Role of family in health and disease Essay Example for Free

Role of family in health and disease Essay The good health of an individual primarily increases the longevity of an individual’s life. The sphere of health has increased far beyond the concept of health system of the previous generation, including exercise and well-being. In this context, autonomy means the right of the patient to choose the treatment that he believes is best for him. The intimate knowledge of the family regarding the individual aids the decision making process. When the individual is in poor health, his actions are limited thereby necessitating support from family and friends. Stress When there is a common problem creating stress, the whole family is stuck in a vicious cycle of negativity aggravating health related issues. When there is an increasing demand in the ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to the physical and emotional well-being of the others as well. Stress is a psychological and physiological response to events that cause personal imbalance in life. Prolonged exposure to stress increases the risk to health as stress is cumulative. Anything that forces one to adjust is a stressor. These include a divorce, a child leaving home, a planned pregnancy, a move to a new town, a career change, graduating process, diagnosis of a malignant disease. These events are rare occurrences in a lifetime. Therefore, analyzing further, we conclude that major stressors are the daily hassles and demands made on an individual.[i]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Family and relationships are the most common stressors, though environmental conditions can be strenuous. Arguments, financial conditions, marital disagreements, rebellious teens, or caring for a chronically ill family member or a child with special needs can increase stress levels of all the family members. Some of these situations have an impact on society. Therefore, poverty, financial pressures, racial and sexual discrimination or harassment, unemployment, isolation, and a lack of social support take a toll on the quality of life and become stressful to deal with. Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms[ii] Cognitive Symptoms Emotional Symptoms Memory problems Indecisiveness Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying Loss of objectivity Fearful anticipation Moodiness Agitation Restlessness Irritability, impatience Inability to relax Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness Physical Symptoms Behavioral Symptoms Headaches or backaches Muscle tension and stiffness Diarrhea or constipation Nausea, dizziness Insomnia Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Weight gain or loss Skin breakouts (hives, eczema) Eating more or less Sleeping too much or too little Procrastination, neglecting responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting,) Overdoing activities (e.g. exercising, shopping) Overreacting to unexpected problems    FAMILY STRESS Family stress is the imbalance between the demands of the family and its ability to cope. The way in which the family perceives the stressor explains the values and previous experiences of the family in meeting the crisis. The family is aided by resources like the external support provided by friends, colleagues and the community. The central mechanism through which the stress is eliminated or managed is â€Å"Coping†. The following elements that we consider are the individual family member, the family system, the community to which the family belongs. Problem Statement: Let us cite an example to prove that stress caused due to families will increase the health risk of all members. The concept of a broken family which is a major factor attributing to chronic stress will be examined in detail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The root cause of poverty and income disparity is undeniably dependant on the presence or absence of the marriage. A married person remains influenced by factors that  Ã‚  Ã‚   inoculate that person against divorce. These include sharing a religious faith, getting married over the age of 25 and completing education. All of these factors lead to greater economic prosperity and remain a basis for good health. Broken families experience lower levels of educational achievement and therefore earn less. They pass on the prospect of meager incomes and family instability to the next generation. Broken families arise from divorce, cohabitation, out of Wedlock childbirth. Divorce The Monthly Vital Statistics report from the National centre for health statistics has stated that the growth in the number of children born into broken families in America has risen to 58 for every 100 born in 1992 from 12 for every 100 born in 1950.[iii] It directly reduces the prosperity of the family. It determines the length of the poverty spell and is the greatest threat to women from the lower income families. It reduces the likelihood of asset formation. â€Å"For a nuclear family, the family income averaged at $43,600, and when these same children lived with single parents, their family income is reduced to an average income of $25,300.[iv] It increases a mother’s financial responsibility. Divorce and additional work hours affect her network of support for parenting. These chronic stresses lead to physical and mental illness, addictions, even leading to suicide in some cases. There is a reduction in the educational accomplishments of the affected children.   Therefore, their probable prosperity level remains unachieved. There is a rise in the chance of a teenage pregnancy. The family and social stress weakens their psychological and physical health, and predisposes them to rapid initiation of sexual relationships and higher levels of marital instability. It raises the probability in boys never to marry.[v]. For the father, factors like increased financial responsibility, greater chances of cohabiting, decreasing parental influence, and addictions, decrease their performance at work. The relationship and work related stresses could trigger major health problems. Cohabitation These couples express uncertainty about their marriage together and are probable to divorce at a rate higher mainly due to their inability to commit. The present generation exhibit that sex, living arrangements and parenting depend less on marriage. 40% of the cohabiting couples have children, and 12% have had a biological child during cohabitation.[vi] 80 % of children who have lived with cohabiting parents will spend some of their childhood in a single-parent home.[vii] Cohabiting marks future weakness in the income gained by a nuclear family, tending to aggravate the social and economic stresses caused to the children. There is a growing acceptance of illicit relationships and premarital sex amongst children of the adolescence stage. This leads to increase in teenage pregnancy. The stress caused by the family coupled with stresses created by the society make it difficult for the children to cope with. They increase anxiety and temper related issues and mental stress. They tend to experience behavioral problems. Living together creates an imbalance in the emotional and financial security of an individual. These chronic stresses affect the health of the individual. Out-of-Wedlock   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This situation derails progress towards achieving a stable family structure and good health. Most teenage mothers remain single parents[viii]. Their children spend more time in poverty and appalling living conditions in comparison to children from any other family structure. They manifest behavioral problems like anxiety, depression, require psychiatric care, and have tendencies to commit suicide. They are likely to exhibit antisocial behavior. Their risk factors multiply with a downward spiral in health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The probability of low-birth weight and low neo-natal health index scores is the highest in births arising out-of-wedlock. The mother’s exhibit increased maternal depression levels. Children from broken families are likely to abuse themselves and therefore harm their well-being. The immune system of these children functions at a rapid rate under chronic stress, thereby rendering them to infectious diseases. WAYS TO PREVENT FAMILY STRESS In stressful circumstances, nutritious meals, exercises, building self-resilience, relaxation techniques and sleep, thinking optimistically, use of social support networks, professional psychotherapy, and sharing the stress maintain health. â€Å"The Holmes- Rahe Life Stress Inventory† is a scale that rates social adjustment and the susceptibility to a breakdown caused by stress.[ix]. Ways to prevent stress are:[x] Learn key concepts about personalities, families, communication, make wise child conception or adoption choices Apply this knowledge in daily life. One can increase nurturance levels in family by effective problem solving, clarity in thinking, listing communication strengths, and removing blocks for unconscious toxic habits Understand personal and family policies on feeling and expressing grief or anger, upgrade appropriate personal values and attitudes, keep the family members informed and evolve pro-grief policies Understand if there are others in the family who are grieving their losses. Then, it is equally important to share and discuss healthy grieving and to use a qualified therapist to heal the wounds. Conclusion Genetic variations and experiences of a lifetime increase sensitivity to stress. Chronic stress damages cardiovascular system and immune system suppression. It compromises the ability to fight disease and affects mental health. Medical conditions that are caused by stress include Chronic pain, migraines, ulcers, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression Heart disease, diabetes, asthma, pms, obesity Infertility, autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, skin problems Children from broken families are prone to anxiety and depression related health problems and emotional disorders. There is a decrease in economic prosperity and educational achievements The negative impact caused by stress can be reduced by increasing commitment within family members, use of social support networks and self-improvement. Children from stable families achieve higher levels in education, prosper well, make committed and strong relationships, further, and establish a high nurtured environment for their children unlike children from broken families. [i] Mc Cubbin IH, Patterson MJ.The Family Stress Process The double ABCX model of adjustment and adaption. Marriage and Family review.1983.6(1-2):37-7. [ii] Jaffe E, Smith M, Larson H, Segal J. Understanding stress [online] 2007 [cited 2008 June 25]. Available from:URL: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.html [iii] The federal statistics system is unable to provide accurate data on the number of children from broken families as the National Center for Health Statistics and the Bureau of the Census does not collect the complete data on divorce now.1992. [iv] Corcoran   E M, Chaudry A. The Dynamics of Childhood Poverty .In : Future of Children.1997. Vol. 7, No. 2 ,pp. 40-54, quoting from G. J. Duncan et al., unpublished research paper, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1994.Lone-Parent Families in the United States, In: Dynamics, Economic Status, and Developmental Consequences. [v] Bumpass LL, Martin CT, Sweet AJ. The Impact of Family Background and Early Marital Factors on Marital Disruption,In:   Journal of Family Issues.1991. Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 22-42. [vi] Bumpass et al., The Role of Cohabitation in Declining Rates of Marriage, In: Journal of Family Issues.1991.Vol 12, No.1, pp.22-42. [vii] Bumpass et al., The Impact of Family Background. [viii] Hotz VJ, McElroy SW, Sanders SG. The Impacts of Teenage Childbearing on the Mothers and the Consequences of those Impacts for Government, In: Maynard RA, editors, Urban Institute Press, Washington DC. Economic costs and social costs of teenage pregnancy, In: Kids having kids. 1997. pp-55-94. [ix] The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory [Document on the internet]. [cited: 2008 Jun 25]. Available from: http://www.bhicares.org/pdf/manual/indepthassessment/homesrahestressinventory.pdf [x] Gerlach KP, Three ways to prevent family stress and divorce, In: High Nurturance Family Relationships. 2008. [Cited,2008 Jun 25]. Available from: http://sfhelp.org/prevent/intro.htm

The Heart of Darkness :: essays research papers

Heart of Darkness is a novel of indescribable horrors and actions that lie outside the human mind. It describes a mans (Marlow) voyage on a west African river to find an a man named Kurtz. The actual journey truly is towards the â€Å"heart of darkness†, where it takes Marlow by evidence of European indignity towards the natives. He wants to see this land for himself, he does not quite believe in himself of what is really there. This story hints at horrors that Marlow is incapable of describing, which leaves the reader to imagine actions that are outside of normal everyday life. The voyage that Marlow has taken has been long and exhausting. It’s an adventure for him. He has experienced a great deal of confrontation with the natives, jungle dangers and savagery. There is no interest of the humans who live here and they are extremely mistreated. To them this is normal human behavior. Nothing has been done differently. Nowhere did we stop long enough to get a particular impression, but there was general sense of wonder. â€Å"It was like a weary pilgrimage amongst hints for nightmares†. This describes Marlow’s voyage to the â€Å"heart of darkness†, the literal heart of darkness: Africa. He was fully warned and well-aware of the evil he would encounter, however he chose to ignore that in effort to satisfy his curiosity. The author is also saying something about human nature. Human curiosity about an unknown place can make him cross the line of civilized human behavior and enter a world of nightmares. Marlow wanted to see it for himself, but what made it most fascinating was this land was something he had never experienced before. He knew he would be a "weary pilgrimage amongst hints for nightmares" but he wanted to prove something to himself that could remain doubtable if not seen. There is a persistence of the human instinct that pushes people to try to find the unknown and calm their deepest desires and questions. To actually see and experience the unknown are the only true ways we will believe. This adventure novel can mean a whole different thing. The â€Å"heart of darkness† can be a symbolic journey into the dark center of the heart and soul of a human revealing concealed evil. It is exploration of the inner self, reflecting the unconscious self of a human. Ironically, the truth is exposed not in terms of light, but in terms of darkness.

American Traditions Reflected In The Literature Of 1865-1912 Essay

The United States has always professed itself to be the â€Å"land of the free. † In fact, most of its traditions are rooted in its value for freedom, family and country. How often is it in public speeches that we are reminded that â€Å"all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights†¦that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. † Literary pieces produced between the years of 1865 and 1912 show a growing awareness and search for understanding of civil rights and democracy. Uniqueness and personal individuality and perspective were reflected in the writing styles and stories that appeared during this time. Nineteenth century poet Emily Dickinson’s poems in â€Å"The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson† reflect her views and awareness of the role of women in a patriarchal and free society. Indeed her writings could very well be considered ‘feminist. ‘ Walt Whitman’s â€Å"Leaves of Grass’ was representative of an America that was alive, rich and natural. He states: â€Å"The Americans of all nations at any time upon the earth have probably the fullest poetical nature. The United States is essentially the greatest poem† (Whitman, 1855) Yet while his views were generally â€Å"romantic† in nature, his demonstrates a keen awareness social issues such as the growing materialism brought about by industrialism. He called for literature that would bind the readers in a more spiritual and imaginative state as individuals in his â€Å"Democratic Vistas† (1871. ) American Literature saw the birth of awareness and definition of freedom. Freedom was then too general a concept yet the literary products in this period showed the emergence of expressions for individuality against convention, true liberty, and pride in identity. American Literature 2 2. GENDER AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE ECONOMIC AND LITERARY DEVELOPMENT IN 1865-1912 Literature has been used as an expression of freedom of thought, feelings, and ideals. It has also been used as a tool of social awareness and activism that meant to inspire reform particularly in the disparity experienced by women and ethnic minorities in that era. As the industrial age prepared to take root in the United States, ethnic minorities like the Native Americans, Africans and Asians, and other ethnic groups grew more marginalized in existence. Africans became slaves who were made to work in the tobacco and cotton fields. Others were pressed into domestic servitude in the homes of the wealthy White men. Literature at in reference to women and the ethnic minorities viewed them as objects that â€Å"White men† own. This dehumanization served as a sort of â€Å"muse† for the emerging â€Å"realist† writers. If popular literature referred to them as non-entities, the realists raised their plight up as a sign for the need for social awareness and change. In her â€Å"Woman in the Nineteenth Century,† essayist and on of America’s first respected female journalists Margaret Fuller, brought up the existence of sexual discrimination and suggested steps in an effort to promote the independence of women. She was an advocate of equality gained through human freedom and dignity. Mark Twain’s â€Å"Huckleberry Finn† defied conventions and spoke out against the practice of slavery and the irrationality of â€Å"civilized† society. The friendship of his lead characters Jim and Huck went beyond the strictures of a slave-owning society and culminated in something that was happy and generous. Emancipation of women, abolishment of racism, marginalization and slavery according to the realist writers, were what should define American freedom, humanity and democracy†¦not the materialism and human ownership brought by industrialization. References â€Å"The Romantic Period, 1820-1860, Essayists and Poets†. Outline of American Literature. United States International Information Programs (2006) Retrieved August 29, 2007 from http://usinfo. state. gov/products/pubs/oal/lit3. htm â€Å"The Rise of Realism: 1860-1914†. Outline of American Literature. United States International Information Programs (2006) Retrieved August 29, 2007 from http://usinfo. state. gov/products/pubs/oal/lit5. htm

Essay on The Rocky Horror Picture Show - 1654 Words

The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Rocky Horror Picture Show, an instant cult classic from the 70s. Documenting a Sweet Transvestites longing for the perfect lover, with no strings attached. Genetic Engineering along with lighting, a dark castle, and a few unorthodox love scenes made a few laugh, a few cry, and left many disgusted. Yet just how many sweet transvestites could there be in the world; certainly Aldous Huxleys Brave New Worlds idealized social and sexual interaction could have influenced this Transelvanian utopia, however odd it may seem. Also, the more we document the differences between Huxleys creation and our world, be it in entertainment or real life the more similarities stand out. In regards to social†¦show more content†¦A sudden noise of shrill voices made him open his eyes and, after hastily brushing away his tears, look round. What seemed an interminable stream of identical eight-year old male twins was pouring into the room. Twin after twin, twin after twin, they came--a nig htmare. Their faces, their repeated face--for there was only one between the lot of them--puggishly stared, all nostrils and pale goggling eyes. Their uniform was khaki. All their mouths hung open. Squealing and chattering they entered. In a moment, it seemed, the ward was maggoty with them. They swarmed between the beds, clambered over, crawled under, peeped into the television boxes, made faces at the patients. {Huxley 207} This lack of feeling regarding death is by far one of the most outlandish ideas in the novel, but is our world all that different? After the Heavens gate mass suicide 39 religious followers were subjected to the harshest discrimination any group could endure, but these people could not defend themselves. In there final resting places they were photographed and displayed throughout the world as oddities, such as Linda dying in front of a group of youngsters. Shrouded by a triangular purple cloth, dressed alike, and carrying similar items{Miller} they were dismissed as another subject for comic relief.Show MoreRelatedThe Rocky Horror Picture Show860 Words   |  3 Pages The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of the most popular movies of all times. It’s reach spreads across generations and countries. At first glance Rocky Horror, as it is commonly referred to, can seem like a crude movie that’s sole purpose is to shock the audience with it’s foul language and sexual content. This is not the case; Rocky Horror brings attention to the gender roles placed on women and men in society. This message is still important today because more than ever women and men feelRead MoreThe Rocky Horror Picture Show1989 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"The Rocky Horror Picture Show is not so much a movie as more of a long-running social phenomenon† (Ebert). 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