Psychological Effects of Alcoholism Essay

Alcohol is a well known substance that has been present ever since. It provides a variety of functions for different people from the earliest times until today. In the past, alcoholic beverages were served not only as thirst quencher; it also played a significant role in the aspect of religion (Watson). Alcohol connotes pleasure and sociability through the enhancement of the quality of life. Most alcoholic beverages are well represented in wine, beer, and spirits. They have been accounted for numerous positive and negative effects upon consumption (Watson). While alcohol has been proven to be beneficial if taken moderately, its misuse may lead to alcoholism. Alcoholism is one of the prevailing social problems of today. Alcoholism is noted to be a chronic disease wherein the body becomes dependent on alcohol. It is characterized with alcohol obsession, and the person with alcoholism is unable to control the amount of alcohol being taken. Alcoholism can cause serious problems and may affect a person’s relationship, health, finances, and work (â€Å"Alcoholism†). The physical effects of alcoholism are evidently well recorded. It is a general knowledge that the abuse of alcohol may lead to serious problems, most especially the abrupt deterioration of human health and its detrimental impact on the internal organs. Thus, most people often associate the impact of alcoholism on the physical health. However, what is less considered are its psychological effects that are much more damaging and equally painful to the physical effects that the alcoholic person is aware of (Briggs). It was found out that alcohol consumption and mental health are closely affiliated in numerous ways. Based from the summary presented by the institute of alcohol studies, â€Å"mental health problems can result [in] excessive drinking, but that problem drinking can lead to mental health problems† (Tolevanen et al. qtd. in Cattan and Tilford 142). Aside from this, it was suggested that external factors are major contributors to mental health and alcohol problems. These external factors include genes, social and family environment, psychological and culture influence, the perception about the impact of alcohol, and the level of acceptance for alcohol consumption (Tolevanen et al. td. in Cattan and Tilford 142) Moreover, the influence of the expectancies of alcohol greatly affects how people drink. Take for example the young and middle-aged adults. Since the said group of people has a positive perception on the effects of alcohol consumption, they tend to consume more alcohol. It was concluded that people who use alcohol consumption as a coping strategy perceive the effects of alcohol to be positive, and that alcohol reduces the repercussions of factors that induce stress (Satre and Knight qtd. n Cattan and Tilford 142). Hence, although there were evidences that alcohol consumption may have positive psychological effects, it is still apparent that the negative impact of alcohol on human psychology overshadows its positive effects. Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide Since alcoholic beverages are depressants, by the time they begin circulating within an individual’s system, they decrease the activity carried out by the nervous system to the brain (Naq). Thus, it was noted that depression may be the cause or aftermath of alcoholism. Some studies suggest that the effects of alcohol have two phases, the initial of which is that it produces a feeling of euphoria which is then generated to depression by the time the alcohol level in the blood has gone down (Institute of Alcohol Studies [IAS] 6). It was also stated that, when an individual consumes an amount of alcohol that is more than the body’s capacity, it would result in stress. In the spur of the moment, a series of psychological manifestations of stress can be observed through anxiety. Certain conditions, such as restlessness, nightmares, and overwhelming fear, are some of the anxieties felt or experienced by an alcoholic (Naq). Dependence in alcohol also results in heightened emotions. Most alcoholics are in a high risk of depression and anxiety, creating a strong link between suicide and alcoholism (IAS 6). Aggression and Violence Many researchers have proven the link between alcoholism and aggression. It was believed that the excessive consumption of alcohol does not only promote aggressive behaviors, but it may also lead to victimization. Alcohol disrupts the normal functions of the brain. Thus, alcohol encourages aggressive behavior and violence. Violence is within the category of aggression, which is characterized by behaviors that are often threatening and hostile. The percentages of alcohol related violence are alerting, and the figures are still raised in the upper limits (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services). According to Bancroft, the consumption of alcohol allows offenders to act on what they desire (47). Because of this, offenders become more insulting and intimidating. Most often than not, perpetrators deny the activity and use alcohol as an excuse. Courts sometimes condone perpetrators who blame the committed crime to drinking problems (Bancroft 48). Obsession Alcoholics are identified as intense and obsessed people (Zimberg 4). Once a person becomes dependent to alcohol, obsession with drinking is the likely result. For an alcoholic, there is no difference between a large and small amount of alcohol. Because of alcohol dependence, a person loses interest with other activities except to get the next drink (Naq). Memory loss  An alcoholic is more likely to experience periods where one cannot remember a thing, otherwise known as ‘blackouts’. It is important to take into consideration that alcohol abuse may result in memory loss, which in turn, may be psychologically damaging and self destructive at great levels (Briggs). Apart from this, the dependence in alcohol has a great association with brain damage and cognitive impairment which may lead to an advance stage known as alcoholic dementia. When such advance case of memory loss is combined with amnesia, the intellectual function of the brain is then lost (IAS 16). Socio-Psychological Effects of Alcoholism The socio-psychological effects of alcoholism may be short term or long term. One of the most prominent short term socio psychological effects of alcoholism is ‘disinhibition’. This is well manifested when an individual lacks self regulation and control which leads to numerous anti-social behaviors. Furthermore, alcohol has the capability to repress a person’s ability to respond to emotions and decrease inhibitions which, in the end, may cause the alcoholic to exhibit risky behaviors (Curtin et al. qtd. in â€Å"Short-term and Longer-term Effects†). Disinhibition also may result in activities that greatly affect the society such as crime and violence. For instance, in Australia, where alcohol is deeply embedded in the culture, out of 70% of crimes committed, 41% were done under the influence of alcohol (National Health and Medical Research qtd. in â€Å"Short-term and Longer-term Effects†). Long term socio-psychological impact of alcoholism is apparent in a family. Alcoholism is recognized as a â€Å"family disease. † In a family, the alcoholic may be a father, mother, teenager, and other close relative. Alcohol dependence of one member of the family may lead to family disruption and may put the whole family at risk that may last for a very long time. In a recent study done by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, the numbers of American adults who have been vulnerable to alcoholism reached up to seventy six million (Parsons). Most family problems are blamed to alcoholism (Parsons). Family members take on different characteristics as a way of adapting to the situation. In the case of the family’s child or children, various attitudes may be noticed: (1) Family hero is a way by which a child acts on the responsibilities, exhibiting obsessive perfectionism and doing things that are â€Å"too good to be true;† (2) Scapegoat, wherein misbehavior and delinquency is a form of escape to the situation; (3) Lost child is characterized with passiveness and isolation from others to withdraw from the situation; and (4) Mascot, by making fun of the situation through comic relief (Donatelle and Davis qtd. n â€Å"Short-term and Longer-term Effects†). In the case of the spouse of the alcoholic, the spouse has to take on the status of both parents. This may cause the spouse to develop feelings of hatred, self-pity, and anti-social behavior. The spouse is also likely to become extremely exhausted, leading to physical and mental illness. Moreover, the non-alcoholic parent has the tendency to neglect the children (Berger qtd. in Parsons). The effects of alcoholism are not limited to the physical aspect. It is evident that it has adverse psychological effects that do not only affect the alcoholic individual, but extend to the society where the alcoholic belongs. Furthermore, based from the results that were framed from the study, it is suggested that comprehensive analysis on the psychological effect of alcoholism according to gender should be done so as to give further justification on the subject.

Case Study Report Essay

INTRODUCTION The entrepreneur in the case study was Alison Barnard. She is very interested in fashion and used the skills she learned while attending Babson’s business school to start her own retail store, which is focusing perfect-fitting pair of jeans on women. Barnard started her stores, 26 years old, which is located in Boston’s newest neighborhood, the North End, with more than 30 brands of jeans in order to accommodate many body look of her customers. When Barnard isn’t at her flagship store helping women find their perfect fit, she’s down the street at Twilight, her newest store, opened in March 2006 and specializes in both formal and casual dresses. THE PROBLEMS IN BUSINESS AND THEIR CAUSES The analysis of scalability of that business guided to the discussion of challenges and limitations. The first challenge that Alison faces is the maintenance of the store. The limitations that she faces was lack of appropriate employees, opportunity for growth and lack of timing to upgrade her managing skills. It will make her business progress to be slow and loss of customers by unable to find the right jeans. Alison has made a mistake by signing the lease prior to have the profit without analyze the outcome. In my opinion, Alison loosed her trust with the fact that she actually can earn the money to invest in her business. What she worried about was, someone else will steal her ideas if she wastes a lot of time by thinking the outcome and took the risk. The implications on growth lie within finding personnel that fit Alison’s requirements and finding a management strategy that would make the business more scalable. In my opinion, the right marketing strategy and making the store more independent are key success factors for â€Å"In.jean.ious†. POSSIBLE SOLUTION By making a good business strategy can help her to find a good financial, highly experience workers and strategic location which can help her to open her business extensively. Besides that, Alison should focus on how to make her store more or less independent from her. She needs to be focusing on her  management strategy, her financing and the opportunity for growth. In my opinion, the type of her business she has needs an everyday conservation and doing actions without thinking. RECOMMENDATION In my opinion, Alison should be more aware on her business whereby applying the ‘red hat’ in Edward de Bono’s theories. This will help her to prevent her shops item from being stolen by thief. Besides that, Alison needs to be balance in her information gathering, decision making and lifestyle from the theories of Myers Briggs. By balancing four psychological preferences, she will be able to make a good decision, gather more information before starting her business, and catch up with the latest trends for her clothing.

Argue that hunting among the Bushman is not merely a physical act, but Essay - 1

Argue that hunting among the Bushman is not merely a physical act, but one that touches, often deeply, every domain of Bushman society and thus promotes social solidarity - Essay Example This paper argues that, in terms of Durkheim’s theory of solidarity, the Bushmen utilize hunting not just for obtaining food, but also for deeper domains of their life, specifically marital, religious, and economic customs and rites. Hunting in the Bushmen society influences social status, determines the rituals of religious traditions, and forms duty within extended family units, uniting the people in what Emile Durkheim refers to as ‘social solidarity’. As stated by Peter Kropotkin (Hann 1993, 27): But still we know that when the Europeans came, the Bushmen lived in small tribes (or clans), sometimes federated together; that they used to hunt in common, and divided the spoil without quarrelling; that they never abandoned their wounded, and displayed strong affection to their comrades. Emile Durkheim claims that traditional societies are bonded together by a type of social cohesion that is rooted in the commonalities of the members, or referred to as ‘mechanical solidarity’ (Komter 2004). The common values within these traditional societies, which are mostly religious in character, create a ‘collective consciousness’ for the society, a group of ideas, beliefs, and norms common to everybody (Komter 2004). There is modest individuality because individuals view themselves mainly in connection with their membership in the group. Hunting is still deeply embedded in the culture of Bushmen, even in instances where bands take care of their own cattle and grow their own food. The Bushmen are essentially hunters on the peripheries of the bigger non-Bushman culture. Bushmen are hunters in numerous ways. Gift-giving and kin relations include social ‘hunting’, for family connections and for bonds of exchange. Their spiritual or religious principle is distinguished as ‘hunting’ for knowledge (Hann 1993). It is factual that personal ties and hunting in Bushmen culture are

Conflict as a Team Tool-Sheila Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conflict as a Team Tool-Sheila - Essay Example Team formation has been a modern management model for quite a long. Both scholars and non-scholars have argued in its favor or disfavor. In this regard, the focus of this study is not to investigate the merits or demerits of this tool but to probe the level of independence that should be tolerated within teams. It is also in the interest of this study to establish how conflicts between groups affect departmental performance. To achieve their ultimate goals, departments divide the entire project into sub-units called tasks, each of which should be delivered by each team. Eventually, the accomplished works are brought together to realize the final goal (Bezrukova, Thatcher, Jehn, & Spell, 2012). In the course of their work, these teams require some independence so that they can perform their duties efficiently. What is of concern though is the level of independence these teams should be entitled to. Conflicts are bound to arise between various teams in their day to day duties. These conflicts have impacts on departmental performance and should be pointed to concern. Independence simply means that a team works without any interference or intervention from non-team members. This freedom cannot be exercised entirely since the teams must be interdependent at some points. As a result of the interdependence, disagreements and dissatisfactions may arise leading to conflicts. Independence gives teams some sense of autonomy. The teams will be in a position to come up with work timetables suitable to them so that the members work at convenient times. Such flexible schedules are right for the minds of the team members because they feel less controlled, and they work when only ready. The performance of the workers will, therefore, be better because they will be mentally and physically prepared for working. (Bezrukova, Thatcher, Jehn, & Spell, 2012) Independence in the teams helps eliminate the barriers that

Classical Mythology in Abstract Expressionism Essay

Classical Mythology in Abstract Expressionism - Essay Example The essay "Classical Mythology in Abstract Expressionism" investigates classical mythology influence on abstract expressionism. The influences of depicting Classical Mythology begin with the thematic work that is accepted with both Surrealists and Abstract Expressionists during both time frames. The main ideology is based on creating the universal theme of humanism that is a part of every experience. The modern artwork depicts this by taking the mythology and relating it to the human experience by representing the mythology from a different perspective. The ideology was to take the idea of humanism and to create a modern approach to the myths that would combine the poetic expression of the artwork and the humanistic ideologies related to the myths. Instead of the stories representing the ancient and mysterious, both artistic movements created a sense of duality with the mythology. This was dependent on the mysterious and the human that combined together to create a sense of poetic me aning with the artwork. By doing this, artists were able to create a sense of meaning through the subject matter which could be depicted in modern society. The importance of the humanistic approach was not only to express the universal themes of duality between human nature and the myths. This was furthered with the time frame in which the artists were developing the portraits in. Many that were depicting the artwork focused on the social and political agenda of the time, specifically with the movement into modernism. The social and political approach was one which consisted of conflicts in society, stress which many were under because of political agendas and change that was continuously moving forward during this time frame. The themes were based on the tension of those who were living with the humanistic side, as opposed to the political and social agendas based on status, violence and struggle. Depicting these themes became an important aspect of the work in both time frames, sp ecifically because of influences of war, political leaders and social change that continued to move forward through contemporary events and ideas which followed (Bernstock, 1993: 153). An example of the artwork that showed the humanistic side and the social and political stresses came through works such as Andre Masson and Jacques Lipchitz (see Appendix A). The work of Andre Masson, Myth of Sisyphus, shows the French Surrealist viewpoint of conflict and humanism during the time. The myth is depicted by a boulder being rolled up a hill, only to continue to roll back down. This is followed in Greek mythology by a king who moves into power but doesn’t follow through with wisdom, instead ruthlessly killing thousands and betraying the gods. The influence of the 1930s was one which was created through the political agendas leading to war as well as the philosophical belief that there wasn’t meaning behind this. When looking at the painting of Masson, it is able to follow the myth of the ruthless actions and the boulder only going back down the hill. Masson does this by making the boulders appear out of place and time, each which carries the same myth as is depicted in the Greek legends. By doing this, Masson is able to create a link to the political leaders of the myth that deceive the gods to the present day, in which the same

Life Changing Sport Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Life Changing Sport - Assignment Example The more upmarket All Star Lanes opened in January, 2006 in the basement of Victoria House in Southampton Row offering bowling alongside a cocktail bar and restaurant (Sunday Times 05.03.06). The sport of bowling (also known as tenpins) is an indoor sport in which a ball between 6 and 16 lbs. in weight is rolled down a lane approximately 42 inches wide and 60 feet long in an effort to knock down 10 pins set in a triangular array at the other end of the lane. The modern version of the sport is traced to the 4th or 5th century A.D. in Germany, where the bowler rolled a ball down the aisle of a church at a club called the heathen. Hitting the heathen was a demonstration of the religious faith of the bowler. During the Middle-Ages, there were a variety of forms of bowling with the number of pins ranging from 3 to 15. Dutch settlers brought the sport to the New World in the early 17th century. The tenth pin was added to the game in 1842. With the advent of Television the popularity of bowling increased in the 1950s. The sport has lost much of its charm and with the mushrooming video-game parlours and other 'pop' activities attention of the young people has been diverted away from bowling. It is considered by many as either pass or too childish, or youth-orientated. The opening of the two new, high-end, bowling alleys is perhaps indicative of a revival of interest in the game. Marketing is the business function that identifies customer needs and wants, determines which target markets the organization can serve best, and designs appropriate products, services, and programs to serve these markets. It guides the entire organization. The goal of marketing is to create customer satisfaction by building value-based relationships with customers, in conjunction with other internal and external business units. The end-result is gaining market leadership by understanding consumer needs and finding solutions of superior value, quality, and service. This presentation looks at understanding the concept, product, positioning and marketing strategy of one of the new bowling alleys (All Star Lanes), and identifying a path for repositioning and promotion with a view to improve profitability through improved customer satisfaction. The Present Product All Star Lanes has four lanes and two upstairs and is positioned as a leisure centre with multiple activities that includes offering a good eating facility and an ambience modelled on America of the 1950s. The face it presents to its customers is 'fresh and flippant and not too straight faced' (squaremeal.co.uk).It has a capacity to seat 80 and offers a cocktail bar and a menu that is American chow wagon based. The dcor is plastic, chrome and leather and tailored to attract young people and at the same time targets to attract clientele by offering a boutique type experience for parties. On all the present identified objectives, it scores well and has attracted very good ratings from critics; some even giving it a four to five star rating on ambience, service, value for money, and food (Time Out, 2006). Repositioning The proposed repositioning requires a total change in concept from being a leisure centre targeting young

Assignment 2 Time Constrained Test-x Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

2 Time Constrained Test-x - Assignment Example This should be geared towards addressing most of the challenges and needs that the society may be n need of. Therefore, through incorporating the triple bottom line theory, this paper will explore on how brands should create shared value (Junge 2011). Triple bottom line principles Social structure of the society One of the main characteristics of triple bottom line is the social structure that a brand is exposed too. For any social structure, the individuals expect that, a business that is being carried out should be beneficial to all the individuals involved and contributing to its success. This involves the laborers in the fields, the region and community in which a business is being conducted by a corporation. Therefore, for a good social structure, a corporate must consider the stakeholder and the labor interest to be interdependent (Cunningham&Cunningham 2004). Part of the social structure consideration is that a corporation should make profits that are based on the raw product and labor considerations. The raw material producer should not be given what they deserve. Some companies ensure that the raw material producer always has very little to benefit from. For example, the cement processing companies should consider the raw material value and give enough returns for the extraction of the raw material. The final product matters but if it was not for the raw material then, there would be no cement being produced. It is thus important that all the social aspects are put into consideration (Cunningham&Cunningham 2004). The labor department should also ensure that, there is no child labor in the company. The use of child labor is a form of exploitation and child abuse. More so, there should be fair wages given to the laborers of a company. The wages should match the type of work they do. Some companies undermine fair wages to their employees. This includes extra working hours under extremely tough conditions with very minimal wages provided to the employees. Some laborers even go the whole day without any allowance for food and water (Rauch 2012). It is thus vital that, considering the social structure, a company considers fair wages and also fair working hours. Providing facilities for health care of the community which is part of a business is vital and offering of education in relation to the products and their impacts is also important. For example, if the use of a certain brand of soap has side effects to the animals, then, there should be precautions on how to handle this type of soap and keep it away from pets kept at home. If all these practices are put into place, it is likely that a business will flourish with the customers and employees put into consideration hence, positive outcomes (Rauch 2012). Environmentally friendly Creation of value also entails considering practices that are sustainable in relation to the environment. The products that are produced by a company should ensure that there are minimal negative environment al impacts. Environmentally friendly and sustainable practices involve incorporating of minimal consumptions of energy resources. This should be carried out with the intention of conserving environmental resources. Better options of energy use like the use of renewable forms of energy should be encouraged (Ganesan 2012). Through this, a company involved in a business should be able to incorporate the reduction of waste

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education - Essay Example One such person is Fr. Pedro Arrupe, the former head of the Jesuits. He is known to have made a statement that set forth the objective of education to be that of forming men and women for others. He continued by saying that these men and women must believe that â€Å"†¦love of self or of God which does not issue forth in justice for the least of their neighbors is a farce†. This essay will look into this statement shedding light on its meaning and giving an example of a person who works for the least of their neighbors. Father’s statement can be divided into two with the first part looking into making ‘men and women for others’. An educated person should be made to realize that their learned skills and competences in life endeavors are to be used to assist other people. This eliminates self-centeredness and opens room for humbleness. Jesuit Secondary Education Association states that education should be designed to make someone more of a people’ s person than an individual. It is actually impractical for someone to use their learned skills and competences on themselves and for their personal gain. ‘Others’ in this context denotes all people regardless of their race, gender, religious affiliations or even moral backgrounds. Discrimination of any kind has no room in education which means that even ‘less than our neighbors’ are simply our neighbors.

The use of microrobotics in healthcare Research Paper

The use of microrobotics in healthcare - Research Paper Example Nanobots are engineered nanodevices or nanomachines whose size is as small as a microbe and are expected to have a wide range of application in the field of medicine as therapeutic agents and other medical uses (Kroeker). The tiny size of the robot is their unique feature which will enable them to interact at the bacterial and virus levels. They could also be easily injected into the bloodstream by which they can reach the target site to fix any problem. This potential application is now being considered for cancer treatment as cancer-killing robots can be injected in to the bloodstream by which they can locate the malignant cancer cells and destroy them through laser or other mechanisms. The efficiency of the nanorobots is such that the tumor could be completely removed right till the last molecule. Such a utility of the nanorobots offers immense benefits both to the patient and the medical team as it is less traumatic and at the same time more efficient than other forms of treatmen t that are currently in use such as chemotherapy. In chemotherapy apart from the malignant cells some non-target normal tissue cells are also damaged. This causes unwarranted stress to the body which is already waging a battle to fight out the tumor cells. Surgery, which is being touted as the last alternative in cancer treatment is also not always effective as it still retains the chance of a tumor relapse as even if a single molecule is left in the body from the surgery the tumor has the potential to return. In such cases even the effort from the medical team might go in vain as it is not always possible to completely remover the tumor cells. The use of nanorobots in such cases will not only cause the non-target cells to remain undamaged while eliminating every single cancer cell but will also ensure that the patient will not be out through a highly invasive or traumatic procedure. Only such a treatment will result in complete recovery for the patient (What are the capabilities of Nanobots?). In addition to their potential use as cancer curing agents, nanorobots could also be used in other common ailments. They can be used to remove particles from the bloodstream by which clogged arteries can be completely opened up by removing every cholesterol molecule. In case an organ is affected nanorobots can be made to swim to the affected region and perform a micro-surgery on the organ in a non-invasive and less traumatic manner thereby preventing the need for any surgery on the already damaged organ. The fact that surgeries are still a painful experience for all concerned cannot be sidelined and hence researchers are constantly searching for an alternative procedure that would be less invasive and traumatic. They can also be used to repair normal tissue damage such as internal wounds. In addition to clearing the damaged tissue cells nanorobots can also be engineered to build newer and healthy cells in the area and seal the wound. By this process the presence of any scar tissue from the wound healing process can also be alleviated. As nanobots do not necessarily warrant a surgical intervention those people suffering from allergies to anesthetics, hemophilic patients who are incapable of undergoing surgery and others with surgery related problems would be immensely benefited by nanobots.. Studies have also shown that nanobots can also function as

Photosensitizer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Photosensitizer - Essay Example The most imperative aspect of this therapy is nontoxic nature of photosensitizers. Production of singlet oxygen is of paramount significance therefore, agents promoting the formation of singlet oxygen as well as two photons absorption are considered to be highly efficient in the therapy. Numerous receptor molecules are over-expressed in tumor cells which are of considerable importance. Peptides recognizing these receptors are conjugated with photosensitizers to reach the target cells. However, after a certain interval when photosensitizers in normal cells degenerate, the tumor cells are exposed to a particular wavelength of light which cause the excitation of the photosensitizer resulting in the formation of cytotoxic singlet oxygen. This oxygen is very reactive and cause cytotoxicity of the diseased or cancerous cells. The phenomenon is exploited in photodynamic therapy to eliminate the side-effects imposed by other cancer therapeutic measures. Photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent is a molecule or a drug that is capable of producing a chemical alteration in another molecule or cell during the photochemical process. Photosensitizers, when exposed to a particular wavelength of light. Photosensitizers generate a form of cytotoxic oxygen that can kill the adjoining cells in the living organism. This property of photosensitizers is exploited to treat numerous superficial and localized cancers together with certain noncancerous conditions (Lau et al, 2014). Photosensitizers are involved in medical science under the name photodynamic therapy or phototherapy, as the therapy involves insertion of certain light sensitive non-toxic chemical agents called photosensitizers, it is also known as photochemotherapy. As long as photosensitizers are not exposed to light they remain non-toxic, in the presence of certain wavelength of light they generate cytotoxic oxygen which can destroy, cancerous cells as well as other contaminated cells including

Human development Essay Example for Free

Human development Essay Life starts at conception. Immediately fertilization takes place changes and events occur that will determine the kind of person to be born. This research tries to find out the effect of early life on the later life of an individual. And if early life affects the later life of the individual, then do children who grow up in violent communities have a tendency to exhibit violent behaviors as adults? The research will apply the cross-sectional design. People who differ in age are studied at the same time. A comparison of age related changes and the social behavior is done. A hypothesis is put forward and a cross-sectional experiment is done to test it. One advantage of this design is that one can collect data from different ages of children over a short period of time. Stages of human development After fertilization takes place, the zygote is formed. The zygote undergoes cell division some hours after it is formed. It takes one week to reach the uterus. In the uterus there occurs implantation. The zygote makes connection to the blood vessels. This process takes about one week(Brian Scott, 2005). After the zygote completely implant into the uterus, it becomes the embryo. This stage occurs between the 3rd week and the 9th week. During this stage the human body structure start to develop. The internal organs also start developing. The embryo consist of three layers: the ectoderm, the outer layer; the endoderm, the middle layer and the endoderm, inner layer. The ectoderm develops into the skin and hair; the mesoderm develops into bones , cartilages and the cardiovascular system ; the third layer develops into the internal organs . The heart start beating after four weeks. By 8 most body organs can be seen in although not well developed. Brian and Scott, 2005 ). The embryo rest in the amniotic sac which contains amniotic fluid. This fluid protects it. The embryo is connected to the mother via the placenta and the umbilical cord. The development of the embryo follows two principles: the cephalocaudal i. e it develops from head towards the legs and the proximodistal – the parts near the centre of the body develops first e. g the arm develops before the hands (Lichtenberg Norton,1970). The third stage is the Fetus stage. This stars from the ninth week. At this stage, most body organs start to work. There is remarkable increase weight. During this period, the body systems like the respiratory system develop. The fetus can move and play in the uterus. It can hear the heart mother’s hear beat and the mother speak. It can detect flavor. The fetus’s senses are developed. The sensory influence can have a lifetime effect on the fetus. A research done by deCasper and Spence( cited in Lorraine ) shows that the last few months of prenatal developments can shape the life of the newborn infant. It can have either positive or negative effect on the infant. For instance extreme stress in the mother can have several effects: First, the stress tigress the production of hormones which reduces the level of oxygen consumption of the fetus. Second, stress may affect eating habits of the mother thus affecting the fetus in turn. Third, it may cause the mother not to take onto account resting, exercising and may influence her to drink. All these have negative effect on the fetus (Joseph , Sandraw,1994). The mother’s age. The mother’s age seems to have an effect on the newborn baby. For instance teenage mothers mothers are likely to have problems during pregnancy and during birth. This is because they may not have the resources and skills to give them a good prenatal care. Again children born by teenage mothers may have problems. However a study ( Leavitt, 1993) revealed that it is the environmental and economic background that affect the child and not necessarily the age of the mother. Also the prenatal care given to the mother determines the behavior of the child. Nevertheless, older women, over 35 years experience more problems during pregnancy than younger women. They also record higher rates of miscarriage and Down ’s syndrome (Cited in Nelson). In general, for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby, the age of the mother should be between 20 to 35 years. Teratogens. : Drugs, deseases and environmental harzards. Teratotegen is anything that affect a pregnancy. Some teratogens are: Drugs: Many drugs consumed by pregnant women pose great danger to the fetus and the mother. This was discovered after a drug called thalidomide caused women to bear children with malformed body organs. Thalidomide was being used by pregnant women to assist them sleep Other examples of teratogens are alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, nicotine and cigarettes. Joseph Sandraw, 1994). Diseases: Some diseases do not have any serious effect on the pregnant women. However most viral and bacterial diseases have effect on the pregnancy. The most serious ones are AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis and genital herpes. These may cause low immune system and various disorders in the unborn (Lichtenberg Norton, 1970). Environmental hazards: The wastes from the industries contain chemicals. These chemicals may be absorbed into the mother’s body in small quantities through breathing and drinks. These cause great damage to the fetus since they are teratogens. Environmental teratogens are more serious because the mother may not be aware that she is taking it. Thus she may not have control over it. (Joseph Sandraw, 1994). However some teratogens may be avoided especially those found in food as food additives. Freud(1954) suggested that life starts at birth. Most psychoanalysts of his time believed so. They believed that the brain developed at infancy. Winnicot(cited in Freud) did a research which found that the experience of the unborn is very important the infant. It could have emotional implications that could affect the person even as an adult. Winnicott observed children and saw that there very many differences. He noted that problems caused during labor could traumatize the baby who develops a lot of distress. He conclusively said that the experience gained in the womb remain in memory for a lifetime. In the womb, traumatized fetus even develops defensive mechanisms to face the expected trouble. Later research therapists conducted research and were able to conclude that early trauma created a lot of fear for the rest of the life of the infant. The feelings of anxiety, seeing being devoured by ogres, falling into a bottomless bit are as a result of early trauma. An example is given of an infant who was mistakenly exposed to cold in a very cold night (Lorraine). This child always dreamt lying in the refrigerator and this continued even after 30 years. This shows that early trauma caused the infant to expect disaster at any time. However the discovery of the effect of perinatal trauma on the life of an individual helped therapists to treat patients with problems related to early trauma (Freud, 1954). Recent research by perinatal psychologists, neurobiologists, experimental psychologists has shown great connection of fetal trauma to problems experienced later in life. Initially biologists used to think that the fetus had incomplete myelination of neurons and therefore it could not have memories. Research shows that the thinly myelinated nerves of fetus can transmit waves but at a lower rate. Joseph et al.. Thus the experience gained in the womb may make one to be aware of violence, disaster lack faith. With this in mind, parents have started to consider the unborn as part of the member of the family. A father who played a game with a baby and the mother found that the next baby easily learnt the game. These parents tried to avid any experiences that may cause fetal distress (Lichtenberg Norton,1970). Fourteen independent studies have shown the relationship between antenatal maternal anxiety and emotional distress in the child. Prenatal stages are likely to be affected by antenatal stress. These reports have suggested that maternal distress affect the fetus as evidenced by increased fetal heart rate (FHR). This is done by use of ultrasound and monitoring FHR over long periods of time. Both the experimental and distress –induced study design have been employed to achieve this. For a normal case, at about the 15th week of the pregnancy fetal movements exhibit a certain pattern. As developments progress the fetal movements become dependent on specific heart rate pattern. These patterns finally develop into sleep-wake patterns which characterize stable temporal origination near term. There is a relationship between body movements and FHR accelerations. Fetal behavior is organized in rest activity or sleep- wake cycle (Lichtenberg Norton, 970). Effect war and social violence Family violence and trauma caused by war are passed through generations. Adults who were exposed to abuse and violence are more likely to show violence to their own offspring. They have difficulty forgetting their past and live normally. War and violence are everywhere in our societies. Many ethnic clashes continue for years and our children are being exposed to their effects. The children are being thought that disputes are being solved by use of violence. This violence is passed from generation to generation. Research and behavioral science has began to confront the problems of children exposed to violence. (Heidi, 2002). Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in the prevalence of domestic violence. Domestic violence has severe effect on families and society in general. Domestic violence can be in the form physical abuse, psychological abuse and sexual abuse. Exposure to violence creates traumatic stress. Traumatic stress can be either short term or long-term. Terr ( cited in Brian Scott, 20005) describes short term trauma as â€Å"Type I† e. g a single event of rape or beating. He described repeated or prolonged trauma as â€Å"Type II†. Type II has more serious effects than type I. Individual exposed to this kind of trauma may develop Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD makes one to show routine withdrawal and oversensitivity. Many children from domestic violence homes show levels of (PTSD) (Leavitt, 1993). If untreated, the children exhibit violent behaviors, delinquency and other social and psychological problems. Since young child do have the ability to express themselves verbally, the emotional problems developed are behavioral such as lack of sleep, feeding problems, inability to concentrate, withdrawn and physical complaints. The pre-adolescents child may in addition to the above problems show loss of interest in peers, poor self concept violence,, defiant behavior and temper out bursts. Adolescents are likely to fail academically and start abusing drugs. Youth who exhibit violent behaviors can be traced to families experiencing domestic violence. An estimated 20% 30% of dating teenagers abuse or are being abused by their partners mentally, sexually, emotionally or physically. Between 30% and 50 % of adult relationships show the same cycle of violence (Leavitt, 1993) Nelson ( 2000), points out that community violence also has an impact on children who were victimized or who witnessed member of community or family members being victimized get affected. The effect of violence spread to even those children who are not directly affected by violence. Violence tampers with activities of the child which might make the child a better person. Impact of violence on the child depends on the level of development of the child. Early exposure to violence is more detrimental than later exposure( p. 266) In 1995 FBI report it reported that 27% of all violent crime involved domestic violence. All forms of violence affect the child’s mind. One study was done to show the connection between the brain and someone’s violence. Psychologists observed brain imaging data for a great number of people with violent behaviors. The research focused on specific brain regions. One was the orbital frontal cortex and the amyglada. The results showed that most of the cases, there was absence of normal activity in the orbital and anterior regions. While the shoed normal activity. The two regions will not counteract and this may explain some people are hyper aroused ( Lorraine).