Over the past decade, there has been many changes in the culture we live in starting with the development of technology and the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Technology has created ways to connect with people all over the world by a simple touch of a button. It has created cars that practically drive themselves, less open space land and more cities, and most depressingly, created more cases of mental illness amongst youth. There have been some positive advancements in technology but also many negative effects, for example mental illnesses. Mental illnesses are highly treatable with medication and psychotherapy. Today’s youth do not have the same effects from these treatments compared youth in past decades. As Dr. Kathleen Pajer states in her …show more content…
This decade, the subsistence’s are easier to obtained even for under aged youth. National institute on drug abuse explains the scientific way that drugs and alcohol effect the brain. One of the main components of the brains that causes mental illnesses is the neurotransmitter. The neurotransmitter contains brain cells filled neuron chemicals which tell you how to react. The chemicals found in drugs and alcohol interfere with the neurons and mimic them. These chemicals then trick the brain into sending the wrong information that usually leads to mental illnesses. (Drugs and the Brain) Harvard Health Publications of Harvard Medical School explains the three parts of the brain the neurotransmitter transports the neuron chemicals. These parts include the Amygdala, Thalamus and the Hippocampus. The Amygdala is responsible for the emotions and emotional memories. The Thalamus is responsible for behavior such as speech, reactions, thinking and learning. The last part, Hippocampus controls long term memory including things that have given you the sense of fear in the past. (what causes depression) These parts of the brain are what create and effect mental illnesses. People whom consume drugs and/or alcohol before their brain has fully developed have a high change of damaging the amygdala, thalamus and the hippocampus and developing a mental illness. In the past decade alcohol was not as easily available as it is today. Today, there are liquor and beer stores in every town and even in some convince stores. Underage youth are likely getting alcohol from older sibling, friends or family or have a fake identification. Drugs are widely available on streets of cities and in schools. Most drugs consumed by youth contain unknown substances that may also alter the neuron chemicals. By limiting drugs and reducing the amount of availability of alcohol youth have less of a chance at consuming these mind
Alcohol has been severely damaging young individuals health both mentally and physically. Even though alcohol can be harmful at any age it is especially dangerous for teens as their brains are still developing and cannot cope with alcohol the same way as an adult can. When consumed
For many centuries there has been multiple arguments about what causes mental illness. Hebrews believed that mental illness was a punishment from god for those who sinned. The way they cured one another was spiritually and through health. They believed that if you had a healthy diet that it would prevent you from any diseases. The physicians were also priests who had “special ways” to heal with higher powers. The biggest theory was that whoever had a mental illness was caused from supernatural forces. There had been many different treatments to help cure ones suffering. Dating back to 5000 BCE was the first treatment preformed on record, showing that one would chip a hole into the human skull to release evil spirits. Later on, the Ancient Egyptians
Tamika comes to a psychology clinic with complaints of poor concentration. As she was talking with the psychologist, she spoke very rapidly and it was difficult to follow her train of thought. Tamika reported that she felt invincible and had not slept for three days since she had been very busy with various tasks. She also reported that in the past, she had frequently experienced periods of time that she felt “down”.
Alcohol can take a huge toll on adolescent brains as well. In the article, “Teen Drinking May Cause Irreversible Brain Damage” the reader is told that Susan Tapert took a close look into the nerve tissue in teens’ brains. She found that kids who binge drink had “a number of little dings”(4) in their nerve tissue. This shows that there is poor connection with the brain cells. The hippocampus was affected and looked different as well. This affects memory,
Drinking at a younger age affects the brain’s development that’s harmful for one’s health. The frontal lobe is used for emotional response and regulation which are essential, and the consumption of alcohol interferes with its development (“Procon”). Lowering the legal minimum drinking age leaves the youth open to brain development problems at an earlier stage in life. The risk for potential chronic problems are greater with the consumption of alcohol like an increased risk of addiction, poor decision making, memory loss, depression, violence, and increased risk of suicide (‘Procon”). The brain needs time to develop and
Underage drinking is a very eminent problem for Americans today. Some may not know that the human brain continues to develop until the age of twenty-five. Underage drinking can weaken neurological development, which could cause minors to make bad decisions, have memory loss, slower thought processes, and even acquire irreversible brain damage. Drinking when your body and mind are not fully developed can leave damaging effects on a person’s social abilities, neurological abilities, and overall health.
The pre-mature prefrontal cortex of the adolescent to mid-20’s brain is not fully capable to perform its role, such as being responsible for assessing situation, control emotions and impulses, and making decisions. Moreover, the individual within the ages are typically tend to seek pleasure more and avoid pain. As the result, they are more prone to adapt substance abuse pattern and become more vulnerable to substance abuse. If the abuse pattern does not addressed and continuously develop, it can pose serious behavioral, physical, social issues, such as failure in occupational performance, impaired memory, impulsiveness behavior, lose motivation in healthy life style, organ failure, and mild to severe mental health problems. Not only interpersonal problems but also it can cause social crimes. Therefore, Adolescence substance abuse pattern must take in as serious matters and need to be addressed (Casey, Jones, & Hare, 2008; reviewed by Winters & Arria, 2011).
College students are at a higher risk of alcohol use than any other age group. Under age and college age drinkers are at more of a risk for neurotoxicity and harmful mental effects due to alcohol consumption than those who initiate alcohol use later in life. The brain functions though things such as neurotransmitter receptors, and cell signaling molecules. These are effected when alcohol is ingested. (Zeigler, 2004)
A 32-year old female Janice Butterfield, who came in at the insistence of her husband Jed Butterfield for a consultation concerning her suicidal attempt due to dysthymia. American Heritage Dictionary defines that dysthymia is a chronic disturbance of mood lasting at least two years in adults or one year in children, characterized by recurrent periods of mild depression and such symptoms. Although the symptoms of dysthymia may be less intense than those of depression, dysthymia can actually affect the client’s life more seriously because it lasts so long. With dysthymia, he or she may lose interest in normal daily activities, feel hopeless, lack productivity and has a low self-esteem. Therefore, dysthymia prevents the
When you are around the teenpreteen age, your brain is maturing. Alcohol damages the maturing process by killing
Alcoholism is classified as a chronic illness, an addiction that affects the physical condition of a person as well as the mental. With one in every twelve adults living with alcohol abuse, it is a possibility that the children of these people will grow up and follow their parents. In this pattern there is a never ending cycle of alcohol abuse and dependence that has resulted in alcohol being ranked as the third leading cause of behavior related deaths in America (Facts About Alcohol. 2015, July). There is a higher risk for teenagers who consume alcohol because their brains are not fully developed. The alcohol that they drink suppresses the brain and causes deterioration in memory and learning (Impact of alcohol on the developing brain. 2014). In this paper I will examine the source and reason behind teenage alcoholism and determine the effects the destructive drug of alcohol has on teenagers in different aspects of their lives.
The expansion of liquor does not help the circumstances. The vicinity of the liquor impedes the cerebrum. When a teen devours liquor, it has a huge impact on their mental health. A teenager’s cerebrum, while it is, no doubt created, even in their twenties can appropriate numerous issues. Researchers have found the use of alcohol can lessen the span of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls the memory and storing of information (Perin 2012). The utilization of alcohol can have an impact on a teenager’s academic and learning process. It causes a lack of attention in school. If they have maintained good grades during childhood, once alcohol gets involved, their grades start dropping. Usually the student would sleep in class, be hung-over from the night before, or have the attitude that they just don’t care. This is added weight to any circumstances happening with teens. The utilization of alcohol during high school years may stop a teen’s capacity to utilize their psyches to its fullest potential.
As we all know, chronic illness is the number one health care problem in the United States; however, it is important to be aware of the capability of acute illness.Frequently, acute illnesses happen only in one part of the body and respond to treatment. Nevertheless, chronic illnesses are long- term conditions that usually involve multiple system, and there is no guarantee of a future where the condition will be cured completely. The similarity of these two type of illnesses have is that they both cope with any health problem depending of the severity of the condition. The biggest difference is that chronic illness usually requirement more treatment and care in order to maintain the homeostasis (Murrow & Oglesby, 1996).
Mental illnesses can have many debilitating effects on the afflicted individual and their social system, these circumstances can develop from the symptoms of the illness itself as well as the stigma emanating from other’s perception of the illness. Connell and Brazier (2014) recruited 19 individuals within the United Kingdom’s mental health services to participate in semi-structured interviews that revealed seven domains of quality of life (well-being versus ill-being, hope, relationships and a sense of belonging, autonomy, activity, self-perception, and physical health). In terms of activity, the interviewees mentioned benefits that can be reaped from of being productive and engaging
The medical field has always intrigued me, more specifically the field of psychology. The human psyche makes us who we are and who we aren't. Every moment, event, and memory is intertwined into our conscience. Mental illness is an abstract darkness that lies within our minds. Often times ignorant people shame, degrade, and ignore those effected by mental illness. Everyday someone suffers from a mental illness will continue to be untreated because of the backlash of the stigma. In society people with a mental illness is constantly condescended as a ''desperate need for attention'' or ''just a phase''. Numerous people who are effected by mental illness either suffer in silence or become another statistic. The tragedies of those effected have