Social Work Practice

Social Work Practice A Summary of my Understanding of Critical Reflection with Social Work Practice INTRODUCTION Reflective social work practice is a key learning and development process in social work courses which enable social work trainees to apply theories and models in critical and challenging situations in practice to enhance professional developments (Scragg and Knott, 2007). Great emphasis is placed on developing skills of critical reflection about, in and on practice and this has developed over many years in social work. Reflecting about, in and on your practice is not only important during practice learning and education to become a social worker, but it is considered a key to continued professional development. Social work is a profession that acknowledges life-long learning as a way of keeping up to date, ensuring that research informs practice and striving continually to improve skills and values for practice (Parker, 2004). Contemporary social work educators and practitioners are increasingly emphasizing the value of reflective practice as a rich source of social work theories an d skill development that conceptualize formal learning theory (DCruz et al, 2007). This essay will explore my understanding of reflective social work practice and the application of key theories and models of reflection to promote best social work practice. Schon(1993) considers critical reflective practice to involve thoughtfully considering ones own experiences in applying knowledge to practice while being coached by professionals in the discipline (Ferraro, 2000). In order to put this into perspective, I will begin this essay by looking at the development and nature of critical reflective practice followed by my understanding of critical reflection and its application within social work. Also I will look at the merits and demerits of critical reflective practice in social work. The next section will involve a critical account of my development of reflective practice in my practice learning opportunity (PLO). Zhao (2003) defines reflective practice asan ability to reflect on experiences, to employ conceptual frameworks, and to relate these to similar and dissimilar contexts so as to inform and improve future practice. Kondrat (1992) explained that reflection on practice in social work has been associated with attempts by practitioners to distance themselves from their experiences and thereby achieve a more objective view of their practice (cited in DCruz et al 2007). However according to Fook (2002) critical reflection places more emphasis and importance on understanding how a reflective stance uncovers power relations, and how structures of domination are created and maintained (www.courses.hull.ac.uk/modules/MA PLO inductionsession.html) [accessed on 22/09/2009]. Also critical reflection, as an approach to practice and the generation of knowledge, values the practice wisdom of practitioners and seeks to generate theory from practice experience inductively (DCruz et al 2007). As a practice skill, critical reflection has been developed as a process that is taught to practitioners and students to enable them to enhance and research their practice (Fook, 1999, 2002). DEVELOPMENT OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE A review of development of reflective practice in contemporary times indicates a substantial knowledge base. The thinking about critical reflection and reflective practice has evolved over many years, through carefully constructed theories, research and application. Dewey (1938) suggested that people only begin to reflect when they identify an issue as a problem to be overcome and recognize that this can create an air of uncertainty about the outcome (Parker, 2004). Schon (1987) is widely credited with the extensive development of reflective practice and thereby increasing the popularity of reflective practice in social work practice. His work was built on the ideas proposed by John Dewey, where he describes the process of change and understanding in professional learning and development from a technical- rational approach to an approach based on reflection-in-action (www.learningmatters.co.uk/sampleChapters/) [accessed 20/09/2009]. He asks social work practitioners to engage in a re flective conversation where they could blend theoretical knowledge with their own personal experience to gain a greater understanding of a specific situation. Schà ¶n is of the notion that real life practice situations could be messy, involve uncertainty, and may challenge our preconceptions and beliefs. It is clear that Schà ¶ns idea of a reflective practitioner requires honesty and openness to engage in a critical reflective conversation to improve social work practice. However, he admits that this level of openness may occasionally be problematic if students are required to share their reflections with supervisors or fellow students due to power imbalances within the practice (www.learningmatters.co.uk/sampleChapters) [accessed 20/09/2009]. Schà ¶n (1984) and Kolb (1983) separate works have given critical reflective practice the credibility in contemporary social work practice, where they have employed basic principle of reflecting on experience to improve action and professional practice (Saltiel 2006). In recent years the concepts of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action have become widely influential, in professional educa tion and training where a wide range of teaching methods have been developed to encouraged students to reflect on their practice and integrate theory with action ( Saltiel, 2006). Schon (1983) realising the risk reflection-in-action could create in the future as it become habitual and routinised, advocated for a much more formalised methods of reflection known as reflection-on-action. This is a reflection after an event has occurred by revisiting previous judgements in a more analytical way designed to make tacit knowledge explicit (Taylor, 2006).   WHY CRITICAL REFLECTION FOR LEARNING IN SOIAL WORK PRACTICE? Reflective practice is split into two interrelated components, practice and reflection, which are clearly not just as simple as doing and thinking. Practice, is an event which is usually, but not always, observable, which Michael Eraut (1994) calls practice performance. It includes cognitive and affective aspects as well as the behavioural. On the hand reflection, implies a number of processes which are largely linked to the practice event (www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/000000468.htm) [accessed 19/09/2009]. Calderhead (1989) defined reflection broadly; as an acquisition of attitudes and skills in thinking. It is a process of becoming aware of the influence of societal and ideological assumptions, especially ethical and moral beliefs, behind professional practice. The two components are clearly not discrete since good practice will, for example, consist of the practitioner eliciting the clients or service users reflections on the practice. The various processes of reflection as outlined particularly by Schon (1987) can be summarised as the analysis, synthesis, evaluation and feeling. However, critical reflection transforms practice by challenging existing social, political and cultural conditions (Clift et al., 1990). It involves ethical and moral criticism and judgements (www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/000000468.htm) [accessed 19/09/2009]. My practice learning experience at Age concern has challenge my knowledge and values in working with my supervisors, colleagues and service users and more importantly my experience acquired from FASU in my PLO1.   At Age Concern the environment was quite friendly but intimidating and the workload was demanding as much was expected of me.   However, by deploying reflective techniques such as self and peer assessment, reflective conversation, engaging in collaborative discussions with my team members and critically reflecting on my practice and professional development I got grip with the practice. I always engage in a reflective conversation with my supervisors and peers where I blend my theoretical knowledge acquired from formal learning with my own personal experience to gain a greater understanding of situations. Schà ¶n (1987) is of the view that real life practice situations can be messy, involve uncertainty, and may challenge our preconceptions and beliefs. It is clear from Schà ¶ns idea that a reflective practitioner requires honesty and openness to engage in a critical reflective conversation. However, this level of openness may occasionally be problematic if students are required to share their reflections with supervisors or fellow students (www.learningmatters.co.uk/sampleChapters/) [accessed 20/09/2009]. Working with service users who are fifty years and above and experiencing social inequalities and deprivation in different circumstances was very challenging. My openness and honest attitude towards my service users helped me to record events in the right perspectives. Thereafter by critically reflecting on the actions taken during practice transforms my understanding of the theories and models and how to improve my social work practice. According to Fook (2002) critical reflection places emphasis and importance on an understanding of how a reflective stance uncovers power relations, and how structures of domination are created and maintained (www.courses.hull.ac.uk/modules/MA PLO induction session.html) [accessed on 22/09/2009]. My understanding of critical reflection coupled with a supportive learning environment at Age Concern, made me to appreciate better how theoretical knowledge and skills are vital to best social work practice. It seems to me that critical reflective practice offers a highly challenging paradigm of learning. It is more of inductive learning than a deductive learning as the case may be in formal learning contexts such as Higher Education Institutions. MERITS AND DEMERITS OF CRITICAL REFLECTICE PRACTICE Under appropriate environmental conditions, critical reflective practice can help individual social workers and students to enhance their personal and professional development in practice. Appropriate conditions include: a supportive environment, social workers readiness to undergo self-reflection, individual space for individual workers to undergo critical reflective practice, workers own reflective practice and awareness of ones limits and breaking point (Yip, 2006). A supportive environment does not only imply a supportive organizational context, including colleagues and supervisors but how it encourages empathic rapport that is crucial for constructive self-reflection in reflective practice (Calderhead, 1989). It is obvious that mutual support and open sharing among colleagues is the best breeding ground for constructive critical self-reflection. Notwithstanding the supportive environment, the individual social workers open-mindedness is critical for spontaneous and critical self -reflection in reflective practice (Atkins and Murphy, 1993). Moreover, according to Fisher (1997) critical reflective practice is learning tool for social work students that provide solutions to a wide range of practice theories and models available and enables practitioner-learners to theorise their practice drawing on knowledge embedded in practice. The technique of critically reflecting on previous practice aim to promote the development of practitioners abilities to generate understanding of their practice, their theories of action and the values they hold. Another attraction of reflective practice is the hope that it seems to hold out for personal professional development and transfer of learning from one setting to another (Yip, 2006). Martyn (2001) argues that reflection can help people to make sense of the circumstances presented to social workers in complex situations, relating them to agency requirements (Payne, 2001). Critical reflective practice can be a rewarding experience resulting in self-enhancement in both personal and profes sional development. Contrarily, unsupportive setting can mostly be destructive to many social work students self and professional development. Such unsupportive conditions include an oppressive social environment, highly demanding working environment, social workers unresolved past experiences from previous learning placements as well as supervisors- students relationships. An oppressive environment implies a setting where there is an imbalance of power that is oppressive to the individual worker and discouraging professional development (Miehls and Moffatt, 2000). Sometimes it may be a highly critical supervisor, apathetic colleagues, a working team full of oppressive politics and dynamics, or insecurity and uncertainty in the social workers employment. In an oppressive environment, social workers may be obliged to disclose their weaknesses and shortcomings or their unpleasant practice experiences to supervisors within the agency; such disclosure may then be used against the worker as an excuse to abus e, to exploit, to undermine and even to dismiss them (Yip, 2006). Secondly, critical self-reflection in reflective practice demands that social workers subject their inner space and autonomy to self-analysis and self-evaluation (Boyd and Fales, 1983). Self-observation and self-dialogue also demand reflective distance that originates from the social workers own initiative and readiness (Voegelin, 2000 cited in Yip, 2006). However, a demanding workload in terms of a many caseloads, diversity of work, challenging clients may cause exhaustion and stress. This makes critical self-reflection in such settings a real nightmare and may be more of an additional burden rather than to assist the social worker or student. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this essay is an attempt to summarise my understanding of critical reflective social work practice and how it impact on my professional development as a social worker. My practice learning at Age Concern shows that related parties, such as supervisors, agency administrators, social work colleagues or social workers need to create appropriate conditions and relationships for social workers in training to develop their skills and knowledge on critical reflective practice. When social work students critically reflect on challenging issues in their placement, they develop the requisite skills and knowledge which could impact positively on the lives of service users. In reflective practice, social work students are to be encouraged to undergo self-reflection to develop models and theories that would enhance their social work practice. On the other hand, related parties should also be careful to avoid inappropriate conditions that may create possible limitations to the professional and self-development of social workers. Moreover, other researches emphasize on how different conditions affect the self-reflection process of social work students in reflective social work practice. In summary under appropriate conditions, social workers critical self-reflection can be very constructive, resulting in self-enhancement, leading to improvement in social work practice and enables students to plan and focus on what they need to do to improve social imbalance in society. REFERENCES Atkins S. and Murphy, K. (1993) Reflection: a review of literature Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18, pp. 1188-1192. Boyd E. M. and Fales, A. W. (1983) Reflective learning: key to learning from experience, Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23(2), pp. 99-117. Calderhead, J. (1989) Reflective teaching and teacher education Teaching and Teacher Education, 5(1), pp. 43-51. Clift, R., Houston, J. and Pugh, M. (1990) Encouraging Reflective Practice in Education, London, Teachers College Press. Dewey, J (1933) How We Think. Boston: D.C. Heath Co Dempsey, M., Halton, C. and Murphy, M (2001) Reflective Learning in Social Work DCruz, H., Gilligham, P. and Melendes S (2007) Reflexivity, its Meaning and Relevance for social work: A critical review of the literature, British Journal of Social Work 3(1) pp. 73-90 Education: Scalffolding the Process, Social Work Education, 21(5), pp.585-595 Evans, D. (1991) Assessing Students Competence to Practise. London. CCETSW. Ferraro, J. M (2000) Reflective Practice and Professional Development, Eric ClearingHouse Teacher Education, Washington DC Fisher, T (1997) Learning about child protection, Social Work Education, vol16 pp. 93-111 Gould, N. (1989) Reflective learning for social work practice, Social Work Education,8(2), pp. 9-19. Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential Learning. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall PTR. Miehls, D. and Moffatt, K. (2000) Constructing social work identity based on reflexive self, British Journal of Social Work, 30, pp. 339-348.Own Practice, Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann. Ruch, G. (2000) Self and social work: towards and integrate model of learning, Journal of Social Work Practice, 14(2), pp. 99-112. Schà ¶n, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner, New York, Basic Books. Schà ¶n, D. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner, San Franciso, Jossey Books. Schà ¶n, D. (1993) Reflective Inquiry in Social Work Practice, Hong Kong, Centre for the Study of Social Work Practice. Sheppard, J. (2000) Learning from personal experience: reflections on social work practice with mother and child and family care, Journal of Social Work Practice, 14(1), pp. 38-50. Taylor, C. and White, S. (2001) Knowledge, truth and reflexivity: the problem of judgement in social work, Journal of Social Work, 1(1), pp. 37-59. Voegelin, E. (2000) In Search of Order, St Louis, University of Missouri Press. Yip, K (2006) Self-reflection in Reflective Practice: A note of caution. British Journal of Social Work, vol. l36 pp.777-788 Zhao, F. (2003) Enhancing the Effectiveness of Research and Research Supervision through Reflective Practice Walker., McCarthy, P., Morgan, W., Timms, N. (1995) In Pursuit of Quality: Improving Practice Teaching in Social Work. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Relate Centre for Family Studies. www.courses.hull.ac.uk/modules/MA PLO induction session.html www.learningmatters.co.uk/sampleChapters/ www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/000000468.htm www.courses.hull.ac.uk/modules/

Psychology and the Bipolar Disorder Essay

Abstract Bipolar Disorder is a serious psychiatric condition that manifests usually in the late teens and affects about one in fifty people. Afflicted individuals experience heightened and extreme states of mania or elation to severe depression, with one in six sufferers inclined to commit suicide. Researchers have discovered biological and genetic links to this illness. Environmental factors such as stressful situations and even diet have been revealed to trigger its onset to those who are biologically inclined to have it, or aggravate its symptoms to those who are already diagnosed with BPD. Bipolar Disorder is a psychiatric condition previously known as manic depression. It is a mental illness that influences how a person acts, feels and thinks. Generally, people with bipolar disorder experience a cycle of mood swings that range from elation to depression. The degrees of these mood swings likewise vary from mild to extreme. The experience of extreme elation is also known as mania. Studies have shown an estimated one percent of the population develop bipolar disorder. Symptoms usually manifest itself in early adulthood. For many people with bipolar disorder, this condition usually lasts throughout their lives. The effects of bipolar disorder also extend to social and occupational aspects. Sufferers may withdraw from family and friends, and sometimes find themselves unable to work. There is a tendency for bipolar disorder to occur in sporadic episodes. Between episodes, the individual may experience no symptoms and function normally. About a third of them however may continue to experience mood difficulties or problems socially or with work between bipolar occurrences. People who have bipolar disorder often are not fully conscious of their condition. Those who fail to receive treatment may experience an average of four episodes in ten years. A minority of people with bipolar disorder (15%) may have many episodes in a year. Bipolar disorder is brought about by both biological (brain chemistry) and genetic (history of the disorder in the family) factors, as well as lifestyle (stressors and diet) and environmental (mania in spring, depression in winter) factors. In other words, both â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† influence the occurrence of bipolar disorder in people. This paper will examine the inter-relationship between the various â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† factors, in giving rise to the onset of bipolar disorder in people (The Australian Psychological Society, 2008). It is estimated that more than two million Americans have it. Men and women are equally affected. Onset of the condition is usually during late teens. It is also estimated that an additional one million children and pre-teens are suffering from the early stages of bipolar disorder. Detection and diagnosis are at most times delayed. Often people suffer for a decade before condition is diagnosed (Time Magazine – Young and Bipolar, 2002). In the United Kingdom, about half a million people are estimated to have bipolar disorder (University of Edinburgh, 2007). Bipolar disorder is a major psychiatric illness. According to a study in Australia, bipolar disorder affects around one in fifty people, and one in every six people with bipolar disorder will commit suicide (University of New South Wales, 2006). Biological Causes of Bipolar Disorder In the Seventh International Conference on Bipolar Disorder in June 2007, two studies have linked the brain as containing vital clues or markers for the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Dr. Husseini Manji, chief of the laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology at the National Institute of Mental Health suggested that bipolar disorder occurs as a result of abnormalities in neuronal plasticity cascades. This is the complex machinery inside new cells which regulates various processes in the human body. Disruptions in these pathways were discovered to lead to many of the primary symptoms of bipolar disorder. Dr. Mary Phillips, Director of Functional Neuroimaging in Emotional Disorders at the Western Psychiatric Institute and the Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, has discovered patterns of abnormalities in the neural systems that bring about emotional processing and cognitive control uniquely attributed to the bipolar brain (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2007). In Time Magazine’s interview with Dr. Wayne Drevets of the National Institute of Mental Health, five parts of the human brain were described to have abnormal activities in the bipolar brain. The Ventral Striatum is that which helps the brain process rewards. In the bipolar brain, this Ventral Striatum is over-active, with about 30% less gray matter in this region. The resulting behavior is a loss in judgment for certain behaviors such as overspending or being indiscriminate. The Prefrontal Cortex, or parts of it, regulates emotion. It is also vital in processing motivation and rewards. In the bipolar brain, braches that supposedly connect neurons are lost, leading to a 20-40% reduction of gray matter. The Amygdala is one of the brain’s emotional centers. It helps in the identification of facial expressions and tones of voice. When a person is emotionally stimulated, neural transmissions increase. When a person is repeatedly exposed to the same stimulating images or experiences, habituation or reduced response occurs. In the bipolar brain, habituation the repeated stimuli occurs slowly, thus the brain remains reactive even beyond the usual response period. The Hippocampus is one of the brain’s centers of memory. The subiculum, a layer of the hippocampus, helps recognize circumstances that represent reward or danger. In the bipolar brain, the branches that connect neurons are lost. Thus leading to a constant state of anxiety since the person can no longer identify situations that are safe. The nucleus in the brain stem contains the serotonin cell bodies. These create and disperse the neurotransmitter to various sections of the brain. In a bipolar brain, there is 40% less serotonin receptor in the nucleus. The resulting atrophy of neurons usually lead to depression (Kluger & Song, 2002). People with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have been discovered to have overactive protein kinase C (PKC) enzymes. This enzyme impairs higher brain functions, according to a study of Yale University in 2004. This study tested the effects of increased PKC activity in the prefrontal cortex of animals that performed working memory tasks. The regulation of thoughts, behaviors and feelings all takes places in the prefrontal cortex region of the brain. Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia renders the prefrontal cortex dysfunctional. Direct or indirect activation of PKC in animals dramatically impaired functions of the prefrontal cortex. PKC triggers the cognitive symptoms as a response to stress. When the chemical norepinephrine, the stress-sensitive messenger, binds to cell membrane receptors in the prefrontal cortex, the PKC is activated through a cascade of events. The PKC enzyme thus travels out to the cell membrance, opens the ion channels which heighten the cell’s excitability, and strokes the protein machinery which propels neurotransmitters into the synapse. Inhibition of PKC on the other hand, protected the prefrontal cortical function. For cognitive tasks that did not rely on the prefrontal cortex, no changes in performance were observed (NIH/NIHM, 2004; Yale University, 2004). This particular research results contributes to the mounting evidence of that excessive activity of the PKC may cause distractibility, impulsivity, disturbed thinking and impaired judgment seen in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Yale University, 2004). In Australia in 2006 scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of New South Wales discovered the first risk gene specifically associated with bipolar disorder. People with this particular form of gene are twice as likely to develop the disease. Studies with families, unrelated patients and therapeutic drug mouse models led to the discovery of this gene called FAT – a gene related to the connection of brain cells. The research’s initial findings pointed that the popular lithium treatment for bipolar disorder exerts a therapeutic effect by altering FAT gene expression and also alters the expression of genes encoding FAT’s protein partners. This particular research on the FAT gene continues to discover further how it functions, to be able to develop better diagnostic tests and treatment (University of New South Wales, 2006). Genetic factors of Bipolar Disorder It is unlikely that scientists will expect genes to tell the whole story about major psychiatric diseases. However, the persistent frequency of mental illness in one percent of the international human population, across ethnic and cultural differences, and its tendency to manifest itself in families point to a strong genetic link (Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 2003). Scientists have reason to believe in that bipolar disorder can be passed on to next generations of families genetically. In â€Å"gene penetrance,† families susceptible to certain illnesses develop it differently throughout generations. It is more common-place that later generations suffer worse than previous generations due to a genetic mechanism known as â€Å"trinucleotide repeat expansion.† Each time genes are inherited, defective sequences of these genes grow longer. This results in descendants coming down with the illness. Trinucleotide repeat expansion has been associated with Huntington’s disease, and evidence is currently mounting to this genetic condition increases the risk of having bipolar disorder as well. The National Institute of Mental Health has worked with eight research centers around the United States to study genomes of 500 families with a history of bipolar disorder to examine what genetic quirks are shared. Ten out of forty-six human chromosomes were discovered to show irregularities that may be linked with bipolar disorder. Chromosome 22 is the most interesting of which. This same chromosome has also been associated with schizophrenia, and velo-cardio-facial syndrome. All these disorders are related by patients’ experience of delusions (Kluger & Song, 2002). Environmental triggers of Bipolar Disorder Environmental factors in itself are not believed to singularly cause bipolar disorder in people. Dr. Michael Gitlin, Head of the Mood Disorders Clinic at the University of California in Los Angeles says that most doctors and scientists do not think environmental stress causes bipolar disorder. But these factors can trigger the condition in people who are already vulnerable (Kluger & Song, 2002). Like many latent emotional disorders such as alcoholism, anxiety conditions, depression, bipolar disorder can also be triggered by major life events such as death, divorce, losing one’s job, or rights of passage such as moving out to start college, marriage, birth of a child. These and other situations that cause stress and anxiety are believed to trigger bipolar disorder (Kluger & Song, 2002). The Yale University study has also revealed thatt mild stress can activate PKC, and thus contribute to the worsening of symptoms in patients already with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The link between outside stress as stimulating the PKC can thus be used to explain deterioration of higher brain function, and why bipolar disorder and schizophrenia patients are most susceptible to dysfunctions that are stress-induced (Yale University, 2004). Dietary factors and ingested substances as triggers to Bipolar Disorder What a person eats and drinks are also believed to trigger bipolar disorder. Caffeine triggers mania for those with bipolar disorder. Teens are thus advised to stay away from coffee and tea. Children already diagnosed with bipolar disorder must avoid caffeinated foods such as chocolate and sodas. Teens and adolescents must avoid alcohol and drugs. The risks for addiction to these substances by bipolars is substantially higher, and treatment for bipolar disorder will be much more difficult since the patient’s mind is already clouded by these recreational chemicals (Kluger & Song, 2002). Lead poisoning was discovered to have links with distractibility and impulsivity that are evident in children with bipolar disorder. Even low levels of lead can activate the PKC enzyme, thus impairing the individual’s self regulation of his/her behavior. (Yale University, 2004). Lizzie Simon has bipolar disorder. She has written a book about her condition entitled â€Å"Detour,† which even inspired an MTV Special entitled â€Å"True Life: I’m Bipolar.† Time Magazine featured excerpts of her book, describing the first significant onset of bipolar disorder symptoms when she was seventeen years old, and her particular circumstances during this time. She was in Paris on her senior year abroad. She was having a wonderful time, and remembered thinking that she had never been this happy for this long in her entire life. She then received a letter of early admission to Columbia University. Early the next morning, after such a perfect day prior, she felt insane. She experienced an uncomfortable light fuzz building up in her head. She described the feeling as if her jeans were too tight and her shoes were too big, but in her head. She remembered her place ride home for Christmas, and getting intoxicated with a guy in the last row. At that point for Lizzie, things started to fade. Between Christmas and New Year, she felt drifting and drowning. Her walls swooned. She documented in her journals thoughts of suicide attempts, experiences of being broken- hearted, sadness and other dark experiences. After receiving an initial treatment of Paxil, an anti-depressant, Lizzie returned to Paris and brought her pills with her. In Paris, Lizzie was in a manic state. She remembers sitting in a cafà © on a sunny day, then standing up and announcing loudly that she was going to walk until she got laid. Lizzie experienced many more psychotic episodes from manic to depressive during this period – sitting in her bedroom and thinking that there were microphones everyone, expecting killers to enter her room, feeling that the Mona Lisa was smiling at her, thinking she was a cat infested with bugs. She even bit her hand until she broke her own skin. At one time, she was about to jump off a terrace, only to be disrupted by the ringing of her phone. She remembered the caller being a woman who sounded like her mother. But she then thought then it was the CIA. She sought treatment at the American Hospital in Paris. She was advised to stop taking Paxil, and was diagnosed to have bipolar disorder. She flew home and later on, started taking Lithium (Simon, 2002). It is interesting to note that Lizzie Simon’s grandfather had bipolar disorder. Since her family kept it a secret, Lizzy had no idea of this particular aspect of her family history until after she was diagnosed, and after the symptoms developed into more severe forms. He was diagnosed the year she was born. Lizzie was diagnosed the year her grandfather died (Simon, 2002). This is not an issue of nature versus nurture. What the evidence points out is more of a â€Å"nurture enhancing nature† inter-relationship. Although numerous studies have shown that there are people who are predisposed biologically and genetically to bipolar disorder, external factors such as events, stress and even diet can not only trigger bipolar disorder. These factors can also worsen the symptoms of already diagnosed bipolar patients. Lizzie Simon’s story is just one of thousands of incidents of people inheriting the genes that lay the foundation of bipolar disorder, the prominent symptoms of which are triggered by emotional and stressful external events and circumstances. In the same manner, people with bipolar disorder, or those who are most inclined to develop this condition (having parents or grandparents with bipolar disorder) can prevent its occurrences, or at least lessen the severity of its symptoms, depending on how they personally manage stressful situations in their lives. The principle of external and environmental factors as triggering the onset, or worsening the symptoms of bipolar disorder is already widely accepted internationally. But studies to better understand the details of these inter-relationships of â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture,† particularly to develop better diagnostic tests and treatments are on-going. References Australian Psychological Society (2008) What is Bipolar Disorder? Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.psychology.org.au/community/bipolar/ Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (2003, April 1). Families With Severe Form Of Bipolar Disorder Help Scientists Narrow The Search For Disease Genes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Families%20With%20Severe%20Form%20Of%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20Help%20Scientists%20Narrow%20The%20Search%20For%20Disease%20Genes.htm Kluger, J. & Song, S. (2002) Young and Bipolar. Time Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101020819-336003,00.html NIH/National Institute Of Mental Health (2004, November 3). Stress Impairs Thinking Via Mania-Linked Enzyme. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Stress%20Impairs%20Thinking%20Via%20Mania-Linked%20Enzyme.htm Simon, L. (2002). Everything was perfect†¦and then I went insane. Time Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/cov ers/1101020819/detour.html University of Edinburgh (2007, July 21). Manic Depression Linked With Brain Tissue Loss. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Manic%20Depression%20Linked%20With%20Brain%20Tissue%20Loss.htm University of New South Wales (2006, January 13). FAT Chance Of Becoming Manic-depressive. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/FAT%20Chance%20Of%20Becoming%20Manic-depressive.htm University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2007, June 9). Brain Holds Clues To Bipolar Disorder. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Brain%20Holds%20Clues%20To%20Bipolar%20Disorder.htm Yale University (2004, November 5). Enzyme Linked To Mania And Schizophrenia Impairs Higher Brain Func tions. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Enzyme%20Linked%20To%20Mania%20And%20Schizophrenia%20Impairs%20Higher%20Brain%20Functions.htm

Road to Dreams

Life has always been about making choices. We are brought to a realization that the choices we make in life would either make or break us. The past year has been an adventure for me.I was able to experience new and exciting things that were beneficial in my growth and maturity as an individual. For the past few years, I became interested in rendering service to my community. Children became my weakness, and I paid close attention to children who did not have much in life.As a weakness, I deal with children who have special needs. I make sure that I give these children a memorable time, especially for those who are terminally ill. This is the same service that I offer the elderly, so that I may give them a comfortable life. These are some of the experiences that inspire me to become better with my craft and make a difference. The different experiences and the difference I could make with my passion for children would definitely help improve the quality of service that would be given t o Christ Hospital College Community.I started working and interacting with children a few years ago. Equipped with an open mind and eagerness to succeed, I embarked on my quest to fulfill these challenges. For each case that I encountered, I made sure that I was prepared to become the best individual that I can be. My exposure to the children made me realize that there was more to life than just heartaches.Our close encounter with each other made us appreciate the little things that life had to offer. In their own little way, these children showed me the importance of life, and how important it is to have a strong will in life. Such characteristics were necessary in order to become successful in life.Our Wednesdays were spent in the sensory room, where we would take the time and effort to sit on an exercise ball. This may sound easy for many, but for these kids who are feeling weak physically, this is much effort. A goal was set for each week, and together, we would try and reach th ose goals. We were fortunate enough to have them accomplished, making us a step closer to our goals. I noticed that these kids were willing to give their best in order to improve themselves and feel better.I was once given the opportunity to go on a trip to Give Kids the World Village in Disney World. The foundation granted the wishes of children who had life threatening diseases.I have achieved a strong work ethic while spending time with these children they helped me reach a personal experience that I will always keep with me. I was scared at first, for I could not imagine risking the children experience relapses. For every ride that we went to, I saw the genuine happiness from these kids that I have never seen before. I became more opened to the realities that life had to offer. Being involved in the medical field became more than just a dream – it was a passion that I wanted to continue as I grew older.Working with adults never became a hindrance from my end. In fact, I b ecame more determined than ever to indulge into the said field, where I believe I can accomplish my hopes and dreams. In addition to this, I had numerous experiences that would come as an advantage to my career. These could be employed as my backbone, especially when dealing with different kinds of people.My goals in life do not end after college. I would continue to promote good health and care for people around me, as I age and mature. In addition to this, I would keep myself updated with medical advancements, so that I may be able to apply these in my profession.Furthermore, I believe that I have what it takes to become successful in this field. Aside from my dedication and commitment to this field, I also have the heart those who are in need. I believe that this is my greatest strength in becoming an effective member of the health care team.   Life is indeed filled with different choices, and this was one I took to reach the road towards   my dreams   

The Second Amendment and Stand Your Ground - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 791 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/03/20 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: Gun Control Essay Second Amendment Essay Did you like this example? The Second Amendment was added to the Constitution with its ratification of the Bill of Rights 1791. It states: A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. **At this time, our founding fathers were setting up the United States and creating our Constitution. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Second Amendment and Stand Your Ground" essay for you Create order In the United States there were two major groups of power: Federalists and Anti-Federalists. The Federalists aspired to have a strong central government. The Anti-Federalists†fearing monarchy and tyranny† desired strong state governments of the individual thirteen states. This dispute progressed into the United States military: would we have a powerful army needed to protect from foreign attacks as the Federalists urged for, or, would the Anti-Federalists idea of state militias be the answer. Because of the oppression from the British army both before and during the Revolution, Anti-Federalists were concerned with the idea of one large military force. At this time in 1775, gun ownership was already well-established; however, guns were used to protect the United States from a dictatorship, as well as keeping power over colonists slaves. Southern militias were less worried about protecting themselves against an oppressive military, and more concerned with making sure their slaves knewthat they could not leave. If they tried to leave, they would be shot. Guns were also used to prevent rebellions against slave-owners. It was necessary to keep in mind the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, Northern Militia, and Southern Militia, when drafting the Second Amendment. Because the Constitution established a Federal army, the Second Amendment was created as a compromise in hopes to prevent the Federalists army from rebellion against the government. The Second Amendment was made to releive tension between the states and Federal government. Unlike the hotly debate of the Second Amendments right to bear arms, during this time it was used to enable citizens to be part of a collective militia that would avert the use of the nations military at home. With the country growing, contrasting opinions and perceptions arose about the Second Amendment. The right to gun ownership†beyond the context of military use† was established in the Supreme Court cases District of Columbia v. Dick Anthony Heller. This case was a landmark case for gun-owners in the United States. Heller, A D.C. police officer, applied and was ultimately denied a permit to carry a handgun with him at home. The Supreme Court ruled that this was in violation of his Second Amendment rights, and the ruling was overturned. Scalia, who wrote the majority opinion explained: the Second Amendment Guaranteed an individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation***. In this case, the court placed limits on firearm propriety for convicted felons, school campuses, as well as governmental buildings. This standing diverged from legal precedent, which is one of the reasons Hellers case is so monumental when it comes to gun rights. Stand Your Ground Laws are the legal validation of using self-defense to protect oneself from a threat, and using deadly force if necessary. Stand Your Ground Laws originate from the Castle Doctrine, which names a persons residency their castle. According to the Castle Doctrine, a vulnerable person has no duty to retreat from his home, as they did in English Common Law. Now-a-days, a persons castle extends from not only there home, but someones hotel room, garage, car, and workplace. In the 2000s, with the help of the National Rifle Association and the American Legal Exchange Council, Stand Your Ground Laws were expanded in the South. Floridas Stand Your Ground Laws have been noted as some of the harshest. In 2005, Governor Jeb Bush passed the Stand Your Ground Law, basically exempting then from prosecution, as long as he can prove that the use of weapon was needed to prevent death. Even more despicably, in some states, Stand Your Ground Laws require prosecution to prove that the individual who was threatened was not in the right for defending their property. According to Giffords Law Center, thirty-three states have enacted and interpreted their own Stand Your Ground policies. In 1895, the Supreme Court case Beard v. United Statesstated that an individual who is threatened on his own premises but has not provoked the assault or potential assault is not obliged to retreat, nor to consider whether he could safely retreat, but is entitled to stand his ground**. This case is precedent for the Castle Doctrine. The success of Stand Your Ground Laws in preventing acts of violent crime is hard to calculate. It is difficu lt to name Stand Your Ground Laws as the sole reason from decrease in crime, as demographic shifts, the imposition of harsher sentencing rules, or improving economic conditions all have contributed as well.