Role of Women in Nation Building free essay sample

There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing. † â€Å"woman is the builder and moulder of a nation’s destiny, though delicate and soft as lily, she has a heart, stronger and bolder than that of man, she is the supreme inspiration for man’s onward march. † Women constitute approximately 40% population of a nation. If she is given the task for the development of the country she can make a wonder. She is more dedicated , more hard working, more sincere, more devoted to the cause. Many social evils like; dowry, illiteracy among the females, killing of girl child in the womb, ignoring the hygienic values, police etc. can well be tackled by the active involvement of women. Today the educated women have come out of their inferiority complex and are shouldering all kinds of responsibilities, as Managers, officers, TV and radio news reader, pilots, Ministers, Anchors, Musicians, Clerks, Stenographers, and what not? There are veteran MPs and Ministers in the centre and the State, Ms. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Women in Nation Building or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mayamati, Ms. Jayalalitha, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, Ms. Mamta Bannerjee, Mrs. Rabri Devi, Uma Bharti, Mrs. Vijaya Raje Scindhiya have proved to be the astute Politicans. â€Å"Rightly† said by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, â€Å"our women have a very great part to play in the progress of our country as the mental and physical contact of women with life is much more lasting and comprehensive than that of men. †

Definition of Adams-Onis Treaty

Definition of Adams-Onis Treaty The Adams-Onis Treaty was an agreement between the United States and Spain signed in 1819 which established the southern border of the Louisiana Purchase. As part of the agreement, the United States obtained the territory of present day Florida. The treaty was negotiated in Washington, D.C. by the American secretary of state, John Quincy Adams, and the Spanish ambassador to the United States, Luis de Onis. The treaty was viewed as a significant event at the time, and contemporary observers, including former president Thomas Jefferson, lauded the work of John Quincy Adams. Background of the Adams-Onis Treaty Following the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase during the administration of Thomas Jefferson, the United States faced a problem, as it was not entirely clear where the border lay between the territory obtained from France and the territory of Spain to the south. Over the first decades of the 19th century, Americans venturing southward, including Army officer (and possible spy) Zebulon Pike, were apprehended by Spanish authorities and sent back to the United States. A clear border needed to be defined before minor incidents on the border escalated into anything more serious. And in the years following the Louisiana Purchase, the successors to Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe, sought to acquire the two Spanish provinces of East Florida and West Florida (the regions had been loyal to Britain during the American Revolution, but following the Treaty of Paris, they reverted to Spanish rule). Spain was barely holding on to the Floridas. And was therefore receptive to negotiating a treaty which would trade away that land in return for clarifying who owned land to the west, in what today is Texas and the southwestern United States. Complicated Territory The problem Spain faced in Florida was that it claimed the territory, and had a few outposts on it, but it wasnt settled. And the region wasnt being governed in any sense of the word. American settlers were encroaching on its borders, essentially squatting on Spanish land, and conflicts kept arising. Escaped slaves were also crossing into Spanish territory, and at time U.S. troops ventured into Spains land on the pretext of hunting fugitive slaves. Creating further complications, Indians living in Spanish territory would venture into American territory and raid settlements, at times killing the residents. The constant problems along the border seemed likely to erupt at some point into open conflict. Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. In 1818 Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans three years earlier, led a military expedition into Florida. His actions were highly controversial in Washington, as government officials felt he had gone far beyond his orders, especially when he executed two British subjects he considered spies. Negotiation of the Treaty It seemed obvious to leaders of both Spain and the United States that the Americans would eventually come into possession of Florida. So the Spanish ambassador in Washington, Luis de Onis, had been granted full power by his government to make the best deal he could. He met with John Quincy Adams, secretary of state to President Monroe. The negotiations had been disrupted and nearly ended when the 1818 military expedition led by Andrew Jackson ventured into Florida. But the problems caused by Andrew Jackson may have been useful to the American cause. Jacksons ambition and his aggressive behavior no doubt reinforced the fear that of the Spaniards that Americans could be coming into the territory held by Spain sooner or later. The American troops under Jackson had been able to walk into Spainish territory at will. Spain was beset by other problems. And it did not want to station troops, which would have to be supplied, in remote parts of Florida to defend against any future American encroachments. There was no escaping that if American soldiers could march into Florida and just seize it, there was little Spain could do. So Onis thought he might as well dispense with the Florida problem entirely while dealing with the issue of borders along the western edge of the Louisiana territory. The negotiations were resumed and proved fruitful. And Adams and Onis signed their agreement on February 22, 1819. A compromise boundary was established between the U.S. and Spanish territory, and the United States gave up claims to Texas in exchange for Spain giving up any claim to territory in the Pacific Northwest. The treaty, after ratification by both governments, became effective on February 22, 1821.  The treaty was eventually followed by other treaties that essentially confirmed the boundaries set out in 1821. An immediate result of the treaty was that it reduced tensions with Spain, and made the likelihood of another war seem remote. So the military budget of the United States could be cut and the size of the U.S. Army reduced in the 1820s.

A History of the Guillotine in Europe

A History of the Guillotine in Europe The guillotine is one of European historys most bloody icons. Although designed with the best of intentions, this hugely recognizable machine soon became associated with events that have overshadowed both its heritage and its development: the French Revolution. Yet, despite such a high profile and chilling reputation, histories of la guillotine remain muddled, often differing on quite basic details. Learn about the events that brought the guillotine to prominence, and also the machines place in a broader history of decapitation which, as far as France is concerned, finished only recently. Pre-Guillotine Machines - the Halifax Gibbet Although older narratives may tell you that the guillotine was invented in the late 18th century, most recent accounts recognize that similar decapitation machines have a long history. The most famous, and possibly one of the earliest, was the Halifax Gibbet, a monolithic wooden structure which was supposedly created from two fifteen foot high uprights capped by a horizontal beam. The blade was an axe head, attached to the bottom of a four and a half foot wooden block that slid up and down via grooves in the uprights. This device was mounted on a large, square, platform which was itself four foot high. The Halifax Gibbet was certainly substantial, and may date from as early as 1066, although the first definite reference is from the 1280s. Executions took place in the towns Market Place on Saturdays, and the machine remained in use until April 30th, 1650. Pre-Guillotine Machines in Ireland Another early example is immortalized in the picture The execution of Murcod Ballagh near to Merton in Ireland 1307. As the title suggests, the victim was called Murcod Ballagh, and he was decapitated by equipment which looks remarkably similar to the later French guillotines. Another, unrelated, picture depicts the combination of a guillotine style machine and a traditional beheading. The victim is lying on a bench, with an axe head held above his neck by some sort of mechanism. The difference lies in the executioner, who is shown wielding a large hammer, ready to strike the mechanism and drive the blade down. If this device existed, it may have been an attempt to improve the accuracy of the impact. Use of Early Machines There were many other machines, including the Scottish Maiden - a wooden construction based directly on the Halifax Gibbet, dating from the mid 16th century - and the Italian Mannaia, which was famously used to execute Beatrice Cenci, a woman whose life is obscured by clouds of myth. Beheading was usually reserved for the wealthy or powerful as it was considered to be nobler, and certainly less painful, than other methods; the machines were similarly restricted. However, the Halifax Gibbet is an important, and often overlooked, exception, because it was used to execute anyone breaking the relevant laws, including the poor. Although these decapitation machines certainly existed - the Halifax Gibbet was alleged to have been only one out of a hundred similar devices in Yorkshire - they were generally localized, with a design and use unique to their region; the French guillotine was to be very different. Pre-Revolutionary Methods of French Execution Many methods of execution were used across France in the early 18th century, ranging from the painful, to the grotesque, bloody and painful. Hanging and burning were common, as were more imaginative methods, such as tying the victim to four horses and forcing these to gallop in different directions, a process that tore the individual apart. The rich or powerful could be beheaded with axe or sword, while many suffered the compilation of death and torture that comprised hanging, drawing and quartering. These methods had a twofold purpose: to punish the criminal  and to act as a warning for others; accordingly, the majority of executions took place in public. Opposition to these punishments was slowly growing, due mainly to the ideas and philosophies of the Enlightenment thinkers - people such as Voltaire and Locke - who argued for humanitarian methods of execution. One of these was Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin; however, it is unclear whether the doctor was an advocate of capital punishment, or someone who wanted it to be, ultimately, abolished. Dr. Guillotins Proposals The  French Revolution  began in 1789, when an attempt to relieve a financial crisis exploded very much in the faces of the monarchy. A meeting called an Estates General transformed into a National Assembly which seized control of the moral and practical power at the heart of France, a process which convulsed the country, re-shaping the countrys social, cultural and political makeup. The legal system was reviewed immediately. On October 10th 1789 - the second day of the debate about Frances penal code - Dr. Guillotin proposed six articles to the  new Legislative Assembly, one of which called for decapitation to become the sole method of execution in France. This was to be carried out by a simple machine, and involve no torture. Guillotin presented an etching that illustrated one possible device, resembling an ornate, but hollow, stone column with a falling blade, operated by an effete executioner cutting the suspension rope. The machine was also hidden from the view of large crowds, according with Guillotins view that execution should be private and dignified. This suggestion was rejected; some accounts describe the Doctor being laughed, albeit nervously, out of the Assembly. Narratives often ignore the other five reforms: one asked for a nationwide standardisation in punishment, while others concerned the treatment of the criminals family, who were not to be harmed or discredited; property, which was not to be confiscated; and corpses, which were to be returned to the families. When Guillotin proposed his articles again on December 1st 1789, these five recommendations were accepted, but the beheading machine was, again, rejected. Growing Public Support The situation developed in 1791, when the Assembly agreed - after weeks of discussion - to retain the death penalty; they then began to discuss a more humane and egalitarian method of execution, as many of the previous techniques were felt to be too barbaric and unsuitable. Beheading was the preferred option, and the Assembly accepted a new, albeit repetitive, proposal by the Marquis Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, decreeing that Every person condemned to the death penalty shall have his head severed. Guillotins notion of a decapitation machine began to grow in popularity, even if the Doctor himself had abandoned it. Traditional methods like the sword or axe could prove messy and difficult, especially if the executioner missed or the prisoner struggled; a machine would not only be fast and reliable, but it would never tire. Frances main executioner, Charles-Henri Sanson, championed these final points. The First Guillotine Is Built The Assembly - working through Pierre-Louis Roederer, the Procureur gà ©nà ©ral - sought advice from Doctor Antoine Louis, the Secretary of the Academy of Surgery in France, and his design for a quick, painless, decapitation machine was given to Tobias Schmidt, a German Engineer. It is unclear whether Louis drew his inspiration from existing devices, or whether he designed from afresh. Schmidt built the  first guillotine  and tested it, initially on animals, but later on human corpses. It comprised two fourteen-foot uprights joined by a crossbar, whose internal edges were grooved and greased with tallow; the weighted blade was either straight, or curved like an axe. The system was operated via a rope and pulley, while the whole construction was mounted on a high platform. The final testing took place at a hospital in Bicà ªtre, where three carefully chosen corpses - those of strong, stocky men - were successfully beheaded. The first execution took place on April 25th, 1792, when a highwayman called Nicholas-Jacques Pelletier was killed. Further improvements were made, and an independent report to Roederer recommended a number of changes, including metal trays to collect blood; at some stage the famous angled blade was introduced and the high platform abandoned, replaced by a basic scaffold. The Guillotine Spreads Throughout France This improved machine was accepted by the Assembly, and copies were sent to each of the new territorial regions, named Departments. Pariss own was initially based at the place de  Carroussel, but the device was frequently moved. In the aftermath of Pelletiers execution the contraption became known as the Louisette or Louison, after Dr. Louis; however, this name was soon lost, and other titles emerged. At some stage, the machine became known as the  Guillotin, after Dr. Guillotin - whose main contribution had been a set of legal articles - and then finally la guillotine. It is also unclear precisely why, and when, the final e was added, but it probably developed out of attempts to rhyme Guillotin in poems and chants. Dr Guillotin himself wasnt very happy at being adopted as the name. The Machine Open to All The guillotine may have been similar in form and function to other, older, devices, but it broke new ground: an entire country officially, and unilaterally, adopted this decapitation machine for all of its executions. The same design was shipped out to all the regions, and each was operated in the same manner, under the same laws; there was supposed to be no local variation. Equally, the guillotine was designed to administer a fast and painless death to anyone, regardless of age, sex or wealth, an embodiment of such concepts as equality and humanity. Before the French Assemblys 1791 decree beheading was usually reserved for the rich or powerful, and it continued to be in other parts of Europe; however, Frances guillotine was available to all. The Guillotine Is Quickly Adopted Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the guillotines history is the sheer speed and scale of its adoption and use. Born out of a discussion in 1789 that had actually considered banning the death penalty, the machine had been used to kill over 15,000 people by the Revolutions close in 1799, despite not being fully invented until the middle of 1792. Indeed, by 1795, only a year and a half after its first use, the guillotine had decapitated over a thousand people in Paris alone. Timing certainly played a part, because the machine was introduced across France only months before a bloody new period in the revolution: The Terror. The Terror In 1793, political events caused a new governmental body to be introduced: The  Committee of Public Safety. This was supposed to work quickly and effectively, protecting the Republic from enemies and solving problems with the necessary force; in practice, it became a dictatorship run by Robespierre. The committee demanded the arrest and execution of anyone who either by their conduct, their contacts, their words or their writings, showed themselves to be supporters of tyranny, of federalism, or to be enemies of liberty (Doyle, The  Oxford History of the French Revolution, Oxford, 1989 p.251). This loose definition could cover almost everyone, and during the years 1793-4 thousands were sent to the guillotine. It is important to remember that, of the many who perished during the terror, most were not guillotined. Some were shot, others drowned, while in Lyon, on the 4 to the 8th of December 1793, people were lined up in front of open graves and shredded by grape-shot from cannons. Despite this, the guillotine became synonymous with the period, transforming into a social and political symbol of equality, death and the Revolution. The Guillotine Passes Into Culture It is easy to see why the quick, methodical, movement of the machine should have transfixed both France and Europe. Every execution involved a fountain of blood from the victims neck, and the sheer number of people being beheaded could create red pools, if not actual flowing streams. Where executioners once prided themselves on their skill, speed now became the focus; 53 people were executed by the Halifax Gibbet between 1541 and 1650, but some guillotines exceeded that total in a single day. The gruesome images coupled easily with morbid humour, and the machine became a cultural icon affecting fashion, literature, and even childrens toys. After the Terror, the Victims Ball became fashionable: only relatives of the executed could attend, and these guests dressed with their hair up and their necks exposed, mimicking the condemned. For all the fear and bloodshed of the Revolution, the guillotine doesnt appear to have been hated or reviled, indeed, the contemporary nicknames, things like the national razor, the widow, and Madame Guillotine seem to be more accepting than hostile. Some sections of society even referred, although probably largely in jest, to a  Saint Guillotine  who would save them from tyranny. It is, perhaps, crucial that the device was never associated wholly with any one single group, and that Robespierre himself was guillotined, enabling the machine to rise above petty party politics, and establish itself as an arbiter of some higher justice. Had the guillotine been seen as the tool of a group who became hated, then the guillotine might have been rejected, but by staying almost neutral it lasted, and became its own thing. Was the Guillotine to Blame? Historians have debated whether The Terror would have been possible without the guillotine, and its widespread reputation as a humane, advanced, and altogether revolutionary piece of equipment. Although water and gunpowder laid behind much of the slaughter, the guillotine was a focal point: did the population accept this new, clinical, and merciless machine as their own, welcoming its common standards when they might have balked at mass hangings and separate, weapon based, beheadings? Given the size and death toll of other European incidents within the same decade, this might be unlikely; but whatever the situation, la guillotine had become known across Europe within only a few years of its invention. Post-Revolutionary Use The history of the guillotine does not end with the French Revolution. Many other countries adopted the machine, including Belgium, Greece, Switzerland, Sweden and some German states; French colonialism also helped to export the device abroad. Indeed, France continued to use, and improve upon, the guillotine for at least another century. Leon Berger, a carpenter and executioners assistant, made a number of refinements in the early 1870s. These included springs to cushion the falling parts (presumably repeated use of the earlier design could damage the infrastructure), as well as a new release mechanism. The Berger design became the new standard for all French guillotines. A further, but very  short lived,  change  occurred under the executioner Nicolas Roch in the late 19th century; he included a board at the top to cover the blade, hiding it from an approaching victim. Rochs successor had the screen swiftly removed. Public executions continued in France until 1939, when Eugene Weidmann became the last open-air victim. It had thus taken nearly one hundred and fifty years for the practice to comply with Guillotins original wishes, and be hidden from the public eye. Although the machines use had gradually fallen after the revolution, executions in Hitlers Europe rose to a level that neared, if not exceeded, that of The Terror. The last State use of the guillotine in France occurred on September 10th  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹1977,  when Hamida Djandoubi was executed; there should have been another in 1981, but the intended victim, Philippe Maurice, was granted clemency. The death penalty was abolished in France that same year. The  Infamy of the Guillotine There have been many methods of execution used in Europe, including the mainstay of hanging and the more recent firing squad, but none have quite the lasting reputation or imagery as the guillotine, a machine which continues to provoke fascination. The guillotines creation is often blurred into the, almost immediate, period of its most famous use and the machine has become the most characteristic element of the French Revolution. Indeed, although the history of decapitation machines stretches back at least eight hundred years, often involving constructions that were almost identical to the guillotine, it is this later device which dominates. The guillotine is certainly evocative, presenting a chilling image entirely at odds with the original intention of a painless death. Dr. Guillotin Finally, and contrary to legend, Doctor Joseph Ignace Guillotin was not executed by his own machine; he lived until  1814,  and died of biological causes.

Managerial Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managerial Economics - Research Paper Example Often, the patient needs to adjust with the hearing aids and usually it takes quite a long time failing the endurance of the patient. Social stigma is also a reason for the people not to use the hearing aids as they are likely to be tagged as old and not-so-smart people in the society. It is general perception that price is a chief attribute to penetrate the market but often it is not true for several reasons as has been found in the case of hearing aids too. Price becomes important when consumers view two or more competitive products fulfilling their needs in equal terms. When product differs in their attributes and users see one of them clearly fulfilling their needs in all respects, price becomes a secondary issue. Often, people pay higher prices for a product that meets their needs in clear terms – establishing superiority over competitive products. Amiani (2007) has explored the various attributes that measure elasticity of demand for a product or service. Demand is said to be elastic when total revenue decreases on raising the product price. In contrast, the demand is said to be inelastic when total revenue increases on raising the product price. Some of the attributes, which can decide about elasticity of demand for the hearing aids, can be described as per the following. Hearing aid is an important product, which must have unique features to satisfy the customer needs. Unfortunately, most of the hearing aids available in the market fail to satisfy the customer needs. Hearing aids are in the market since several decades yet consumer perceptions on this product have not changed. Hearing aids are not perceived to be user friendly at the first place. This is one of the major causes for not an appreciable change in the user perception in last several decades. That is to say till date hearing aids suffer from inelastic demand of the market. Hearing aid technology is not yet matured enough so that consumer can differentiate among the products and its at tributes. In other reason, hearing aids require a considerable investment for the patient as it falls out of insurance coverage. Hearing aid yet does not have any substitute in a real sense making it inelastic to the market demand. Amiani (2007) asserts from the past research of ‘Lee and Lotz’ as well as ‘Kochkin’ that hearing aids do not exhibit high elasticity of demand and the reasons are many and varied as mentioned earlier. From this perspective, it makes no sense to reduce the price to increase the revenue of the firm. On the contrary, any such attempt may bring down the revenue of the company. Question: Evaluate different possible strategies that companies could implement to gain a sound position among their competitors in this hearing aids market. Use relevant theoretical concepts discussed in chapters. Answer: Revenue is a function of product price and the corresponding sale in numbers. Any marketer would be interested to increase the revenue and t hereby the profit of the firm. Amlai (2007) has already demonstrated that hearing aids are price inelastic to their demand. Given inelastic nature of demand, as in the case of hearing aids, any reduction in price does not come with corresponding increase in the sale of the product. Marketer needs to explore some other means to expand the market. Currently, only 23.6 percent of the people use hearing aids of the total potential that makes up to 31 million. Even one percent expansion of the total pote

Organisational Culture in Social Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organisational Culture in Social Work - Essay Example It should be noticed that the service manager of the department is respected by the staff and for this reason no conflict can be observed within the workplace as everything is appropriately regulated and monitored in accordance with the commands of the service manager. The assessment team has as a main task the completion of assessments for children in Need (as described by the Children Act 1989), for pregnant women (pre-birth assessment) or even for young people that are admitted to hospital after an episode of self-harm. Despite the well structured organizational hierarchy, the hospital’s main building looks as being ready to fall apart while no initiatives of renovation have been taken until now. This is a fact that could influence negatively the hospital’s visitors. Apart from the above issue, the hospital’s operational structure should be characterized as effective; the responsibilities have been appropriately distributed among the existed staff and the supp ort provided to the hospital’s visitors can be considered as quite satisfactory taking into account the conditions under which the hospital’s employees have to proceed with their tasks. In order to evaluate the organizational culture of the hospital we could use the theories of Brown and Schein. In accordance with the former ‘with regards to organisational culture†¦the available literature offering the interested reader an embarrassment of definitional riches; it is unsurprising that there should be a great diversity of opinion concerning what the phrase ‘organisational culture’ refers to’ (Brown (1998, p. 7). Indeed, the description of organizational structure is a challenging task if taking into consideration the fact that firms’ culture can be differentiated in accordance with the structure of the ‘internal hierarchy’, the personal attitudes of the firm’s owners and the trends of the market (who are often considered as a criterion for the

Defining Drug Addiction

Defining Drug Addiction Sweet Jesus, Aunt Bettyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the white ladys riding a white horse. Heroin, heroin à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ heroin and heroin, these are all slang words for one thing, heroin. It is back in full force. Heroin used to be predominantly used by poor, urban youth, but in recent years, it has grown more popular in the middle class, and affects suburban people of all ages. It is here and it is in your neighborhood. There is no one single causal change for drug abuse. A range of individual, family, social, environmental and other risk factors have been identified. Males are more likely to use illicit drugs at earlier ages than females, and more prone to use them to try to cope with problems (Spooner, 1999). Individuals who struggle with personality disorders often have trouble dealing with others. They often tend to be solemn in nature and almost unbendable in their ways and unable to manage change well. This causes an inability to respond to the normal changes and demands of living. People with personality disorders often feel that they are normal, but tend to have a narrow view of life. They find it exceedingly difficult to participate in the routine daily activities of living. The repercussions of drug abuse are vast yet all encompassing and affect people of all ages. Treatment is the only answer regardless of whether one chooses to become a drug addict or it is, as believed, a disease. This paper will explore the psychology of addiction and examine the relevant research, and psychological theories as it pertains to the issues of drug addiction and propose two solutions to address this problem with a final solution being chosen by the writer, as the best course of action for addicted individuals. Defining Drug Addiction: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful effects to the user and to those around them. It is a brain disease because it actually changes the structure of the brain and the way in which is functions. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) released a new definition of addiction last year, stating, in part that addiction is a chronic brain disorder and not simply a behavioral problem. For the first time, the ASAM has taken an official position that addiction is not solely related to behaviors and lack of control. The actual short definition reads as follows: Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized by the inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, and craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with ones behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death (Definition of Addiction (2011, April 19). While the decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, the brain then changes over time, and those changes challenge a persons self-control and ability to resist the urge to use. This is why addiction classifies as a brain disease; the drug actually changes the brains structure and the way in which it functions. These changes can be long lasting and lead to harmful behaviors in people who abuse drugs (National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). Because of these changes, quitting is often difficult for those that are ready try, and it often takes more than one attempt. Addiction can occur despite a persons strength of character and once it occurs, repeated use changes the delicate and complex systems of the brain. According to Drs. N. Volkow and H. Schelbert, of NIDA, the brain imaging studies from drug-addicted individuals show actual physical changes in those areas of the brain critical to judgment, decision-making, learning, memory, and behavior c ontrol. This is just another reason why researchers believe that these changes alter the actual function of the brain and may help to explain the compulsive, destructive behaviors, which go along with addiction. Drugs of abuse contain chemicals, which actually tap into the brains communication system and actually disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive and process information. There are at least two ways that this disruption happens: by imitating the brains natural chemical messengers and by over stimulating the reward circuit of the brain (National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). misc_volkow.gif Image: National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse. Repeated drug exposure changes brain function. Positron emission tomography (PET) images are illustrated showing similar brain changes in dopamine receptors resulting from addiction to different substances cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, or heroin. The striatum (which contains the reward and motor circuitry) shows up as bright red and yellow in the controls (in the left column), indicating numerous dopamine D2 receptors. Conversely, the brains of addicted individuals (in the right column) show a less intense signal, indicating lower levels of dopamine D2 receptors (Volkow, N. D. (Medical Imaging Scan). (2012). PET Images of Brain Changes after Repeated Drug Exposure). Reduced dopamine production eventually leaves the user incapable of feeling any sense of pleasure, even from the drugs that feed the addiction. Scientists can now visualize this, in the above scan, the lack of dopamine receptors do not show up as bright red and yellow in the right column as they do on the left, in the control group. Drugs of abuse also affect the regions of the brain that help to control desires and emotions which results in a lack of control, and leads the addict to pursue the drug compulsively despite the lack of pleasure produced. Researchers in China at the Mental Health Institute also conducted an imaging study to investigate the gray matter volume in 20 former IV heroin users at three days after abstinence, and again at one month after abstinence. They also used 20 normal subjects used as the control group. They found that at the three-day mark, decreased gray matter density was found in the frontal cortex and occipital regions of the brain but at the one-month mark, there were no significant differences in those regions in the brains of the heroin addicts and the control group. While this was a small study and would need to be replicated in a larger group, what they found was that the changes occurring in the brain were, at least in part, reversible. They had initially, based on previous studies, hypothesized that the heroin dependent subject would have decreased gray matter density permanently (Wang X., 2012). Understanding the Addicted Brain: Illicit drugs (drugs), the term used to describe drugs which are under international control and that are produced, trafficked and/or consumed illicitly(UNODC: Information about drugs, 2012), use affects every part of the brain and its functioning. Drugs and alcohol interfere with the exchange of information in your brain, which actually produce changes that promote drug use. Just seeing a drug or its paraphernalia can bring anticipatory pleasure. This paper will identify just a few of the parts that are affected. The addicted brain is distinctly different from the non-addicted brain, as manifested by changes in metabolic activity, receptor availability, gene expression, and responsiveness to environmental cues. The activation of the brains reward system seems to be the common element in what hooks individuals on drugs. Drugs alter the central nucleus of the almond shaped part of the brain, known as the amygdala. The amygdala has a key function in the acute reinforcing actions of drugs of abuse. The amygdala is a part of the limbic system and is responsible for regulating emotions, fear and pleasure (Koob Volkow, 2009). Drugs also alter the part of the brain involved in impulse control, the prefrontal cortex, which makes it more difficult for addicts to resist taking drugs. This finding may help to explain why adolescents are more susceptible to addiction the prefrontal cortex does not become fully developed until people reach their mid-20s. The brain becomes used to these changes caused by the drug and begins altering its normal production and release of neurotransmitters (Harryman, 2011). The addict begins to lose control and has difficulty limiting drug intake, the need to consume becomes compulsive because the drug has affected the regions of the brains controlling impulse, craving and behavior. The individual is addicted. Initially, interfering with this system makes the user feel good but it leads to seeking the behaviors, which give pleasure at any cost. Chronic drug use causes changes in the structure and function of the neurons that can last for years, even after the user is clean. These changes to the brains structure and functions over time actually reduce the pleasurable effects of the drugs but also increase the cravings resulting in a destructive spiral. Scientists are learning how genetics and environmental factors, like stress, contribute to these neural disruptions and increase the risk of addiction. This ongoing research is allowing researchers to understand how addictive substances affect the brains reward system, and allowing for the development of more effective therapies for treating addiction. When a person takes an addictive drug, from nicotine to heroin, chemicals travel swiftly through the blood stream into certain key brain regions known as the reward system, the nucleus accumbens, which regulates the ability to feel pleasure. With continued drug use, the circuitry of this system becomes flooded with dopamine. Dopamine, a brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, activates specific sites on brain cells called receptors to increase pleasure and reward. Over time, the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine by decreasing the number of dopamine receptors and the overall amount of dopamine in the brain. Users must then consume more and more of the drug to achieve the same high. Disruption to the brains reward system is only part of the reason why drug addictions are so difficult to overcome, and why relapses can occur even after years of abstinence. Neuroscientists have also discovered drugs alter connections in brain circuits that regulate learning and memory, causing strong associations between the drugs pleasurable sensation and the circumstances under which it is taken. In fact, scientist are beginning to postulate that the whole action surrounding the getting high, is just as addictive than the actual drug itself. The rush for the addict often comes from pursuit of the activity. Drug addicts tend to be risk takers and thrill seekers and expect to have a pleasurable reaction to their substance of abuse before they use it. Some experts in the field of addiction today prefer the term addictive behaviors, to addiction. The biological, psychological, and social processes by which addictions occur have common pathways. All addictions have roots in genetic pr edispositions and biological traits. Many in the field say that addictions have characteristics in common and so do addicts. Regardless of the source of addiction, the effects are mainly concentrated in the brain: physically, chemically, and psychologically affecting emotions and energy levels. Addicts have distinct preferences for one substance over another and for how they go about using the substance they abuse. Many addicts have problems with self-regulation and impulse control, they tend to use drugs as a coping strategy in dealing with both stress and their everyday lives in general. They do not seek a way to escape so much, but more as a way to manage their lives. Heroin The Sequel: Across the nation, heroin use is increasing at an alarming rate and affecting a surprising population, kids in the suburbs. Heroin is a highly addictive drug and the most rapidly acting of the opiate class. The kids in the cities know not to touch it but it seems that message never made it to the kids in the suburbs. The biggest connection seems to be between prescription painkillers and heroin. The opiate high that kids get from drugs such as OxyCodone is much like the one that they get from heroin use. The kicker is that heroin is much cheaper and more easily obtained and the high is more intense. A small bag of heroin is cheaper than a six-pack of beer in some places and is estimated to be 15 times purer than it was in the 1970s. The increased purity means that it is easier for users to it. Many teens have a mistaken idea that snorting the drug makes them less likely to become addicted to it. Kids are going to believe that this is not a problem, and parents are going to continue t o leave their prescription opioids unattended if they dont know about the risks, said Wesley Clark, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Department of Health and Human Services (Drug Enforcement Agency, 2012). According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the number of current (past-month) heroin users aged 12 or older in the U.S. increased from 153,000 in 2007 to 213,000 in 2008. There were 114,000 first-time users of heroin aged 12 or older in 2008. This number keeps climbing (National Institutes of Health, 2010). heroin_use_2009.png Image from National Institutes of Health Like most parents in upper-middle class neighborhoods, parents do not realize that there is a problem out there and continue to leave their prescriptions out and unmonitored. Heroin used to be used by predominantly poor, urban youth, read: black. In recent years, it is growing more popular in the middle class suburban areas, read: white. In truth, close to 90% of teen heroin addicts are white (Department of Drug Enforcement, 2012). In 2010, there were 140,000 persons aged 12 or older who had used heroin for the first time within the past 12 months. This estimate was similar to the estimate in 2009 (180,000) and to estimates during 2002 to 2008 (ranging from 91,000 to 118,000 per year). The average age at first use among recent initiates aged 12 to 49 was 21.3 years, significantly lower than the 2009 estimate (25.5 years) (National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). Heroins most important ingredient is morphine. Morphine is derived from the sap of the Papaver somniferum, the scientific name for the opium poppy. Afghanistan is the number one opium poppy producer in the world, and supplies more than 90% of the worlds opium. poppy.gif seedpod.jpg The opium poppy, papaver somniferum and the seed pod, showing the exudates/sap. Image: Morphine Heroin. It would not be a far stretch to think that the war in Afghanistan and the increase in heroin use in the United States are somehow related. According to a CNN news report, there have been eight Americans who have died from overdoses involving heroin, morphine or other opiates in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. These overdoses were revealed in documents that showed that the Army had officially investigated 56 soldiers, including the eight that died, on suspicion of possession, use and distribution of heroin and other opiates. Heroin use is on the rise in the Army overall, military statistics show that the number of soldiers testing positive for heroin has increased from ten in 2002 to 116 in 2010. Army officials did not respond to questions, but official records from the Criminal Investigation Command show how soldiers bought drugs from Afghan juveniles. The report also reveals that soldier lingo for the drug is Afghan dip(CNN, Martinez, M., 2012). USA Today, reported that medical offi cials estimated that 25% to 35% of about 10,000 ailing soldiers assigned to special wounded-care companies or battalions are addicted or dependent on drugs particularly prescription narcotic pain relievers, according to an Army inspector generals report made public in January of 2011(CNN, Retterbush, T., 2012) Since the US Invasion of Afghanistan, the heroin output has increased over 5000 percent, according to Glenn Greenway of the Drug Truth Network. Immediately following the 2001 invasion, opium prices spiraled and by 2002, the opium price was almost ten times higher than in 2000, the United Nations Office of Drug Control (UNODC) acknowledged. Heroin use in the United States and Europe are at epidemic proportions (CNN, Retterbush, T., 2012). In East Alton, there have been twelve heroin overdoses before the year is even half over. This places the county on track for a record number of heroin overdoses. This places the county on track for a record number of heroin overdoses. Fatalities from all drug overdoses are currently at 22 cases for 2011 (Occaisionalplanet.org, Mike Davis, 2011). East Alton is a Village, with a U.S. Census total population of 6,301 in 2010. There have been so many documented cases of drug activity in the community, the Police Department has now made a form available online to citizens so that they may anonymously report a house suspected in or near their neighborhood, or any suspected drug activity (Village of East Alton, 2012). Fatalities from all drug overdoses are currently at 22 cases for 2011. The US is not alone in this epidemic, Russia estimates that one in every 50 people of working age is addicted to heroin. South Wales has seen a jump of 180% in heroin addiction rates. In 2008, the European Union, (EU) estimated that a young European died every hour from a drug overdose. What is the cause for this epidemic across the planet? Last year, Russia publicly blamed the US and NATO for refusing to eradicate poppy production by US allied warlords, resulting in an estimated 30,000 heroin deaths in Russia in a single year. The US Congressional Research Service estimates that Afghanistan currently accounts for 90% of the worlds illicit opium (the essential ingredient of all narcotics) supply. Opium revenues for Afghanistan are equivalent to 7% of the licit GDP for the nation with 10% of the population actively participating. According to the progressive online news site, Occasional Planet, the ultimate cause of the heroin epidemic destroying much of the world and local youth is the Afghanistan war and the shortsighted policies involved there. This flood of heroin is a direct result of the war efforts. afghanistan-drug-chart.jpg Image taken from occasionalplanet.org Theorists and Theories Applied: The most common type of dual diagnosis is a connection between a mental or personality disorder and a substance abuse disorder such as alcoholism or drug addiction. The reason that these two disorders go hand in hand is that drug addiction and alcohol addiction are often caused by depression, anxiety and other personality disorders. According to researchers at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Department of Psychiatry, using drugs or alcohol to reduce emotional distress or self-medicating is common among people with mood disorders and the general population as a whole. Researchers found that 24.1 percent of people used drugs or alcohol to relieve their symptoms. In essence, the people knew they had mental illnesses, and they took drugs and alcohol in order to make those symptoms less palpable. By taking drugs and adding dopamine to their systems, they were able to mask their mental illness symptoms. Dual diagnosis is should be the expectation and not the exception. Dr. Marvin Zuckerman, at the University of Delaware, has conducted research on an aspect of personality that he calls sensation seeking. This trait has large hereditary components. Zuckerman describes sensation seeking as a desire for varied, novel, complex, and intense sensations and experience, and the willingness to take physical, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such experiences. His theory points out that those identified as antisocial risk takers are usually drug addicts. Zuckermans theory has commonsense appeal. It is easy to accept the idea that people differ in their need for excitement and risk, change and adventure. During an interview with BigThink.com, Mr. Zuckerman had this to say in response to a question posed by the interviewer: Question: Are risk-seekers more prone to becoming addicted to drugs? Marvin Zuckerman: Well, there are four types of risk taking which form the core you might say, smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. Now you can see three of those are substance abusers, and they act through the central nervous system. They act on centers in the central nervous system that give intrinsic pleasure. Particularly stimulant drugs like cocaine. They provide pleasure. They provide the kick that activities provide, as sex provides, for the sensation seeker. They are all correlated because they are all aspects of intensity seeking sensation and the novelty too. There is a difference, for instance, in drug users between those who are high sensation seekers and those that are low. I found this out when I was treating drug abusers. The low sensation well the average sensation-seeking drug abuser tries one drug, which he enjoys particularly and sticks to it. The lows try many different drugs. So, invariably they get into odd drugs like LSD that affect their minds as well as they provide unusual sensations as well as arousal, the lows stay away from those drugs. Question: What is a specific link between high sensation seeking and drug use? Marvin Zuckerman: You find for instance that high sensation seekers there are not many men, who love war and combat, but there are a few, there are some who really find that exciting and will re-volunteer simply because they are bored with military life outside of combat. In addition, there are various substances, which are interesting as they stimulate the same sensors that are stimulated by intense and novel external stimulation. Drugs do that more directly, particularly drugs like cocaine. Control theory, or Perceptual Control Theory (PCT), takes a different path, it view variability at the essence of behavior. The heart of control theory is that the organisms control and what they control is not behavior at all but perception(Powers M. A., 2005 (1994)). To put it simply, behavior is the control of perception(Powers W. T., 2009). According to Bill Powers, the developer of PCT, the living thing is in the drivers seat, driving the car. The control theorist would say that deviance arises when the adolescent/young adult, lack sufficient ties with conventional groups, such as family, schools and religious organizations; the alienation from those prevailing values that those groups instill are associated with drug use. This lack of social bonding has been found to be predictive of early or frequent drug use and resistance to traditional authority and normlessness(Spooner, 1999). Raymond L. Calabrese offers a definition of alienation in general, as the relationship of individuals to their environment and specifically, it describes the relationship in terms of isolation, meaninglessness, normlessness and powerlessness (pg. 14). This and other personality traits have been found to be associated with drug abuse. Self-efficacy is the concept that lies at the center of Albert Banduras Social Cognitive Theory. Self-efficacy is the belief in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations (Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies, Bandura, 1995, p. 2). Bandura also mentions that developing strong self-efficacy is through mastery experiences ((Fletcher, 2003). These experiences are a double-edged sword. If completed, they improve ones self-efficacy. If failed, they weaken it. Individuals with low self-efficacy often abandon their goals at the first signs of even a minor obstacle. They tend to have all-or-nothing patterns of thinking. There is no room for being human, nor the possibility for mistakes. According to Caron, a non-profit provider of drug and alcohol treatment in PA, current statistics show relapse rates for addictive diseases usually are in the range of 50% to 90%; however, these rates vary by definition of relapse, severity of addi ction, which drug of addiction, length of treatment, and elapsed time from treatment discharge to assessment, as well as other factors. SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration regularly collect and publish this information. According to supporters of Addictive Personality theory, a distinct trait predisposes individuals to addictions. Much of the established medical community does not accept addictive personality as a diagnosis used to explain why some people become addicted to alcohol, drugs, activities or even emotions. Stephen Mason, PhD, said in his article Look at it this way in Psychology Today, A major misconception involving addiction is the idea that certain substances are, all by themselves, addicting. He goes on to add, Addiction depends, first and foremost, upon having an addictive personality. Such people, estimated at perhaps 10%-15% of the population, simply do not know when to stop. The nature and existence of this trait is still hotly debated in medical, neurobiological and psychological communities, there are definite implications in the brain that contribute to addictions. Dr. Alan Leshner, PhD of the National Institute on Drug Abuse describes addictions instead as a brain disease and a chronic relapsing disease, in that there are visible alterations in the brains of addicts and the effects are long lasting within their neurological patterns. Dr. Leshner also addresses the types of addiction and substance abuse that are often accredited to the addictive personality. He explains that there are two primary forms of addiction, one being the substance-based, the second being behavior-based. The substance-based addictions such as to alcohol, nicotine, narcotics are more easily explained and can be identified neurologically. Certain drugs like crack and heroin cause massive dopamine surges in the brain with different sensations ranging from invincibility or strength to euphoria or perceived enlightened states. The use of these substances almost immediately changes particular aspects of the brains behavior, making most individuals immediately susceptible to future abuse and addiction. Also common is the behavioral aspect of addictions. These are not easily explained neurologically, but generally are included in the addiction susceptibility characterized by the personality trait (Leshner, 2001). Moreover, combined addictions, addictions that include both the substance as well as the behavior are also common. The physical act of indulging in the steps involved and repetitive behavior essentially succeeds at making the invisible, visible. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, (CBT), is the method used by many today as a single source method for helping people get over emotional upsets in their lives. This type of therapy gives them the tools needed should they arise again. CBT teaches people how to change the way they think about things. In issues of addiction, the goal is to teach the person to recognize situations in which they are most likely to use, and identify situations that make them more vulnerable. It teaches them to avoid these circumstances if possible, and how to cope with other problems and behaviors which may lead to their substance abuse. CBT has two main components, functional analysis in which the therapist and client work together to identify the feelings, and give the client insight into what led to their abuse in the first place. The second component is skills training. The goal is to get the person to learn or re-learn better coping skills. This is achieved through a process of unlearning old habits and learning and developing healthier skills and habits. The main premises are to educate, to identify and to change. Some therapist mix different orientations and teachings. They are eclectic in their therapy styles, and pick and choose from different orientations. This pick and choose method is probably the most controversial style as it is, more often than not, of no benefit to the client and may be detrimental. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, (REBT) was formulated in the 1950s by Dr. Albert Ellis. REBT and CBT are similar but slightly different approaches to psychotherapy. REBT teaches that outside elements, the world around you, do not create emotions but the interactions with such and the beliefs and expectations, which we hold which give rise to the emotions we feel. When your beliefs become rigid, then emotional disturbance is the result. REBT teaches clients to modify the belief so that it is not so rigid and therefore less likely to create emotional upset. Example of rigid beliefs Everyone should agree with me and when that is modified, it becomes It would be nice if everyone agreed wi th me, but I realize that not everyone will. REBT is based on the premise that whenever we become upset, it is not the events taking place in our lives that upset us; it is the beliefs that we hold that cause us to become depressed, anxious, enraged, etc. Immediate Short Term Effects of Heroin: Soon after using, abusers report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensations, the rush. The intensity of this rush depends on how much of the drug is taken and how quickly the drug enters the brain and binds to the natural opioid receptors. One of the reasons why heroin is so addictive is because of the speed at which it enters the brain. The effects of heroin are almost immediate and last typically, from three to five hours. This rush is accompanied by a warm flushing sensation, dry mouth, slight nausea, itching, and a heavy feeling in the extremities (AstriCon 2012: Hooked on heroin: Dane Countys deadliest drug, 2010). Some users report that they enter a dream-like state where nothing matters, they equate this to bliss (Weyant, 2012). The user may also experience severe nausea, vomiting, and severe itching, which is usually the case with first use. I got so sick the first time I banged up (injected), I actually puked but then right after that, this warm feeling came all over me and w ow, I was gone. It was like this warm, rolling orgasm but it was my whole body. I cant explain it, this is so weird talking about this with you, but you asked. Sometimes I still get sick but thats when I know its good dope, you dont mind vomiting behind smack (Weyant, 2012). After this initial rush, abusers usually will be drowsy for several hours, they call this getting a nod on (Weyant, 2012). Mental function is clouded by heroins effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function slows, and breathing is severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. The goal of the addict is to recreate this rush, but with each use it becomes harder and harder to obtain. It is never like the first time, no matter how much I do. Mom, its like this Its an identity, vocation, and pastime, a lover, master, and my best friend. It makes me sick sitting here admitting all of this to you but it is what it is. Heroin is just everything to every addict, all the time. (Weyant, 2012). This is the vic ious cycle of addiction. 5522_2 brain_nih.gif Brain on Drugs. Image: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse Heroin Hits Home Heroin has killed more people in Dane County than any other drug in the past five

Jungian Analytical Psychology and the Process on Individuation

The process on individuation is central to Jungian analytical psychology, as Jung believed that individuation is the driving force behind humans’ â€Å"yearning for completeness within the human experience, and the search for wholeness† (Russell, & Ryback, 1996, p. 2) in their life-long conquest to achieve a distinctive but coherent and balanced personality.Besides the genetics and the psychosocial environment, Jung believed that a third force influences the dynamic formation of human individuality and that is the ‘collective memory’ of previous civilizations, memory stored and available to humans, in the ‘collective unconscious’ (Munteanu, 2012; Douglas, 2011). While hard to prove scientifically, quantum physics does not refute this concept (Science Channel, 2011; Munro, 2011).As a therapist, I believe that I should be the open-minded guide and facilitator of client’s individualized explorations and life experiences, supporting clientâ €™s pursuit of holistic self-realization; guiding client’s exploration of his/her archetypes, the attitudinal type and the preferential decision making mode, would facilitate client’s understanding of own psychic energy flow, and would empower the client to address and develop his/her unconscious/conscious balance, advancing the individuation process (Munteanu, 2012; AtheneWins, 2011; Russell, & Ryback, 1996).The counselling methods I would use to sustain this process, while client centred, would also need to be very creative and interactive on my part, as the counsellor; I would be making use of a variety of strategies within an environment of customised but constantly challenging and supportive at the same time.I would need to maintain myself on an perpetual self-development and self-reflection ‘carousel’, in order to ensure that I continuously upgrade my skills to the levels required to provide that balance of challenge and support, to all of my cli ents; within my practice, I would use a variety of methods, such as instructional interventions, questioning, clarifying, hypothesising, silences if/as required (to allow the process of assimilation and internalisation), dream interpretation or sequential drawings, journaling, art and sand therapies (especially for clients who have difficulties verbalising feelings), mandalas, mask making, etc.I could see how my teaching experience will serve me well in Jungian counselling, since I already use many of these methods, to provide personalised learning, to my students. I have always thought of myself as ‘work in progress’, and therefore I learn something new every day from my students; hence, learning from and alongside my clients I see it as a continuation of my own holistic individuation (Dehing, 1992; Russell, & Ryback, 1996).