Behaviorist description of depression Essay Example for Free

Behaviorist description of depression Essay The behavioral perspective of depression links the disorder to a deficit of positive reinforcements in ones life. This lack of reinforcement results in the decline of constructive behavior, which in turn results in depression. Behaviorists posit that a person suffering from depression can develop a plan of action to replenish the deficit of positive reinforcement through the cooperation of family, friends and the therapist. In other words, according to behaviorists, the patients inability to cope with life stress leads to social withdrawal, which reduces the rate of positive reinforcements, which then results in depression. The belief that a person suffering from depression can behave him- or herself out of it is both appealing and troublesome. The benefits of constructive activity notwithstanding, dependence on others for positive reinforcement could result in depression that waxes and wanes in direct proportion to the presence or absence of external stimuli. The danger inherent is this view is of placing too strong a focus on those external reinforcements. A patient who places conditions of worth on his or her actions may be convinced that others will never be in a state of approval of those actions. Such a patient may benefit more greatly from a cognitive therapy that addresses his or her maladaptive thinking patterns and self-deprecating automatic thoughts. It is the therapists responsibility to assess the most effective treatment based on the patients individual profile. The specific therapeutic approach must be tailored to the patents needs and capabilities. If the patient requires guidance to change maladaptive thinking, then a plan to simply change behavior is doomed to fail. The behaviorist perspective can also be interpreted as placing responsibility for depression squarely on the shoulders of the patient. Encouragement (of the patient to take charge of his or her own recovery by changing the nature of his or her personal relationships) can be effective with a strong-willed person who is committed to recovery. By helping to develop a plan of action and monitoring its success and opportunities for improvement, the behavioral therapist maintains at once a reliable presence at a respectful distance. The patients relationships are also important factors in depression that must be addressed to treat depression; ergo behavioral therapy must tackle negativity in that facet of the patients life. The therapist must assess the overall relationship dynamic and any negative patterns of communication between the patient and his or her most significant others. Ideally, a behavioral therapist has evaluated the patient and hypothesized that he or she will benefit from changing behavioral patterns. The therapist patient will then work closely with the patient to assess the nature of his or her innate behavioral patterns to determine which are constructive and which detract from his or her impression of positive reinforcement. Classical conditioning is not suited for this task but modeling and shaping may be effective. Operant conditioning, by definition, is the order of the day. The patient will receive continuous positive reinforcement for behaviors that combat his or her depression, while those that feed the depression will become extinct.

Borderline Personality Disorder Essays -- Psychology Psychological Hea

Borderline personality disorder "is defined in the DSM IV, a manual used by psychiatrists to diagnose all mental disorders, as an AXIS II disorder which has symptoms of impulsively and emotional dysregulation" (Livesley 146). A person with BPD has feelings of abandonment and emptiness, and has "frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, going to extremes to keep someone from leaving" (Burger 300). He or she is emotionally unstable and forms intense but unstable interpersonal relationships. They show impulsive behavior, such as spending money, sex, eating and substance abuse. Borderlines engage in self-manipulating behaviors and recurrent suicide attempts and thoughts. "Their behavior can be seen as maladaptive methods of coping with constant emotional pain" (Livesley 144). "Personality includes those aspects of a person's thinking, moods and behavior which affect his or her relationship with others" (Livesley 98). Differences in personality style (traits) add color and variety to relationships but may become too extreme, inflexible or maladaptive, significantly impairing a person's ability to function. When a person is not able to deal with people or problems of the environment, he or she is said to have a Personality Disorder (Livesley 99). "Originally the term borderline was used to refer to individuals whose adjustment was on the borderline between normal and psychotic" (Holmes 393). Today borderline personality disorder is primarily marked by instability, showing different symptoms at different times. Most of the symptoms revolve around problems of mood, mild disturbance in thought processes, and impulsive self-injurious behavior (Holmes 393). All of this prevents the borderline to have interpersonal relationships. Individuals with the borderline personality disorder tend to have intense relationships that are very unstable. "Frequent interpersonal conflict, unstable, stormy relationships are characteristics of a borderline; Relationships usually have "love and hate characteristics" (Durand 334). Individuals with this disorder do not simply drift in and out of friendships, but instead show abrupt, frequent and dramatic changes between "intense love and equally intense hate" (Durand 334) in any one relationship. The fluctuations in their mood, involved with their anger; involved with their thought disturbances, and mixed with their paranoid thoughts ab... ...ometimes symptoms can go unnoticed or are misunderstood. "Persons with BPD may often be thought of as manipulative or as attention-seeking (Burger 134). They can sometimes "act as if" they are okay. "People with BPD need validation and acknowledgment of the pain they struggle to live with as well as compassion without blame or judgments (Durand 99). Family members should always take suicidal statements and threats seriously and alert a mental health professional as soon as possible. "Education for family members cannot be stressed enough (Durand 99). Families need to learn all they can about BPD so that they can advocate for appropriate treatment for their loved ones. Informed families are then better able to deal with the stigma often encountered from mental health professionals. Instability might not even do borderlines justice, (Burger 199) chaotic is the best word to describe the life of a borderline. Their lives are intense their friendships abrupt. BPD is extremely painful to the patients, their families and to society. People with BPD experience intense emotions and are very vulnerable. They are among the most intensive and extensive utilizes of mental health services.

Cis 101 Quiz

Exam Name_ ______ Chapter 6 MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) The main advantages of a notebook computer are all of the following EXCEPT: 1) __D____A) Wireless Internet access is easy to install.B) They take up little space.C) They are portable.D) You get more speed for a lower price.2) The main disadvantages of a desktop computer as compared to notebooks are the following EXCEPT: 2) __D____A) A desktop computer is harder to move around.B) A desktop computer requires more space.C) A desktop computer is difficult to transport for repair.D) A desktop computer is more expensive.3) CPU speed is measured in: 3) __D____A) nanoseconds.B) megabytes.C) bits per second (bps).D) Hertz.4) The amount of RAM recommended for most systems today is measured in: 4) __D____A) Megahertz.B) Gigahertz.C) KB.D) GB.5) ________ are fast becoming the most preferred means of portable storage. 5) __D____A) DVDsB) CDsC) Floppy disksD) Flash drivesRead also Quiz Week 46) All of the following can be connected to your computer through a port EXCEPT: 6) ___C___A) scanner.B) an external hard drive.C) RAM.D) a printer.7) Each of the following is a type of port EXCEPT: 7) ___C___A) FireWire.B) Ethernet.C) FSB.D) USB.8) An expansion card that translates binary data into images is a(n): 8) ___D___A) game card.B) sound card.C) audio card.D) video card.9) A MIDI port allows you to connect: 9) ___C___A) scanners.B) notebooks.C) electronic musical instruments.D) digital cameras.10) The technology that transmits data between two devices using infrared light waves is called: 10) _B____A) Wi-Fi.B) IrDA.C)FireWire.D) Bluetooth.TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T' if the statement is true and ‘F' if the statement is false.11) The CPU is located on the motherboard. 11) __T___12) The CPU is the temporary storage location for all the data and instructions the computer needs when it is running. 12) __F___13) Accessing data from the hard drive to send to the CPU is faster than accessing data from RAM. 13) __F___14) Hard drives have the largest storage capacity of any stora ge device. 14) __T___15) The main distinction between a desktop and a notebook is Internet connectivity. 15) __T___16) CPU stands for computer processing unit. 16) __F___17) When there is not enough RAM installed in your system, the system becomes memory bound. 17) __T___18) A sound card is attached to the inside of your computer's speaker. 18) __F___19) RAM is your computer's permanent storage space for data that is entered from the keyboard. 19) __F___20) The amount of memory your video card needs depends on what you want to display on your monitor. 20) __T___SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.21) The time it takes a storage device to locate stored data and make it available for processing is called ________ time. 21) _Access Time__22) RAM is an example of ________ storage because when the power is off, RAM is cleared out. 22) _Temporary___23) The technology that uses radio waves to send data wirelessly over short dist ances is ________. 23) __Bluetooth Technology__24) USB stands for ________. 24) _Universal Serial Bus_25) The primary circuit board of the computer system is the ________. 25) _Motherboard_

Effects and Impact of Solid Waste Generation in Abuja...

CHAPTER 1 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY The quantity and generation rate of solid wastes in Nigeria have increased over at an alarming rate over the years with lack of efficient and modern technology for the management of the wastes. The generation rate, collection and disposal of solid wastes are functions of several factors which if well considered and appropriated could bring the desired solution to the waste management problems in Nigeria. This chapter contains a brief description of the problem of study, background to the problem, purpose of the study and research questions. Significance and scope of the study were also discussed in this chapter. By definition, solid wastes could be defined as a non-liquid and non-gaseous†¦show more content†¦From water drainages to uncompleted buildings, open field and most recently under a high tension power line belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, anywhere can be used as dump sites. Simply put, open spaces in and around satellite towns are now at risk. The refuse dumps stink horribly and has taken up a large portion of a high tension PHCN power mast. Refuse collectors routinely set fire to the refuse in an effort to reduce its size to a manageable level. For example, a refuse collector, Mallam Zubairu Abubakar who was seen emptying the contents of his truck at the unapproved dump site defended his action. According to him â€Å"where do you expect us to dump the refuse†, we have to find a way of disposing the refuse so I joined them. I expect that the government will use their truck to remove what we dump here and take it wherever they want or in the alternative, show us another place to use as dump. A resident of Nyanya Mr Michael Ojo described the situation in Nyanya as worse than other parts of Abuja. According to him, â€Å"we are at the mercy of refuse here because even portions of the Abuja-Keffi road have become dumpsites. Unless something urgent is done, Abuja will become worse than Lagos†. The story is same in parts like Lugbe, a settlement around the precinct of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. 1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY This research paper is aimed at