Discuss issues with biological therapies

Discuss issues with biological therapies Biological therapies arise from the medical model of abnormal behaviour: mental disorder is an illness which results mainly from a chemical imbalance. Biological treatments are designed to redress this imbalance, through the administration of chemical drugs known as chemotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and, in rare cases, psychosurgery. As well as mental disorders, the biological approach also gives an explanation and treatment for stress and the role of stress management. This approach also shows the link between stress and the immune system. Anorexia and bulimia nervosa are also explained by the medical model. Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to treat mental disorders. For example anti-anxiety drugs consist of a class of drugs called benzodiazepines and minor tranquilliser designed to reduce levels of anxiety. These include Librium and Valium which were introduced in 1950s, and soon became the most prescribed drug in the world. However, the side-effects include drowsiness, dependence, withdrawal and toxicity However, benzodiazepines have been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and panic. Gelernter and found them to be more effective than a placebo for social phobia and Lecrubier found that 60% of patients with panic disorder remained free of panic while on medication. Antidepressant drugs are

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Psychology
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Outline and evaluate two or more therapies used in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Treating Schizophrenia 'Therapies can be time-consuming and, in some cases, uncomfortable for the client. It is, therefore, very important to offer the most appropriate and effective type of treatment.' Outline and evaluate two or more therapies used in the treatment of schizophrenia. Different people choose different therapies for schizophrenia because the difference in treatments is so vast with different levels of intensity and effectiveness. Treatments are usually selected by which the patient feels most comfortable with. There are two main types of therapies, Biological and Psychological. Antipsychotic medication is a biological therapy. These are drugs that are effective in treating the most disturbing forms of psychotic illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Antipsychotic medication helps the person with the disorder function as well as possible in their life. Conventional antipsychotics (for example chlorpromazine) are used primarily to combat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations. The basic mechanism of conventional antipsychotics is to reduce the effects of dopamine and so reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia, hence their alter ego, dopamine antagonists. They bind to dopamine receptors but do not stimulate them, thus blocking their action. By reducing stimulation of the dopamine system in the brain, antipsychotics can

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  • Level: AS and A Level
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In this essay I am going to contrast and compare three approaches in psychology which are behaviourist, cognitive, and humanist. I am going to show how these psychological approaches contribute to the understanding of the human mind and behaviour.

In this essay I am going to contrast and compare three approaches in psychology which are behaviourist, cognitive, and humanist. I am going to show how these psychological approaches contribute to the understanding of the human mind and behaviour. Human mind and behaviour are affected during moments of transition and change. These are moments in which there is an alteration in an individual's life. They can take a period of time to occur or can take place suddenly. Transitions happen during a period of time. The definition of the word transition confirms it. It is definite as 'the process or a period of changing from a state or condition to another' (Hornby, 2005: 1631). To illustrate, there is a period of changes when individuals leave adolescence and become adults. That period of changes is a transition. Changes are more sudden, and when they occur something is changed. The same dictionary gives the following definitions for change: 'to pass or make sb/sth pass from one state or form into another' (Hornby, 2005: 243) or 'to stop having one state, position or direction and start having another' (Hornby, 2005: 244). These definitions clearly show that a change is instantaneous, occurs in a very short period of time. For example, a sudden death of spouse or other person very close to a certain individual drastic changes the individual's behaviour and way of life; get married

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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MENTAL HEALTH

AO1 Mental health issues The concept of mental health There are a wide range of different terms that people use to describe mental health these are as follows: The World Health Organisation (WHO) have objectives and functions, which are there core commitment to mental health promotion, these are as follows: - " not merely the absence of disease of infirmity" - "attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health" - To foster activities in the field of mental health, especially those affecting the harmony of human relations" The World Health Organisation defines health as: ... A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity Mental health promotion involves actions that support people to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles, which therefore create a supportive living condition or environment. Mental illnesses are common and universal. There is no general term for mental health and illnesses. According to research, the most prevalent mental health problems were due to alcohol and drug abuse, family violence and abuse, and suicidal behaviour. Many people in the society are not very familiar with mental health problems. Although, research has shown that about 50 years ago, people would class people with mental health problems and would say they had a 'demon' was inside of them and possessed them.

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Evaluate the claim that Person-Centred Therapy offers the therapist all that he/she need to treat the clients

Chrysalis Counselling CourseModule 1Krisztina Paladi-Kovacs July 2012 “Evaluate the claim that Person-Centred Therapy offers the therapist all that he/she need to treat the clients.” In this essay I will define what Person–Centred Therapy (PCT) is and I will look at the origins of this therapy with particular reference to Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers and examine the fundamental elements necessary for the therapy to be seen as patient centred. I will compare the benefits and disadvantages of Person-Centred Therapy and try to establish whether a therapist can treat all clients effectively using just the one approach or whether it is more beneficial to the client for the therapist to use a more multi-disciplinary approach. To be able to discuss this subject, it is important to describe first what we mean when discussing PCT. Person-Centred Therapy, also known as client-centred, non-directive, or Rogerian therapy, is an approach to counselling and psychotherapy that places much of the responsibility for the treatment process on the client, with the therapist taking a non-directive role. PCT emphasises person to person relationship between the therapist and client and focuses on the client’s point of view; through active listening the therapist tries to understand the client’s present issues and emotions. In PCT the client determines the direction, course, speed

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  • Subject: Biological Sciences
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Compare and contrast the person-centered approach and cognitive-behavioural approaches to understanding and working with fear and sadness. Which of these two approaches do you feel more drawn to and why?

Compare and contrast the person-centered approach and cognitive-behavioural approaches to understanding and working with fear and sadness. Which of these two approaches do you feel more drawn to and why? -------------------------------------------------------- In this essay I will look[KHB1] at the key features of the cognitive behavioural approach and the person centered approach, I will look at the differences and similarities of the two approaches and explain why I am drawn to the person centered approach. The overall purpose of cognitive behavioural therapy is to increase self awareness, introduce better understanding, and improve self control by developing more appropriate responses to negative feelings. The goals of the person-centered therapy are to increase ones self-esteem, to have a greater openness to experience and to find out where you belong in life and be content with it. Both therapies help individuals to experience and express feelings at the moment they occur, rather than dwell on them at a later date. I will first look at the Cognitive behavioural therapy which was founded by Beck (1976), he believed that "the emotional and behavioural difficulties that people experience in their lives are not caused directly by events, but by the way they interpret and make sense of these events "as sited in Introduction to counselling p143. It is based on the fact that

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  • Subject: Biological Sciences
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"All other Ways of Knowing are controlled by language."

"All other Ways of Knowing are controlled by language." What does this statement mean and do you think it is a fair representation of the relationship between perception, emotion, reason and language? Xavier Davidson 8 November, 2008 Mr. Mathews IB Theory of Knowledge Period 6 Word Count: 1516 "All other Ways of Knowing are controlled by language." What does this statement mean and do you think it is a fair representation of the relationship between perception, emotion, reason and language? Language influences the way we think, the way we act and even the choices that we make in life. This prompt, however, asserts that language "controls" emotion, reason and perception (also known as the Ways of Knowing). The aim of this essay will be to assess what this prompt means and then to evaluate how fair a representation it is of the relationship between our four Ways of Knowing. Along the way we'll encounter several knowledge issues dealing with the nature of language and the limitations inherent in each of the four Ways of Knowing. The meaning of this statement depends, of course, on the meaning of the verb "control." If I control something, it cannot act without my explicit directions. There are, of course, degrees of control in the world of human affairs; one look at my bedroom shows that my parents assert some degree of control over me, but nowhere near as much

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  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Theory of Knowledge
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Schizophrenia and related psychosis.

The author of this work is currently employed as a community psychiatric nurse whose remit is to work with those clients with serious and enduring mental illness, the majority of whom have a medical diagnosis of schizophrenia and related psychosis. Over the past 10 years there's been a growing movement towards diverse treatments for schizophrenia other than the acknowledged role of medication as a treatment modality (Birchwood and Tarrier 1993). Developments in psychological theory have led to a number of innovative psychological treatments drawn from human experimental psychology such as behavioural and social psychology and cognitive science. Therapies based on cognitive behavioural theory have been rapidly developing, initially for the so called 'neurotic disorders' but in recent years evidence has accumulated to suggest that these cognitive behavioural approaches can be effective for those people suffering from psychosis ( Williams 1995). The aim of this assignment is to explore the basis of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and review its' therapeutic application to schizophrenia. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an evolutionary paradigm that came about a from the merging of the established paradigm of behavioural therapy and contemporary cognitive therapy (Clarke and Fairburn 1997). Behavioural therapy historically focused on anxiety, phobic

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
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The company that I have been studying in this Task is ECsoft (European Community Soft).

R.1 Introduction R.1.1 Background of the company The company that I have been studying in this Task is ECsoft (European Community Soft). ECsoft is an independent IT consultancy and systems integrator that operates internationally. ECsoft is a PLC (public limited company), and they have shareholders. Therefore the owners of ECsoft are the shareholders. The managing director's name is Steve Leegood. ECsoft provides IT services and solutions for many of Europe's top 500 companies private and public sector organisations. ECsoft creates a project, when the company wants one, around an application for a company and implements solutions to improve the company's profitability. They basically do custom programming. Therefore the main aim, for the company is solving a problem to improve a company's profitability. The services that ECsoft provide are a range of business and technical skills in depth of the market area. The main markets are financial services, retail, media /publishing, public sector, telecommunications, travel and transportation and manufacturing. This is a general background of the company * ECsoft's principal operations are in the UK and Scandinavia. The company is based in Berkhamsted. * In July 1994 ECsoft started. * In December 1996 ECsoft floated on Nasdaq. * In June 1998 ECsoft floated at a valuation of £190.7m. ECsoft use IT for two main reasons,

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: ICT
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In what ways does the practice of applied psychology show that academic psychology is not simply a data-gathering exercise, but has practical benefits for human life?

In what ways does the practice of applied psychology show that academic psychology is not simply a data-gathering exercise, but has practical benefits for human life? Introduction It could be argued that the major justification for the existence of academic psychology is ultimately to produce practical benefits for human life. Of course it would be satisfying to know intellectually why we do the things we do, but more than that, we would like to be able to apply psychological methods to making our own lives and the lives of others happier, safer and free. The dictionary defines 'benefit' as 'enhances wellbeing' (Heritage(r) Dictionary of the English Language, 2000). Below I firstly explore situations where psychology studies could benefit human life where they to be applied, secondly those areas where psychology has been applied but whether well-being has been enhanced overall is uncertain. Lastly I describe where the benefit to human life from psychology in action is clearly demonstrated. Psychological studies with potential for benefit Increasingly psychology research in the area of psychopathology is leading to the conclusion that so-called mental illness is not so much a 'chemical imbalance' as it is colloquially known but rather a result of 'bad life experiences'. This is shown in the case of schizophrenia, a mental aberration often thought of as having

  • Word count: 2419
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
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