Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction are two very serious problems that many people find themselves struggling with. I think that initially this disease starts because of poor impulse control and little will power, but ultimately these two problems are diseases of the brain. People become so reliant on the substance that sometimes their body can not function without it, and if they don't obtain the substance, they might even become severely ill. This is all part of the brain and how it deals with the substances that it takes in. In addition, these diseases can be genetic. Being addicted is a disease of the brain because it causes mental illness in some cases, and in all cases it affects human behavior. Although poor impulse control can lead people to initially taking drugs or incessant drinking, it is ultimately a brain disease.

Favorite Psychology Fields

Yesterday in class I learned that the field of Psychology offers many fields, all of which dealt with different things. I found that being a Psychiatric Nurse was a very good job that offered a lot of benefits. This one was my favorite because the nurses were allowed to work directly with the patients by determining the diagnosis of their mental illness as well as prescribing appropriate medications. In addition, these nurses educate patients and their families about their condition and teach them how to cope with their problems. I thought this was very beneficial because I know that I feel accomplished and happy when I know that I help out others. Lastly, Psychiatric Nurses make an average of 85,000 dollars a year! The second field that I found to be most interesting was Geriatric Psychology. I am extremely close with my grandparents, and I enjoy spending time with older people. In this field, the psychologists help their patients deal with change, stress, memory loss, death, anxiety, etc. They may also work with doctors and act as advisers to nurses. Many people have an aversion to old people, but I am not one of those people so this job would suit me well. Lastly, the third field of psychology that I found to be very interesting was Sports Psychology. Within this field, psychologists help athletes with social and developmental factors that influence sports participation. This job would be great for me because I am very athletic and constantly surrounded by athletes.

I would definitely consider majoring in Psychology because it offers endless job opportunities. Now I understand why

Psychology is such a popular major . I also enjoy working with people so this field would enable me to do so.

I think that the study of Psychology outside of work is significant because it not only helps us get a better understanding

of ourselves, but also other people in the world that we interact with. It helps us understand our relationships and hopefully

can allow us to live a better life.

3 Questions About Me

1. How does the way you have been rewarded, punished, and disciplined over the course of your life affect who you are today?

The way I have been rewarded, punished, and disciplined in my life has greatly affected me as a person today. Over the weekend I was watching old home videos from when I was about 7 months old. Every movement or sound I made, my dad would praise me with tremendous enthusiasm and tell me ‘good job’! It was really funny because it happened so frequently and for things that were so silly! Although I thought it was funny, I also realized that this was detrimental to me because later on I would always expect to be praised for every little thing I did. This is very true because my mom always tells me that I expect to be praised for everything that I do and I frequently seek her to extol me. After watching this video of myself as an infant, I finally understood why I expected to be praised for every thing I did! In addition, my parents are extremely strict and over protective of me, so as an individual today I feel that I am mature for my age and that I know the difference between right and wrong.

2. Explain how the following factors have influenced who you are today: religion, ethnicity, gender, hometown/state, country. Being Jewish has influenced who I am as a person today. My family members were in the Holocaust, and my Grandpa Jack survived it and is fortunately still alive today! Being Jewish is very important to me and has made me uphold strong values and morals. I am Hungarian, Austrian, and Russian and I honestly don’t think that this has impacted me in any noticeable way. However, living in River Vale all of my life I have learned to respect my community members and to uphold long lasting relationships with all of my friends.

3. How important do you think physical factors such as genes, hormones, brain chemistry, and brain structure are in determining who you are, how you act, what you think, and how you feel? I think that physical factors including genes, hormones, brain chemistry, and brain structure have everything to do with determining who you are. Aside from environmental factors, all of these 100 percent have an affect on how you act, what you think, and how you feel.