Antidepressant Case Study Essay Example for Free

Antidepressant Case Study Essay The debate over antidepressants has waged on for over more than half a century. Two heads of the Department of Psychiatry in Washington University discovered that depression was just as much biological as it was physiological meaning that people with depression had an abnormal chemical make-up in the brain. This discovery increased the demand for research on methods to alter this abnormality effectively and efficiently. Thus antidepressants were created, sparking a psychiatric revolution. Antidepressants work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for controlling human emotions. Our bodies make serotonin naturally but some particles are lost on the neuron, which is called reuptake. Antidepressants block the reuptake by placing a protein wall on the neuron, enabling a greater consumption of serotonin in the brain (Greenburg Manufacturing). From their creation, antidepressants have given people a chance to recapture the enjoyment they once, or never, had. They help people find their goals, rediscover their futures, and enjoy special moments in life that should be cherished. Antidepressants should be prescribed to individuals suffering from depression because they are simple, safe, and effective. In years prior to the development of antidepressants, depression was treated through drastic hospitalization. Hospitalization involved patients enduring painful treatments such as electrotherapy and/or a lobotomy (Richard 54). In electrotherapy, an individual is pinned down to a bed and shocked whenever a negative or suicidal thought comes to mind. A lobotomy is an unpleasant form of brain surgery that involves a surgeon using a long rod to rewire brain functions. While these forms of treatment are grueling and pose a great risk to the health of the patient, they are successful in reconstructing the chemical make-up in oneâ€⠄¢s brain, which is a necessary component in curing most forms of depression. These forms of treatment are expensive, complicated, and time consuming. Medications, on the other hand, do not demand a lot of time and are easily swallowed. Taking these medications is simple, easy and only requires a doctor’s prescription, which can be easily received upon an appointment. This form of treatment is quite simple, and is much less burdensome than treatment solely based on therapy. Therapy can be quite costly and, without the addition of antidepressants, ineffective. In order for it to be effective the child must meet with a professional twice a week (Martin 574). According to the American Academy of Psychology an average therapy session costs $150. In order to properly treat depression effectively via therapy and non-drug related means the patient requires up to one to three years of treatment. At $300 a week the individual will be spending $15,600 a year and $46,800 over three years. With medication, comes a cheaper and less complicated means of treatment. Under medications, the average patient requires meeting one to two times per every two weeks at the same average cost of $150. This comes out to $3900 per year versus the $15,600 through just treatment. Although there is the cost of medications, the total cost for using medication and therapy is significantly cheaper than using just therapy. With antidepressants, treatment for depression becomes simply and easy to accomplish, making the road to recovery that much more achievable. Many individuals feel skeptical about taking antidepressants because they are a human-made substance, and they are full of chemicals. While this is true, the effects medications have on the body is different from person to person. From its creation antidepressants have had some serious side affects, scaring people away. Today, 118 million people use antidepressants and between 1995 and 2002, the use of these drugs rose 48 percent (Cohen Antidepressants). Also this shows that people have been adjusting to these drugs, and that people see less risk in taking them. Many of the 118 million people on antidepressants have depression, but there are also many people take them for the other reasons. Antidepressants have known to help people quit smoking. (New York Psychiatric) writes, â€Å"Nicotine may have antidepressant effects that maintain smoking for some smokers. Antidepressants may substitute for this effect† (New York Psychiatric). These individuals take the drug as a safe means to quit smoking. Scientifically antidepressants contain bupropion hydrochloride, a chemical known for dissolving the nicotine addiction (New York Psychiatric). A smoker develops an addiction because nicotine is a powerful drug that speeds up the brain and central nervous system. It triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in your brain, boosting one’s mood. Over time the brain adjusts to the increase of dopamine and the smoker becomes addicted. Antidepressants help by stabilizing the elevated levels of dopamine in the brain by having increased levels of the opposite neurotransmitter, serotonin absorbed. Also these drugs are safe to take because the FDA continuously runs tests to validate the drug’s safety. The FDA’s article on improving pediatric and child health states, â€Å"FDA has been committed to addressing the special considerations needed for assessing medical products for children and young adults. These include science to address how development, age and growth may affect how treatments work and effect health outcomes in children† (FDA Improving). Individuals everywhere take these drugs for a variety of reasons, and rarely do they harm an individual. There are many unexplained reasons an individual suffers from depression, but two theories the Monoamine Hypothesis and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Cortisol Theory, are prevalent in most cases of depression, and they explain the biological problems that cause depression (Koplewicz More). The first theory, the Monoamine Hypothesis, was formulated in the 1960’s as a way to show how other chemicals in the brain inhibit serotonin. (Koplewicz More) explains, â€Å" The monoamine (MAO) metabolites act as inhibitors, preventing serotonin and norepinephrin from crossing the synapse. In succession to this theory these MAO metabolites appear to be more prevalent in depressed patients† (Belmaker Future). The second theory, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Cortisol Theory, was developed shortly after the Monoamine Hypothesis. This theory explains that the amount of cortisol produced is reduced in individuals suffering from depression. These two theories are seen in over 66% of cases of depression (Belmaker Future). This number encompasses the largest population of individuals suffering from depression, thus proving depression is largely a chemical imbalance ailment in the brain. Because depression is a chemical imbalance, it can only be cured through certain means of treatment specializing in chemical reconstruction. Such treatments require the proper equipment and chemicals that therapy or other forms of treatment cannot supply. The combination of both antidepressants and therapy is proven to be the most effective means of curing depression. Author George Burns, in his book, Happiness, Healing, Enhancement: Your Casebook Collection for Applying Positive Psychology in Therapy writes, â€Å"43% more patients suffering from depression were cured with the combination of therapy and medication than patients only undergoing only one form of treatment† (Burns 47). The individuals undergoing both verbal therapy and drug therapy recover more often and faster than patients only undergoing one form of treatment. Antidepressants are an effective means of curing depression because they are easy to use, safe, and effective. Antidepressants come mainly in a pill form and work most effectively alongside therapy or other forms of treatment. For an individual with depression who does not consume antidepressant medication, treatment can be difficult, time consuming, and expensive. These pills are easy to ingest and require the patient to do less work by the patient. On top of that, they have been frequently tested by professionals, and are safe in most individuals. Symptoms vary from user to user, however, they typically they do not cause bodily harm. Depression comes in many forms, but in most cases depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. With this information and are known effects antidepressants have on the brain, it is evident that these drugs are extremely effective and much more effective than solely therapeutic treatment.

Bridge To Terabithia :: essays research papers

There are many main themes in Bridge to Terabithia. One of the most important is Jesse and Leslie's magical kingdom in the woods called Terabithia. Terabithia is a small castle they built in the woods where they go to escape and have magical adventures. The "bridge" is a rope they use to swing over the dry creek. Another main theme is Jesse running every morning during the summer so he can be the fastest runner in fifth grade, only to be beat by Leslie, the new girl in town. One more theme is Jesse being the only boy in his house. He has two evil older sisters, who always get their way by whining. He has a younger sister who looks up to him and a baby sister, who of course, gets all the attention. Every time the baby cries his mother assumes it's because Jesse had something to do with it. A few main ideas are the differences between Jesse's family and Leslie's family. Jesse's family is quite poor and high strung. Jesse's mother is a housewife. She cooks; she cleans and raises the children. Jesse's father is usually angry. He works and tries to bring home some money. Until he gets laid off but even then he doesn't give up. He wakes up at the same time ever morning to go to the unemployment office. Jesse's two older sisters are Brenda and Ellie. All they do is whine to get off of doing their chores and criticize Jesse for anything. His younger sister May Belle, looks up to him but he tries to act like an older, tougher brother and doesn't give her much thought, even though he loves her. The youngest sister, Joyce Ann isn't really mentioned except when Jesse tries to push May Belle to her so she'll leave him alone and when Jesse's mother yells at him because of her. Jesse's hobbies are his art and running. Before Leslie moved in, his best friend seemed to be Miss Bessie, the cow. She would watch him run every morning. Leslie's family on the other hand is actually rich. Both her parents are writers and they decided to move because they felt they were getting too absorbed in their money and lifestyle. Leslie is an only child but even though she is it seems as if she doesn't spend much time with her father. When her father was fixing up the house and asked her to help she felt so needed and happy.

Poverty no longer exists in Britain today

There is an argument that poverty no longer exists in Britain today. Many people would say that the days when people died from lack of food, shelter or clean water ended, in this country, with the introduction of the welfare state (Chinn, 1995). Poverty, however, can be defined in two ways and depending on which definition one chooses to employ, it can be contested whether the balance of evidence shows that poverty actually does exist or not. In this piece of work it will be argued that poverty does affect many people in our society and the lack of resources of poorer people in society is at the root of inequalities in health. Furthermore it will be shown that the discrepancy between the standards of living that better off people in society enjoy and the standards of living that poorer people endure can be something that is very difficult to alter. In conclusion there will be a discussion on the role that social care professionals may play in trying to reduce the negative effects suffered by some people as a result of poverty. The first of the two identified forms of poverty is absolute or â€Å"subsistence level poverty† (Thompson and Priestly, 1996: 207). Income falls below a set level so that a person does not have the means to be able to secure the basic necessities for living, in terms of food, drink, shelter and clothing. Stephens et al (1998) argue that for some people in society, like rough sleepers, poverty in absolute terms is very real and that when older people die from hypothermia because they can't afford to heat their homes adequately it is as a result of absolute poverty. Poverty in this sense however has certainly diminished since the advent of the Welfare State. The second definition of poverty, relative poverty, is defined in terms of a ‘reasonable' standard of living generally expected by the society in which a person lives. It identifies ‘needs' as more than basic biological requirements, taking into account social and emotional needs. It is also about being excluded from taking part in activities which are widely undertaken by the rest of society. In terms of resources, relative poverty is a higher standard of living than absolute poverty but it could be argued that many things that are not strictly essential for life nevertheless could be deemed as necessities by society in general. Thus whether you adhere to an absolutist or relativist definition of it, it is clear that there are certain people in society who suffer from poverty. Modern research into poverty combines both classifications. Stevens et al (1988: 266) maintain: â€Å"it's important to capitalise on the advantages of both definitions†. There have been several pieces of well-documented research into health inequalities, both by successive governments and independent bodies, for example, The Black Report in 1980; Margaret Whitehead's ‘The health divide' in 1987 (Stephens et al, 1998) and most recently the Acheson Report in 1998. This research underlines the correlation between poverty and ill health and the disparity that exists, depending on social class. Measurements and comparisons are made in terms of morbidity and in terms of mortality. Research shows that if a person is born into poverty his/her chances of suffering ill health and a shortened life span are greater than if he/she was born into prosperity. Some of the most recent research has shown, for example that children in social class five (where five represents the least well off and one represents the most well off) are five times as likely to suffer accidental death than their peers from social class one (Roberts I. Power C, 1996). Further studies show that a baby boy from social class one can be expected to live for more than nine years longer than a baby boy from social class five (Office for National Statistics, 1998). The British Medical Journal (1999) states â€Å"Social class differences in health are seen at all ages, with lower socio-economic groups having the greater incidence of heart disease, stroke and some cancers†. The rate of pre-natal mortality is hi gher for women from lower socio-economic groups. A poorer person is more likely to die in infancy, more likely to suffer ill health, as a child and as an adult, and more likely to die prematurely than someone who has greater access to resources. It has been stated that â€Å"the most significant factor [affecting health] in poverty is†¦ the fact that poor people are denied access to possessions and services that are available to their better-off peers† (Moore, 1997). This could include: preventative medicine, early treatment when sick, a healthy diet, access to ‘keep fit' leisure activities. Other factors which could have a detrimental effect on poorer people could include things like poorly maintained housing, stress related illness and smoking, which is more prevalent among lower income groups (Office for National Statistics, 1998). Explanations for poverty tend to fall into two categories. There are individualistic explanations for poverty. That people who are in relative poverty are so because they are in some way lazy, irresponsible or ‘feckless' and they could help themselves to escape poverty if they really wanted to. Some people vocalise this way of thinking by, for example, telling the unemployed to ‘get on their bikes' and find work. This type of argument can, and often is, applied to any ‘inappropriate' or ‘wasteful' use of resources for example, by criticising people for wanting to dress their children in more expensive clothes, or by condemning women for the number of children they choose to have. Another common reaction when confronted with arguments about poverty is to be reproachful when someone chooses to smoke instead of ‘spending their money wisely'. These arguments however fail to take into account the way that society is structured and the effects that this has on people's life chances. There is an element of victim blaming and consideration is not given to the fact that some people have far more power than others to alter aspects of their lives. Structural, as opposed to individualistic, explanations focus on â€Å"the political, economic and material environment in which people find themselves† (Howe, 1997: 173). A person who is born into poverty is more likely to stay poor and their children are likely to be poor. In this way a life or poverty can be a self-perpetuating cycle of deprivation which people have very little power to change. This deprivation is exacerbated by the fact that it can be combined with other inequalities, such as those based on gender, ethnicity, and age. The fact that some people suffer from multiple disadvantages is attributable to structural inequality, which is inherent in our society. Anatole France wrote: â€Å"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. France (1894). Clearly there is no need for wealthier people ‘to sleep under bridges' whereas there may be a justification or even a necessity for a homeless person to do it. The concept of a society where everyone has the same opportunities and all are equal is a fallacy when viewed from a structural perspective. This does not however mean that people are absolutely powerless to help themselves and assumptions sho uld not be made that because someone is in poverty they will necessarily need the help of social care professionals. People can often make changes to make their lives better, to suggest otherwise would be to disempower people. Social care professionals should be aware of the effects of poverty and the relative powerlessness of some people but not to such an extent that the power imbalance is made greater by the workers inability to treat the client as an individual. Anti-oppressive practice is â€Å"a form of social work that addresses social divisions and structural inequalities †¦ by responding to people's needs regardless of their social states† Dominelli (1993). This argument is further developed by Dalrymple and Burke (1995) when they talk about giving the client access to records so that any information is shared. Ensuring inclusion and consultation can lessen the power imbalance between social care worker and client. Government policy is geared to combating inequalities, in light of the findings of the Acheson Report. In particular it recognises the needs of those who may have multiple disadvantages, for example women, children, people with disabilities, older people and people from ethnic minority groups. Social care workers should have an awareness of combined inequalities and should have a commitment to reduce them. â€Å"Many social workers invest considerable efforts to maximise the welfare benefits of their clients and search through charitable resources to alleviate some of their acute hardships† (Jones, 1997: 121). Social care workers can work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that they refer people to organisations who are able to help, when it is not within the social carer's remit. For example, referrals could be made to: agencies who advise on health matters, or work to increase benefits, or help people back into work, or give advice on housing matters. â€Å"The best way to get rid of poverty – absolute or relative – is to forge a more genuinely equal society† Stephens et al (1998: 258). This is something that is beyond the capabilities of any one profession. In conclusion, social care workers can help to reduce the negative effects of poverty to a certain extent but, for any major improvements to be made, there needs to be a radical change (through governmental policy) in the distribution of both power and wealth.

The Affordable Care Act Reducing Competition - 885 Words

How the Affordable Care Act Is Reducing Competition The Affordable Care Act was created to assure all Americans have access to affordable insurance, but as stated by Sir Isaac Newton for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. As more and more people become insured in this country, the for-profit insurance companies are reaping the benefits from the legislation of the Affordable Care Act. The creators of the Affordable Care Act inexcusably anticipated that new kinds of health plans, designed in our nation’s capital, would emerge to displace the national for-profit insurers.(Gottlieb, 2015, para. 3) Two inventions were engineered to help guide the Affordable Care Act in favor of the consumers. The first invention of Obama care was not-for-profit â€Å"co-ops† plan that Obama Care funded with almost $2.5 million in grants.(Gottlieb, 2015, para. 3) The vast majority of co-ops have failed or are failing miserably due to poor planning and compromised structural integrity. The co-ops have been more of a financial burden rather than bringing solidity to our health care system. During the last half of 2014 the Health and Human Services Department had to rescue six co-ops with $356 million in emergency funding.(Gottlieb, 2015, para. 6) The second invention of Obama Care was the consolidation of hospital systems of epic proportions; they would be able to market their risk-bearing health insurance directly to patients.(Gottlieb, 2015, para. 7) During all theseShow MoreRelatedHealthcare Policy Analysis Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pageshappening!We get to manage our own health care .Our issues with Healthcare and insurance is finally looking up in a positive way .Finding a doctor wont be such a hassle nor will it be someone else telling you who you have to pick . Insurance wont be so high and even has made it possible to carry insurance without it breaking our pockets each month .This new way of insurance marketing is a great idea . 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