Agoraphobia Essay Example for Free

Agoraphobia Essay Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by anxiety in situations where the sufferer perceives certain environments as dangerous or uncomfortable, often due to the environments vast openness or crowdedness. These situations include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, as well as uncontrollable social situations such as the possibility of being met in shopping malls, airports, and on bridges. Agoraphobia is defined within the DSM-IV TR as a subset of panic disorder, involving the fear of incurring a panic attack in those environments. In the DSM-5, however, Agoraphobia s classified as being separate to panic disorder. The sufferer may go to great lengths to avoid those situations, in severe cases becoming unable to leave their home or safe haven. Although mostly thought to be a fear of public places, it is now believed that agoraphobia develops as a complication of panic attacks. However, there is evidence that the implied one-way causal relationship between spontaneous panic attacks and agoraphobia in DSM-IV may be incorrect. Onset is usually between ages 20 and 40 years and more common in women. Approximately 3. 2 million, or about 2. %, of adults in the US between the ages of 18 and 54, suffer from agoraphobia. Agoraphobia can account for approximately 60% of phobias. Studies have shown two different age groups at first onset: early to mid twenties, and early thirties. In response to a traumatic event, anxiety may interrupt the formation of memories and disrupt the learning processes, resulting in dissociation. Depersonalization and derealisation are other dissociative methods of withdrawing from anxiety. Standardized tools such as Panic and Agoraphobia Scale can be used to measure agoraphobia and panic attacks severity and monitor reatment. Agoraphobia is a condition where the sufferer becomes anxious in environments that are unfamiliar or where he or she perceives that they have little control. Triggers for this anxiety may include wide open spaces, crowds, or traveling . Agoraphobia is often, but not always, compounded by a fear of social embarrassment, as the agoraphobic fears the onset of a panic attack and appearing distraught in public. This is also sometimes called social agoraphobia which may be a type of social anxiety disorder also sometimes called social phobia. Not all agoraphobia is social n nature, however. Some agoraphobics have a fear of open spaces. Agoraphobia is also defined as a fear, sometimes terrifying, by those who have experienced one or more panic attacks. In these cases, the sufferer is fearful of a particular place because they have experienced a panic attack at the same location in a previous time. Fearing the onset of another panic attack, the sufferer is fearful or even avoids the location. Some refuse to leave their home even in medical emergencies because the fear of being outside of their comfort area is too great. The sufferer can ometimes go to great lengths to avoid the locations where they have experienced the onset of a panic attack. Agoraphobia, as described in this manner, is actually a symptom professionals check for when making a diagnosis of panic disorder. Other syndromes like obsessive compulsive disorder or post traumatic stress disorder can outside can cause the syndrome. [12] It is not uncommon for agoraphobics to also suffer from temporary separation anxiety disorder when certain other individuals of the household depart from the residence temporarily, such as a parent or spouse, or when the agoraphobic is left home alone. Such temporary conditions can result in an increase in anxiety or a panic attack or feel the need to separate themselves from family or maybe friends. Another common associative disorder of agoraphobia is necrophobia, the fear of death. The anxiety level of agoraphobics often increases when dwelling upon the idea of eventually dying, which they may consciously or unconsciously associate with being the ultimate separation from their mortal emotional comfort and safety zones and loved ones, even for those who may otherwise spiritually believe in some form of divine afterlife existence. Agoraphobia occurs about twice as commonly among women as it does in men. The gender difference may be attributable to several factors: social-cultural traditions that encourage, or permit, the greater expression of avoidant coping strategies by women, women perhaps being more likely to seek help and therefore be diagnosed; men being more likely to abuse alcohol in reaction to anxiety and be diagnosed as an alcoholic. Research has not yet produced a single clear explanation for the gender difference in agoraphobia. Although the exact causes of agoraphobia are currently unknown, some clinicians ho have treated or attempted to treat agoraphobia offer plausible hypotheses. The condition has been linked to the presence of other anxiety disorders, a stressful environment or substance abuse. Research has uncovered a linkage between agoraphobia and difficulties with spatial orientation. Individuals without agoraphobia are able to maintain balance by combining information from their vestibular system, their visual system and their proprioceptive sense. A disproportionate number of agoraphobics have weak vestibular function and consequently rely more on visual or actile signals. They may become disoriented when visual cues are sparse (as in wide open spaces) or overwhelming. Likewise, they may be confused by sloping or irregular surfaces. In a virtual reality study, agoraphobics showed impaired processing of changing audiovisual data in comparison with non-suffering subjects. Exposure treatment can provide lasting relief to the majority of patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia. Disappearance of residual and subclinical agoraphobic avoidance, and not simply of panic attacks, should be the aim of exposure therapy. Similarly, Systematic desensitizationmay also be used. Many patients can deal with exposure easier if they are in the company of a friend they can rely on. t is vital that patients remain in the situation until anxiety has abated because if they leave the situation the phobic response will not decrease and it may even rise. Cognitive restructuring has also proved useful in treating agoraphobia. This treatment involves coaching a participant through a dianoetic discussion, with the intent of replacing irrational, counterproductive beliefs w ith more factual and beneficial ones. Relaxation techniques are often useful skills for the agoraphobic to develop, as they can be used to stop or prevent symptoms of anxiety and panic. Anti-depressant medications most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders are mainly in the SSRI class and inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants are also commonly prescribed for treatment of agoraphobia. Antidepressants are important because some have antipanic effects. Antidepressants should be used in conjunction with exposure as a form of self-help or with cognitive behaviour therapy. Some evidence shows that a ombination of medication and cognitive behaviour therapy is the most effective treatment for agoraphobia.

Politics and Stem Cell Research Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Argu

Politics and Stem Cell Research The President’s Council on Bioethics published â€Å"Monitoring Stem Cell Research† in 2004. This report was written in response to President Bush’s comments regarding research of human stem cells on August 9, 2001. President Bush announced that he was going to make federal funding available for research that involved existing lines of stem cells that came from embryos. He is the first president to provide any type of financial support for the research of human stem cells. A Council was created with people who are educated in the field of stem cells to help monitor the research and to recommend guidelines and consider the ethical consequences that this research could create. This report is an â€Å"update† given by the President’s Council in January of 2004 to make the public aware of the significant developments in the science and medical aspects of stem cell research. It also describes the ethical, legal and political implications that stem cell research may create. However, since the research is still in its beginning stages, this â€Å"update† does not describe a complete or definitive study of stem cells nor does it provide specific guidelines or regulations. This is a report that is suppose to help the President, Congress and general public make better-informed decisions as to the direction that we should go with stem cells. This report does a fairly comprehensive job on educating the public to the definition of stem cells, describing them as â€Å"a diverse group of remarkable multipotent cells that are relatively undifferentiated and unspecialized cells of the body.† Stem cells have the capacity for unlimited self-renewal and the possibility to produce differentiated descendant cell types. The main in... ...rstanding exactly how they function and what their potential may be. The Council neglects to discuss what the boundaries should be in regards to research and whether not it is ethically or morally right to use and destroy embryos for the sake of medical advancement. They also do not clearly state who should pay for the research on stem cells. Since President Bush appoints the Council, there has been criticism that the committee is bias towards his views. In general, the report is ambiguous and does not specifically come to any concrete conclusions, nor does it provide any new information. Sources: The President's Council on Bioethics, Washington, D.C. January 2004. www.bioethics.gov News Briefings. U.S. News Libraray http://www.usnews.com/usnews/briefings/stemcell0701.htm Russo, Eugene. The Scientist: No decision on stem cells. Daily News. January 16, 2004

MBA Admission questions

Question 1} Discuss an event or process from your work experience which has contributed to your personal/professional development under the following headings†¦ My leadership skills have evolved through a combination of experiences that helped shape my personality and skills. One of such incidents occurred as I was involved in a project with local city Power Supply Company aimed at implementing their energy savings programs for Small and Medium Business Organizations in California. Responsible for research on the existing standards used in lighting requirements by these business owners and benefits the program was expected to generate for the company and the community, I had to complete my work with a proposal outlining various energy savings programs. My involvement was also important since being of Indian descent I could more easily connect with local Indian community business owners targeted by the program. I saw the project as an opportunity to help people with energy conservation, a task I consider of great importance both to society and individual businesses. This approach worked as more and more people were beginning to see our project as a helping hand that solved some of the most pressing concerns of their businesses. As a result, our company was able to service many customers, supplying business owners with the lighting equipment required for implementing the savings program. Apart from enjoying this as a personal success, the most important benefit I received from the program was the contribution to my professional development. In meeting local community leaders and members of the chamber of commerce, I learned a great variety of perspectives, received important insights into the life of our community, and built an extensive network of connections in different industries and public entities. Since our target audience was not limited to Indians, through interaction with professionals from different ethnic and racial backgrounds I developed cross-cultural skills and learned the value of respect and harmony in such relationships. I learned successful cooperation, working together with business development managers from power supply companies in search for mutually beneficial solutions. Finally, I learned the importance of presentation skills that often decide the success or failure of a project. This experience proved invaluable in other projects, helping me see trite issues in a new light. Question 2} What are your aims for your future career development? How will MBA assist you in achieving your aims? At the moment, I am engaged in a wide range of company initiatives as various levels, participating in many projects and assisting on the marketing aspects of planning and organising. Although my professional activity in itself offers great possibilities for professional development, I feel that at this point I also need a more strategic focus to my activities. Through MBA courses, I hope to learn different models applicable to the business situations in my organisation and find more effective ways to promote its success. An MBA degree will also be an effective tool for helping me rise one step further in the hierarchy, reaching a point where I can turn my strategic vision into a greater contribution. My ambition is to rise through the ranks, achieving a position in the senior management. Although future will define the height to which I can get, I have the ambition to become the Chief Executive Officer of a reputable business organisation, possibly a multinational company. Adding an international touch to my career is my long-standing ambition. At this point, I have profited from personal atmosphere of the local business that allowed me to develop most important business skills. In the future, I want to move into the international environment where my experience of going through an MBA program with a diverse body of students will definitely be an asset. Thus, I view MBA as an important instrument of professional enrichment and upward career mobility. Receiving this degree will expand my knowledge, develop my skills and help me occupy a position that will realize my full potential. Question 3} Describe how work experience could be used as a source of information for your learning and for contribution to group discussion? The bulk of my work experience is connected to the marketing aspect of business. In my opinion, this function provides exposure to many different aspects of organisational activities and gives a bird-eye’s view of the company’s strategy and prospects. Thus, my current enrolment in California-based KMK Supply Company as Marketing Manager has given me insights into the energy sector, a crucial part of the US economy. Involvement in this sector has also exposed me to interactions with a vast variety of businesses from different industries that all use power in their work. Implementing different energy conservation projects, I learnt many new things about the environment in which our organisation works and the US economy in general. This ability to see things in perspective will be valuable and help me contribute to group discussions. In my previous job as Marketing Executive at Vardhaman Chemicals, I was exposed to various aspects of manufacturing and marketing various chemical composites. I have intuitively understood many aspects of the company’s operations, gaining knowledge that I hope to expand through courses of the MBA program. Interacting with people in a large organisation on a daily basis, I honed my intercultural and interpersonal skills, strengthening my knowledge of human psychology and negotiation skills. Nevertheless, my career has included many difficult episodes of interaction with different kinds of people from all layers of the organisational hierarchy that will make a valuable addition to the scope of the course content. Having experience with different functions of business, I can effectively draw on my past professional experience in discussions of classroom topics.

Biography of Matthew Henson

In 1908 explorer Robert Peary set out to reach the North Pole. His mission began with 24 men, 19 sledges and 133 dogs. By April of the following year, Peary had four men, 40 dogs and his most trusted and loyal team member—Matthew Henson. As the team trudged through the Arctic, Peary said, â€Å"Henson must go all the way. I can’t make it there without him.† On April 6, 1909, Peary and Henson became the first men in history to reach the North Pole. Achievements   Credited with being the first African-American to reach the North Pole with Peary explorer in 1909.Published A Black Explorer at the North Pole in 1912.Appointed to the US Customs House in recognition of Henson’s Arctic travels by former President William Howard Taft.Recipient of the Joint Medal of Honor by US Congress in 1944.Admitted to the Explorer’s Club, a professional organization dedicated to honoring the work of men and women conducting field research.Interred in Arlington National Cemetery in 1987  by former President Ronald Reagan.Commemorated with a US Postage Stamp in 1986 for his work as an explorer. Early Life Henson was born Matthew Alexander Henson in Charles County, Md. On August 8, 1866. His parents worked as sharecroppers. Following the death of his mother in 1870, Henson’s father moved the family to Washington D.C. By Henson’s tenth birthday, his father also died, leaving him and his siblings as orphans. At the age of eleven, Henson ran away from home and within a year he was working on a ship as a cabin boy. While working on the ship, Henson became the mentee of Captain Childs, who taught him not only to read and write but also navigation skills. Henson returned to Washington D.C. after Childs’ death and worked with a furrier. While working with the furrier, Henson met Peary who would enlist Henson’s services as a valet during travel expeditions. Life As an Explorer   Peary and Henson embarked on an expedition of Greenland in 1891. During this time period, Henson became interested in learning about Eskimo culture. Henson and Peary spent two years in Greenland, learning the language and various survival skills that Eskimos used. For the next several years Henson would accompany Peary on several expeditions to Greenland to collect meteorites which were sold to the American Museum of Natural History. The proceeds of Peary and Henson’s findings in Greenland would fund expeditions as they tried to reach the North Pole. In 1902, the team attempted to reach the North Pole only to have several Eskimo members die from starvation. But by 1906 with the financial support of former President Theodore Roosevelt, Peary and Henson were able to purchase a vessel that could cut through ice. Although the vessel was able to sail within 170 miles of the North Pole, melted ice blocked the sea path in the direction of the North Pole. Two years later, the team took another chance at reaching the North Pole. By this time, Henson was able to train other team members on sled handling and other survival skills learned from Eskimos. For a year, Henson stayed with Peary as other team members gave up.   And on April 6, 1909, Henson, Peary, four Eskimos and 40 dogs reached the North Pole. Later Years Although reaching the North Pole was a great feat for all team member, Peary received credit for the expedition. Henson’s  was almost forgotten because he was an African-American. For the next thirty years, Henson worked in the US Customs office as a clerk. In 1912 Henson published his memoir Black Explorer at the North Pole. Later in life, Henson was acknowledged for his work as an explorer—he was granted membership to the elite Explorer’s Club in New York. In 1947 the Chicago Geographic Society awarded Henson with a gold medal. That same year, Henson collaborated with Bradley Robinson to write his biography Dark Companion. Personal Life Henson married Eva Flint in April of 1891. However, Henson’s constant travels caused the couple to divorce six years later. In 1906 Henson married Lucy Ross and their union lasted until his death in 1955. Although the couple never had children, Henson had many sexual relationships with Eskimo  women. From one of these relationships, Henson bore a son named Anauakaq around 1906. In 1987, Anauakaq met the descendants of Peary. Their reunion is well documented in the book, North Pole Legacy: Black, White, and Eskimo. Death Henson died on March 5, 1955, in New York City. His body was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Thirteen years later, his wife Lucy also died and she was buried with Henson. In 1987 Ronald Reagan honored the life and work of Henson by having his body re-interred at Arlington National Cemetery.