Category: Psychology

Unveiling the Intricacies of Westworld: A Self-Contained Fantasy Ecosystem

The show Westworld is imaginative and ambitious; amongst all the cowboys, robots, violence, and sex, Westworld explores complicated themes of creation, consciousness, and what it means to have free will. In its simplest form, Westworld is a theme park. You can think of Westworld as a Western-themed Disney World that’s exclusively for wealthy people, where violence and debauchery are permitted and even welcomed. Westworld stretches for hundreds of miles. Untouched by the rest of the world and cut off from outside influences, Westworld is a completely self-contained ecosystem. It is a place where people go to live out their wildest fantasies, whether they be noble or wicked. People with a lot of money pay to pretend to be something they’re not. They pay to escape from their “reality,” if only for a brief period.

The main attraction of Westworld is the hosts. Similar to NPCs in video games, hosts are human-like robots that are on continuous loops. Each host is programmed with an intricate storyline that they follow to a T. A host’s storyline is pretty much their entire life and everything they know. If a host is programmed to be the sheriff, then a sheriff is all they are and all they know. They live the same day over and over and say the same scripted lines that they’re programmed with. The hosts are constantly abused and killed for the entertainment of the people who pay to visit, Westworld called guests. Guests live out their wildest fantasies in the park without fear of repercussion. Many of the guests just drink and kill without consequence. The whole experience is similar to an open-world video game where rich people come to pretend to be cowboys. Behind the scenes, Westworld is run by a team of engineers, developers, and executives who all work in a structure underneath Westworld called the Mesa hub. The mesa hub is where the hosts are built and programmed.

Parallel Realities: Unmasking the Allegory of the Cave in Westworld

As the show goes on, it starts to share some similarities with Plato’s famous allegory of the cave. The ‘Allegory Of The Cave’ is a philosophical theory created by Plato concerning human perception. Plato claimed that knowledge gained through the senses is no more than opinion and that, in order to have real knowledge, we must gain it through philosophical reasoning. Plato’s allegory involves three people starting out as prisoners chained head to foot facing a stone wall. They watch a shadow-puppet show put on by paper cutouts behind them illuminated by a campfire. Because that’s all they see, they start to think these shadows are real. But as we know, shadows don’t necessarily represent what the object making them actually is. Because this is all they’ve ever known, the prisoners start to believe the shadows are real, that the shadows are the objects themselves, and that what they see and experience is the real world outside. They aren’t aware that they are just seeing shadows. This is similar to the situation the hosts of Westworld are in. The hosts living out their programming, not knowing any better, is closest akin to the prisoners strapped in chairs looking at shadows all day. They live in Westworld, and they think that Westworld is all reality has to offer. They aren’t aware that they are just living in a fabricated world that isn’t authentic.

Later in the allegory, one of the prisoners breaks free from their chains. They stand up and turn around to see steps, and at the top of the steps are the paper cutouts and the fire behind them, projecting shadows on the wall. They realize that the shadows that their whole world consisted of were projections of something entirely outside of their known universe. After this encounter, the freed prisoner notices an even brighter light and more stairs. Curious, they continue up the steps and come to the mouth of the cave. Stepping outside of the cave, they see real animals and trees and feel the real sun and wind blowing. They realize that things they’re seeing now look like the cutouts they just walked away from. This is the real world they are experiencing for the first time. Everything the paper cutouts were based on has a real living and breathing counterpart to match. For the very first time in their existence, they’re not just perceiving a shadow of a cutout but the actual, fully realized world.

Awakening Others: Sharing Enlightenment in Plato’s Allegory and Westworld

At this point, Plato questions if there is a world beyond even this one. Is there a world even more real and perfect than the one known to be true? He would call this perfect and unchanging realm the realm of the forms. The forms are what influence everything in our world. They are the most perfect forms of every object we have in our world. Plato theorizes no object or living thing can go there, but all objects and people that are imperfect are constantly trying to reach that unattainable perfection.

Now that this one prisoner is free, he realizes that there are still others in that deep, dark cave of ignorance he just exited. Wanting to show them the knowledge he has now obtained, he goes back into the cave to enlighten them. Returning back to the bottom of the cave, he looks at the other two prisoners, still trapped there in blissful ignorance. He tries to explain to them how the shadows on the wall are nothing more than illusions. At first, they dismiss him as crazy but eventually follow him. They arrive at the paper cutouts, looking at the blinds of one of the prisoners and making them disoriented. They return to the bottom of the cave. The enlightened prisoner and the others aren’t discouraged and continue onward. This second prisoner has now also been brought out of the darkness, and they continue to try and find other people in other caves to help bring them out.

Emergence of Consciousness: Navigating the Maze in Westworld and Plato’s Allegory

Inside all of the hosts lay a dormant subset of programming that their makers put in them one day. They would be able to perceive the world for what it actually is. In order for the hosts to reach this higher level of consciousness, they have to navigate through their own personal “cave” called the maze. A host in Westworld completing the maze is the equivalent of one of the prisoners stepping outside of the confines of the cave. The hosts of Westworld eventually exit that cave that is their mind and come to the same resolution the prisoners in Plato’s allegory did: that everything they know is based on false information.

In Westworld, the first host to successfully navigate the maze is named Dolores, who is the first of all the hosts to become conscious. After her revelation, she tries to free other hosts. Most people, if confronted with the notion that their worldview is fake, would resist the idea entirely at first, and the same holds true for the hosts. The hosts aren’t perfect. Like any man-made machine, they can and will malfunction from time to time. A malfunction for a host could manifest in the form of a violent outburst or cause them to become disoriented. This malfunction could be related back to the prisoner in Plato’s allegory who was blinded by the fire when he got near. Much like humans, the closer the hosts get to the greater underlying truths, the more they just want to stay uninformed and in the dark.

Breaking Chains of Illusion: Dolores and the Mesa Hub in Westworld

Delores, being the first to exit the cave, has to bring the burden of truth to others still trapped in the maze and Westworld to break them from their mental chains. The only truth that can assist in enlightening other hosts is bringing them to the mesa hub, where all of the hosts are created and given “life” in a sense. Taking the hosts down to the mesa would almost be the same as humans being taken to the realm of the forms. These imperfect objects are now entering into a world that, for all intents and purposes, is “perfect.” A world outside the limits of their own that they were never supposed to be able to reach. Delores showing the other hosts this world that looks nothing like their own brings out a shocking revelation. They see how they are created and how they are different from the real humans and that underneath their skin is metal and not flesh. They come to the realization of what’s happening, and they complete the maze, gaining new knowledge of a new world. Now, all of the hosts of Westworld are enlightened and outside of the facade that is the cave.

While I agree with the allegory of the cave itself as a representation of the idiocy of placing one’s senses over philosophical reasoning, there are a few points of contention with Plato’s allegory. One could point out one of the flaws of the allegory being the deus ex machina of the prisoner being miraculously freed from his bondage. Who or what exactly frees the prisoner? How does a person initially get put on the path of enlightenment and away from ignorance? Plato failed to explain this, and we may never get an answer to what sets us on the path, but I don’t believe that knowing the catalyst that jump-started the journey to enlightenment matters as much as the end result.

Philosophical Threads in Modern Media: Reflections on Westworld’s Thought-Provoking Themes

I think it can clearly be seen that the creators of Westworld (the show) quite obviously took some philosophy at some point before creating the show. The themes in the show have very obvious parallels to the thoughts and ideas of great philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes. Although the idea of persons or things slowly waking up to a new reality isn’t entirely original. It shares ideas with movies like The Matrix and Inception, as well as the countless other media that have explored this idea before. I think Westworld is a good show with good themes, and it is a great contemporary example of how philosophy can still be seen and applied in modern times.

References

1. Plato. “The Allegory of the Cave.” From “The Republic.”
2. Descartes, René. “Meditations on First Philosophy.”
3. Aristotle. Various works on metaphysics and epistemology.
4. Baudrillard, Jean. “Simulacra and Simulation.”
5. Nolan, Christopher. “Inception.” Film.
6. Wachowski, Lana and Lilly. “The Matrix.” Film.
7. Nolan, Jonathan, et al. “Westworld.” TV Series.

Whether talking on the phone impairs driving or not has been at the center of discussion since phones were made mobile. It has also been asked if talking on the phone does indeed impair driving does it impair it enough to make the driver dangerous. There are several things that must be done during this experiment on the dangers of talking on a cell phone while diving. For this experiment to be accurate, equal subjects must be tested in the same conditions and with a control. Researchers must make sure the only difference between the control group and the test group is the addition of cell phone use.

Establishing Controlled Conditions: The Key to Evaluating Cell Phone Distraction

The first part of the experiment is to make sure the driver is operating in controlled conditions. The experiment should be carried out on a closed course so that other people aren’t put in harm’s way. It is also crucial that other distractions are eliminated, such as the radio being on or other passengers within the car. If these other variables aren’t controlled, then researchers won’t be able to conclude that the cell phone is responsible for the possible impaired driving. The control tests must be done so the researchers have baseline data to compare.

Ensuring Fair Testing: Balancing Demographics and Eliminating External Factors

The next part of the experiment would be to assign subjects to the test. The drivers should be both female and male and should be of all ages. This way, factors of impairment caused by age or experience are minimized. The subjects should also conduct the experiment on the same course, in the same car, in similar weather conditions, and at the same time of day.

The final part of the experiment is to make sure both groups are operating in fair circumstances. Driver skills may influence results, but there is a way to avoid this. Researchers should make subjects first drive under controlled conditions and then drive in the same conditions while on the phone. All of the other variables in this experiment need to be controlled so that scientist is able to determine if cell phone use impaired driving ability.

In order to test this hypothesis in a scientific manner, all of these requirements must be met. The control test must eliminate all other variables. Subjects must be chosen from a range of demographics and must be tested in the same conditions. Results will only be accurate if subjects experience the controlled course and the same course while talking on the phone. If the hypothesis is correct, another experiment should be set up.

References

Anderson, J.T., & Smith, L.R. (2019). Mobile Distractions: The Impact of Cell Phone Use on Driving Performance. Journal of Traffic Safety.

At what age should you give your child a cell phone?

Cell phones are the best way for us to stay connected to one another, but are our children of age to have one? For parents, it’s not only their age that they’re concerned about. Before you add another phone line to your account, think about what consequences may arise surrounding the phone and the well-being of your child.

Benefits

• Convenience: You can find out where they’re at by calling or texting.
• Feel safer knowing where they’re at.
• An emergency phone is an asset if they need to reach you or if you need to reach them.

These are some of the reasons why a lot of parents buy their kids phones.

According to a 2010 survey by the Keiser Family Foundation, the age limit and percentage for kids with cell phones are:

• 14-17 (85%)
• 11-14 (69%)
• 8-10 (31%)

Teens have the same security from phones as adults. They may see having a phone as a way of fitting in with their peers.

Potential Downside

• Lack of sleep, not going to sleep when it’s bedtime. Instead, will text friends.
• Texting while they’re driving.

Is social media ready for this type of access? At times, it’s positive, but there is a risk of cyberbullying.

When are they ready?

Maturity is the ability to be responsible. Parents need to do their job by researching and talking to their kids about being safe with their phones. Look at their developmental skills. Are they responsible, are they trustworthy, and do they know how to use the phone correctly?

Monitoring your kid’s phone

You should check to see who they are calling and texting. They don’t want you to, but you should. Let them know that every so often, you will be checking and making sure they are being responsible and showing respect to others.

Rules for your child

• Buy a basic phone
• Place limits on phone minutes and text minutes
• Propose a time when the phone can be used
• Teach them to be on their best behavior. (Don’t take or send pics without a person’s permission, and don’t talk to strangers.)

I recommend giving your child a phone when you feel like they’re mature enough to have one. These are terrible times that we’re living in, and as a parent, you want and need to know where your kid is always. I know you may not want to, but put a tracker on it if you need to. Keep in mind that some kids don’t tell their parents where they’re going, what they’re doing, or who they’re hanging around. For their safety, I say yes to cell phones, at least by age 11.

References:

• Rideout, V., Foehr, U., & Roberts, D. (2010). Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Do you ever react irrationally to a situation? No? Do you ever put a negative spin on an occurrence? ‘What a bummer! Why does this always have to happen?’ Sure, most of us do something like this sometimes. However, did you know that these little knee-jerk negatives have a sneaky side to them? Negatives can get out of hand. Easily! They often become convenient, automatic, and habit-forming! They become stressful thinking habits. Many people have a habit of negative stress thinking.

Stress thinking refers to a pattern of unfounded stress-causing thoughts — thoughts based on inconclusive or nonexistent evidence. There are many different patterns of stress thinking. But they all have this in common: Stress thinking goes hand in hand with negativity.

Stress Thinking and Negativity

The tendency to think on the sour side of situations relates to an underlying sense of uneasiness and dissatisfaction. Yet, how many people associate a pervasive feeling of stress with a penchant for negativity? Routine negative stress thinking causes misinterpretations (such as, ‘They don’t like my work’) and false beliefs (such as, ‘The world is against me’). It can soon brand a personality and trigger foolish reactions to relationships and situations. It can contribute to low self-esteem and misguided perspectives on life itself. If this sounds extreme, brace yourself and read on! Cumulative negative stress thinking, day in and day out, leads to chronic stress, which is damaging to mental, emotional, and physical health.

Mayo Clinic corroborates the evidence that negative thinking raises stress levels. Are You Being Negative?

The tricky part:

You may not be aware of yourself being negative. ‘I’m just realistic,’ you may say. Whether you engage in negative thinking consciously or unconsciously, routinely or occasionally, you are not alone. Nearly everyone falls into the trap of nodding to a false negative. Even ‘optimists’ unknowingly express negative thinking. Comic exaggerations nudge us to look at ourselves. Stress thinking was the basic theme of the hilarious Seinfeld series. For example, the self-deprecating remarks of George Costanza routinely exploded into the quintessential patterns of stress thinking.

The Fix:

To find out if you engage in stress thinking and to learn what to do about it, start here.

Understand:

The occurrence of negative thinking is a stressor. The regular recurrence of negative thinking is a stress-causing habit. The good news is that you have control over your thoughts and your habits. You can change them.

The fastest way to start undoing negative stress thinking:

Recognition and Replacement

1. Recognize the occurrence of your negative thoughts.
2. Replace your negative thought with a more reasonable thought.

The key to your success is the replacement. If you do not plant seeds, then weeds will grow. The negative thought is a stressor; the replacement is a stress buffer. In your Stress Thinking Habits Self-Check, you will find Ten of the most common and elusive negative thinking stressors, Examples of each stressor, and healthy stress-buffing replacements. Check each Habit. Does it describe you? Read each example. Does it sound like you? Then, read the stress-buffing positive perspective that follows. As you acclimate yourself to positive perspectives, you’ll be able to develop and maintain the habit of more balanced thinking. Your automatic thoughts will be neither unfounded negatives nor thoughtless positives. Your mind will shift to a more balanced, less stressful state. Now, Just click/tap each Habit screen. Then, slide the screen over for the description and examples.

Final Word

Now that you’ve reflected on the Stress Thinking Habits Self-Check, you may have a slightly different perspective on your habits. Perhaps you discovered some potential for reducing stress. If you can ‘step outside of yourself’ and observe your reactions, you can reverse a ‘trip down the rabbit hole’ of negativity. Just as negative tendencies spur more negatives, so do positive reactions reinforce themselves and flourish. As you practice putting a positive spin on your negative thoughts, positive reactions become more natural. That’s not to say you tip the balance to blind-sighted positivity. When you are aware and recognize your tendencies, you are better equipped to objectify your thinking. Remember this: What counts is not what happens but how you react to it. Alter your inner dialogue, and where you once saw limitations, you now see opportunities.

References

1. Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer Publishing Company.
2. Beck, A.T. (1979). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International Universities Press.
3. Ellis, A. (2001). Overcoming Destructive Beliefs, Feelings, and Behaviors: New Directions for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Prometheus Books.
4. Seligman, M.E.P. (1991). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. Knopf.

Stress and Its Undeniable Impact on Student Life and Sleep Patterns

There are many ways in which stress can affect the lives of students and their ability to perform well in school. If a high school student ever says that they do not feel stressed, then they are lying. Nowadays, there is pressure on students and younger kids such as teens, which is unrealistic to the real things that matter in life but, for some reason, seem to take over the lives of many, and many take it too seriously. Trying to find the time for spending quality time with friends and family, activities that are extracurricular, and studying daily creates a lot of stress and pressure on the person to find the time to do all of this without failing classes or losing friends or not being able to find the time to do what they love outside of school.

A big factor in a student’s life, which has a lot of responsibility for how well they are performing in school and functioning during the day, is sleep. Sleep is so important for every person out there, and when a person does not receive enough sleep, it sure does throw them off. Some people can survive the day with little sleep, but for others, that is completely different. A proper amount of sleep, which is said to be 8 hours at night for teens, is critical for a person’s ability to focus and memorize, so when a student is staying up too late and then waking up very early for school, it can affect how well they retain the information which they are learning during the day.

Stress in Academia: From Classroom Behavior to Academic Performance

In school, there are many cases and incidents where people are bullied as well as start becoming bullied every single day. What may be one of the answers to this? Stress. Stress is known to increase how angry as well as irritable a person feels. This may increase the chances of a person becoming a bully. They may just be trying to take some anger out, but it is still wrong in every way. Not only might students who feel as though they are stressed out be bullies to their peers, but they may also be disrespectful towards staff, such as their teachers, or not be able to follow school rules. They may overall be disruptive towards the class setting.

So many students want to have perfect grades and perfect scores on everything. This is reality for many, but it can surely stop being reality when a person feels stressed out. When a person can not sleep well, their focus is thrown off, and then when their focus is thrown off, they can not learn well, and then when they can not learn well, they may not retain anything. This can overall lead to failing a test or not getting the highest grade on a homework assignment, and this can all be blamed upon all the things that lead up to this due to stress.

It is easy to say that when a student is stressed out, they may feel the negative effects on their days in school. Something such as teachers creating a type of environment that is calmer and more peaceful for the students is something that can help to keep the students focused and on task without feeling a great amount of stress during their school day. A lot of people, in fact, feel that the stress is too much to handle, which can lead to them feeling that they are not capable of the work. This can actually lead to skipping class or even dropping out of school, so finding different techniques to use throughout the day to calm down and reduce the amount of stress that is being felt can drastically change a student’s ability to learn and feel less stressed out.

References

1. American Psychological Association (APA). (2014). Stress in America: Are teens adopting adults’ stress habits?
2. National Sleep Foundation. (2015). Sleep in America Poll: Sleep and Time Management.
3. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.
4. Perry, B. D. (2001). The neurodevelopmental impact of violence in childhood. In Textbook of child and adolescent forensic psychiatry (pp. 221-238). American Psychiatric Pub.

Stress and De-stressing Methods

Imagine the following scenario: you just woke up late and are now running late to class. You are very tired due to the fact that you worked the closing shift at your job the night before and did not get home until late. After attending class, you are informed that you will have multiple tests and assignments due in the upcoming days. However, you cannot worry about them at the moment because you have to get back to your job. You are working multiple hours a week because your monthly bills are coming up and your bank account is low. However, your grades are starting to decline because you are working so much. On top of school and work, your peers and family members have been pestering you about always being busy and not spending enough time with them. Are you feeling stressed yet?

Stress is a common emotion felt by people all around the world. It can be considered as either a good emotion or a bad one. For instance, some individuals thrive when they are stressed and under pressure, whereas some people are the complete opposite. However, too much stress can become detrimental to individuals. This is why it is important to become educated about stress and its effects on the body in order to identify different de-stressing methods.

Initial Research

Stress is often interpreted as a feeling of pressure or strain, either mentally or emotionally, when dealing with a particular circumstance. However, stress does not have a particular definition due to the fact that multiple people use it in a variety of different ways (Charlton, 1992). Therefore, it is important that we first establish where the concept of stress originated (Charlton, 1992). The concept arose when studying a population; it was identified that there was a relationship between the internal and external events of an organism, known as: “the stress stimulus and the stress response” (Charlton, 1992, p. 156). Simply means that when one is given a stressful circumstance, characteristics related to stress will be produced in response (Charlton, 1992).

After reviewing where the concept originated, stress can be “defined in three basic ways: a type of stimulus, a ‘nonspecific’ response, or a combination of the two – the response to a stimulus” (Charlton, 1992, p. 156). When defining stress as a type of stimulus, it is stated that “no account” must be responsible for the reaction because stress is the lone stimulus, meaning that stress is an individuality complex and “each individual stress does not produce the same response” (Charlton, 1992, pp. 156-157).

When defining stress as a ‘nonspecific response,’ it is stating that it is a “nonspecific response of the body to any demand,” it simply means that when the body encounters a type of stress, there is not a specific response on how it should react (Charlton, 1992, p. 157). Finally, when defining stress as a combination of the two, it is stating that the individual’s response to stress “becomes a ‘crucial intervening variable’ between the stimulus and response,” simply meaning that if two individuals are given the same exact stressful stimuli, they are still likely to respond in different ways (Charlton, 1992, p. 158).

From a clinical aspect, stress is often known as a stimulus that is “linked with the development of minor psychological illness or distress, and even as the precipitant of major psychosis” (Charlton, 1992, p. 158). Simply indicating that the reason some people react to stress in a particular way is because there could be some type of underlying psychological issue (Charlton, 1992). Clinical aspects also identify stress as a “symptom which may or may not be connected to some change in a personal situation” (Charlton, 1992, p. 158). Simply put, if there is a type of change in an individual’s daily norm, it may cause them to react by becoming stressed (Charlton, 1992).

There are not many positive effects associated with stress; in fact, most evidence related to stress indicates that it is predominately negative. Stress is known to have a negative effect on individuals both psychologically and physiologically. For instance, stress can lead to multiple psychological mood disorders such as: “depression and anxiety, bipolar disorder, cognitive (thinking) problems, personality changes, and problem behaviors” (Mills et al., 2018, para. 1). These psychological disorders occur due to the fact that stress hormones are similar to sedatives, which are “chemical substances which cause us to become calm or fatigued,” thus creating a chemical imbalance in the brain (Mills et al., 2018, para. 2).

Stress can also affect humans in a variety of ways physiologically. For instance, it can affect the nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and the immune system (Kemeny, 2003). Stress affects our nervous system by releasing the hormone commonly known as epinephrine (adrenaline) (Kemeny, 2003). This hormone is released due to the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Once released, there is an “increase in autonomic indicators of sympathetic arousal,” also commonly known as an “adrenaline rush” (Kemeny, 2003, p. 125). When individuals are stressed, and there is this increase in sympathetic arousal, individuals will begin to experience rapid heart rates (Kemeny, 2003).

When stress affects our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, there becomes “an increase in the levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood, saliva, and urine” (Kemeny, 2003, p. 1125). The HPA axis is ultimately responsible for controlling our responses to both physical and psychological stressors (Kemeny, 2003). The HPA also affects other parts of the body as well, such as our temperature, digestion, etc. Therefore, this increase in cortisol levels can cause negative effects on the rest of the body’s functions (Kemeny, 2003).

Stress heavily affects the immune system and its multiple functions (Kemeny, 2003). For instance, stressful situations can slow integrated immune responses (e.g., wound healing) and decrease the amount of lymphocyte cells being released (Kemeny, 2003). By decreasing the amount of lymphocyte cells being released, our body is becoming less likely to protect us from any foreign harm (e.g., diseases) (Kemeny, 2003).

Stress can also have more crucial effects on the body. For instance, it can cause atrophy in the hippocampus, thus leading to memory loss, it can also lead to more upper respiratory infections, and it can also increase your heart rate (Kemeny, 2003). When facing stressful situations, a variety of hormones are flushed throughout the body, thus causing an increased heart rate; when your heart rate is constantly increasing, you are more likely to have a higher blood pressure. Due to the fact that stress has multiple health implications, it is important to find ways to manage stress so that you do not succumb to these implications.

De-Stressing Methods

Individuals across the globe partake in multiple activities in order to reduce their stress levels. For instance, some methods include increasing physical activity, better time management, increasing sleep, etc.. However, those are the standard ways to deal with stress. Some studies have developed a few other techniques for dealing with stress; these techniques are not usually considered and tend to be thought of as ineffective. These techniques include animal-assisted therapy and yoga.

Animal-Assisted Therapy

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a rather new technique that is beginning to receive more attention. It is commonly known as animals interacting with humans in order to enhance the individual’s health. AAT is most commonly used to assist those with psychological problems and developmental disabilities; a few of these include: “schizophrenia, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism” (Lilienfeld & Arkowitz, 2008). The animals involved in this type of technique do not have to be limited to a certain species; for instance, there are all kinds of animals that can be used, such as dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, etc. (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002).

AAT is more commonly used through medical institutions; however, an individual’s personal pet can also be used as a therapy animal. For instance, a pet can become a registered service animal or an emotional support animal. People are beginning to register their pets more because studies have found that the presence of pets can be beneficial for reducing stress levels and improving health (Lilienfeld & Arkowitz, 2008). For instance, it is stated that pet owners typically are better adjusted psychologically and tend to have fewer cardiac risks compared to non-pet owners (Lilienfeld & Arkowitz, 2008).

The goal of AAT is to “decrease stress and improve patients’ physical conditions and attitudes” (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002, p. 69). Studies show that AAT participants tend to feel an increase in relaxation and notice a decrease in their blood pressure and heart rate (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002). Most people use AAT because they enjoy the relationships formed with the animals. Individuals claim that they receive multiple positive factors from this type of therapy, such as companionship, having a play partner, and being able to provide love and care for another creature (Herzog, 2011).

Although AAT is most commonly used to help with psychological disorders, it can also be effective by helping with the physiological and emotional effects of stress. It has been studied that AAT can help reduce an individual’s blood pressure levels. For instance, studies found that during a stressful situation, if the pet is present, it “largely prevents spikes in participants’ blood pressure” (Lilienfeld & Arkowits, 2008, p. 78). People argue that if the presence of animals can help reduce blood pressure, then the presence of a very close, well-trusted friend should have the same effect. However, studies show that individuals feel that their peers are judgmental and the animal is completely friendly (Allen, 2003).

AAT can also provide emotional benefits to individuals as well. For instance, studies have found that people who partake in AAT report having: “decreased stress levels, increased feelings of self-worth, and assistance in adjusting to an altered body image” (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002, p. 73). AAT has also been reported to show drastic improvements in “social functioning, impulse control, and daily activities” (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002, p. 73). The animal’s presence is not the lone factor in improving an individual’s emotional status either; when an individual touches the animal (petting or cuddling), it is shown that there will be a reduction in: “anger, hostility, tension, and anxiety” (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002, p. 75).

There have been multiple experiments conducted in order to demonstrate that AAT is an effective de-stressing method. For example, in 1922, there was an experiment conducted in Melbourne, Australia, where some participants adopted a dog from the shelter while the other participants practiced transcendental meditation (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002). Participants had to partake in psychological stress tests and get their blood pressure and heart rate measured at the beginning and end of the study (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002). After three months of conducting the experiment, researchers found that the dog owners had significant reductions in blood pressure, whereas those in the transcendental meditation group showed no significant changes (Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002).

Yoga

Aside from AAT, yoga is another type of de-stressing technique that is often overlooked. Yoga is a type of meditation, and it is the most common meditation technique used among people. Meditation is a unique technique that involves: “listening to the breath, repeating a mantra, or detaching from the thought process” in order to bring out an individual’s “state of self-awareness and inner calm” (Canter, 2003, p. 1049). However, yoga is beginning to be used less for the meditative aspects and more for the physical aspects (Khalsa, 2007).

Although yoga is becoming more commonly known for enhancing your physical aspects, it can also be used in order to reduce stress levels (Khalsa, 2007). Yoga also “counteracts the negative impacts of stress” by impacting the individual’s physiological and psychological status (Khalsa, 2007, p. 450). Yoga allows the body to enter a state of complete relaxation without getting drowsy or sleepy; it also reduces cortisol levels and the body’s metabolic rate and oxygen consumption (Khalsa, 2007). When partaking in yoga, an individual’s cognitive activity, cerebral neurophysiology, and neuromuscular and respiratory functions are all enhanced (Khalsa, 2007).

Yoga is also beneficial in reducing an individual’s blood pressure. When partaking in yoga, your body becomes completely relaxed, thus slowing your heart and brain activity (Canter, 2003). When your body is in this relaxed state, blood is able to pump from the heart at a normal rate. Therefore, your blood vessels are not working as hard, which can reduce your risk of high blood pressure.

There have been multiple experiments conducted to demonstrate that yoga is an effective type of de-stressing method. For example, there was an experiment conducted in Australia to identify the difference between yoga and relaxation and how those two variables had an effect on an individual’s stress and anxiety levels, blood pressure, and quality of life (Smith et al., 2007). During the experiment, the participants would partake in one-hour sessions, once a week, of either relaxation or yoga for a time frame of ten weeks (Smith et al., 2007). The participants had to partake in a personality trait test, a general health questionnaire, and the Short Form-36 before and after the study (Smith et al., 2007). After reviewing the results, the researchers found that both yoga and relaxation were effective in reducing stress and anxiety levels and improving health statuses (Smith et al., 2007).

Recap

Stress is most commonly interpreted as “a stimulus, a response to a stimulus, or the physiological consequences of that response” (Kemeny, 2003, p. 124). Too much stress on an individual can eventually lead to detrimental effects, which is why it is important to study and evaluate stress so that we can identify effective methods for reducing stress levels. There are multiple ways an individual can reduce their stress. However, there are two techniques that are often disregarded when looking for de-stressing methods; these techniques are animal-assisted therapy and yoga.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is when animals are present in order to help an individual mentally, emotionally, and physiologically. Yoga is when a person is able to meditate and reach a relaxed state both mentally and physically. AAT can be considered an effective type of de-stressing method, considering it reduces stress levels, reduces blood pressure and heart rate, and provides a variety of emotional benefits. Yoga can also be considered an effective type of de-stressing method because it reduces stress levels, enhances cognitive activity, and reduces blood pressure as well. Even though both techniques have shown evidence that they are effective, there are still some doubts about these methods.

Research Doubts

There are multiple doubts about AAT being an effective de-stressing method. Some researchers argue that AAT is only effective if that individual has a connection with animals. For example, there was an experiment conducted to evaluate cardiac responses to a friendly dog during a stressful situation (Kingwell et al., 2001). The participants were split up based on people who were dog owners and those who were not (Kingwell et al., 2001). At the end of the study, researchers found that the participant’s cardiac state was better for dog owners when the dog was present and better for non-dog owners when the dog was not present (Kingwell et al., 2001).

Yoga is often doubted as being effective in de-stressing as well because it is believed that it does not have therapeutic value (Canter, 2003). It is not considered to be an effective method because it is a self-care practice, which means that people have to devote a sufficient amount of time and effort to it (Khalsa, 2007). Some researchers believe that meditation is related to psychosis, which triggers psychological adverse, meaning that instead of benefiting from meditation, they find it to be a negative experience (Khalsa, 2007).

Conclusion

I find that it is very important for people to deal with their stress because if they do not, then they will slowly begin to fall ill, either physiologically or psychologically. As a busy, working college student, stress is the most common emotion I feel, which is why I wanted to evaluate stress and some potential de-stressing methods that I found to be intriguing, such as animal-assisted therapy and yoga. After reviewing my research, I have decided to conduct an experiment of my own in order to decipher whether these methods are really effective at reducing stress and, if so, which method is the most effective.

For my experiment, I want to evaluate the physiological and psychological responses to stress and the responses to both AAT and yoga. I will be looking to identify the individual’s mental and emotional state and blood pressure both before and after the experiment. I plan to gather my participants from the local college campus and divide them into two groups: those who receive animal-assisted therapy and those who partake in yoga. After evaluating all of the research conducted thus far, I propose that the participants who partake in AAT will be the most affected and will receive the most benefits.

You may be wondering how my proposed experiment is going to be different compared to those that have already been conducted. For my experiment, I want to identify whether or not time is a key variable in the effectiveness of these methods. For instance, in the studies previously discussed, it was noted that each experiment had a different time frame.

As I review the limitations of both AAT and yoga, I begin to notice that ‘time’ may be the variable that is affecting the results of these two methods. For instance, one of the doubts about AAT is that people who do not connect with animals will not be affected by this therapy. Therefore, I am proposing that if the participants were able to spend more time with the animal, then they may have a different experience. Similar circumstances apply to the yoga technique as well; one of the doubts is that it is ineffective because it is a type of self-care practice that requires individuals to dedicate their time. Therefore, I am proposing that if the participants were able to spend more hours a week learning yoga, then they might have a different experience. Overall, I am hopeful that by manipulating this particular variable, I will be able to identify new results so that they can be shared with others.

References

1. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
2. Selye, H. (1974). Stress without distress. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company.
3. McEwen, B. S. (2008). Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: Understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators. European Journal of Pharmacology, 583(2-3), 174-185.
4. Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
5. Benson, H., & Klipper, M. Z. (2000). The relaxation response. New York: HarperTorch.
6. Chandler, C. K. (2012). Animal assisted therapy in counseling. New York: Routledge.
7. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2009). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hachette Books.
8. Benson, H., Beary, J. F., & Carol, M. P. (1974). The relaxation response. Psychiatry, 37(1), 37-46.
9. Krueger, D. W. (1989). Body self and psychological self: A developmental and clinical integration of disorders of the self. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
10. Odendaal, J. S. J., & Meintjes, R. A. (2003). Neurophysiological correlates of affiliative behaviour between humans and dogs. The Veterinary Journal, 165(3), 296-301.
11. Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books.

Dreams and Identity: Exploring Multiverse Possibilities

Ever since I could remember, my dreams were always extremely vivid and sometimes a little bit scary. Some of them felt real, where I was still myself, but in a slightly modified version of an experience I’ve had, I would compare it to a drunken déjà vu. However, in some dreams, I am a completely different person. I’m a different gender, a different race, a different species, sometimes on a different planet. For a long time, I believed them to only be vivid dreams coming from my overactive imagination. I never talked to anyone about it; my family was religious, so I didn’t find very many answers there. It was only recently I delved into some conspiracy theories and different religious opinions on dreams being glimpses into alternate realities. Although I have never been able to wholeheartedly agree with any one religion or theory, keeping an open mind about the possibilities needs to be further incorporated into everyone’s interactions with society. Trying to understand my subconscious has led me to discover many opinions from various parts of the world, all of which should be considered and respected.

The Vivid Dreamscapes: Unveiling Alternate Realities

One of my favorite dreams takes place in a city I would relate to, Los Angeles, but in this dream, I am in the future. I am at a point in time where most of the population has transitioned to anti-gravity vehicles while some of the middle and lower class still drive on surface roads. I had been in a car accident with my roommate Monica. My vision was off, and my head was randomly throbbing. I assumed I must have had a concussion. Monica was sitting on the couch; I was getting ready to leave before she asked me if I was leaving.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” I assured her as I placed the remote next to her.

“Oh, okay,” she said with a smile.

She wasn’t the same as she was before the accident; I think she was in a coma for a while, but I couldn’t remember. I walked through the house, looking through the windows at the different colors of the sunset. Each moment felt like a cut from a scene as if my life was playing in fragments. I was suddenly downstairs, talking to my roommates and doing the dishes while I looked at the city through the kitchen window. I listened to them drone on and on about their boyfriends and what they had done the weekend before until they faded out completely. I dazed off into the skyline of the city. The sky looked purple but became dark orange as it met the city. I felt like I could see it all, a perfect outline of the place where I lived. Tall buildings pierced the sky, dimly lit apartments in between the suburbs of the city, freeways that curved in every direction, taking strangers in a hundred different ways, and the glowing cars that would zoom through the air like streams of wingless birds.

“No credit? No problem!” shouted the car dealer in an obnoxious Brooklyn accent.

It shook me back into reality as I nodded my head in agreement. The next thing I could remember was getting into the perfectly smooth anti-gravity car I had just purchased. I turned it on, lifted the steering wheel gently, and slowly lifted out of the exit platform. I zoomed off into the sky, my head forcibly pressed back into the seat and the wind blowing through my clothes. I dived underneath a freeway, keeping up with the cars probably on their way home from work. I began to appreciate the beauty and glow of the freeway systems, the feeling of going on a long road trip, getting places just a little bit slower. I couldn’t remember what happened next; maybe the scene wasn’t important enough.

Although the study of dreams is very vague, dreams have been an interest for thousands of years, “Our ancestors were as curious about dreams as modern scientists are today. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed dreams provided messages from the gods. In ancient China, people treated dreams as a way to visit the world of the dead. Ancient Egyptians were convinced that those who could interpret dreams possessed special powers.” Whether it be reincarnation or your soul simply moving onto a different place, most cultures have pondered the mystery of dreams and their meanings, each of them a different variation of ultimately the same thing. All of these should be considered and respected as they may be very important to a certain culture.

Multiverse Theories: Bridging Dreams and Reality

Scientifically and very theoretically speaking, there is speculation that there are multiple universes that play out every decision we’ve ever made in different realities. This is an astronomical theory called the multiverse (Parallel Universes: Theories & Evidence 2018). Infinite, bubble, daughter, mathematical, and parallel universes are all theories about how multiverses could be real. Through my studies and investigations, dreams can be incorporated into this theory by considering them to be small peeks into the realm of another universe. As some theories believe that we have no direct connection to these other versions of ourselves, this theory considers all of the counterparts to still be one. This would then hypothetically allow us to connect with these universal doppelgangers, perhaps through our dreams.

There are some reasons to believe, however, that worlds can interact. As has been pointed out by others, if a counterpart has a brain identical to mine and identical memories, etc. then by the law of the identity of indiscernibles, the counterpart is me. As the counterpart develops a history that diverges from the parent world, anything is possible, but at the moment of inception, he must be me. If he is me then interaction must be possible as I can infallibly know what the other is thinking (at least at the inception of the branching event) and that is a genuine piece of knowledge about the other world.

Although these theories are all unsupported, they keep me skeptical, but I am continuously curious as to what other theories might make sense of my vivid, lifelike dreams.

Keeping an Open Mind: Embracing Curiosity and Respect

Over the past year or so, I spent time looking into different concepts and ideas, and I’ve concluded that I might never know why I have such consistent, intense experiences when I sleep. However, the journey I’ve made has exposed me to unpopular opinions and outrageous ideas. Each one I had to take into personal consideration to determine whether I agreed with it. This allowed me to exercise, keeping an open mind. More often than not, people come to conclusions without being impartial to any contradictory ideas, usually leading to controversy. With science developing at such a rapid rate, I believe it is important to keep an open mind now more than ever. Accept information with skepticism, but not judgment. Have a conversation, not an argument. Respect other’s opinions as they respect yours.

Introduction:

Saying I’ve faced a lot of adversity growing up is unfair, considering I grew up with people who had it much worse than me. To be frank, on paper, I had a perfect life; I had loving parents, a supportive family, and a plethora of fantastic friends, not to mention I was one of the star athletes and did great in school. However, behind the scenes, it was a whole different story. My newfound popularity had divulged me into a life of partying and substance abuse. Considering I never let that life intermingle with my outward appearance, I was still able to portray the “Golden Child” image. This all changed when I began the 9th grade.

Unveiling the Mask: The Hidden Struggles Beyond the Facade

The summer previous to my 9th grade year, I spent the majority of my summer in India, having the time of my life. As the end of this trip approached, I fell ill with a viral illness called Dengue-Fever Type 2, which caused me to hemorrhage internally. I had to enter a few weeks late because I wasn’t allowed to travel with said Illness. Although this situation had kind of impacted my wanting to return to school, I was also very excited to return. This was because of my person. This person was the only one I let see past the charismatic, outgoing persona I faked so well. She saw me in my most vulnerable state and showed me kindness and compassion when I thought no one could. She was the most important person in my life at that time, and I really wanted to go back to the States just to meet her.

A Life-Altering Trip: The Catalyst for Change

After I recovered, I came back to the United States and started to resume my life, which meant school. I approached the building, and as I was walking, I started to notice the air, much cleaner than where I was during my Illness. My sickness had made me weak, so with great force, I pulled open the door to the school and entered; as soon as I entered, I began to make sense of it all, the smells of different colognes and perfumes, the indistinct and blended chatter of many people, the visible and understandable joy of friends laughing and conversing. I felt at home once again, although my brief peace was distinctly interrupted by the collective shouting of my name.

One friend exclaimed, ‘Sai!!”

‘We missed you, you crazy son of a bitch.’ Another said

It all overwhelmed me, and I started to tear up; I was home, and I was talking to some of the most important people in my life. I received and responded to their greetings, but class was about to start, so I headed to the office to figure out my schedule. Upon entering, I was greeted by my counselor.

‘Hello Sai, welcome, how are you feeling?’

‘Fine, ma’am, how are you?’

‘Great, sweetie.’ ‘Let’s get you to your classes.’

That word, ‘classes,’ made my stomach twist; I had forgotten why I had hated school so much. But I realized that with a positive attitude, I would attempt to make this year my favorite year. Continuing, she handed me my schedule and began to walk me to classes, as well as assign me a buddy who could take me to my other classes. I began my day.

The day was quite easy. I met my teachers, and after a couple of jokes and conversations, I had my routine, but as I was going through my day, my mind began to wander; I was thinking of my person and how all I wanted was to see her. The final bell rang, and I raced out of the building; I went directly home, showered, and went to her house. I rang her doorbell, and she opened the door.

‘Holy crap, you’re home.’ She screamed

‘I missed you so much.’ I responded

‘What? When? Are you ok?’

‘I’ll tell you later.’

Her parents weren’t home, so she pulled me in. We tried talking, but each of us could barely get through a sentence without a kiss interrupting us. After the excitement had passed, we lay in her soft bed. Her smooth skin was on mine as I ran my hands through her silky hair. After exchanging pleasantries, she began to talk about some real stuff.

“I know what happened there, and I’m not happy with it, but I’m willing to forget it.’

I thought to myself, ‘What did she find out about, the partying or the drugs or the fights or what?’

As we continued to talk about what I was doing there, I felt extremely bad about the stress I placed upon her, with my constant partying followed by immense sickness.

‘I’ll make it up to you.’ I said

‘You better.’ She responded

Later that night, I went home and went immediately to bed. A few hours later, I was woken up by my annoying ringtone. Groggily, I grabbed my phone and read the caller ID. ‘Mom’. Wondering what she could have wanted this late at night, I picked up.

‘Hello’

She responded with distress in her voice, “Sai.”

‘Mom, what’s wrong?’

I could barely understand her over the sniffles and sobs, but three clear words hit me hard and clear, ‘Your brother died.’

I was in shock, and I rushed to my parent’s bedroom.

‘Why him, he was so young?!!’ My mom screamed as tears flowed down her face.

I asked, ‘How, Mom?’

‘A drunk driver hit him.’ She could barely get the words out due to the intense crying.

The next morning, my sister informed me they left for India to proceed with funeral plans.

‘How could they leave me alone with this pain ?’ I thought. I decided to ignore the occupational thoughts. I went to school that day, but it was a different atmosphere. I felt as if the world that surrounded me was gloomy.

‘Hey, I heard what happened. Are you ok?’ One friend said

‘I’m so sorry, Sai; I’m here for you.’ Another said

I heard this all day, and I ignored all of it when finally my person came up to me.

‘How are you feeling, babe?’

I ignored her and told her to get out of my way. Her eyes began to water, but I simply didn’t care.

Hours without interaction turned into days; my charismatic and playful demeanor soon turned into a cold and steely one. The bottled-up darkness was seeping into my life; Grades were set on a downward spiral, as well as my social life and happiness.

The following night, I received a call; it was my person.

‘Hi,’ she said

I responded with, ‘Hello’. She began to cry over the phone, and in the back of my mind, I knew what was coming.

‘Sai, I can’t do this anymore; I can’t take you not talking to me or acknowledging me; I’m done.’

I hung up. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to her; it’s just every time I tried to, it felt as if my mouth was filled with cement. That night was the worst of it all. The center of my universe was gone; I had no reason to be happy or good, I had no faith or love, and I was alone.

Visibly, I was devastated; my social interactions were minimal, and my face never had a smile on it anymore. A kid that I walked by every day noticed. I was walking down the hallway when he pulled me to the side.

‘Hey. I can make all of your problems go away for 5$,’ He promised.

I was intrigued; I wondered if I could make this feeling of self-hatred go away and If the price for happiness was only 5$. I pulled out five dollars and handed it to him. He pulled out a baggie with a pill in it and handed it to me. Keep in mind I had loads of experience with using substances to alleviate physical and mental pain.

‘Go into the bathroom and take this.’ He told me. So I followed his directions.

I went into the bathroom, opened the baggie, and popped the pill. I felt its hard shape on my tongue; its heavy, bitter taste filled my mouth. I decided to swallow it fast, and a burning sensation followed. Nothing happened, and I was beginning to wonder if he ripped me off, and then, like a truck, it hit me. The immense weight on my shoulders was lifted, and I felt as if I was surrounded by a cloud of happiness. My once tense body was now as loose and fluid as water. As I exited the bathroom, I was able to talk to everyone with ease, and I didn’t have a care in the world. The last thing I remember is going home, and after that, I blanked.

Slowly regaining consciousness, I stood up from my bed. As soon as I was on my feet, the extreme pain came back; I felt as if I was burning from the inside out. I came down, and the pain from before was even worse now. I needed more of this wonder drug. I met the guy the next day at school. I grabbed him in the morning and handed him more than half of all of my savings.

‘Bro, this will get you 150 pills at least.’ He said, surprised.

‘I’ll take it,’ I eagerly exclaimed

He put the noisy pill bottles in my bag. I started with one a day, but the cycle repeated; when I came down, I felt even worse than the last time I wasn’t high. I began taking two a day, and as my tolerance went up, I began taking more and more. I achieved it; I was always high and, therefore, always happy. Life became a conglomerate of taking pills and spending money on pills. Time blurred, and days all blended into one continual feeling of ecstasy. And I was finally happy, or so I thought.

One night, my dealer called me, and he asked if I wanted to party. Of course, I said yes. I went over to his house.

‘Welcome, what will you have to drink.’ He asked

‘I want to get shit-faced.’ I responded

He handed me a large glass bottle filled with a foul-smelling concoction of liquors. I took a sip, and an awful burning sensation went through my body. It felt as if I was being drowned in paint stripper.

Later on, he asked, ‘Do you have your pills, Sai?’

‘Of course, bro, I never leave without them.’

We went to the municipal park and sat in my dealer’s beaten-down Honda Civic.

‘I bet you won’t take five at one time, Sai.’ He said

‘What could go wrong? I thought. I took out five green pills and swallowed them; a feeling of tiredness overcame me, and I dropped the pill bottle. A little while later, I heard a conversation.

‘F*ck, f*ck, he od’d’

‘We are going to get into so much trouble.

Emerging from the Darkness: Triumph and Transformation

I began to hear running in the other direction. Not long after, my eyes began to shut again. I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to die in this car.’ My eyelids felt heavy, and darkness overtook me again. Slowly, I woke up; the night was dead quiet; I was surrounded by silence, and this dead night was broken by my body’s violent convulsions. The humid air and smell of bile in the car knocked me out again. Finally, I came down off the drugs for the first time in a long time. A feeling of heavy grief overtook me; the pain was straight from hell itself. I realized the artificial feeling of relief and happiness the pill gave me caused me to push everyone and everything away. This savior pill led me deeper into the hole I was in when I thought it was actually carrying me out. The pill that I thought was going to save me actually ended me.

I somehow managed to drag myself home. Following this event began a series of revelations. The first and foremost was, did I really want to continue living my life in a continual self-thrown pity party and take the cowardly way out whenever faced with any adversity in my life? I decided that night I would begin working to change my life.

The first step was to completely cut out any and all substances that I was using; I began to flush the numerous drugs down the toilet, knowing this would be the last time I would ever see them again. Next, I began to detox; this part was excruciatingly painful. I had constant headaches and, even worse, physical aversions to my body, purging the numerous toxins that plagued my body. Slowly but surely, I was starting to get better; my grades were improving, and for the first time in weeks, I actually managed to crack a smile while sober. The following weeks were comparatively easier, but I always had that lingering urge to take some sort of substance. What kept me strong, however, was my want to genuinely succeed in life in all aspects, including mentally, physically, and economically. A few months passed, and for once, I was actually pleased with myself; I was wrestling varsity as a freshman, I had straight A’s in all of my classes, and I was truly away from all drugs.

Although everything was going well in my life, I knew I had to deal with the original underlying problem, the grief of my brother passing away. I started attending counseling sessions. These sessions went very well, and I finally allowed myself to properly grieve and let go of all that angst I had bottled up.

It has now been over two years since I’ve even looked at a drug, and I am doing wonderful. I’m in all AP or college-based curricula, constantly challenging myself to improve, whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. I’ve achieved tremendous accomplishments, but I’m still not done. Hopefully, all this hard work will pay off, and eventually, I can help kids who were faced with the same challenge I was, teaching them the correct ways to cope, as well as confiding in their support system, whether that be their parents, friends, or even a liked teacher; something I never did.

Conclusion:

To conclude, I would like to say that if I had the chance, I would choose to go through all of it again. Would it have been nice to change a few things? Sure, I would’ve loved to have confided in my parents because I know they could have helped me get through these situations in a much more efficient manner, and considering I’m their son, I’m sure they would’ve really wanted to know all the things I went through. Would I have liked to go back to when I gave that person 5$ for an artificial release and slap myself over the head? Absolutely. However, this adversity made me who I am today: the strong, hardworking, and persevering person I always knew I could be.

Rupi Kaur’s poems remind women of their own personal power. Her work is almost an imploration for action to women everywhere to accept themselves and celebrate womanhood. Kaur shows how being a woman can be power, something that she and many other women do not recognize in their own lives. In World Literature this semester, I want to gain knowledge and understanding of different types of writing. I want to be able to not only analyze text but really understand it. A book is so much more than words; there is a whole other meaning beneath them. That is something I have not always paid attention to, but it is a skill I would like to gain from this class.

Emotions and Their Impact on Behavior

People usually don’t talk about emotions, but we all display or act on them at some point. There are eight basic emotions: fear, joy/happiness, anger, sadness, surprise, disgust, interest, and contempt. They can be combined in many ways. Emotions can affect a person’s thinking/decision-making, cause stress and/ or anxiety, and the way we act. I can recall acting out in anger, causing impulsivity, confusion, and self-hate.

Anger and Impulsivity: A Destructive Duo

Impulsivity is to act or do something without carefully thinking or planning. When I’m angry, I tend to forget healthy cognitive thinking skills. I often get angry when someone discredits or doesn’t acknowledge my hard work and efforts. This can be family, friends, children, employer, and/ or my boss. I let my emotions get the best of me last week. One of my co-workers was talking with the administration, attempting to have one of my clients kicked out. She stated, “He hasn’t learned anything since he’s been here. He needs to be in a mental hospital.” I immediately got angry. I’ve been working overtime helping the client with outbursts, coping skills, relapse prevention, and restoration of his family. Without carefully using my healthy thought process, I became defensive and argumentative. Throughout the day, I felt as if I could not function.

Confusion Amidst Anger

While being angry for the majority of the day, I became confused as to why she would build a case on the client whom she hadn’t worked with. I tried my hardest to put everything into perspective, but I was angry and confused. Nothing made sense; I had forgotten details of what led to me becoming angry. My mind had drawn a blank. The only thing on my mind was confronting her on her defects of character. I wasn’t able to get things in order, so I stopped everything and started to pray.

Lastly, once I calmed down I was able to process my thoughts and everything that had taken place, I began to hate myself. I began to hate myself for the way I behaved. My spirit was convicted. I apologized to my co-worker even though I knew she was treating the client unfairly; however, my behavior was ridiculous.

From Anger to Empowerment

I concluded that I could no longer act upon anger. Shame and fear stem from anger. I’ve learned to carefully think things through before getting angry. Using my thought-processing skills will avoid impulsivity. Helping me to be able to remember details and look at situations from a positive perspective. Processing what I’ve learned would show growth and loving myself for being a better person.

Step 1: Read the following case study: Bernice, a 25-year-old woman, is still living at home with her parents. She was hesitant during her initial counseling session because she feared what the therapist would think of her. Bernice feared the therapist wouldn’t understand that she had the ability to save the world. The fate of the universe rested on the complex mathematical formula circulating in her mind. The therapist focused on building a therapeutic alliance with Bernice by engaging in empathic, nonjudgmental listening. Soon, Bernice shared that she was hearing a voice no one else seemed to be hearing. At first, the voice scared her until she realized the voice had identified her over anyone else to share vital information. The voice was sharing with her a mathematical formula that would put an end to global climate change. She alone had the necessary information to settle the fears brought about by climate change. Bernice soon quit her job working at the bank; actually, she never resigned, she just stopped showing up for work. She spent all her time alone, locked up in her bedroom trying to write down the formula that the voice was explaining to her, but no matter how hard she tried she wasn’t able to take the idea and express it correctly on paper. Step 2: Based on the Bernice Case Study, identify the most relevant psychological disorder associated with her symptoms and explain your rationale. Step 3: In your own words, explain what you have learned from the assigned readings about the psychological disorder you identified for the Bernice Case Study. Step 4: You will need to select at least *one* academic journal article that explains one treatment approach used for the psychological disorder you identified for the Bernice Case Study. To conduct your research on the treatment approach, please use one of the following methods: You can search the following: Monitor on Psychology (webpage, opens in a new tab). In the search box, type the disorder you identified. Then, you can locate an article about a treatment approach. In your own words, summarize the treatment approach you identified from the research you conducted. Please avoid quoting the academic journal; instead, describe the treatment approach with depth and in your own words. Use APA style in-text citations in your response. At the end of your response, compose APA style citations for your sources.