boyle). Hospitals have made it easier for people to get treated for diseases and made it easier on parents to keep their children healthy. Although the prices for doctor’s visits went up, now there is insurance. Insurance helps people pay for visits to the hospital and to doctor’s offices. With all the changes in technology and medicine over the last fifty years, nurses have definitely been able to take better care of patients. The nurses are more prepared and they have more advanced technology to help their patients. Nursing is not the only branch in the medical field that has made advancements. Many more medical careers have  made advancements. The medical field as a whole has improved and has become part of everyday life. Works Cited Bethke, Elliot. â€Å"The History of Insulin Pumps.† – BIOE 414 Instrumentation Projects. The Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois, College of Engineering, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2013. Blanche, Julie. â€Å"Nursing 50 Years Back and Today: How the Nursing Field Has Changed Over the Last 50 Years.† HeatheCareers Network. HealtheCareers, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 15 Sept. 2013 Boyle, Charlene. Life as a Nurse. Telephone interview. 28 Sept. 2013. Judd, Deborah M., Kathleen Sitzman, and Megan Davis. A History of American Nursing: Trends and Eras. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2010. Print. TheRichest. â€Å"Registered Nurse Salary – How Much Does Registered Nurses Make?† Celebrity Net worth Richest People in the World Registered Nurse Salary How Much Does Registered Nurses Make Comments. Google+, 3 June 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.

Chapter 12 Review essays

Chapter 12 Review essays Chapter 1: The Science of Psychology Chapter one of our text begins by discussing psuedoscience, or as the authors call it "psychobabble". Basically they discuss how it is common that people are often misled by false psychology in our culture and quite often in the media. The authors compare and contrast true psychological practices with psuedopsychology, which often lacks true evidence and proper methods of research and information retrieval. I was glad to see that the authors discussed this topic and clarified the difference between "psuedopsychology" and genuine psychology. It was very helpful to have clarification of what is genuine and what is not within the field of psychology. The remainder of chapter one discusses two other topics, Critical Thinking and the history of psychological practices. Critical thinking is an evolving process, which one uses to come to a reasonable logical conclusion. It is imperative that Psychologists use Critical Thinking when coming to a conclusion regarding the matter at hand. This section on Critical Thinking provides the reader with a good base to begin thinking Psychologically and it is very helpful in allowing one to come to an unbiased conclusion. This section was helpful in describing to the reader how psychologists reason and come to logical conclusions in their field of work. The history of Psychological practices was the section of chapter one that I least enjoyed. This was mostly due to the fact that I was already aware of most of the information that was provided. However it is important that people realize how the field of Psychology has developed and it's different methods, so this chapter served the purp ose of providing this information. Chapter 2: How Psychologists do Research The second chapter of our text covers the topic of how Psychologists go about obtaining results from their research. This chapter discusses the various methods and practices that Psy ...

Aristotle’s views on slavery

Aristotles views on slavery Ancient Greek society generally, and therefore classical Athens, even when it was a ‘democracy’, was bored in slavery, an institution which Aristotle did not consider to be unjust and which he defends in book I of his Politics. This essay will focus on why Aristotle spent so much time on the subject of slavery. Also he claims that woman should not be treated the same as slaves, I would like to discuss the grounds in which he makes this distinction. What is the difference between conventional slavery and natural slavery? And most importantly what is the effect of Aristotle’s argument on conventional slavery? Aristotle’s views on slavery are to the modern mind morally objectionable. Many find them poorly argued and incompatible with more fundamental tenants of his system[1]. Aristotle raises the question of whether slavery is natural or conventional. In his writing he insists that the former is the case. Is theory insists that some people are naturally slave s and some are naturally masters, thus he says: â€Å"But is there any one thus intended by nature to be a slave, and for whom such a condition is expedient and right, or rather is not all slavery a violation of nature?†[2]. It is not hard to answer this question, on the basis of reason and fact. For it is clear that it is necessary for some to rule and other be ruled from the hour of their birth, some are marked for subjection and some to rule. However, it may seem that those who are ruled must be slaves but this is not true at all. It seems clear that in the situation between a slave and a master, the master does not treat the slave as an equal, or as he wishes to be treated, as no one would willingly allow themselves to be enslaved. By implication this would mean that the relationship between ‘master’ and ‘slave’ is an unjust one, which in turn violates Aristotle’s fundamental principal of justice. However Aristotle states that this would o nly be the case if master and slave were indeed truly equal. In fact, however they are not. Because not only is the slave not an Athenian citizen but in addition the master is the superior of the natural slave in a number of respects e.g. possession of reason, wisdom, capacity for autonomous action etc. All of which are qualities that Aristotle associates with ‘humanity’, and all of which in his view are lacking in those who are natural slaves[3]. Aristotle says: â€Å"Where then there is such a difference as that between soul and body, or between men and animals (as in the case of those whose business is to use their body, and who can do nothing better), the lower sort are by nature slaves, and it is better for them as for all inferiors that they should be under the rule of a master. For he who can be, and therefore is, another’s and he who participates in rational principle enough to apprehend, but not to have, such a principle, is a slave by nature. Whereas t he lower animals cannot even apprehend a principle; they obey their instincts. And indeed the use made of slaves and of tame animals is not very different; for both with their bodies minister to the needs of life. Nature would like to distinguish between the bodies of freemen and slaves, making the one strong for servile labor, the other upright, and although useless for such services, useful for political life in the arts both of war and peace. But the opposite often happens–that some have the souls and others have the bodies of freemen. And doubtless if men differed from one another in the mere forms of their bodies as much as the statues of the Gods do from men, all would acknowledge that the inferior class should be slaves of the superior. And if this is true of the body, how much more just that a similar distinction should exist in the soul? but the beauty of the body is seen, whereas the beauty of the soul is not seen. It is clear, then, that some men are by nature free , and others slaves, and that for these latter slavery is both expedient and right.†[4]

Unit 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Unit 5 - Assignment Example A natural monopoly is a monopoly that experiences economies of scale along its intact range of production. Alternatively, a natural monopoly is the type of monopoly that experiences a decreasing average total cost (ATC). In a monopolistic market, marginal revenue is always less than the price of goods. This is because monopolies have a downward slopping demand curve. In fact, at any given price and quantity combinations, a monopolist is required to reduce the prices of his commodities in order to sell an additional unit. This explains why a monopoly is a special market situation. Consequently, monopolies do not exhaust all available market opportunities. Monopoly and perfect competitive markets represents the two extreme in a market environment. In my own opinion, perfect competitive model is better than monopolies. This preference is based on economic aspects and market sustainability. In a perfect competitive market, ultimate efficiency in the production and distribution of goods and services is achieved. Consequently, monopolies lack efficiency in their production and distribution of commodities. In a competitive market, producers and distributors of commodities are obliged to operate efficiently in order to remain relevant (Bade & Michael, 2002). For example in a perfect competition, producers reduce prices of their commodities in order to increase their competitiveness. This in turn reflects on the production process where producers are forced to improve efficiency. On the other hand, monopolies have no immediate threats that would force them to reduce their prices or improve the quality of their products. Thus, monopolistic ma rket lacks efficiency. Lack of efficiency is mainly demonstrated through production and distribution of goods within a market. In an ideal case, a market is supposed to have a natural mechanism that balances the distribution of commodities against the available customers. Perfect competitive markets allow the mobility of

Ethics, Virtue and Moral Agency Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics, Virtue and Moral Agency - Assignment Example Virtues are the good behavior and morals aimed at promoting good and peaceful coexistence between people and doing good both to oneself and others (David, 77). I prefer that ethics is a real requirement for living in life since without it, the human actions are random and useless. There would be no way to choose between a good goal and a wrong one if there will be none to choose upon. I personally view myself as believing in having virtues to be very important in life. This is because moral goodness is important for peaceful coexistence amongst people in the society. An example is the importance of the virtue of chastity especially among women in my community (David, 34). This will create peace in the community. Another example is the importance of the virtue of patience in society. Moral agency is also important to me very much. It is good to act properly in accordance to the community’s notion. Since everyone has the freedom of choosing what to do, I am always for the choice of doing the right just to avoid problems in

Principles of Political Liberalism Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Principles of Political Liberalism - Article Example In Political liberalism, all processes, the society revolves to further the ends of the individuals, who are considered as the center of all laws and institutions. Ranks imposed by the society and its institutions such as monarchy, government and businesses are held in less favor to the rights of the individuals to which the society and these institutions are based on. In Political Liberalism, it is the individuals who make the laws and norms of the society. Such characteristic is reminiscent although in a slightly different manner, of the previous ideas on social contract as thought of by Hobbes in his Leviathan and Rousseau in his treatise, The Social Contract. Basically, the social contract3 holds that it is the individuals who make the laws to which they agree to abide by, under the premise that individuals have the knowledge of what is best for them. In other words, while the individuals are the basis of the laws, the individuals who collectively agree to abide by the law are each under the rule of the said law and have equal rights regardless of age, sex, race, economic and social status. Whereas in classical liberalism, such as in Hobbes' Leviathan, social contract3 refers to the subordination of individuals to the sovereign, particularly the one who governs, to which they are bound to by the consent under the "contract", the modern Political liberalism's emphasis on individualism is in opposition to such stand. Rousseau, in his Social Contract, posits that each individual is a member of the collective and must submit not to the government but to the general will without regard to the individual interest, for the good of the society, thus, the term popular sovereignty. The principles of modern Political liberalism, however, are most commonly associated with the works and theories of John Rawl4. In general, the Political Liberalist theories of Rawl assume a position on justice as well as an idea of fairness that can be related to the economic game theory. It aims to provide answers to current issues on the political stability as a result of pluralism (Blunden 2003) by generating an ideal for a society founded on justice through concepts on citizenship and political education (Callan 1997). According to Larmore (1990), Political liberalism has been dealing with two main problems. One of which is the problem of defining the limits to the power of the government which by essence limits the freedom and respect accorded to each individual and thereby limiting the conditions in which each would be enabled with self-realization and fulfillment (Young 2002). Given the known plurality of ideas, which could almost always be contradicting, the problem lies in the difficulty in defining the limits to which the individuals can agree on (Young 2002). The second problem, according to Larmore (1990) is the identification of the ideas and values that would represent the general will or the common good. In other words, it is the presence and necessity of pluralism and diversity that makes the aims of Political liberalism difficult to achieve. The challenge to Political liberalism now is to create a set of principles that would target justice without impairing diversity. As it is, the principles of Political liberalism are set to avoid any threat to diversity and with consideration to such diversity that characterizes

Substance Abuse And Addiction Psychology Essay

Substance Abuse And Addiction Psychology Essay To gather information on substance abuse and addiction, a literature review was conducted of online informational sources, including federal agencies, and numerous electronic databases for scholarly articles including (CINAHL, PubMed, Medscape, and Medline) published between 1999 and 2012. Categorical search terms employed included addiction, substance abuse, opioids, alcohol, prescription drugs, impaired nurse, cost of drug use, treatment of drugs use, and others. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has selected substance abuse as one of the countries ten leading health indicator (Hutchison and Blakely, 2010). Reducing substance abuse is one of the Healthy People 2010 goals (Healthy People 2010, n.d.). Alcoholics Anonymous defines the chronic, relapsing brain disorder known as addiction as powerful, cunning, and baffling (ASBN, 2012). Society lacks the understanding that this disease is not a lack of willpower or morals but is an obsessive, compulsive, and complex disease that destroys the lives of families, friends, and individual users (NIDA, 2011). People are most likely to use when drugs and alcohol are easily accessible, convenient, and inexpensive leading to an impact on society that cost millions (Birckmayer et.al, 200; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Overview Terminology Definition The use of certain terms when discussing addiction and substance abuse provides a means for all that are involved to understand. The DSM-IV is the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders a set of standards for professional to make a formal diagnosis for dependence of substance abuse (DSM Library, n.d.). Substance abuse and addiction has been used interchangeable for persons addicted to drugs (Kranzler, H. Li, T., 2008; Maddux, J. Desmond, D., 2000; ASBN, 2012). Although addiction involves physical dependence and tolerance, the physical dependence and tolerance does not involve the drug seeing and compulsive behavior of addiction making it difficult for physicians to identify the real issue (Shurtleff, 201; Maddux, J. Desmond, D., 2000;). Substance abuse means using any type of illicit drug and intoxication, enhancement of the end result occurs with multiple drug use (Substance Abuse Prevention Curriculum Guide, n.d.). Substance The mind and mood altering drugs or chemicals of abuse are the substances that are referred to in a substance abuse or dependence (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; Mosbys Medical Dictionary, 2009). Tolerance Tolerance is the bodys need for larger quantities of drug for the same effect (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; Mosbys Medical Dictionary, 2009). Abuse vs. Dependence Substance abuse is when the improper use of substance is affecting a persons life in a negative manner, such as decrease job function, poor parenting skills, and problems with law enforcement (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2003). Substance dependence is the beyond abuse where a person relies or dependents on a drug including increased tolerance, withdrawal, in ability to stop, devotion to using, and neglecting responsibilities (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2003). Addiction Addiction is a compulsive and maladaptive dependence with resulting in psychological, physiological, sociological, and legal consequences (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Risk factors There is no individual risk factor that can predict whether a person will become an addict. That is based on the vulnerability of each individual in the area of genetics, demographics, family, social, and psychological (ASBN, 2012). The early age of initial use along with the combination of risk factors leads to a greater chance of addiction (ASBN, 2012; NIDA, 2011) Drugs of Abuse Alcohol Alcohol is legal, socially acceptable, and has the least stigma of all drugs in the United States and worldwide (Alcohol Answers, 2009; Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). It is addictive and depresses the central nervous system (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). Alcohol is a legal, addictive drug that depresses the central nervous system (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). One drink causes impairment and driving while intoxicated is illegal in the United States (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). The social impact of the intoxicated person affects the drinker and all involved (Kelly, 2011; Chan, 2011; Harrington, et.al, 2010). Drinking alcohol is associated with child abuse and neglect, absenteeism from work, and violence (Kelly, 2011; Chan, 2011; Harrington, et.al, 2010). More than 30 conditions with alcohol as an underlying factor are listed in the World Health Organizations 10th Edition of International Classification of diseases (Rehm, 2011). Chronic alcohol use is a poisoning that weakens the immune system and results damage to the neurological and physical systems that are irreversible (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; Kelly, 2011; Chan, 2011; Harrington, et.al, 2010; Rehm, 201; Dawson, 2011). Scheduled Drugs Depressants are the illicit drugs that depresses the central nervous system(CNS)causing decrease pulse, respiration, and blood pressure (UNODC, 2012). The CNS system effect relaxes the person and decreases anxiety and tension (UNODC, 2011; NIDA, 2011). The drugs include alcohol and narcotics (UNODC, 2012). Narcotics or opiates are derived from the opium poppy or may be synthetically manufactured includes codeine, oxycodone, heroin, fentanyl, and methadone (Goulding and Hudson, 2010; UNODC, 2012; Hall, 2009). The drugs are pain killers, anesthetics, and cough suppressants, used medically except heroin (UNODC, 2012; Hall, 2009). The route used is oral, nasal, intravenous, and transdermal (UNODC, 2003). Users experience constipation, dilation of blood vessels, constricted pupils, and decreased respiration that may lead to an overdose with produces shallow breathing, coma, clammy skin, respiratory failure, and possible death (UNODC, 2012;UNODC, 2003; Hall, 2009). Sedative- hypnotics, referred to as sedatives, sleeping pills, or tranquilizers, are another type of CNS depressants (UNODC, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). The purpose is to decrease anxiety, relax, or promote sleep. These drugs categories include barbiturates (Seconal and Nembutal) and benzodiazepines (Valium and Librium) (UNODC, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Symptoms associated with withdrawal from these drugs are seizures, convulsion, heart attack, or death (UNODC, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Overdose is common when used with alcohol (Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Heroin Heroin is a very addictive drug processed from morphine, a substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin produces a feeling of euphoria (a rush) and often a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and heavy feelings in the arms and legs. After the initial euphoria the user may go into an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Heroin is the second most frequent cause of drug-related deaths. Prescription Drugs The abuse of prescription pain medications and sedative hypnotics, such as, Klonopin and Xanax, prevalence rate has increase in the United States for persons 12 and over higher than any other illicit drug, surpassing even marijuana (Holmes, 2011). The Centers for Disease Control and prevention has identified these drugs as an epidemic due to the rate of increase of use. United States is the epicenter for prescription drug use with 80% of Americans using drugs for the first time that were prescribed for someone else. The increase in these drugs has shown a decline in cocaine, cannabis, and heroin causing more persons to die from opioid overdose than motor vehicle accidents (UNODC, 2012; Holmes, 2012). Using a prescription drug in a manner other than the intended prescription constitutes drug abuse. Some of the more commonly abused prescription drugs are: Pain-relieving narcotics (Percodan, Codeine, Vicodin, Percocet) Tranquilizers and sedatives (Halcion, Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Phenobarbital) Muscle relaxants (Soma) Prescription amphetamines (Ritalin, Cylert, Adderall) OxyContin Cocaine Cocaine was considered a safe recreational drug in the 1980s and 1990s with declining use with the turn of the century (NIDA, 2006; SAMHSA, 2001; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999). Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug that approximately 21 percent of persons eventually become addicted after the first use (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000. The route of use for cocaine is nasal, smoke, or intravenous. At small amount the drug can produce increased energy, alertness, and euphoria (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000). The central nervous properties of dilates pupils, constricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure, body temperature, decrease appetite, loss of sleep, and increased pulse (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000) . Although the use has declined, the drug is still the most frequently encountered illicit drug with the following medical complications: cardiac arrest, stroke, and respiratory failure (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000). Cannabis Cannabis or marijuana is one of the most used drugs in the United States and considered a gateway drug (NIDA, 2012). Chronic use cause respiratory issues of cancer, asthma, or other lung diseases. The prevalence of marijuana use has increased among all populations from 13.7 percent in 2009 to 14.1 per cent in 2010 (36,37 ). Long term effects includes loss of ambition, apathy,, difficulty concentrating, and decrease in school and work performance. Marijuana (weed, or cannabis) is one of the most common drugs of abuse . Marijuana looks like a dry, shredded green/brown blend of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of a particular hemp plant. It usually is smoked as a cigarette, pipe, or in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana. The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which quickly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, and on to organs throughout the body, including the brain. Some of the short-term effects of marijuana use include problems with memory and learning; bizarre or distorted perceptions; difficulty in problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate. A study has suggested that a users risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana. Manufactured Drugs The amphetamine like drug, methamphetamine rate has doubled from 1990-2002; 71 percent of new users of inhalants in 2002 were under the age of 18; Club drugs MDMA and GHB have leveled off but are not just used in the club culture; Ecstasy use has risen and has been associated with brain damage , kidney failure, and elevated body temperature; Rohypnol association with sexual assault has led to legislature that has made it the least available club drug. From 1998 to 2000 the number of the easily overdosed drug GHB emergency room visits quadrupled to approximately 5000 (Brown University Health Education, n.d.). Methamphetamine Methamphetamine (meth)is made in illegal laboratories and has a high potential for abuse and dependence. It is often taken orally, snuffed, or injected. Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear crystals resembling ice, can be inhaled by smoking, and is referred to as ice, crystal, and glass.Use of methamphetamine produces a fast euphoria, and often, fast addiction. Chronic, heavy use of methamphetamine can produce a psychotic disorder which is hard to tell apart from schizophrenia (methamphetamine induced psychosis). The drug also causes increased heart rate and irreversible damage to blood vessels. Ecstasy Ecstasy (MDMA)is the so-called party drug, It has both stimulant (like cocaine) and hallucinogenic (like LSD) effects. Ecstasy is neurotoxic (poisonous to brain cells), and in high doses it causes a steep increases in body temperature leading to muscle breakdown, and possible organ failure. Side effects may last for weeks after use, and including high blood pressure, faintness, confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, Hallucinogens Hallucinogens have existed for years. the drugs includes LSD, PCP, ketamine, and amphetamine variants(MDA,MDMA, and ecstasy). The use of these drugs takes you on a trip leading to pleasurable or a terrifying experience. The drugs are not always distinguishable by their color, odor, or taste. The CNS effects increases heat rate, respiration, pulse, blood pressure , and temperature leading to possible stroke, convulsions, heart attack, respiratory failure, or coma. Ketamine has been used as a date rape drug due to the dissociative anesthetic properties. Hallucinogens may lead to insanity or mental health disorders. and paranoia. Acid Acid (LSD)LSD, also called acid, is sold in the street in tablets, capsules, or even liquid form. It is clear and odorless, and is usually takenby mouth. Often LSD is added to pieces of absorbent paper divided into small decorated squares, each containing one dose. LSD is a hallucinogen and a very powerful mood-altering chemical. Over the Counter Drugs Many different types of over-the-counter drugs and other substances can be abused. Just a few examples include: Inhalants (paint thinners, nitrous oxide, model glue, magic marker fluid, spray paints, propane, butane, etc.)Dramamine, Mouthwashes, Diet aids Cough and cold medications (especially those containing DXM, like Drixoral Cough Liquid Caps, Robitussin AC, Dectuss, Phenergan etc.) Inhalants Inhalants are common household products that are huffed or sniffed that give a high or head rush. Included in this category of drugs are insecticides, paints, and aerosols products that when consumed causes lightheadedness. The drunken high is usually not long but due to the nature of the vapors may cause headaches, unconsciousness, suffocation, violent behavior, and death. Replacing the oxygen with inhalants depresses the CNS and may lead to the user to stop breathing. Long term use of inhalants causes brain damage, weight loss, and fatigue. Adolescent believe inhalants are safer. Concepts of Substance Abuse Four Dimensions of Addiction Chronic A disorder that is chronic continues for a long time. The opposite of chronic is acute, which means relatively sudden and short. Lets look at other examples of chronic vs. acute disorders Chronic: diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy Acute: flu, food poisoning, concussion Notice that acute disorders are treated once and theyre gone. Chronic disorders are managed, not cured. Primary A disorder that is primary means that it is not the result of something else. It is a disorder in its own right, requiring specific treatment. For example, a man may start drinking to control the painful feelings of depression. However, when that man becomes an alcoholic (addicted to alcohol), he now has a separate and primary disorder that needs treatment. Treating the depression does not mean the alcoholism will also go away. Progressive A disorder that is progressive tends to get worse over time. With drug addiction, we see that the consequences of the addiction tend to worsen over time. One important mechanism of this progressive quality is tolerance, which weve discussed. The development of tolerance tends to ensure that a person has to get more, spend more, hide more, and use more over time. Later well look at some of the particular consequences of progression, including medical problems. Incurable We say that addiction is incurable because the biological changes involved in addiction tend to be permanent. As a result, an addict will never be able to safely use the drug of abuse (or any other drugs of abuse). An alcoholic will never be able to drink normally. Likewise, a cocaine addict will never be safe using stimulating drugs (for example, ephedra, which is an over-the-counter stimulant). A person addicted to one drug can easily switch over the another drug and still be an addict. This is called cross-addiction(more on this later). We said incurable not untreatable. Remember the comparison with diabetes? We dont cure diabetes, we manage it with proper diet, blood sugar monitoring, and other acts of discipline. Unfortunately, the addict rarely wants discipline. Thats what makes it so hard. By definition, an addict wants to keep using! Stages of Change In order to determine the proper intervention the stages of change model is a means of describing the process to overcome addiction (Hartney, 2013 ; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O., 2011), The stages suggest that a person will go through the changes in sequence, but realistically they jump between stages and the stages will be different for everyone (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O., 2011). Precontemplation This is the first phase of change where the persons has not had any negative consequences and does not see the addiction as problem (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O, 2011). The experience is still pleasurable and leaves the person close-minded to any conversation on any negative consequences (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O., 2011). During this stage the person needs encouragement to see the personal risk and self-awareness Contemplation Contemplation is the stage where the person thinks or contemplates changing the addictive behaviors by quitting, moderating use, or cutting down (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). A person in this stage requires being give encouragement on the analysis of the pros and cons of the addictive behavior to promote a new goal (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). Preparation After a person has contemplated a person makes preparation to follow through on the changes that were contemplated (Hartney, 2013Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011). At this phase a person is trying to make decisions on how to proceed forward (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). The stage is a time for encouraging the need for social support and taking small steps. Action The action stage is a time for following through on the preparations made by possible entering treatment for detox (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). Living without the drugs and the drama of addiction is a strange feeling with the change of lifestyle(Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011), ). This is a real change of addictive behaviors which needs reinforcement and support to handle feelings and self-efficacy. Maintenance The maintenance phase is the time to seeks changing addictive behaviors through abstinence and changing behaviors (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011), ). The person learns how to cope and not return to old behaviors when there is a resurfacing of addictive behavior (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). Helping the person via support, encouragement, and internal reward reinforcement is required. Biological Bases of Addiction Addiction is associated with permanent changes in the brains neurochemistry. The addict is biologically programmed to need the drug in order to feel normal. This point that addicts just want to keep using brings us to an important point about addiction and its biological roots. Lets take a quick look at what happens in the brain of an addict (without getting too technical). Weve seen now how repeated drug use causes permanent biological changes in the brain. An important implication of these changes is this: An addict can never assume its safe to resume using addictive drugs. Using even once will get the addict back to Square One. 12-Step programs call this waking the tiger. In 12-step programs, a person commemorates the beginning of sobriety with a sobriety date. If a person relapses, he or she starts with a new sobriety date. This tradition emphasizes the fact that addiction never goes away. Reward Center First lets take a look at a part of the human brain which has been called the reward center deep in the brain. This area includes specialized neural pathways which process experience of pleasure. The reward center seems to process many experiences of pleasure, such as eating and sex. Experimental rats trained to stimulate their own reward centers with electric switches have been known to press on the switches thousands of times per hour! They neglect all other activities in order to keep stimulating themselves. (11) ). Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that causes the distribution of the chemical dopamine that is affects the brains pleasure center by causing constant signals of pleasure creating the intense cocaine high(The Science of Mental Health, 2003) Now, you may not be surprised to learn that many drugs of abuse stimulate the reward centers. As a result, using mind-altering drugs is pleasurable. The addict is almost like one of those experimental rats, stimulating itself again and again, neglecting anything else. Repeated use of certain drugs of abuse can result in depletion of brain chemicals that allow the experience of pleasure. What happens next is this: more and more of the drug becomes necessary to generate pleasure, and other sources of pleasure lose their effects. Eventually, the addict cant even feel just normal without the drug. As a result, the addict needs the drug to feel normal, and without it, they feel bad! Its no longer a matter of pleasureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦its a matter of avoiding pain. This is the mechanism for tolerance. Dopamine The brain chemicals that help generate pleasure are called dopamine, a brain chemical belonging to a group called neurotransmitters. For example, both alcohol and heroin result in a build-up of dopamine, resulting in (temporary) pleasure. ). Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that causes the distribution of the chemical dopamine that is affects the brains pleasure center by causing constant signals of pleasure creating the intense cocaine high(The Science of Mental Health, 2003) As we discussed above, the brain adapts to this higher level of dopamine in the system. Its almost as if the body tries to normalize the new levels of pleasure by raising the bar to experience pleasure. These changes are referred to as neuroadaptation. In other words, neuroadaptation means that it gets harder and harder to experience pleasure as you use more drugs. Addicts get the point that only their drugà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.in ever-increasing amountsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦makes them feel good. Trap of addiction In a sense, addicts get trapped by their own drug. They started using it to feel good, but end up needing it just to avoid feeling bad. Addicts can learn to experience pleasure in ways other than using. Unfortunately, research and clinical experience shows that the biological changes are permanent. This is why addiction is considered incurable, as we discussed before. Cravings Giving up drugs isnt just a matter of giving up on the pleasure. It can be a very painful experience because of cravings. As weve discussed, the brain becomes used tothe drugs of abuse after repeated use. If an addict stops using, the brain (and the mind) will put pressure on the person to start againà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to restore the balance. This pressure is experienced as cravings. Cravings can be very painful and difficult to resist. Managing and resisting cravings are an important aspect of treatment. Cravings are painful but manageable with training and discipline. A helpful thing to remember with cravings is that they come and go like a wave: they approach, get stronger, reach a crescendo, and then taper off. Knowing this, a person can ride outthe cravings by several means: Distract herself with something interesting (movie, game, etc) Contact someone else for support (sponsor, supportive friend) Go to a safe place where giving in is less likely Disease Model In many different treatment models, addiction is seen as a disease. It may be hard to appreciate why at first, because it seems different from other types of diseases like cancer or bronchitis. One of the reasons for defining addiction as a disease is in order to ensure that addiction is treated as a healthcare problem, thus allowing addicts access to the healthcare system. (13)Addiction is widely considered a disease, by such organizations as the World Health Organization (WHO), American Medical Association (AMA), and American Psychiatric Association (APA). Defining addiction as a disease carries several implications which tend to increase the healthcare available to addicts: it follows a predictable course of development, it causes disorder of bodily functions (affecting not only the brain but typically the liver, pancreas, and other organs), it causes significant mortality and morbidity (alcoholism is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.),it can be tracked and measured by epidemiological research, it has a significant genetic loading . We wont settle the question of the Disease Model here. However, now you are familiar with the idea and some of the arguments on both sides. At any rate, the Disease Model is so prevalent today that most treatment programs you are likely to encounter in the State of Nebraska use the model. Whats more, the Disease Model is supported by the worlds largest organization devoted to helping people with addictionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Alcoholics Anonymous (and other 12-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous). Psychology of Addiction Progression of addiction Weve already discussed how addiction is a progressive disorder (getting worse over time). As such, we can identify certain characteristics of early stageand late stageaddiction. However, its important to keep in mind that some people progress quickly to more serious problems, while others follow along progression. Early Stages A person uses drugs of abuse to achieve a feeling of euphoria or to relieve stress. Using is escapist, sociable, and fun. However, the person begins to need more and more. The fun begins to go out of the situation as the person realizes she cannot feel normal without her drug. The person begins to feel guilty and ashamed, and increasingly uses denial.There may be the first damaging consequences (problems at work, in the family, etc). (16) Late Stages Using drugs feels more like a necessity of survival than a form of recreation. The problems often begin tomount, and the person becomes increasingly unable to function. The addict loses interest in anything besides using. If the addict has been able to hide her using, this becomes more and more difficult as the addiction progresses.Typically, the later stages of addiction are characterized by increasing physical problems and illness. For example, an alcoholic may experience liver failure or hepatitis. Defense Mechanism Defense Mechanisms are psychological strategies for dealing with stress. These strategies are used by the mind (often unconsciously) to keep us from being overwhelmed with stress. Defense mechanisms are normal and necessary. We cant worry about everything at once, or we couldnt function! There has to be some filterfor keeping things from becoming too intense or too painful. However, sometimes defense mechanisms become so rigid that we lose our flexibility, and we find it hard to changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦even when change would be good. (17) All defense mechanisms distort reality to some extent, because they tailorreality to feel a little more comfortable. The question becomes, just how much distortion is safe?In addiction, defense mechanisms often distort reality to a dangerous extent. It gets harder to cover up the truth when the consequences start to pile upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦broken families, legal charges, ruined careers .Also, the defense mechanisms in addiction can harm the addicts loved onesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦some of them start to wonder if they are the crazy ones, because the addict is so adamant that they have no problems. Lets look at a list of some of the defense mechanisms that are commonly used to promote addictive behavior. Denial Denial is an example of a defense mechanism that is often seen with addiction. The defense of denial is to deny the truth. Denial is useful to an addict because it serves to cover up the extent of the problem, and allow the using to continue.Remember that in addiction, people become biologically programmedto need their drug at all costs. Denial is a powerful way of keeping the pressure offso the addict can continue to use. Rationalization is another example of a defense mechanism that is often seen with addiction. The purpose is to make the irrational sound rational through the uses of justification and excuses. Many addicts have a ready supply of rationalizations to use on themselves and others, such as:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Im not hurting anybody.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I can stop anytime I want (I just dont want to yet).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I had a hard day today. I deserve a drink.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢It relaxes me. Isolating is a behavior that also serves to protect the addiction. Although drug use may start out as a social behavior, addiction ends up driving a wedge between the addict and others. Efforts to hide and maintain the addiction distances them from loved ones, and the company of non-addicts becomes too intrusive and painful. As a result, some addicts end up shooting themselves up in dark rooms, or drinking alone, far from others. Others sink into a drug subculture,in which there are no true friendships, but only alliances of convenience in the continuing drive for self-gratification. Blaming It can be very convenient to point the finger at someone else, when we want to avoid notice! Blaming takes the heat off by putting it on someone else. Naturally, this is painful and frustrating for others, and self-defeating to the addict.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢If my husband had fixed that tail-light, I wouldnt have gotten this DUI.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢If you lived here, youd drink too.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢If my wife/husband treated me right, I wouldnt have to do this. Minimizing involves watering downthe problem by acting cavalier about the consequences, or dismissive of the wreckage caused by addiction.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢All my DUIsare five years apart.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I never drink before noon, I cant be an alcoholic.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢At least I dont use as much as X.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I may miss some work, but I still get more work done than all those other slobs. Relapse The disease model of addiction, discussed above, encourages us to think of relapsesin addictive behavior. A relapse is a return to a previously abusive level of using or drinking. The very idea of relapse suggests the idea of the disease model, because it describes addiction as a chronic condition that never goes away, but can only lay dormant. Relapse is a very important concept