Essays --

This research proposal will be dealing with the growing problem of attention deficit hyperactive disorder, or also known commonly as ADHD, in the United States. ADHD has grown from the 1% of the childhood population in the 1970’s to its current rate of 5% of the school age population according to National Survey of Children’s Health. That is a 400% increase over 40 years. With this type of increase, so has the increase of medication children are prescribed to help them cope with the disorder. This study will be looking at what kind of effect these medications are having on young children and, if any, the affects of the medication on the child meeting milestones in their education. H- Dietary eliminations from a child diagnosed with ADHA can have a notable positive effect. H1- Dietary eliminations from a child diagnosed with ADHA does not have a notable positive effect. Chapter 1: Introduction to research proposal. ADHD is defined by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequently displayed and is more severe than is typically observed in individuals at comparable level of development (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). There are several characteristics that are present in ADHA that include hyperactive-impulsive or inattentive symptoms that must have been present in a child’s life before they reach seven years of age. Some impairment from the symptoms of ADHD must be present in at least two settings. A doctor must observe clear evidence of interference with developmentally appropriate social, academic or occupational functioning and the disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, or other Psychotic Disorders and... ...t even harder to study and find the true results of the effect they have on children. One that has been studied is known simply as Yellow Number 5 has been studied alone. The results are that they could not find a direct link to it and hyperactivity but it is the second most used dye in the United State. Yello Number 5 is called tartrazine and is commonly found in all of the following: Nabisco Cheese Nips Four Cheese; Frito-Lay Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar and other Frito-Lay products; some Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding products; Lucky Charms; Eggo waffles and other waffle products; some Pop-Tarts products; various Kraft macaroni and cheese products; Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper and other products; some Oscar Mayer Lunchables products; Hot Pockets Ham & Cheese; some Hostess cup cakes; some Betty Crocker frostings; some M&M's and Skittles products; some Gatorade products.

Comparison of the Presentation of Seduction in the Poems To His Coy Mis

Comparison of the Presentation of Seduction in the Poems To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell and The Willing Mistress by Aphra Behn Both Marvell and Behn wrote during the Renaissance period and had different styles. However, they explored similar themes. In 'To His Coy Mistress', Marvell uses a cleverly structured argument called 'syllogism' to persuade his lover to 'seize the day' and make love before their passion fades. In the first section, Marvell speculates how he would adore his mistress. He compliments his mistress saying she deserves such praise. He uses hyperbole to illustrate the extent of his love. He uses many vast geographical and biblical allusions to tell the vastness of his love. The tone in the second section is desolate and threatening. Time is personified to show it's inevitable conclusion - death confronts us all. He uses a blunt reminder that 'times winged chariot' is 'hurrying near'. Threatening images of graves and decay emphasise his point. The imagery becomes morbid and disturbing as he reminds his lover, manipulatively, that death will inevitably destroy her virginity. In the third section of the poem, Marvell draws his triumphant conclusion. His lover is young and beautiful and they desire one another. He focuses on the urgency of seduction. In contrast, Aphra Behn is revolutionary and our expectations are challenged as she writes her willingness to receivevher lover's attention in a female persona. She presents seduction from a woman's point of view. She was one of the first women to write about a woman's sexual feelings in pre-1900 poems. Aphra Behn's humorous poem follows a narrative structure in which ... ... them to consummate their love and savour her 'fleeting youth'. The metaphorical description 'iron gates of life' tells us that life is hard and full of though restrictions that ought to be and can be broken by them. 'Iron gates of life' describes boundaries as barbaric. The way in which he wishes to break such a strong boundary with just their love for each other represents his confidence at the success of his words. I preferred 'To His Coy Mistress' to 'The Willing Mistress' because it had hidden depths and meanings. I liked the way in which the poetic techniques were used to produce such a powerful effect. I also like the way in which the tone changes so often to portray his point. I did like 'The Willing Mistress' because it is playful and humorous but it is only a simple story and not a cryptic piece of poetry.

Evil in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart :: Things Fall Apart essays

Evil in Things Fall Apart Throughout the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the reader feels evil. Evil is a concept that is hard to define. The dictionary defines it as " morally bad; wicked" (Funk & Wagnalls 220). But is the definition of evil really as simple as that? Many would say that there is more to defining evil than just a few words. Evil can also be defined by a culture. If one were to study various cultures around the world, he or she would discover that each culture has a different way of defining evil. Even world politics sometimes plays a role in defining evil. But one's personal definition seems to have the most impact on what one thinks is evil. Theology has played a strong role in defining evil for thousands of years. The Bible teaches Christians that Satan is evil, and not to follow his teachings. Evil as a concept in Christianity developed in the third and fourth centuries. During that time, St. Augustine determined that "Evil is the privation, or absence, of good, as darkness is the absence of light." (Funk&Wagnalls19) In modern times, theology has had a difficult time defending the existence of God in light of the many atrocities that have occurred in the last 100 years, such as the Holocaust, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo. As a result, theology is now having to redefine what evil is. Cultures and politics among cultures have a way of defining evil for their own inhabitants. The Europeans who visited the Ibo culture in Things Fall Apart viewed many of the customs that the natives practiced as evil or barbaric or primitive. The Ibo concept of the "Evil Forest" was one of them. It was something that each village had and "In it were buried all those who died of the really evil diseases, like leprosy and smallpox." (Achebe 148) Another belief held by the tribe in the novel is that if a woman has children, and each dies under "evil" circumstances, then she is under attack by an evil tormentor. The remedy to this problem is to " Let her not sleep in her hut. Let her go and stay with her people. In that way she will elude her wicked tormentor and break its evil cycle of birth and death" (Achebe 77).

Nursing Image

Common perspective sees nurses as ‘secondary’ profession in the medical treatment environment. However, the public is often unaware of the significance of the profession toward daily activities of the medical system. Recent articles and researches revealed increasing roles of nurses. An article by Patricia Foster and J.M Whitworth, for example, revealed the importance of nursing profession in telemedicine and care for child abuse. Advances of communication technology have created a system that enables trained nurses to play a significant role in the psychological investigation of abused children (Foster & Whitworth, 2005). Another study suggested that nurses are also playing a significant part in the issue of medical waste. The International Council for Nurses has agreed to socialize a new standard that encourage nursing organization to educate nurses in terms of medical waste awareness (â€Å"Medical Waste,† 2005). Despite being seen as secondary role, the profession is still ‘positively valued’ by most aspects of the society. General image of a nurse is still largely positive as seen in several popular Hollywood motion pictures. As movies is in fact, the quickest way to determine a society’s perspective toward a certain character or profession, it is reasonable to use popular movies in order to assess the present image of nurses and their roles in common medical treatment process. Within this short elaboration, we will assess the image and roles of nurses, from the movie, Pearl Harbor. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assessment Within the movie, Pearl Harbor, the nurses are seen as one of the mail roles. Their presence is shown from the beginning of the movie, but their active roles are presented in a special segment of the movie, showing dramatic scenes. The movie displays that the nurse profession requires professionalism and intelligence as well as mental strength in certain times and conditions. There were times that the nurses need to perform unorthodox treatment method in order to cope with the suppressing conditions. As shown in the motion picture, adaptation and creativity to face unexpected circumstances are necessary to provide the best care for patients. Sometimes, they work together with non-medical personnel because the lack of sufficient number of available nurses. Within the special segment of the movie, the nurses are shown to assume control of the situation. This is logical due to the emergence of the event that took place. However, they kept their places under orders from the doctors, to preserve medical order and good coordination between the medical personnel. The doctors are shown to have more authority and do most of the talking. Nevertheless there are circumstances where young and inexperienced doctor require experienced nurses to guide and support them. In the absence of available doctors, the nurses are shown to take charge of the medical treatment process. Nurses are shown to be in various age in the movie. However, there is no significant scene that presents the image of nurses are men. Most (or all) of the nurse characters are female. There is a strong image that nurses are commonly female, single and physically attractive. This image is shown in the beginning of the movie. However, feminist should not be alarmed, because as the movie proceed to the dramatic scenes, the nurses are shown to be women of character that inspire the value of humanism and passionate to provide service toward others. I have also captured the difference of values between nurses and other profession within the movie. Soldiers are shown to be a lot more aggressive, dominant and careless compare to nurses. These images are perhaps reasonable because their profession demands them to be bold and somewhat careless. The nurses on the other hand, are shown to be careful, organized, highly stable, non-violence human beings that dedicate their lives to the care of others, instead of creating any form of harm. The profession of nurses could be identified with intelligent and confident characters, but hardly ever ambitious. The nurses in this motion picture are shown to help manage the medical treatment process. Some nurses are shown to be capable, despite their lack of experience in handling such circumstances. Some others ‘crack’ under pressure, which is -under the circumstances-, understandable. The nurses are shown to support each other medically as well as mentally. In one of the scenes, the movie even displayed that a nurse is trusted by the head doctor to choose between those salvageable and those cannot be saved. I am not sure about the possibility of this event to take place in real life, but the scene does display the significant role of nurses in medical emergency. Reference Foster, Patricia., & Whitworth, J M. (2005). The Role of Nurses in Telemedicine and Child Abuse. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506916?rss Medical Waste: Role of Nurses and Nursing. n.d. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from http://www.icn.ch/psmedwaste.htm Nursing Image A memorable and attractive nurse image is found in the movie â€Å"The English Patient† in the face of Hana, a young French-Canadian nurse skillfully played by Juliette Binoche. Hana is one of the central images of the plot, appearing in ‘present’ part of the film that intersperses present with reminiscences of the past. She does an exceptional job tending to the ‘English patient’ who is surviving only thanks to her determination, perseverance and commitment. She both performs her professional duties towards the patient and develops a personal attitude towards the mutilated man left in her care. Hana seems to be in love with her patient who is far from sexually attractive with his maimed body, perhaps as extrapolation of her caring attitude towards him. Hana is put in a difficult situation, tending to the patient all alone at the time of the war. Her experience shows that a nurse’s job can at times be extremely challenging as nurses have to follow their patients through the most difficult of times and deliver care equally in the time of peace and war. Hana’s job involves many things – she delivers professional care to the patient, washing his wounds and giving him morphine, reads aloud to him, but also fixes the villa and does the gardening. Hana is left alone with her patient – there are no other medical professionals in the vicinity, and she is the sole decision-maker in her professional actions, which underscores the importance of her nursing role. Hana is a really likeable character, mainly because of her personal character and her determination to patient care. She is only twenty when the war starts and makes her mature in the shortest possible time. She is so determined to her work that she cuts her hair after three days in the war and pledges to skip looking in the mirror until it ends. This shows how much her nursing means to her as she is ready to get rid of what made her feminine attraction to be able to deliver quality care to her patients. However, Hana is not devoid of natural women’s desires: she gets attracted to men, exemplified in her relations with Kip, who later becomes her lover, and the English patient himself who she admires secretly as a man who suffered his wounds in the cruel and heroic warfare. Hana’s relationship with the English patient is a complex cobweb of professional commitment and the burgeoning love of the young woman for a man she sees as ideal. Hana is young and attractive, and the viewer takes her infatuation with men as a natural order of things, because it does not seem to interfere with her professionalism. Thus, Hana demonstrates the values of service to others and humanism, since she does not limit her care to professional interactions, but is ready to take the patient as a human being. She maintains his belief in the favorable outcome of the treatment and makes him feel that he should make an effort to survive, since it is personally important to her. There is not much in the movie to depict Hana’s understanding of scholarship or achievement, though. Maybe the reason is that Hana just happened to become a nurse because she wanted to make a contribution to her nation in the time of the war and does not see her future as connected with nursing career. Rather, Hana attends to her duties with a Christian attitude that intertwines the requirements of the nursing profession with the religious beliefs. She talks of her patient as a saint and compares his bones to those of Christ. This religious background clearly serves as an important motivator for Hana, inspiring her in her nursing activities. Hana wins recognition with the surrounding people thanks to her role in providing care. Eventually, she succeeds in building a little world around herself that unites the thief Caravaggio, the English patient, the Indian ‘sapper’ Kip, and herself. All these people find consolation in their association with a lovable woman who also has a caring and affectionate character. Hana wins the affection of the viewer, too, by being thoroughly professional and at the same time deeply humane. Bibliography The English Patient. Dir. Anthony Minghella. 1996.

Chinese government Essay

Ai WeiWei blurred the lines between the aesthetic and the political. According to the internet, aesthetic is defined as concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty. Ai WeiWei used art to â€Å"protest† against the Chinese government. Ai Weiwei was a creative man who thought of ideas how to represent the names of all the children who were killed in a deadly earthquake. A commentator in the movie claimed that Ai WeiWei was doing a job that the government should be doing. A deadly earthquake collapsed many buildings including homes and schools. Thousands of children were killed and were left unrecognized. Ai WeiWei wasn’t going to let this go. He assembled a project, full of volunteers to help him search for the names of the children who were killed in the disaster. He placed every individual name on his wall. The project inspired him to create more pieces of art work to revolt against the Chinese government. Ai WeiWei was a fearless man. Ai WeiWei was very involved with social media. He used twitter to share to the world how corrupt China’s government was. He left China when he said â€Å"Fuck You Mother Land. † Cameras are sometimes forbidden in China. Ai WeiWei was assaulted by a police officer, but that did not stop him from taking pictures in front court houses or of an officer who was at the scene when he was attacked. Ai WeiWei created a wall full of back packs to make other individuals aware of the children that died in the earthquake. During the 2nd anniversary, Ai WeiWei asked his followers to pick a name and record it on tape and share it to the world. Ai WeiWei was sharing his experience in China of the corrupt government with thousands of people around the world. Ai WeiWei made people aware of what was going on in China. Ai WeiWei became well-known through his work of art. He expressed his ideas through his work. Not only did his art make him well-known, Ai WeiWei captured many supporters to revolt against the corrupt system. Ai WeiWei was a man with no selfishness. He looked out for others and he was always looking and searching for ideas that would help him and his followers. Ai WeiWei was not afraid of the consequences, as long as he knew it was for the good.

Causes and Effects of Homelessness Essay

Homelessness is living without a home, be it on the streets or in shelters. There are many causes for people becoming homeless, and the combination of factors that lead to homelessness are different for every individual. Some of the factors that contribute to homelessness for youth, single adults, and families are poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental illness, limited assistance services, and personal choice. The effects are also varied and can pertain to communities, businesses, other people and the homeless themselves. Some of the effects of homelessness are health, personal, families, abuse, and the society. Although there are many reasons why people become homeless, this paper will only include the top five causes. Poverty is the number one leading cause of people becoming homeless, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. Poverty is best known as that state of being poor. When people lack income to meet all of their needs, they are forced to choose between housing, utilities, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and food. Nationally, homeless who have been surveyed by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, high proportions of homeless individuals were found to be employed. However, wages are often not sufficient to ensure housing stability and many people do not have jobs that provide living wages, health insurance, or high job security. Roughly half of homeless adults have incomes of less than $300 per month, (National Coalition for the Homeless). A lack of educational opportunities limits access to living-wage jobs and contributes to poverty. Another issue related to poverty is high cost and shortage of housing. It is difficult, if not impossible, for low-income individuals and families to find affordable housing. It’s no wonder with the limited scale of housing assistance programs, and other services of aid. With growing poverty levels and more people becoming homeless, public assistance services are unable to  keep up with the demand. Public assistance can be described as government aid (publicly funded) or privately funded agencies (churches, and/or other charities) to needy, aged, or disabled persons and to dependent children. Assistance programs do exist, but many have regulations and requirements that many people don’t qualify for. There are also the issues of waiting lists that might be as long as six months or a year. Shelters are available, but may have limited space and are only temporary (usually measured by weeks, some only lasting two weeks). Even with the programs out there, most don’t have adequate funding for prevention of homeless. Whether people are abused, mentally ill, or have disabilities, assistance is becoming more scarce and strict including health care necessities. While homeless people consist of mentally ill people and addicts, this only makes up a small portion of the entire homeless population. Mentally illness is foreseen as various psychiatric conditions, usually characterized by impairment of an individual’s normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and caused by physiological or psychosocial factors. Addicts consist of alcohol and drug users/abusers, which are considered of having habits of consuming either or both. According the U.S. Conference of Mayors (2005), about 16% of single adults are mentally ill homeless, and addicts make up less than this (addicts are more complex). It is difficult for either (mentally ill or addicts) to keep a job and often have trouble finding housing and treatment. Both, mentally ill and addicts, have a hard time finding services when living on the streets, thereby creating a cycle of homelessness and addiction from which it’s almost impossible to escape. Other homeless who need escape are the people of domestic violence. Domestic violence will consist of women and/or children whom are or have been physically, mentally, and/or emotionally abused (battered). Nationally, studies indicate that up to half of homeless women with children have experienced domestic violence, including children who are homeless. With specific shelters available for battered women, more women are fleeing their abusers, thus creating more homeless. Children, too, run away because of being battered and end up homeless. Children often encounter more abuse while on the streets to acquire food, shelter or clothing. Both, battered women and children are often forced with choosing between being abused or becoming homeless From interviews that I have conducted over the years,  there are still homeless people that just choose to become/stay homeless. I interviewed a homeless veteran back in 2009 whose name is Jim, and again in 2011. Jim informed me that he became homeless shortly after the Vietnam War because he chose to. He didn’t have family waiting for him, and had no desire of getting a job after serving his country. After being homeless for more than 15 years, he states that â€Å"it is easier†. He doesn’t have the hardships of paying bills such as rent, utilities, insurance, car fuel, and other bills. He also doesn’t have the responsibilities of caring for dependents, but living only for himself. Because of this advantage, he is able to survive on very little money. Jim says that â€Å"I focus on only the basics of food and hygiene†. With charities providing free food, soup kitchens, camping equipment, clothing and restroom facilities (including showers), Jim is able to survive without much begging. He claims that â€Å"being homeless gives me freedom† because he lives for the today and only planning for tomorrow. Though hard at times, simplicity can be blissful. Homelessness has a huge effect on an individual’s physical and emotional health. Homeless men and women suffer from colds that they cannot get rid of because they have no access to medicine. They suffer from vitamin deficiencies and often don’t get adequate sleep. Exposure to the elements and unsanitary living conditions can lead to frostbite, leg ulcers and upper respiratory infections. Serious illnesses like HIV/AIDS, diabetes and tuberculosis are more common in homeless people than amon g the general population. They also are more at risk for dependency on drugs and alcohol. Homeless individuals have no housing to protect them from physical violence and even rape. At the time when a homeless person realizes that he/she won’t have a roof to live under, it is hard for them to believe. It is this fact of not dealing with reality that makes homeless people less able to take actions, but they suffer psychologically as a result. Being without a home takes a terrible toll on children as well. Homeless children have higher rates of ear infections, stomach problems and asthma than other children their age. These children are also more likely to be depressed, anxious, or withdrawn, and have more difficulty in school than their peers. Homelessness tears families apart because some shelters won’t take boys and others won’t accept children. A mother may have to watch helplessly as her children are taken from her and placed with relatives or in foster care,  which highly affects the children. These can lead to emotional breakdowns that lead them to become institutionalized or they can begin to develop behavioral problems that land them in front of a judge. There is also the economic impact that homelessness has on society. Operating and maintaining homeless support services programs are costly ventures. The funding for these programs comes in the form of taxpayer dollars and private donations. Yet, most of these programs are generally unfunded, which means that only the most basic of services can be offered. This in turn means that many homeless are forced to seek alternate methods of getting their basic needs met. Subsequently, those homeless who cannot find employment will turn to recycling or panhandling as a means of putting money in their pockets. As the numbers of homeless who dig through garbage cans and dumpsters in search of recyclable items and as the number of homeless who panhandle increases there are the inevitable complaints to the community’s governm ent to do something about the homeless. This usually causes the city to adopt stricter laws concerning – and in some instances, prohibiting – these activities. Then, because of the need to enforce these ordinances, local law enforcement must be on the look-out for violators. For those homeless who are caught, the officer must then take the time to stop, check the person’s ID, and write the person a ticket. Which costs more money, because then it has to go through the local court system. Paperwork has to be filled out, court appearances must be set, and for those homeless who either don’t pay the fine or show up in court, additional paper work is created. If a warrant is issued, then the next time the person is caught, there is a possibility that they will be given a trip to the local jail – at taxpayer’s expense, of course – which means more paperwork. There is also an environmental impact that homelessness has on a society. Since most communities do not have anywhere near the amount of supportive resources needed for the numbers of homeless in their areas, the homeless will be forced to find alternate places to live and sleep. In more urbanized areas, this could be in the doorways of businesses after closing hours, behind buildings, public benches, bus shelters, building hallways and the like. In other, less urbanized communities, the homeless may seek shelter in â€Å"green belt† areas. Since every person has a need to heed the call of nature, and because many businesses deny the homeless the use of bathroom facilities,  the homeless are forced to use whatever convenient location they may find to tend to those needs. The cost of clean-up, once again comes out of taxpayer dollars. Since the 1940’s, the issue of homelessness has remained a growing concern within the U.S. Factors contributing to the problems are varied and deep-set within the make-up of our economy, and affect the economy as a whole. Not all homeless people chose to live in the streets or shelters. If a person believes this, then their perceptions are ignorant and unaware. Whatever the causes of an individual’s homeless, the consequences can be brutal. There is no one cause of homelessness and as a result there is no one solution. The solutions needed to eliminate homelessness are the same ones needed to prevent its occurrence. An understanding of the population and the causes of homelessness provides the background necessary to begin developing a strategy to end homelessness. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY About the Homeless: Snapshot of homelessness. National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2011. Web. 2011 October 3.  www.endhomelessness.org/section/about_homelessness/snapshot_of_homelessness On this web page, I accessed several inner links to gain additional information for more specifications. The National Alliance to End Homelessness gives lots of details pertaining to homelessness. There are statistics, characteristics and reasons of homelessness. This site focuses on educating people about homeless and offers homeless people resources. It gives common geographical areas of homeless, the types of people who are homeless, how often people become homeless and the reoccurrences. The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a non-profit organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness with updated and current information. This source helps emphasize the causes of my paper’s main topic, and reinforces the effects of homelessness based on facts. Jim. Personal interview. May 2009. Jim was a homeless veteran at the time of interview and has been homeless for more than 15 years. He was actually part of a â€Å"camp† community, consisting of seven other homeless people. I talked with several of them, but he is the one with the most to say. This interview is about some people choosing  to be homeless for no particular reason, other than it being easier. Jim talked about when he became homeless shortly after the Vietnam War. He hadn’t had family before the war, and didn’t have anyone/anywhere to turn to afterward. Society didn’t offer much support and government didn’t offer any help. So he became homeless. Now, it’s his way of life and he has no desire to change it. He has adapted to being homeless and finds that it’s easier (the others agreeing that it’s an easier way of life). Jim is still homeless as of August 2011, when I ran into him this summer. He mentioned that as a veteran and Obama’s help with veteran services, he now receives some assistance (food, cash, and METRO bus tickets for transportation). Even with new veteran’s laws passed to help homeless veterans, he remains homeless and claims to be too old to go back to work. This information supports my theory on some people choosing to be and stay homeless. USHUD 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress: SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS and STATISTICS. National Coalition for the Homeless, 2011 June 20. Web. 2011 October 1. www.nationalhomeless.org Why Are People Homeless? National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009. Web.  2011 October 1. www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/why.html The National Coalition for the Homeless gives statistics and information about homeless people. Both web sites talk about what types of people become homeless and reasons why they become homeless. The main reasons described in detail pertain to poverty and housing statistics, but also give some examples of other factors. Information also includes characteristics of homeless persons. The information provided is factual and is as accurate as can be expected (homelessness cannot be known precisely). The National Coalition for the Homeless is a national network that is working toward ending homelessness with current and updated information. The organization consists of many services that all fight for the rights’ of homeless people and report to congress. These sources give factual information about the causes and effects of homeless people, and support the topic of my paper.

Music and Its Effect on the Human Body

Music stimulates brain growth and productive function. It is instinct to make and enjoy music in homo sapiens, it does not get wiped from memory by diseases like Parkinson’s or Dementia, it was been known to help children with ADHD and ADD pay attention, Charles Darwin and other specialists support the idea that it was used to help us evolve and bond throughout our existence. Music is a way for people to transmit emotions, feelings, ideas, and motivation better than words can do; almost as if it is our innate language.With all these examples, it is impossible to deny the power of music and its positive influence on our mental processes. It is engraved in our biology to be moved by music, powered by its emotional force, and to stimulate our brains in ways that enforce knowledge and facilitate natural mental processes. â€Å"In 2008 archaeologists in Germany discovered the remains of a 35,000-year-old flute. † (Zimmer 1); that discovery is undeniable evidence that music e xisted long before organized civilization. Music is a part of our genealogy, we have used it as a tool to transmit thoughts before modern language was even thought about.Charles Darwin theorized that humans started using music as a way to attract mates, as a peacock shows off its feathers. Other specialists such as Dean Falk of the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Ellen Dissanayake of the University of Washington at Seattle believe that music was used to soothe babies as well. The proper term for this biological process is called, motheresing. Just as mothers today, in all cultures, sing lullabies to soothe their young, primordial humans did the same. The way females motherese are similar in all cultures: a quietly sung song with higher than normal speech, pitch, and slow tempo.These professionals speculate that once the essential elements were laid out and understood, adults began to make music for their own enjoyment as well. Robin Dunbar, a psychologist f rom the University of Oxford holds a third opinion, that music evolved as a way to bond together large groups. Just like primates bond with each other during grooming, primal humans did the same. Eventually, our groups became too large for grooming to remain effective; music offered a practical solution. Large groups could sing together, soothe each other, bond, and vent extra emotions all in one procedure. This practice resembles a modern day concert.It is very reasonable to believe that all of these hypotheses are true because they all exist in evolved forms today. Biologically, music has scientifically proven effects as well. Research suggests that music releases endorphins that work as natural pain-killers. Carl Zimmer states: Dunbar and his colleagues studied people who played music or danced together in church groups, samba classes, drumming circles, and the like. After the performances, the scientists made an indirect measure of the endorphin levels in the performers’ bodies, putting blood pressure cuffs on people’s arms and inflating them until the subjects complained of pain. Since endorphins kill pain, a higher pain threshold indicates elevated levels of the compounds. ) The researchers then repeated the procedure with employees of a musical instrument store who listened passively to constant background music. People who actively moved their bodies to music—dancers, drummers, and so on—had elevated pain thresholds, but no such effect showed up among those who merely listened. (1) This could be another reason that music came into existence, to provide medical help before the days of modern medicine.Today, music therapy is used to help patients with Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, attention deficit disorders, etc. ; it is used to improve communication, academic abilities, attention span, motor skills, and management of both pain and behavior just to name a few others (Turner 2261-2271). â€Å"The Center fo r InnerChange in the Denver suburb of Greenwood Village, promotes the idea that ‘listening therapy,’ or several sessions of listening to music rich in high and low frequencies, can stimulate the brain enough to eliminate ADHD symptoms† (Samuels 37).The Music for Life project uses the power of music to soothe and repair Dementia sufferers every day. By playing soothing music the patient relaxes, smiles, and in some cases communicates! (Bredin 48). This medication, music, is free of side effects and extremely cost effective. One MP3 player costs less than any prescription of typical medication. Psychically, music therapy has numerous beneficial effects! Judith Turner states in the Gale Encyclopedia on Medicine: Brain function physically changes in response to music.The rhythm can guide the body into breathing in slower, deeper patterns that have a calming effect. Heart rate and blood pressure are also responsive to the types of music that are listened to. The speed of the heartbeat tends to speed or slow depending on the volume and speed of the auditory stimulus. Louder and faster noises tend to raise both heart rate and blood pressure; slower, softer, and more regular tones produce the opposite result. Music can also relieve muscle tension and improve motor skills. It is often used to help rebuild physical patterning skills in rehabilitation clinics.Levels of endorphins, natural pain relievers, are increased while listening to music, and levels of stress hormones are decreased. This latter effect may partially explain the ability of music to improve immune function. A 1993 study at Michigan State University showed that even 15 minutes of exposure to music could increase interleukin-1 levels, a consequence which also heightens immunity. (2261-2271). Without doubt, one can say that music has important physical effects on the body and should be used as a natural supplement for both the healthy and the ill.To reduce anxiety, relax heart rate, and relieve pain through release of endorphins music is a superior choice (in comparison to drugs) to assist in medical endeavors. Mentally, music has numerous benefits as well. It heals the brain through enabling exercise of damaged lobes of the brain and releasing crucial. Autistic patients have shown particularly significant progress when aided with music therapy. Therapy with music is proven to aid in autistic patients communication, relationships with others, and improve their learning skills.Cases with substance abuse, schizophrenia, paranoia, and personality disorders are aided with skills of social interaction, reality orientation, coping skills, stress reduction, and expression of feelings. (Turner 2261-2271). Although the effects of music therapy are countless, the simplicity of therapy is uncanny. Therapists analyze their patients’ conditions then choose a variety of techniques to provide the desired effects, then use musical endeavors such as singing, listening to in strumental music, composition, dancing and guided imagery to help the patient cope with their affliction.Learning to play a musical instrument helps develop motor skills in individuals with developmental delays, brain injuries, or any other motor impairment while also exercising impulse control and group cooperation. Creative movement improves coordination, strengths, and even balance. Improvisation can help anyone learn to express emotion through nonverbal means as well as encouraging socialization and communication of feelings. Singing can develop vocal articulation, rhythm, and breathe control. For troke victims, remembering lyrics and/or melodies is an invaluable technique in healing their amygdala (the part of the brain that deals with memory and perception of auditory stimuli); a healthy amygdala also provides clearer speech and more effective communication. Getting out feelings is easily facilitated with music. Composing lyrics and music assist in persisting through fears and negative feelings. Listening to music can also make people aware of memories or emotions that need to be acknowledged. Singing is also a similar method. Guided Imagery and Music (A.K. A. GIM) is a widely recognized technique developed by music therapist Helen Bonny. This technique utilizes music to invoke emotions, pictures, and symbols from the patient as a bridge to the exploration and expression of (often subliminal) feelings. (2261-2271). Further, Turner explains more of the possibilities of musical therapy in the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine: Patients with brain damage from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other neurologic conditions have been shown to exhibit significant improvement as a result of music therapy.This is theorized to be partially the result of entrainment, which is the synchronization of movement with the rhythm of the music. Consistent practice leads to gains in motor skill ability and efficiency. Cognitive processes and language skills often benefit from a ppropriate musical intervention. Pain, anxiety, and depression are major concerns with patients who are terminally ill, whether they are in hospice or not. Music can provide some relief from pain, through release of endorphins and promotion of relaxation.It can also provide an opportunity for the patient to reminisce and talk about the fears that are associated with death and dying. Music may help regulate the rapid breathing of a patient who is anxious, and soothe the mind. The Chalice of Repose project, headquartered at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana, is one organization that attends and nurtures dying patients through the use of music, in a practice they called music-thanatology by developer Therese Schroeder-Sheker. Practitioners in this program work to relieve suffering through music prescribed for the individual patient. (2261-2271).Without a doubt, music affects the brain in some very dynamic ways. It has roots thousands of years old, evidence as being an important factor in human evolution, and substantial effects on people today. Rhythm and melody can heal the sick, provide aid in medical treatment, increase brain functioning in both the ill and the healthy, and influence mood to a significant degree. In conclusion, no matter what music someone is in to, it has a noteworthy effect on our body and brain. Works Cited Begley, Sharon. â€Å"Music on the Mind: Scientists are finding that the human brain is pre-wired for music.Could this sublime expression of culture be as much about biology as art? † Newsweek 24 July 2000: 50. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 Sep. 2012. Bredin, Henrietta. â€Å"Communicating through music: Henrietta Bredin on how Music for Life can help overcome the isolation of dementia sufferers. † Spectator 12 Dec. 2009: 48+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 Sep. 2012. Dalrymple, Theodore. â€Å"If music be the food of health. † Spectator 10 Nov. 2007: 51+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. We b. 19 Sep. 2012. Samuels, Christina A. Attention Seekers; Some parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder say alternatives such as brain exercises or music therapy are better than medication. † Education Week 27 July 2005: 37. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 Sep. 2012. Turner, J. (2002). Music Therapy. In D. S. Blanchfield & J. L. Longe (Eds. ), The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine (2nd ed. , Vol. 3, pp. 2269-2271). Detroit: Gale. Zimmer, Carl. â€Å"The Brain; Is Music for Wooing, Mothering, Bonding–or Is It Just ‘Auditory Cheesecake'? † Discover Dec. 2010: 28+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 Sep. 2012.