10 Tips to Help Stop Cyberbullying

10 Tips to Help Stop Cyberbullying 10 Tips to Help Stop Cyberbullying Sharon J. of Philadelphia PA, USA, was at work when the call came in. Her 6-year-old son was attacked in class by his peer with a pencil. She was horrified. Racing to the school, and then into the nurse’s office she found her terrified little boy with a bandage on his cheek. The nurse said that a little more to the right and the other child would have taken out Sharon’s little boys’ eye. The bully? A six-year-old little girl who wanted what the boy had for lunch instead of what was in her lunch box. The punishment, nothing. That’s right. After meeting with the mother of the little girl and the principal, Sharon was told, â€Å"kids fight†. She was only a little girl with a bad temper. The Statistics This and many other stories like it pour out of elementary, middle and high schools each day. The number of the bullying attacks is astounding. Almost 80% of students in the USA say that they have been bullied at one time or the other. Parents? If you think that since you are sending your precious child off to college that the bullying is finally going to be over, think again, that statistic above represents college age children. Yes, bullying in college is on the rise. Bullies, Bullies, Everywhere We could rattle off some numbers to try to impress upon our readers how many bullies are out there, but they wouldn’t be accurate. Due to embarrassment, shame, or just no-one to tell, many incidents of bullying are never reported. The facts are: Bullying in college will not stop unless the bullies are reported and they pay for their actions. Laws should be passed that punishes the parents as well as the child in incidents of bullying that cause harm to any individual. Bullying in college leads to suicide, depression, and drop-outs. The numbers will continue to rise unless parents, teachers and those being bullied don’t begin to report what is going on. There is a rise in the act of suicide because of cyberbullying in college. Much bullying begins in the home, and this leads to school and college bullying. Many children that are bullied by overbearing parents tend to show the same disregard for their peers on the school playground, on college campuses, and on the Internet. Adult Bullying? Yes, adults bully other adults. Australia reports show that they are #1 when it comes to workplace bullying. A target could be someone in the office that is: Well liked Smart They excel at their jobs Instead of trying to emulate the target a bully will try to manipulate them or sabotage their work. Many adult bullies are just people that do not cope well in society so they hide behind their bullying tactics. With bullies, it’s all about power. College Challenges After considering that there are adults who bully, parents must take the time to talk to their newly adult children on what a bully looks for in an individual target, and ask them if they are the bullies themselves. This conversation must be had if we are to limit the instances of bullying that are infecting our Universities. Most bullies target those who are Passive Submissive The new kid The quiet kid The kid that is not in a clique The kid that seems to always be in class early The kid with the high grades The kid that does not confront anyone or anything Kids of different races are often bullied Bullies in college have also been known to target handicapped persons and the elderly. As horrible as this may seem to be, it is true. They look for those that weaker than themselves. When Your Child is the Bully No parent wants to get the call that their child is being bullied, but no parent wants to be embarrassed to know that their child is the perpetrator of the bullying. Our first reaction is, â€Å"not my sweet innocent child, they couldn’t be so mean†. The one thing parents do know is their child. Sit down with your child and instead of lashing out at them, ask them what happened. Follow some of these suggestions: While listening to your child, only stop them if they are playing the blame game. Let them know you don’t want to hear what happened with other kids, just want part they played in the incident. Tell them that, when you point your finger at someone, 3 fingers are pointing back at you. Play a game of: what if it was you? Encourage them to have empathy for the bullied victim. Children and young adults need to learn empathy at home. If you as a parent always side with your child and never show them where they are wrong, you encourage them to be bullies. There is a poster that reads, â€Å"Children live what they learn†. This is so true, but that does not make you a bad parent. They could have gotten the bad habit of bullying from television or from their peers. Trying to fit in. Talk to them to see why they did what they did. And discuss ways of stopping it from happening again. If the bullying was cyber-bullying, your child should be made to get rid of the pages that were put up, and then make restitution to the individual that they harmed. Get the school involved in the punishment of the child who bullies and the apology to the victim. This should be a sit down of all parties involved. Sometimes this is enough to set a bullying kid straight. If you as a parent of a bully stops this behavior when it arises, bullies can change. Sometimes it’s physical, a mental imbalance, sometimes it can be the influence of violent games they are exposed to Many parents use video games to get their kids out of their hair. If your child has been exposed to years and years of violent games, they will have a violent nature and this could cause bullying. Cyber-Bullying Tips It was bad enough when you had to worry about the playground or the middle school bully, but with the internet providing the perfects storm for kids to bully, how do you cut the throat of this new threat? One thing parents need to do is to get the facts about cyber-bullying. It usually involves more than just one child doing the bullying and it can span over many types of venues. Some of the lethal weapons used to cyber bully are: Instant messages E-mails Posting pictures of your child without their, or your, permission Stealing your kid’s passwords and sending false messages on social media When your child is attacked by many on social many, this is called attack by proxy. This can be super dangerous because they can have their identity stolen and placed in porn sites without their knowing. The bullies will also post their private addresses and phone numbers. The reasons they do this is beyond one reason, but some are: They don’t think of the consequences of their actions, or They think they are getting back at the victim for some reason,   and   this person doesn’t see themselves as a bully. What Can Parents and Educators Do? First and foremost, have in place a set of guidelines and laws that address bullying behavior, and make serious consequences stick when bullying is observed and acknowledged. Also promote the following: An inclusive atmosphere campus wide. When students are more connected to one another there are less instances of bullying. Have in place policies based on bullying. If they are not in the student handbook, have the handbook redone to reflect the policies. Start groups such as writing groups where students can express what is going on with them in the college community. This gives students a voice. With this   college writing service, start some type of contest for student essays on bullying. Have a reporting place that students feel safe to tell on suspected bullies, confidentially. No student like to feel like a snitch, this is one reason for lack of telling. Model how to act by treating all with respect and dignity. Children, and young adults will usually emulate who is leading them. Offer a class on computer ethics. Teach children the importance of not sharing their passwords with anyone. Show them how to keep information that they find online as proof of cyberbullying. Get trained to handle bullying. Anyone on campus that must deal with children directly would do well to have a workshop on how to handle bullies in college. Listen to both sides, don’t pre-judge what you are hearing from one side of the story. Keep an open mind. Do not ignore it or feel that it is a passing situation. If you are told that a student feels threatened, take it seriously. Intervention is key. When something happens take the time to do something about it right away, refer to the policies on bullying and if you need help, get other adults involved. There truly is strength in numbers in a case of bullying. What can Students do? Students often develop cliques in college, and because you want to be   like by your friends,   you may often feel   the need to back them up no   matter what. In the case of bullying, this is not a way to help your friend. It takes a stronger friend to tell a friend that they are wrong when acting a certain way. If your friend decides that they are not going to like you anymore for telling them to do the right thing, then this is not a friend that you need in your life. When you witness someone on campus bullying another student, whether it is your friend or not, don’t join in. Instead try some of the following suggestions: Stay calm- don’t argue with either of them, instead say something like, â€Å"come on we don’t have to be like that, this is not high-school†. Many students in college do not want to be made to look like they are acting like high-schoolers and will stop the behavior, especially if a friend tells them this. If it is your friend, steer them away from the other person, they don’t necessarily have to kiss and make up or anything like that. Everyone is not going to like everyone. If you walk up on a fight, ask bystanders why they are not doing something and stop the fight. Taking one of the people away with you and showing bystanders that   they should get involved. Talk to a person that you know is a bully when you are alone with them. Confront their behavior and ask them why they choose to act that way. Give them reasons that you would not participate in that type of behavior, and if necessary, let them know that if they continue to show that type of behavior you will not be associated with them. If you are afraid of your friend that is a bully. Report them to an authority that will not tell that you reported them. It is better to do something than to wait for the worst to happen. This is just a few of the things that can be done when one is a bully. Cyber bullying has reached a high peak and if we as those on the sidelines don’t do something to correct the behavior in those that practice the bullying, we are just as guilty as they are, if not worse than them. So, if   you see it, report it, step in and   be a part of the   solution, not the problem.

The Health Impacts of Microwave Radiation

The Health Impacts of Microwave Radiation Introduction The 21st century has witnessed the development of numerous technologies which have helped to make human life easier. One of the technological breakthroughs of the century was in the adoption of various uses for the microwaves.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Health Impacts of Microwave Radiation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Today, these waves are extensively used for mobile communications and for cooking using the microwave oven. The prevalence in use of microwaves has resulted in human beings and the environment in all industrialized countries being exposed to electromagnetic fields in degrees that far exceed the natural tension levels. Significant concerns about the adverse impacts of radio-frequency on health have, therefore, been raised by the public with increasing frequency over the past few years. This paper will address the health concerns about microwave radiation so as to demonstrate t hat microwave radiations do have adverse effects on both human beings and the environment. The paper will conclude by offering alternatives and recommendations to mitigate the adverse impacts of microwaves. Background on Microwave Definition Bogdal defines microwaves as electromagnetic radiation placed between infrared radiation and radio frequencies, with wavelengths of 1mm to 1m which corresponds do the frequencies of 300 GHz to 300Mhz respectively (1). Microwaves are classified as non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation since the energy of the quanta that carry the energy is not enough to knock electrons from atoms as is the case with ionizing radiations such as X-ray energy. The past decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the worldwide use of microwaves. Figure 1: The Electromagnetic Spectrum The manner in which microwave radiation interacts with biological systems is through thermal and non-thermal effects. Thermal effects are attributed to the deposition of heat on a tiss ue while non thermal effects are attributable to the direct interaction of the waves on a tissue without a significant heat component. Moulder et al state that heating is the predominant means through which microwave energy affects biological systems (191).Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Applications Microwaves have had the most significant application in the field of telecommunications and especially by cell phones. While mobile telecommunication emerged about two decades ago, the prevalence in use of this technology by the population only occurred in the last decade as a result of developments of digital systems. Here, the microwaves are used to carry voice information via small modulations of the waves frequency. Cell phones typically operate by sending voice data in the form of microwaves to a base station while receiving data in the same microwaves form from th e voice of the person being called. Wireless internet also makes use of microwaves which operate at 5 GHz or 2.4GHz. In wireless internet, the transmission of data is achieved via the same concept that voice is transmitted with the difference being that data are being transmitted instead of voice. The reason for the prevalence of microwave use in telecommunication is because microwave frequencies have a great capacity in carrying information. Microwaves are also used for household and industrial microwave ovens. Microwave ovens use a frequency of 2.45GHz to heat the food. The heating ability of microwave ovens is based on the ability of some liquids and solids to absorb and transform electromagnetic energy into heat (Bogdal 1). An important consideration is that the waves are to a large extent ignored by the plastic or glass container that holds the food or water. Health effect of Microwave Effect on environment Ground towers The mobile phone system employs a network of base station s which are distributed all over the service area and transmit microwave signals at an effective radiated power which lies between 200 and 2000 watts (Moulder et al. 190). The negative impact of ground towards has been further augmented by the increase in the number of base stations in many countries. This increase has been necessitated by the introduction of new 3G-UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) networks has resulted in the need for more towers and antennas. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Health Impacts of Microwave Radiation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 2: Microwave transmission towers. Ground towers have an adverse impact on the nearby vegetation as well as livestock that may be situated near the station. Huynh and Stutzman document that animal studies have observed health changes and chemical effects in animals that have been exposed to microwave radiation (24). Research by L à ¶scher and Ks revealed that cattle which was grazing near ground towers emitting microwaves suffered from severe milk yield reductions, spontaneous abortions and stillbirths (439). These negative effects were mitigated when the cattle was removed to pastures away from the towers but the adverse effects reappeared once they were brought back. Research by Balmori demonstrated that plants and trees are sensitive to the electromagnetic changes in the atmosphere that microwaves cause (2). In trees, microwave radiations cause resonance in the cellular membranes which distort the electrical charges of particles and also cause a disruption in water circulation. Forests are, therefore, irreparably damaged by long term exposures to microwaves. Antenna Antennas also have a negative impact on the environment due to their vast numbers. The distance between antennas that are placed on rooftops or lampposts is not restricted by government regulations in most countries which means that a signifi cant number of antennas can exist in a small radius. In animals, exposure to high levels of microwave radiation causes impairment of the immune system. Studies by Là ¶scher and Ks demonstrate that sheep which had been grazing in close proximity to transmitting antennas suffered from impaired immune system as well as fertility problems (439). This can be attributed to the changes in DNA repair mechanisms after microwave exposure which leads to decreased immunity defense (Levitt and Lai 374). Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Figure 3: A Microwave Antenna Effect on humans Microwave ovens Consumption of food that has been cooked with a microwave oven for prolonged periods of time may have adverse effects on human beings. Research indicates that people who eat microwave cooked foods to long periods of time have an elevated level of cancerous cells in their body (Bogdal 11). In addition to this, microwave ovens alter the composition of minerals in vegetables forming cancerous radicals which can cause intestinal cancerous growths in a person. Microwaves also create by products that cannot be broken down by the human body resulting in food residuals building up in the body. If these residuals accumulate over an extended period of time, they can have adverse effect such as blood serum alteration. Figure 4: A standard Microwave Oven Cell phones The microwaves emitted by cell phones have a negative effect on human beings due to the distance between the cell phone and the human head when using a phone. The human brain, eyes, and auditory apparatus are the most exposed to the microwaves due to their location relative to the phone while in use. Research indicates that repeated use of cell phones results in the repeated exposure to microwave radiations of a fixed amount of body tissue with the deposition of significant amounts of radiation in the head. Moulder et al. document that there were increased acoustic neuromas in Sweden for people who reported using the phone on the same side of the head as the tumor (195). Microwave radiations in cell phones are also reported to cause memory, and learning impairment in children. Children are more susceptible to damage from cell phone radiation since their bodies are still developing. Research indicates that radiation from a cell phone penetrates deeper into the head of children than an adult’s due to their specific anatomies and tissue composition (Levitt and Lai 373). Figure 5: A Generic Cell Phone Ground towers The intensity of the microwa ve radiation decreases rapidly with increase in the distance from the emitting source. As such, exposure to microwaves from transmission towers is low depending on ones proximity. However, broadcast exposures due to tower stations have also been found to be unsafe even at regulated levels. Researchers have established a link between microwave radiation exposure and cancers in men and women who live near broadcast towers. Levitt and Lai stated that in a 10 year study evaluating data for approximately 1000 patients who lived close to cell antennas, it was found that those patients who lived for 5 to 10 years at a distance of 400 meters or less from a cell installation had a relative risk of getting cancer that was 3 times higher than those residents living more than 400 meters away from the installations (382). Alternative solutions and recommendations The study of microwave radiation effects on humans and the environment has overwhelmingly suggested that there is a significant relati onship between microwave exposure and health effects. This health hazards are as a result of both long-term low level exposure to handset radiation as well as short and long term exposures to high levels of radiations from ground towers. There is, therefore, need to address the health hazards that microwave radiations pose on both human beings and the environment. Research indicates that the ration exposure from microwaves during regular use is unlikely to be harmful to the individual. With this in mind, people should limit their usage of cell phones and microwave ovens so as to avoid the adverse health impacts that may result from overuse. As has been noted, the negative impacts associated with cell phones are as a result of the antenna being close to the users head as they are talking. It is, therefore, recommendable that people use phones which have antennas mounted away from the user. Alternatively, a user can increase the distance between himself and the cell phone by using hea dset or earpieces. While in the house, it is recommended that people use household cordless phones as opposed to mobile phones. This is because cordless phones operate at lower power levels and do not have the adverse health effects attributed to cell phones. The demand for wireless internet access has led to a need for hundreds of antennas in close proximity to the population for optimal signal strengths to be gotten by the users. Considering the negative effects these antennas, people should use wired internet connections such as optic fiber and phone lines. Government regulations can also help to decrease the harmful impact of microwave radiation from cell phones. If cell phones are manufactured such that they do not exceed the internationally recommended SAR and power density levels, they can prevent adverse health effects. Governments should also be strict in ensuring that manufacturers and players in the telecommunications industry adhere to the recommended RF exposure standar ds which are measured by two common parameters: specific absorption rates (SAR) and Maximum permissible exposure (MPE) (Huynh and Stutzman 24). Proximity to cell base stations has been noted to be associated with health complaints. With this in mind, the base stations should be located at least 500 meters away from human populations so as to avoid exposing people to harmful microwave radiations. As has been highlighted, children are more susceptible to microwave radiations. Measures should, therefore, be taken to ensure that their exposure to these harmful radiations is minimized. One way of doing this is by prohibiting the construction of cellular antennas within 400m of school property. Conclusion This paper is set out to address the health concerns about microwave radiations. The paper started by noting that the past decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the worldwide use of microwaves. This increased use has resulted in people being exposed to microwaves on even higher lev els than in the past. The paper has documented that microwaves are responsible for a myriad of negative health effects including: cancer, immune system changes, and learning impairment. The waves also affect the environment and animals in some cases leading to their destruction. The paper has highlighted some solutions and recommendations which, if followed, can significantly decrease the negative impacts that microwave radiations currently cause on humans and the environment. Balmori, Alfonso. The effects of microwaves on the trees and other plants. Dec 2003. Web. https://www.buergerwelle.de/assets/files/plantingle.pdf?cultureKey=q=pdf/plantingle.pdf Bogdal, Dariusz. Microwave-Assisted Organic Synthesis: One Hundred Reaction Procedures. NY: Elsevier, 2005. Print. Huynh, Minh and Stutzman Warren. â€Å"A review of radiation effects on human operators of hand-held radios†. Microwave Journal 21.2 (2004): 22-42. Print. Levitt, Blake and Lai Henry. â€Å"Biological effects from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell tower base stations and other antenna arrays†. Environmental Review 18.1(2010): 369–395. Print. Là ¶scher Weld and Ks Grant. â€Å"Conspicuous behavioural abnormalities in a dairy cow herd near a TV and radio transmitting antenna†. Pract Vet Surg 79.4 (1998): 437–44. Web. Moulder, Edward, et al. â€Å"Mobile phones, mobile phone base stations and cancer: a review†. Int. J. Radiat. Biol 81.3 (2005) 189 – 203. Web.

Applicability of the Principles of Empowerment and Recovery of the Essay - 1

Applicability of the Principles of Empowerment and Recovery of the Mentally Ill in Practice - Essay Example One afternoon, a man in his late 20s was brought in for medical attention. For the purpose of confidentiality, we shall name him Andrew. Andrew could not keep still and he kept on moving from one point to another, talking to imaginary people. The people who brought him to the hospital were his colleagues at work, who claimed that he had become very hostile, attacking everyone at the office and accusing them of trying to ruin his life. They claimed that he had also started talking to himself and repeatedly saying â€Å"they want to kill me†. Andrew was immediately taken to the psychiatrist ward for examination, while I was instructed to get more information about his actions from his colleagues. The workmates told me that in last few months, they had observed some abnormal behavior in their colleague, but had dismissed the actions. For example, he would show up at work late, looking tired and had started withdrawing from his workmates. They also claimed that he could no longer meet deadlines and that he often did substandard work. After the discussion with the patients’ colleagues, I called his family before going to check on the progress of the patient.The psychiatrist informed me that they had sedated him to ease his agitation. I explained to him all the observances noted by Andrew’s colleagues and the doctor suspected that this could be a case of schizophrenia. As we were talking, Andrew’s wife and sister came in looking very worried. The doctor explained the patient’s condition to them and asked them to offer any information.

Personal Strengths, areas to develop more fully, 2 important Statement - 1

Strengths, areas to develop more fully, 2 important accomplishments - Personal Statement Example e grouped into four categories: social competence, problem solving, autonomy, and sense of purpose, which recent studies believed to transcend borders and cultures. Social competence or interpersonal intelligence, such as responsiveness, communication, empathy and caring, and compassion, altruism and forgiveness, is the ability to form positive relationship with others. Problem-solving skills or good intellectual functioning, which involves planning, flexibility, resourcefulness, and critical thinking and insight, is the ability to figure things out and find a solution to it. Autonomy, constituted of positive identity, internal locus of control and initiative, self-efficacy and mastery, adaptive distancing and resistance, self-awareness and mindfulness, and humor, is the ability to act independently and to take control of one’s own life. And, a sense of purpose, which includes goal direction, achievement motivation, and educational aspirations, special interest, creativity, an d imagination, optimism and hope, and faith, spirituality and sense of meaning, is the belief that one lives not only to breathe but to fulfill a mission. (13-35) Assessing my strengths based on the four categories stated above, I think I have strengths in all of them, specifically communication, planning, resourcefulness, critical thinking, self-efficacy and mastery, goal direction, and optimism. These aggregate of strengths help me reach my position today. However, there are areas that I have to develop more fully to further my success in life and to achieve satisfaction. Most of these fall on the category of sense of purpose. One of these is educational aspirations. This is so because though I am achievement motivated, I did not bother to further my studies. In fact, from being a market analyst of a multinational company, I have progressed to regional manager in a matter of six years, yet I lack post-graduate and relevant special studies as well to further my career. I think taking a

Human resource management and performance in health care organisation- Essay

Human resource management and performance in health care organisation- the NHS - Essay Example There is a range of approaches to managing the healthcare workforce for high(er) performance. In the UK, two streams of activity are evident: the first focuses on making the NHS a ‘good employer’ thereby recruiting and retaining ‘good staff’, which could be called human resource (HR) management; the second approach concerns rethinking how to provide ‘high quality services’ as ‘efficiently’ as possible, which could be called ‘different ways of working’. Such approaches are often referred to as ‘modernisation’ (see Bach 2002). However, Seifert and Sibley’s argument that ‘modernisation’ is not a neutral step forward but a highly coloured version of progress rooted in market-style efficiency’ (2005: 226) indicates the contentious nature of such terminology. ‘Different ways of working’ is an attempt to avoid value judgements on the process and outcome of the different ways of working for employees, employers and service users. Given that the UK NHS is the third largest employer in the world, employing 1.3 million staff in 2004, it provides a useful case study to illustrate the processes, outcomes and questions raised by both streams of work. The paper begins by outlining characteristics of the healthcare workforce in the UK and the challenges raised for managers. Against this background, the paper reviews the rationales put forward for HR management and different ways of working, providing recent UK examples of both types of initiatives. We use the Changing Workforce Programme as an example to provide an illustration of some issues which should be of particular concern to managers endeavouring to get the best from their healthcare workforce. Healthcare organisations are characteristically made up of a large proportion (around 50%) of professionally qualified staff providing frontline services to recipients of healthcare. This type of organisational arrangement has been called a ‘professional

Can Men and Women Be Friends?

Can Men and Women Be Friends? In the society that we know today, just the same as in the society that was known 100 years ago, the idea that men and women can just be friends has been discussed. Discussed during common conversation, explored in books, poetry, movies, and any other genre of communication that can be thought of. There is a host of ideas, definitions, opinions and facts that must be considered to answer this question. There are many challenges as to why men and women can be friends and just as many as to why they cannot be just friends. My own life experiences have made me genuinely interested in this very question. Can I be just a friend to a woman and likewise, can a woman just be a friend to me? There have been many times in my life when a current relationship has depended on this question; a future relationship has depended on this question, and a past relationship that has depended on this question. There is a possibility that men and women can be friends. Certain words and ideas must be define d, circumstances must be addressed as to why friendships can work between opposite sexes, and those friendships that do not work, must be dissected to propose why it did not work. Answering this question and the ongoing research that is being done is vital to every generation. An honest answer could prohibit hurt or provide a new pool of friends that could be made, provide a different structure of friendship and number of other things. It will be beneficial to both sexes. Friendship is defined as one attached to another by respect or affection (Websters Dictionary, 1994). With this simple definition, there should be no reason at all that men and women cannot be friends. As long as you respect the man or woman and feel affection for them, that should be the end of the story. Then why does it not always work out? Could it possibly be that men and women view the term friend differently? Do they have different reasons for friendship? Research suggests that friends must enjoy each others company, they must be useful to one another, and they must share a common commitment to the good (Bell, 1991). Women typically describe their friendship in terms of closeness and emotional attachment. The characteristics the relationships between women is the willingness to share their feelings, thoughts, feelings and support. Mens relationships tend to focus around certain activities and are more segmented (Bell, 1991). It is a relationship between men that serve as a buf fer to stress and reduce depression (Bell, 1991). It is more difficult to find a true friend that encompasses character traits that prove beneficial to both parties intents and purposes. Studies do suggest the friendships between men and women versus same sex friendships are much less common (Newton, 2008). These same studies also indicate that this is because issues of possessiveness and jealousy come into play just as they would in a relationship that is sexual in nature (Newton, 2008). According to Dr. Jane Greer, often, when men and women are friends, theyve already had a relationship and diffuse the sexual energy they used to generate it (2009). There are certain circumstances that would allow for men and women to just be friends. The main issue as to why being friends just does not work is the topic of sexual tension. In the movie When Harry Met Sally, Harry informs Sally during their first meeting that it is a fact the men and women cannot be friends. This is because one will always want to sleep with the other. There is simply no way of getting around that. Perhaps a man or woman is friends with someone of the opposite sex but it could be that one of them is keeping the option open for a sexual connection. Perhaps not right now, but maybe in the future (Greer, 2009). The only answer seems to be to diffuse whatever sexual tension exists. The circumstances of the friendship between a man and woman has a lot to do with the success of a platonic relationship. Those friendships that succeed can because the people involved are in different stages of their lives, proximity to each other or they may be married. These are practicalities that may make having a romantic involvement impossible (Greer, 2009). There of course are cases of friends who have different sexual orientations and therefore the main problem of having sexual tension, simply does not exist. Because all friendships are built upon a mutual attraction and on compatibility, the potential for romance between a man and a woman being friends is definitely present. In order to diffuse that issue, it must be addressed in order for some sort of resolution to take place and from there, move on (Greer, 2009). According to Michael Ferrel, there are four key obstacles to the success of male-female friendships. The inability to define the relationship (Ferrell,). Men and women have to be honest about the relationship, whatever the reason. There must be honesty as to what the attraction is whether it was sexual, having common interests, etc. A fear of confronting feelings of sexual attraction (Farrell 1) is another obstacle that is stated. Whether or not the feeling are there, which there usually is, being able to talk to your friend about them is vital to the success of the friendship. A third obstacle is the inability of both partners to see each other as equals and the fourth is societys response to a non-romantic relationship (Farrell, 2008). These are serious impediments for a cross-gender friendship to work but not so serious that it is impossible. When Harry Met Sally (1989) is a classic movie that explores the four key obstacles to the success of a cross-gender relationship. Harry and Sally were both very honest throughout their friendship and that is the only reason why such a relationship could work. It was definitely not love at first sight. It was a friendship of support through the entire story. According to research, men and women in platonic friendships enjoy many benefits from their relationships. Men seem to get more out of the cross-sex friendship. In a study by a psychologist in New York State, men rated cross-sex friendships higher in overall quality than their same-sex friendships (Farrell, 2008). This can be for reasons of perhaps being able to more easily express their feelings and get a female perspective on things. The old adage that men are from Mars and women are from Venus eludes to how very different our two sexes are. Why not find out what the other team is thinking? These friendships can provide support , love and an opportunity to understand life through someone elses eyes. In watching When Harry Met Sally (1989), it is evident that are many different types of friendships at play through the entire movie. Although Harry and Sally did end up being romantically involved, that is not to say that that is how it had to happen. If Harry could not have married Sally or been romantically involved with her, he would take her as a friend and vice-a-versa. Each had their own friends that were of the same gender but as Harry said, there are things that I can talk to her about that I cant talk to you about, when speaking with his male friend. There are benefits as well as costs to every relationship but they discovered a true friendship that ended with them falling in love and being married. Perhaps if more people in our society focused on friendship, there would be more success in the married lives of people today. Men and women can most certainly be just friends. There will be obstacles but through honesty, those obstacles can be overcome. I have a very good friend that happens to be the opposite sex. I have known her for over ten years and friendship is as far as it has ever gone. She offers support, enjoys activities that I do, compliments my personality, but I view her as a type of family member with no real sexual attraction. An obstacle that was addressed by Harry was that if you do get involved with someone romantically, they may have a problem with that person. Whats missing from our relationship (When Harry Met Sally, 1989)? That has been issue but only because to find a platonic relationship between a man and woman is so rare to find in a pure form. I would rather keep my friend than to be with someone who does not understand a real friendship. Through me saying that, that shows that a true friendship can exist without false pretenses. There have also been times when I thought I was f riends with a person only to soon realize that that is not what is really going to happen. Either I become attracted to her or she becomes attracted to me. In order to stay friends with that person, the sexual tension has been addressed and either we can remain friends or not. But that is not to say that it is impossible. When Harry Met Sally (1989) sends the message that two people can be just friends. Research has more often than not indicated that it is possible for these mixed-gender friendships to work. I was surprised to learn that this fact is supported. It is in every movie, television show and real life experiences that men and women cannot be friends, and yet, we now find out that they can. This research was purely based from research that was conducted in the United States. It would be incredibly interesting to have a cross-cultural perspective on this topic as relationships between men and women differ across our world. In no way should men not be friends with women or women not be friends with men simply because they do not think that it could be done or they are asking for something more than just the friendship. We can see through this research that while there are times that these friendships lead to more, those that succeed can find a true friend and have a lasting friendship that will provide other elements that they may not be able to receive from a same-sex friendship.

Free Hamlet Essays: Weak and Pitiful Hamlet :: The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

Weak and Pitiful Hamlet  Ã‚   Hamlet lead his life in circles, never comfortable enough with his current conditions to settle down. The crisis’ placed upon him were never resolved, because he couldn’t handle decisions, leading to a severe downfall in his family’s life. Such demise began in a terrace of the palace Hamlet called home, with a sighting of a ghost that foreshadowed troubles in the near future. Hamlet’s sanity began to deteriorate when learned that his father’s death was not an accident, but rather a foul deed committed by the newly crowned King of Denmark. â€Å"If thou didst ever thy dear father love – Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† [Act I, v l .23-25]. As a mysterious ghost appeared in the terrace, Hamlet learned of a murderer that would prove his fealty towards his father. As he contemplated the appalling news recently brought to his attention, the control Hamlet had over his actions was questioned. â€Å"O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! My tables meet it is I set it down, That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain. At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark,† [Act I, v l. 106-109]. Hamlet’s hatred toward his father’s killer caused him to relate the tribulations between murder and the aspects of Denmark as a country together. As with most of the conflicts Hamlet faced, his lack of ability to avenge his father’s death, furthered the deterioration of his life and surroundings. With countless opportunities neglected, Hamlet’s ability to take any action against his father’s death is questioned. â€Å"Now might I do it pat, now ‘a is a-praying, and now I’ll do’t. And so ‘a goes to heaven, And so am I revenged. That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven.† [Act III, iii l. 173-180] Hamlet contemplates killing Cladius while he prayed for forgiveness, but then backed out as he learned he’ll send him to heaven for the loyalty Cladius showed towards the Lord. Hamlet once again debates the possibilities put before him by the ghost he swore to avenge. â€Å"To be, or not to be – that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles And by opposing end them.

Didion “In Bed” Thoughtful Analysis

Her ethos is her personal experience with the subject as demonstrated in the first paragraph: â€Å"Almost every day of every month, between these attacks, I feel the sudden irrational irritation and the flush of blood into the cerebral arteries which tell me that migraine is on its way, and I take certain drugs to avert its arrival. † She uses exact medical terms such as â€Å"Methodologies,† â€Å"lysergic acid,† and â€Å"synthesized L SD-25† to demonstrate her knowledge and research on the subject. 3. ) Make observations about the remarkable language use in the first paragraph.Here are a few to get you started, but add a few of your own: â€Å"unconscious with pain,† â€Å"shameful secret,† â€Å"chemical inferiority. † What does each of these phrases do for the passage? Doing is showing what the majority of people think of migraines by using these words. Most people don't understand that it is more than a headache, but people thin k those who suffer from migraines are weak and that it's something they do to themselves due to â€Å"bad attitudes, unpleasant tempers, [and] wrongdoing. † Doing sort of mocks the general preconceived attitude towards her affliction. . ) What is the intended effect of the parallel structure at the end of the second paragraph? What type of appeal is this? Be specific. Doing utilizes the parallel Truckee to provide specific examples of her struggles with migraines. Doing uses logic to contradicts her statement the when she said â€Å"nothing wrong with me at all: I simply had migraine headaches, and migraine headaches were, as everyone who did not have them knew, imaginary' and then uses the parallel structure to show that migraines are an issue. 5. ) What is the purpose of including Jefferson and Grant?What about the lengthy paragraph on medical treatments? Jefferson and Grant weren't weak people who were likely to complain about a â€Å"headache. It's not just a disease th at affects weak personality types, so the two men lend credibility to the issue of migraine. The paragraph on medical treatments demonstrates her knowledge of the issue. The medical paragraph lends credibility to Doing, but it also shows that there is no easy cure for migraine; one of the drugs is even a derivative LSI showing that it's a pretty intense treatment. . ) Comment on the importance of the phrase â€Å"ambiguous blessing. † The blessing is arguable because in the midst of a migraine, the individual suffering the attack would rather die than eave to suffer, but after the attack is over they're glad they survived. 7. ) Find a logic fallacy in the first full paragraph on the back (HINT: Doing herself is not culpable Of the offense). What is it, and how does it strengthen her argument? The doctor makes an assumption about her condition based on her appearance, specifically her messy hair.He assumes she must be a compulsive housekeeper because her hair is messy and that all patients with her condition have a specific personality, and he tries to find a way to file her within that personality type. 8. Throughout the essay, why does she refer to it as â€Å"migraine† and not â€Å"migraines'? Doing is trying to express the seriousness of migraines by stating it by its medical term, much like we call cancer cancer and diabetes diabetes. 9. ) What do you think is the purpose of the final paragraph?Its purpose is to show that she's found a silver lining in the pain of a migraine. The migraine is brought on by the small stresses of her everyday life, and every anxiety she has is magnified by the migraine before the pain, but then the pain comes and she has to focus all of her energy on that singular pain. When the pain passes, all of her problems are no longer real problems. The migraine is now a kind of therapy. It brings her life into perspective and while it's violent in its execution, its still a form of meditation. 0. ) How does she create empathy in the essay? Dingo's personal experiences bring out the pathos in the passage. Her suffering and struggles are empathic by the reader because Doing is so descriptive of her own experiences with migraines; she makes the reader feel and understand what she is feeling during a migraine. 11. Using Doing to justify your response, explain why a balance of pathos, ethos, and logos creates the most effective arguments.

Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour Essays

Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour Essays Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour Essay Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour Essay Word count – 2553 Describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self-defeating behaviour. Module Five Jane Ovington May 2012 Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 1 of 9 Introduction This essay aims to describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self defeating behaviour. To do this I am using the description of Anorexia Nervosa as a self defeating behaviour, one which has far reaching consequences. I will include possible origins, causes and maintenance of Anorexia and describe two of many ways in which a therapist may help with this condition whilst weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of each. Main essay What is self defeating behaviour? Self defeating behaviour could be described as behaviour that when compared to other possible courses of action, it is never the best possible action for that individual. A self defeating behaviour will at some point have been used successfully as a coping strategy to get through a difficult situation. This course of action is then stored in the subconscious by that individual as something that ‘worked’ and therefore the behaviour will be re-produced again in times of perceived trouble. The self defeating behaviour will by its very nature actually serve to ensure that the fear or consequence that the person is trying to avoid will in fact come to pass. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module5) What is Anorexia? Anorexia is an eating disorder whose main feature is excessive weight loss and obsessive exercise. A very low weight is achieved which is then maintained abnormally low for the patients age and height. The sufferer develops an intense desire to be thinner and an intense fear of becoming fat. Their body image becomes completely distorted and their body weight and shape become the main or even sole measure of self worth as maintaining an extremely low weight becomes equated with beauty, success, self-esteem, and self-control. It is not seen as a problem by the sufferer. Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 2 of 9 Contrary to popular belief this psychological and physical condition is not usually about food. It is a self defeating behaviour used as a way of taking control and trying to make life better and is accompanied by a variety of changes in behaviour, emotions, thinking, perceptions, and social interactions. The name Anorexia nervosa is somewhat misleading as it literally means nervous loss of appetite. However, for people with this disorder all waking thoughts are dominated by food, weight, and body image and incredible levels of self control are used to fight feelings of intense hunger. http://ehealthmd. com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa) Approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female and most often teenage girls. Higher incidence of anorexia is often seen in environments where thinness is deemed to be especially desirable or a professional requirement, such as athletes, models, dancers, and actors. In order to enter the state of Anorexia Nervosa, a person must lose weigh t. The majority set out to do so deliberately because rightly or wrongly they feel that they are too fat. For most people, dieting to lose weight is a struggle. Most dieters cheat or give up before they lose all the weight which they had intended to shed and for those who do reach their intended weight there is a measure of satisfaction and re-education of eating habits which allow them to maintain a healthy weight. In contrast, the soon to be anorexic finds slimming easy, rewarding and something they can be good at from the start, something they can control which brings feelings of success, power and triumph. The sense of satisfaction gained from the suppression of hunger and the level of self denial required to be successful is frequently reported by anorexic sufferers to be very empowering and so here we see how effective this behaviour may be viewed by the sufferer as a coping strategy. Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 3 of 9 My own experience of this condition was one that arose when my best friend died at the age of 17. I knew for many months prior to her death that death would almost certainly be the outcome of her condition. I felt ‘out of control’ there was nothing I could do to change the course of events. The one thing I could control however was what went into my mouth. This gave me a comforting sense of taking control of something. Something I turned out to be good at, something I could focus on to make all the other uncontrollable feelings subside. Once these feelings arise, a fear of losing control prevents the sufferer from resuming normal eating habits. Their experience is dominated by these feel good feelings of control and power but it is perceived by the sufferer to be precarious and vulnerable and therefore threatened by any behaviour that may cause unwanted weight gain. The sufferers preoccupation with maintaining this new postition begins to distort all other interests, concerns and relationships. In some cases the current position is never enough and weight loss progresses until it becomes life threatening. In most cases it seems that the anorexic starts out with similar behaviour and similar intention to the ordinary slimmer but something goes wrong and the slimming behaviour is inappropriately prolonged (My own experience). Ironically, while Anorexia starts out as a feeling of taking control, it rapidly descends into a fear of losing the control the sufferer perceives themselves to have taken. All the while the condition is actually controlling the sufferer. While the media definitely plays a role in how we view ourselves, anorexia is a way of coping with what’s going on in a teen’s life. Stress, pain, anger, acceptance, confusion and fear can all become triggers for this debilitating eating disorder. The goal is one of trying to make their whole life better. Families can play a huge role. Some families are over protective and smothering which can create a need or rather a demand for independence. Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 4 of 9 Some families are critical of weight gain, academic or sporting accomplishments or are rigid and even abusive. Some younger people do not feel safe in their own homes, they don’t know where to turn or what to do and the need to find a way to deal with what’s going on in their lives. Life transitions such as a break up, a divorce, death of a loved one, failure at school or at work are all stressful incidents that need to be dealt with. Genetic factors can also play its part in contributing anorexia in teenage girls occurs eight times more often in people who have relatives with the disorder. Anorexia – a guide to sufferers and their families R. L Palmer 1980). My own Mother was grossly overweight at the time of my condition and I viewed her as someone who was completely out of control with no respect for herself. This was a very negative view, one which I could not see in myself at the other end of the spectrum! Effects on families and friends For parents and oth ers who are close to a person who is trapped inside the condition of anorexia, there can seem like there is no escape. It is difficult for them to understand and empathise with self destructive behaviours. It becomes extrememly distressing to see a loved one wasting away whilst refusing offers of food which seem such a tantalisingly simple solution to the problem. Feelings of helplesness and guilt set in, along with frustration, anger and despair. (Quote from my Mum from 1991). My Mother set about criticising my ‘ridiculous behaviour’ in a bid to scare me into eating this only served to make me more determined to empower myself with what had turned from self defeating behaviour into self destructive behaviour and ultimately formed a self defeating behaviour in my Mother. Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 5 of 9 Treatment The idea of being ‘cured’ of Anorexia by the sufferer is usually completely undesirable because what that ‘cure’ implies is that they will eat more food, put on more weight and become fat, the very thing they are trying to avoid! Therefore, Anorexia has to be acknowledged as a problem by the sufferer before effective treatment can take place. Traditionaly the disorder is treated with a combination of individual psychotherapy and family therapy to look beyond the basic issue of food intake and address the emotional issues that underpin the disorder using a psychodynamic approach. Important ethical considerations It is important for therapists to consider that Anorexia Nervosa, although starts out as a self defeating behaviour, it’s consequences lead to many serious medical conditions which can range from malnutrition, loss of concentration and loss of periods to total organ failure and death. Therefore a therapist should never aim to treat the condition alone, but any psychological intervention to treat the underlying causes should take place alongside appropriate medical care. Any therapists working with an anorexic client would always need written medical consent and specialist supervision and should be experienced in this field of work. However, members of the sufferers family and close friends may also benefit from therapy to address any stress, anxiety and guilt surrounding the issue and in the absence of any other contraindications, medical consent for this group would not be necessary. The psychodynamic approach The psychodynamic approach will view the clients behaviour as being derived from some internal conflict, motive or unconscious force. Once it is discovered where this conflict began the therapist can set about working through those issues to a resolution. Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 6 of 9 Generally, it is believed that if behaviours are discontinued without addressing the underlying motives that are driving them, then a relapse will occur. During my battle with Anorexia, I was hospitalised and fed to increase my body weight. I ate willingly and was quickly considered cured and discharged from the hospital. However, I had deliberately manipulated the situation with the view that the sooner I could ‘escape’ the quicker I could get back on with the job. Taking control, to bring back the feel good feelings and the sense of empowerment that meant even more to me after having been ‘overpowered’ in the hospital. Clearly this treatment was very ineffective. Later I sought help through a therapist who, using a psychodynamic approach, was able to take me back through the death of my friend and deal with the grief in an appropriate way. This eventually helped me to let go of controlling my food intake as a way of dealing with these suppressed emotions. Behavioural symptoms in the psychodynamic approach are viewed as expressions of the patients underlying needs. Often issues can disappear or lie dormant with the completion of working through these issues. However, a psychodynamic approach to anorexia is not all encompassing. During the recovery process, anorexics will frequently suffer from feelings of panic as they learn to lessen their control. As weight is gained, they will feel anxious much of the time and suffer from low self esteem or perhaps even feel that they are a bad person and have to become a people pleaser to make up for it. Anorexics are very often perfectionists and can be very harsh on themselves. All these things combined can make the process of recovery a very stressful, anxious and self deprecating experience (My own experience). A cognitive behavioural therapy approach may best meet the needs of a client feeling this way. Anorexics are often not fully aware of the initial cause of the condition and therapy may be a way to Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 7 of 9 lift the lid off of buried emotions to enable sufferers to deal with their underlying emotions. During the grip of the disorder the over-riding emotion felt is fear and this fear over rides the bodys natural wisdom around food and eating, the sufferer distrusts themselves and fears that their secret greedy self may emerge and they will lose control completely. The sufferer will hate their secret greedy self and cognitive behavioural therapy would be a valuable tool in rebuilding self trust, improving self esteem, and overcoming fear and anxiety that arises through the process of recovery. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a time-limited and focused approach that helps a person understand how their thinking and negative self-talk and self-image can directly impact their eating and negative behaviours. CBT usually focuses on identifying and altering dysfunctional thought patterns, attitudes and beliefs that may perpetuate the sufferers restrictive eating. A researcher in the early 1980’s by the name of Chris Fairburn developed a specific model of CBT to help in the treatment of Anorexia, using the traditional foundations of CBT therapy – helping a person understand, identify and change their irrational thoughts (the ‘cognitive’ part) and helping a person make the changes real through specific behavioural interventions such as promoting healthy eating behaviours through rewards. (http://psychcentral. com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Strengths and weaknesses It is clear to see that both approaches are somewhat lacking and a multi-model approach should be taken to ensure success. The psychodynamic model will uncover the initial cause of the behaviour and addressing these issues will go a long way toward a successful outcome. However, it does not address the subsequent negative thought processes that keep the sufferer a prisoner within the condition. This is something that a CBT approach can successfully address but a CBT approach could fail to prevent a relapse if the underlying reasons for the negative self talk are not uncovered. Both treatments together will hold more strength in long term success, but neither seeks to address nutritional issues, food related symptoms or deep seated behavioural rituals of the eating disorder. Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 8 of 9 Summary Anorexia although initially can be viewed as a self defeating behaviour, is a complicated and mulit-faceted field and I would expect a consistent and long course of therapy that may focus on a psychodynamic approach alongside person centred counselling, alongside cognitive behavioural therapy, alongside appropriate medical intervention. Hypnotherapy may also be used to improve self esteem, reduce stress and anxiety, coping with panic and confidence building to help the sufferer relax levels of control and resume a more healthy relationship with themselves. As the anorexic begins to regain trust in themselves and their body, they can begin to feel back in control of their emotions and thoughts, thus lessening their levels of anxiety and helping toward a successful recovery. Ultimately, the pace of therapy has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before any type of therapy can begin. References: I personally suffered from this disorder from the ages of 17-21 and some of the information used has been based on my own experiences and that of my Parents. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module 5) R. L Palmer – Anorexia Nervosa. A guide for sufferers and their families. Penguin Books 1980 (http://ehealthmd. com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa http://psychcentral. com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Jane Ovington Chrysalis North2A Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 9 of 9 any type of therapy can begin. has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before

Analyse the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion The WritePass Journal

Analyse the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion Introduction Analyse the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion IntroductionREFERENCE LISTRelated Introduction The aim of this assignment is to critically analyse the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion and discuss how social exclusion has occurred in the chosen scenario of Feodor. Feodor’s needs will be identified in the care plan (refer to the appendix 1) and one need will be chosen and interventions to address or meet that need will be critically analysed. This assignment will critically analyse how mental health service could be improved with reference to Anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive perspectives in Feodor’s scenario. Feodor is a 31 year old man who was born in the Russian Federation. He served as a Russian soldier and saw active duty, in the 1994-6 Chechen war, during which time there was discrimination bombing and shelling of Chechen towns and villages. Feodor has stated that over 250, 000 people of the Russian federation were killed in Chechnya during the collapse of the Soviet Union ‘that was genocide’. He has referred to hostage situations in both Budennovsk and Beslan when hundred died. He has quoted the Russian Premier Putin as stating ‘that the war was over 3 years ago’, Feodor contends that the brutal conflict goes on unabated. As a soldier he say it is no surprise that they (The Russian Army) did what they did, the Chechens gave them no choice. So he has come to the UK seeking asylum, work, a better life, a chance to start again, to escape from the nightmares fear. He is now opposed to the conflict in Chechnya and has expressed his opposition to many people, som e of them with power and some from the army in senior positions in the Russian Federation; he believes that he may be at risk of retribution from the Russians and the Chechens. The Social exclusion unit (SEU 2004) defines social exclusion as shorthand for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as disabilities, unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environment, bad health and family breakdown. Sayce (2000) described it as the interlocking and mutually compounding problems of impairment, discrimination, diminishing social role, lack of economic and social participation and disability. Also Jermyn (2001) state social exclusion is complex multi-dimensional in the nature and can occur when various linked problems are experienced in combination. Among the factors at play are social status, jobless, lack of opportunities to establish a family, small or non-existent social network, compounding race and other discrimination, repeated rejection and consequent restriction of hope and expectations. Pierson (2002) suggested that social exclusion is a process that deprives individuals and families, groups and neighbourhoods of the resources required for participation in the social, economic and political activity of society as whole. This process is primarily a consequence of poverty and low income, but other factors such as discrimination, low educational attainment and depleted living environment also underpin it. Through this process people are cut off for a significant period in their lives from institutions and services, social networks and developmental opportunities that the great majority of a society enjoys. Dunn (1999) mentions that the largest UK inquiry into the social exclusion and mental health service users appears to take ‘social model of disability’ perspective and while it discusses social exclusion, the key problem it highlights is discrimination. It states that the inquiry panel receives strong and consistent evidence concerning the discrimination of people experiencing a direct result of their own mental health problems. The report also argues that this discrimination can occur in various areas of life. Especially within jobs and education, this makes mental health service users vulnerable to extreme exclusion from virtually every aspect of society. On the other hand, Repper and Perkins (2001) suggest that social inclusion requires equality of opportunity to access and participate in the rudimentary and fundamental functions of society, for example access to health care, employment, education good housing and ultimately recovery of status and meaning and reduced impact of disability. According to Department of Health (2009) social inclusion in mental health services is improved rights to access to the social and economic world. The new opportunities to recovery status and meaning have reduced the impact of disabilities. However (Bates, 2002) stated that everyone, including people who use mental health services, should be able to enjoy a good standard of health, develop their skills and abilities, earn a wage and live a life in the community in safety. Similarly, the National Service Framework Health Standard One (Department of Health, 1999b) demands that all people whose care is managed through the enhanced care programme approa ch should have a plan that addresses their needs for housing, education, employment and leisure. Within this framework, an inclusive mental health services will address basic standards of living issues. According to the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), and the establishment of the new Disability Rights Commission (2004). Social inclusive perspective, including within the antidiscrimination law, equality and human rights, social justices and citizenship, in addition to clinical perspective, it is from this point that pernicious nature of exclusion and the importance of social inclusion for people with mental health problems and those with intellectual disabilities can be most clearly appreciated. In this case Mental Health Professionals have a responsibility in helping people with mental health problems to make sure they become socially included and not socially excluded. In Feodor’s case mentioned earlier in the assignment that he came to UK seeking asylum, work, and better life. Refuges and asylum-seekers experience a higher incidence of mental distress than the wider population (Future Vision Coalition, 2009). The most common diagnose are trauma related psychological distress, depression and anxiety (Crowley, 2003). In which this is the case with Feodor, much of the distress experienced by him is strongly linked to the events that happened in his home town which have led to his departure. However distress occurs when you are unable to cope with pressure there is also strong evidence that Feodor’s mental distress is as a result of the difficult circumstances experienced in the UK. He was a victim of discrimination and social exclusion and this had very big impact on his mental state. Mental health policy (Department of Health, 2005) recognizes that refugees and asylum-seekers are particularly vulnerable and at risk group, however progr essively more restrictive UK asylum policies have had an increasing negative impact on mental health well being (Royal College of Psychiatry, 2007). Asylum-seekers who are unable to provide accommodation for themselves in UK have been sent to different parts of the country on no choice circumstances. This process does not take into account the community support networks, family of friends. However some of these areas in which dispersed asylum-seekers are housed in many cases are deprived areas with multiple social problems and little experience of diverse communities. This has often resulted in social tension and racism towards refuges and asylum-seekers like Feodor and they are much more often victims than the perpetrators of crime (Leff, and Warner, 2006). Refuge Media Action group (2006) states that accommodation provision for asylum-seekers have improved over the last few years but there are still concerns that it can be poor quality and unstable in some areas. Poor housing, as an immediate environmental stressor, therefore, plays a central role in the psychological well-being of residents both at an individual and community level. (The Acheson Report).   Asylum-seekers are prohibited from working or undertaking vocational training and currently receive at around 50% of income support, which has been cut from  £42,16 to  £35,13 a week compared to  £67,50 a week for those on employment support allowance and some are being given vouchers instead of cash (Mind, 2009). As a result many are living in poverty they are deprived of the important integration opportunities which employment can provide (Bloch, 2002). However (Leff, and Warner, 2006) suggested that the working environment offers the opportunity of making friends, gives a structure to the day, increases the person’s self-esteem, and provides an income especially for men like Feodor. Asylum-seekers do not have access to learning opportunities, learning is central to economic success and social cohesion. Feodor was disadvantaged educationally, economically and socially. One problem that will be addressed from the care plan that has great impact on Feodor’s is employment. Unemployment is both a key characteristic and a primary economic cause of exclusion and is linked with poverty, social isolation and loss of status and significantly increase disability and impedes recovery (Percy- smith 2000). It reduces opportunities for good life which lead to social exclusion as people cannot afford the basic necessities, decent food, clothing, holidays and social activities. It has been linked with increased general health and mental health problems (Repper and Perkins, 2003) which means that as long as Feodor remains unemployed he will be socially deprived. Asylum-seekers like Feodor are prohibited from working whilst waiting for a final decision on their asylum claim, but finding work is their main priority just after granted status (Bloch, 2002). For this reason the mental health services could be improving with reference to anti-oppressive and discri mination by assisting Feodor to find voluntary work as short term goal, volunteering for charities or community organisation. Voluntary work will help Feodor with the opportunity to grow in confidence, reduce his own social isolation and increase opportunities to improve language skills; it also contribute to career development and work experience (Refugee Council Online). Voluntary will also provide some evidence of motivation to prospective employers, enhancing job-readiness and prevent going rusty. It also provides opportunity for Feodor to become familiar with other local services, gain experiences of working practices in the UK hence help him to integrate in the society. Feodor does not have the right to get paid job, but voluntary work and study will help him to prepare for employment and alleviate the stress of his situation. (Sainsbury Centre, 2008). Even though this might not change his situation much since there is no income that comes under voluntary work. Paid work is th e only route for Feodor to sustained financial independence, (Askonas and Stewart, 2000) work is an important element of the human condition, it helps fulfil our aspiration-it is a key to independence, self-respect and opportunities for advancement. The other things what the mental health service need to do for Feodor is to refer him to vocational rehabilitation for vocational training. Vocational rehabilitation is a process of interventions whereby people with mental health problems or disabilities like Feodor can build up individual capacity to enable himself to the best he can be, achieving better work related outcomes (Waddell et al, 2008). Access to vocational training and education system is crucial for migrants to enable them to adapt their skills and qualifications to the labour market requirement of receiving countries. These services will offer Feodor opportunity to develop confidence, resilience and work skills. Vocational rehabilitation programmes have a greater emphasis on work skills development and on progression towards employment. Employment has been identified as a primary factor in the integration of migrants’ life Feodor into UK (Phillimore et al, 2006). Research also shows that employment is good for our physical and mental health (Waddell and Burton, 2006).   Unemployment can damage our health and lead to a range of social problems such as debt and social isolation (Black, 2008). Inability to provide for yourself or to contribute to the society can have negative impact on self esteem, confidence and mental health especially for men like Feodor (Mind, 2009). Being in employment and maintaining social contacts can improve Feodor’s mental health prevent suicide and reduces his reliance on mental health services (SEU, 2004). Employment can also improve Feodor’s quality of life and well being, reduces his social exclusion and poverty (Waddell and Burton, 2006). As stated earlier by (Askonas and Stewart, 2000) that work is an important element of the human condition, it helps fulfil our aspiration-it is a key to independence, self-respect and opportunities for advancement. Employment has a central role in most people’s lives offering beyond that of income but still there are very large and growing numbers of people with mental health illness who are out of work, most of whom want to work (Bond, 2006). They cannot get a job if they have or have had a mental health problem because of the discrimination by employers. This goes on even though it is illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act. A socially inclusion approach includes recovery-oriented practice, an emphasis on social outcomes and participation, and attention to the rights of people with mental ill health, as well as to citizenship, equality and justice, and stigma and discrimination. (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009). Genuine social inclusion can only be achieved by valuing the contribution people can make to society. Because somebody has mental health problems does not mean that he or she can not make a contribution to the community. People need to be given information, choice and freedom and the opportunity to make decisions for themselves. Within the professional service, it is important that staff develop an awareness that different individuals have different needs, and service users should be involved in the care. The Department of Health (2000) states that patients should not be seen as mere recipient of care, but should be empowered to work in partnership with their health and social providers. In helping people to build their lives, mental health workers need to address social inclusion at both ethnos and demos (Repper and Perkins, 2003). People need to participate in and feel part of the community in which they live and more likely to be able to take part if the have a right to those things that are valued in their community such as decent housing and job. Social inclusion is not treatment or care alone, this means identifying, recovery and social inclusion as explicit goals and taking the opportunity of policy initiatives both within and outside the mental health arena to work for the reduction of discrimination against service users. The complementary concepts of inclusion and their application to mental health practice, provide a significant new basis for common between multi-disciplinary team and service users. To conclude Mental Health does not exist in isolation a good Mental Health is linked to good physical health and is fundamental to achieve improved education attainment, increased employment opportunities, reduce exclusion and criminality and social participation. REFERENCE LIST BATES, P. (2002). Working for inclusion. London, Sainsbury for mental health Publication. BLOCH, A. (2002). Refugees, opportunities and barriers in employment and training. Department for Work and Pension, Research Report 179. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. BOND, G. R. (2006). Supported Employment: evidence for an evidence-based practice. Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Journal 27, pp. 345-360. CROWLEY, P. (2003). An Exploration of Mental Health Needs of Asylum-seekers in Newcastle, The Tyne, Wear and Northumberland Asylum-seeker health group. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2000). The expert patient. London: The stationery office. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2005). Delivering race equality in mental health care: An action plan for reform inside and outside services and the Government’s response to the independent inquiry into the death of David Bennett. Department of Heath (1999) National Service Framework for Mental Health: DH Department of Health (July 2009) New Horizons: Towards a shared vision for mental health consultation: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/liveconsultations/dh_103144 Disability Discrimination Act (1995) Meaning of â€Å"discrimination†. Accessed at: legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/50/section/20 Disability Rights Commission (2004) ‘The Web: Access and inclusion for disabled people’, at: http://joeclark.org/dossiers/DRC-GB.html Dunn, S. (199) Creating Accepting Communities: Report of the Mind Enquiry into Social Exclusion and Mental Health problems. Mind FUTURE VISION COALITION (2009). A future vision for mental health. London. The stationery office. LEFF, J and WARNER, R. (2006) Social Inclusion of People with Mental Illness. PERCY-SMITH, J. (2000). Policy Responses to Social Exclusion: Towards Inclusion? Open University Press. Maidenhead. PIERSON, J. (2002) Tackling social exclusion. PHILLIMORE, J., ERGUN, E., GOODSON, L. and HENNESSY, D. (2006). Employability initiatives for refugees in Europe: Looking at, and learning from, good practice. Report for Equal and the Home Office. Birmingham: Centre for Urban and Regional studies, University of Birmingham. REFUGEE COUNCIL ONLINE: Volunteering in Leeds. REFUGEE MEDIA ACTION (2006). Seeking asylum: a report on the living conditions of asylum-seekers in London, Migrants Resource Centre. REPPER, J. and PERKINS, R. (2001). Voting as a means social inclusion for people with mental illness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 9, pp. 697-703. REPPER, J. and PERKINS, R. (2003) Social Inclusion and Recovery: A Model for Mental Health Practice. Bailliere Tindall Elsevier Science Limited. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRY, (2007). Improving the lives of people affected by mental illness. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS, (April 2009). Approved by the Central Policy Coordination Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists at: rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/social%20inclusion%20position%20statement09.pdf SAYCE, L. (2000). Psychiatric patient to citizen. Overcoming Discrimination and social exclusion. London Macmillan. SAINSBURY CENTRE (2008). Briefing 35: Employment support, mental health and black and minority ethnic communities. London: Sainsbury centre for mental health. SOCIAL EXCLUSION UNIT (2004). Mental Health and Social Exclusion. London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. SOCIAL INCLUSION Possibilities and Tensions, (2000). Edited by: PETER, ASKONAS and ANGUS, STEWART. The Acheson Report. (November 1998) Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health. WADDELL, G., BURTON, K. and KENDALL, N. (2008). Vocational Rehabilitation- what works, for whom and when? London: TSO.

HR Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

HR Strategy - Essay Example It meant laying off part of the work force, sometimes indiscriminately as far as the employees’ functions were concerned, amounting to a hermorrhage of critical talent the company sorely needed to recover. This time around, during the financial crisis of 2007 and the subsequent recession, human resources managers are approaching their task of rationalizing their company’s workforce with a greater view towards the subsequent repercussions. This paper shall examine how human resources planning, flexibility, and recruitment take place in the context of an economic recession. According to Goss, recessions and trade crises enhance the challenges of the international competitive environment. Emphasis in planning shifted to survival mode and generally aimed at coping, resuting in downsizing, finding greater efficiencies, building ‘leaner and fitter’ organizations. It meant lay-offs, rethinking production processes and rationalizing them, and improving managerial control mechanisms. Industries undergo a â€Å"shake-out† where some leading companies, because they were debt-ridden, fall out, new leaders (usually those less leveraged and more cash-rich) emerge, and the fittest who survive move up. Emphasis was placed on value in all expenditures. Clements reported on the result of a recent survey conducted among HR managers, directors and professionals. Some firms saw opportunity in the crisis situation, and aimed not only at coping but in taking advantage of the situation to restructure and consolidate for the eventual recovery which is sure to happen sooner or later. Organizations in general became flatter, with emphasis placed on flexibility, adaptiveness and change, decentralization and devolution of responsibility to cost and profit centres, and a hard look at the strengths and weaknesses that impacted upon the effectiveness of the organization. Management of people tended towards greater participation and commitment,

Discuss whether supermarket are benefical to the society they operate Essay

Discuss whether supermarket are benefical to the society they operate within in the united kingdom - Essay Example The three-quarters of food shopping are made through just four firms. Supermarkets’ claims on fulfilling their corporate social responsibility can not be measured in the absence of relevant benchmarks. There is greater need to bring the civil society organisations to the table with supermarkets to hold a discussion on social, environmental and ethical issues but supermarkets are not coming forward in good numbers to follow an approach where transparency and stakeholder interests are protected with the participation of civil society organisations. A number of reasons can be attributed to the supermarkets’ withdrawal from such initiatives the like of Race to the Top (RTTT) project whose objective was to set benchmarks taking into confidence the civil society organisations (RTTT Final Report). Government intention to develop major performance indicators for the food sector created fear in the supermarket lobby of a new governance structure by selecting a successful RTTT. Supermarkets had not been forthcoming in providing data, which was crucial for partnering with society stakeholders. External data is costly because of expensive labour and methodological issues although crucial in showing change in comparison to supermarkets’ data showing company policies only (RTTT Final Report). There was lack of staff time and technical know-how. The timing of pressurising the supermarket companies to bring transparency in data on environmental and social effects mismatched because of their disinterest in providing the information due to cost cutting measures to remain in competition with leading market giants (RTTT Final Report) Another problem is the heterogeneous nature of the UK supermarket in terms of scale, ownership and customer base. Companies are wary of running such business initiatives that map the customer rather than the companies on sustainability of high animal-welfare food items (RTTT Final Report). The high